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Integrating Educational
Software
Science Grades K-6 |
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Integrating Educational
Software
Science Grades K-6 |
| Title:
Magic School Bus Explores Inside the Earth |
| Publisher: Microsoft |
| Grades: 2-6 |
| Platform: Win CD-ROM & Mac CD-ROM |
| NH Frameworks: Science Std. 1, 4 |
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Description: Students explore different earth terrain as they help Arnold Hunt for his missing rocks and minerals. Games, facts, reports and plenty of narration, sound, video and animation bring these underground adventures to life. Explorations include a canyon, giant fault, land volcano, underwater volcano, deep cavern and inside a crystal. |
| Integration: |
| Individuals/pairs of students or the entire class (large screen projection needed) |
| Single or multiple classroom computers |
| Best used as curriculum supplement, for enrichment or as an activity center |
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Guide includes complete instructions along with activities and experiments to complement each terrain. |
| Top of page |
| Title: Magic
School Bus Explores the Rainforest |
| Publisher: Microsoft |
| Grades: 2-6 |
| Platform: Win CD-ROM & Mac CD-ROM |
| NH Frameworks: Science Std. 1, 3, 4 |
| Description:
Students explore different zones, habitats and ecosystems of the
Costa Rican rainforest. Fun facts, games, multimedia reports and plenty
of animation, sound, video, photography and narration bring the
rainforest to life. Students can also be detectives and help Ms. Frizzle
find missing bio-clones for the rainforest toolbox, then watch the
classroom rainforest grow.
Explorations include 7 eco-zones within three rainforest layers: Understory--mimicry & camouflage, river, down near the ground Treefall gap--plants & animals, sunny garden Canopy--figs & frogs, not just for the birds |
| Integration: |
| Individuals/pairs of students or the entire class (large screen projection needed) |
| Single or multiple classroom computers |
| Best used as curriculum supplement, for enrichment or as an activity center |
| Guide includes complete instructions along with activities and
experiments to complement each eco-zone.
|
| Title: Magic School Bus Explores the Solar System |
| Publisher: Microsoft |
| Grades: 2-6 |
| Platform: Win CD-ROM & Mac CD-ROM |
| NH Frameworks: Science Std. 1, 4 |
| Description: Students explore all 9 planets of our solar system gathering clues to find Ms. Frizzle's hiding place. Games, reports, science facts, multimedia and NASA and Jet Propulsion Lab videos make learning about the planets and their moons an exciting adventure. |
| Integration: |
| Individuals/pairs of students or the entire class (large screen projection needed) |
| Single or multiple classroom computers |
| Best used as curriculum supplement, for enrichment or as an activity center |
| Guide includes complete instructions along with activities
and experiments for all 9 planets and the solar system.
|
| Title: Sammy's Science
House |
| Publisher: Edmark |
| Grades: preK-2 |
| Platform: Win/Mac hybrid CD-ROM |
| NH Frameworks: Science Std. 1, 3, 4 |
| Description: This early learning software introduces students to the wonders of science. Five activities help students learn about plants, animals, seasons and the weather, and to build observation, classification and sequencing skills. All activities have both explore mode and question & answer mode. A field notebook is also included with interesting reference facts about plants and animals. |
| Integration: |
| Individuals/pairs of students or the entire class (projection device needed) |
| Single or multiple classroom computers |
| Best used as curriculum supplement, for enrichment or as an activity center |
| Teacher guide covers basics of each computer activity along with
together time activities and 31 cross-curricular lessons with blacklines.
|
| Title: Science Court Explorations: Flight |
| Publisher: Tom Snyder |
| Grades: 2-4 |
| Platform: Win/Mac hybrid CD-ROM |
| NH Frameworks: Science Std. 1, 5 |
| Description:
Students learn about air pressure and how planes become airborne through
hands-on activities and an engaging courtroom drama: J. C. Cramwood
looks ridiculous in a video of his efforts trying to fly with Jack
Jenkins' special wings. He claims Jenkins sabotaged the wings and
takes him to court. Students work in cooperative teams, using the scientific method to determine how air exerts pressure on all sides of an object, how reducing pressure on one side creates push from the opposite direction, how air and pressure are related, and why wings are curved on top. |
| Integration: |
| Works best with single classroom computer, teams of 4 students each |
| Requires 1-2 class periods |
| Guide and kit include manipulatives and all student handouts and
activities to reach a verdict, along with additional experiments.
