HIT: Elem skills lab software

[Broberg family <broberg4@ETA.K12.MN.US>]

Here's what was suggested by the many who sent their suggestions.
Thx to all! sb

Math Rock
Bit-bot math voyage
Oregon Trail  II
Hyperstudio

Get more memory!!!!!!  You will be glad you did!

Don't have a catalog in front of me, but look at the Edmark
titles.  They were running a special -- buy 2 network versions at $599/get 1
free.  There are 4 that go with our new math book adoption, and they have
"Thinkin' Things."  You can also consider their "Millie's Math House,"
"Bailey's Book House," and "Sammy's Science House."  We have PC's with a
CD-ROM tower, but I'd be interested in a hit.  : )

I like READ, WRITE, TYPE for a K-2 keyboarding/phonics program.
                    ********
My suggestions would be for open ended programs such as:

Kid Pix (Broderbund) -- allows primary students to demonstrate
understanding of many concepts by using stamps and teacher designed
templates.  It is much more than a play toy drawing tool.

Graph Club (Tom Snyder) -- again open ended can have students gather data
and create craphs.  Even little ones can use it.

Table Top Jr. (Broderbund) -- provides students with opportunities of
creating populations and grouping them in 6 different ways using 4
different attributes.  Great for thinking skills.  Not content but problem
solving.  Table Top is good for older kids in that it lets them create
databases in usual text format and then turn them into visual
representations like Venn Diagrams or graphs using icons for the different
text items.

We also use a number of the Edunetic databases such as Animals in the
World (I think that is the title but I am at home and can't check exact
wording) Change Around Us (seasons) and another on energy sources.  All
have terrific photographs and are great for beginning research activities.
They also have a built in multi media slide show feature which allows kids
to use the pictures, draw their own and add text or narration.
These are now sold by Rurak (sp?)  They also have a CD that lets the kids
create graphic organizers.  I can't remember what it is called.

We also use some of the 10th Planet math titles.  The one on symetry and
patterns are my favorites.

Edmark Sammy's Science House, Trudy's Time and Place House are good too.
These would be for primary grades mostly, but 3rd could make use of the
categorizing and the geography aspects of Time and Place.
Same for Thinking Things 1.

SIRS Discoverer is great for teaching electronic searching to upper elem.
students.  It provides access to over 400 magazines organized by major
categories or by key word.  Reading level is indicated by color coding in
indexes of article titles.  Great for supporting exposition lessons.

As you can see I am not into tech content specific software as much as the
open ended utilities and research support items.  It all depends on the
teaching styles of your staff what best fits your needs.  Good luck.

                    *******
Mighty  Math Carnival Countdown
Might Math Calculating Crew
Thinking Things Collection 1, 2 & 3
(These are all Edmark products)

Neighborhood Math Machine  by Tom Snyder Productions
Zoombinis
I hope this helps.  Right now we are not using
networked versions but I expect to go to that next year.


    ~*-,._.,-*~"^"~*-,._.,-*~"^"~*-,._.,-*~"^"~*-,._.,-*~"^"~