|
| Title: Science Court Explorations: Friction |
| Publisher: Tom Snyder |
| Grades: 2-4 |
| Platform: Win/Mac hybrid CD-ROM |
| NH Frameworks: Science Std. 1, 5 |
| Description: Students
discover what happens when objects rub against each other through
hands-on activities and an engaging courtroom drama: Carl the
handyman speeds up Gabby's cake spinner so it will create a flatter
cake. But it's spinning too fast, so Gabby slows it down with a
piece of wood and leaves it for the night. The next morning, the
cake is burnt to a crisp. Gabby takes Carl to court for sabotage. Students work in cooperative teams, using the scientific method to determine what friction is, how friction creates heat, what happens when smooth objects rub against each other and what happens when rough objects rub against each other. |
| Integration: |
| Works best with single classroom computer, teams of 4 students each |
| Requires 1-2 class periods |
| Guide and kit include manipulatives and all student handouts and
activities to reach a verdict, along with additional experiments.
|
| Title: Science Court Explorations: Heat Absorption |
| Publisher: Tom Snyder |
| Grades: 2-4 |
| Platform: Win/Mac hybrid CD-ROM |
| NH Frameworks: Science Std. 1, 5 |
| Description:
Students learn about heat
absorption and color
through hands-on activities and a lively courtroom drama: an
overheated I. M. Richman faints during a trivia contest. Richman
was wearing a dark shirt he had purchased from his opponent, who was
wearing a white version of the exact same shirt. Did the opponent
dip the dark shirt in heat-emitting chemicals?
Students work in cooperative teams, using the scientific method to determine how light contains heat energy, how light colors reflect light and heat, how dark colors absorb light and heat, and how different materials absorb different amounts of heat. |
| Integration: |
| Works best with single classroom computer, teams of 4 students each |
| Requires 1-2 class periods |
| Guide and kit include manipulatives and all student handouts and
activities to reach a verdict, along with additional experiments.
|
| Title: Science Court Explorations: Magnets |
| Publisher: Tom Snyder |
| Grades: 2-4 |
| Platform: Win/Mac hybrid CD-ROM |
| NH Frameworks: Science Std. 1, 5 |
| Description:
Students learn about magnetizing objects through hands-on activities and
an exciting courtroom drama: Penny Nichols buys a set of wind chimes,
but when they are taken out of the box, they act like magnets.
When she takes them back for a refund, the wind chimes have returned to
normal. Penny claims in court that she was tricked.
Students work in cooperative teams, using the scientific method to determine how magnets work, how iron can become temporarily magnetized, and how some materials are attracted to magnets while others aren't. |
| Integration: |
| Works best with single classroom computer, teams of 4 students each |
| Requires 1-2 class periods |
| Guide and kit include manipulatives and all student handouts and
activities to reach a verdict, along with additional experiments.
|
| Title: Science
Court Explorations: Pendulums |
| Publisher: Tom Snyder |
| Grades: 2-4 |
| Platform: Win/Mac hybrid CD-ROM |
| NH Frameworks: Science Std. 1, 5 |
| Description:
Students learn about pendulums and hypotheses through hands-on
activities and interesting courtroom trial: the host of the annual
cross-country ski race is seen adding extra sand to the pendulum bucket
that times the race. Is he cheating to benefit one of the racers?
Students work in cooperative teams, using the scientific method to determine how pendulums work and what variables affect the rate at which a pendulum swings (weight or length). |
| Integration: |
| Works best with single classroom computer, teams of 4 students each |
| Requires 1-2 class periods |
| Guide and kit include manipulatives and all student handouts and
activities to reach a verdict, along with additional experiments.
|
| Title: Science Court Explorations: Rockets |
| Publisher: Tom Snyder |
| Grades: 2-4 |
| Platform: Win/Mac hybrid CD-ROM |
| NH Frameworks: Science Std. 1, 4, 5 |
| Description:
Students learn about Newton's
Third Law of Motion through hands-on activities and a wacky courtroom
drama: Jane Plain is hired to build a rocket that will carry a
frog into space. During testing, it is decided that the rocket
won't work in space; Jane is sued.
Students work in cooperative teams, using the scientific method to determine that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, how a rocket explosion is directed, that there is no air in space, and that a rocket doesn't need to push against anything to move. |
| Integration: |
| Works best with single classroom computer, teams of 4 students each |
| Requires 1-2 class periods |
| Guide and kit include manipulatives and all student handouts and
activities to reach a verdict, along with additional experiments.
|
| Title: Super Solvers
Gizmos and Gadgets |
| Publisher: The Learning Company |
| Grades: 3-6 |
| Platform: Win/Mac hybrid CD-ROM |
| NH Frameworks: Science Std. 1, 5 |
| Description:
Students use their best physical science skills and thinking
skills to solve puzzles and build 15 different automotive, aircraft and
alternative energy vehicles in a race against the Master of Mischief.
Students learn about physical science through simulated experimentation
and observation in their quest to acquire the most optimal parts for
their vehicles.
The graphic simulations of the puzzles introduce students to these areas of physical science: simple machines, gears, scales, force, electricity, magnetism and energy sources. The puzzles get progressively more difficult as the game progresses. |
| Integration: |
| Individuals or pairs of students |
| Multiple classroom computers preferred |
| Best used as curriculum supplement or for enrichment |
| Teacher guide includes complete instructions and strategies, along with 15 classroom activities that include hands-on experiments. |
| Title: Thinkin'
Science |
| Publisher: Edmark |
| Grades: K-2 |
| Platform: Win/Mac hybrid CD-ROM |
| NH Frameworks: Science Std. 1, 3, 4, 5 |
| Description:
Students are introduced to scientific methods and concepts
through 5 different environments incorporating earth, life and physical
sciences. Children develop problem solving and critical thinking skills
using hypothesis, experimentation, observation and deduction. As with
most Edmark software, the grow slide advances automatically offering
more challenging problems, or it can be set to a particular topic or
difficulty level.
The 5 learning environments include: Day and Night (seasons, earth's revolution and rotation), Fun Physics (ramps, catapults, pendulums), What Did You See (animals in nature, memory skills), Animal Tracking (tracks, behavior, habitats), and Mystery Cave (gather data about smell, texture, color, shape, size and weight of objects). |
| Integration: |
| Individuals/pairs of students or the entire class (large screen projection needed) |
| Single or multiple classroom computers |
| Best used as curriculum supplement, for enrichment or as an activity center |
| Teacher guide covers basics of explore mode and question & answer mode for all learning environments along with 28 cross-curricular activities and blacklines. |
| Title: Thinkin' Science
Zap! |
| Publisher: Edmark |
| Grades: 3-6 |
| Platform: Win/Mac hybrid CD-ROM |
| NH Frameworks: Science Std. 1, 2, 5 |
| Description:
Learning labs help students use their observation, prediction and
experimentation skills as they investigate the concepts of light, sound
and electricity. At the laser lab, Blaze guides students as they bounce,
bend, absorb, and blend light beams by manipulating lenses, mirrors,
splitters, filters and barriers. Riff helps students in the SoundWave
Studio explore properties of sound as they make BoogieBots dance to
different frequencies and amplitudes. In the ElectroLoft, Surge joins
students as they create and analyze circuits and solve problems with
everyday objects such as fans and flashlights.
Each lab features explore and question & answer modes along with Edmark's grow slide that adjusts difficulty levels automatically or can be set to one of 73 different topics. The CD-ROM also includes 222 articles on light, sound and electricity from the World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia (need web browser to access, but not actual Internet access). Students apply all that they have learned by creating a multimedia rock show extravaganza. |
| Integration: |
| Individuals or pairs of students |
| Multiple classroom computers preferred |
| Can be used as part of curriculum unit on sound, electricity and/or light or use for enrichment or as an activity center |
| Teacher guide covers program functionality, guided tours for each of the labs and 10 cross-curricular activities with blacklines (many include hands-on experiments). |
| Title: Imagination Express Destination: Rain Forest |
| Publisher: Edmark |
| Grades: K-6 |
| Platform: Win/Mac hybrid CD-ROM |
| NH Frameworks: Science Std. 3, 4 Language Arts Std. 1, 2, 6 Social Studies Std. 11, 14 |
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Description: Students create interactive stories by adding text, narration, images, stickers and music, all set in a Panamanian rain forest. An electronic fact book teaches about tropical rain forests, the Kuna Indians, and numerous plant and animal inhabitants--information that can be incorporated into the students' creative stories. Students' creative works can also be printed. Story ideas and a guided tour through the program are also included. |
| Integration: |
| Can be used by individuals or pairs/small groups of students |
| Multiple computer environment preferred |
| Good for enrichment or as supplement to curriculum |
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Teacher guide includes complete program description, tips for adapting the program to different grades and ability levels, story ideas and 23 cross-curricular activities with blacklines. |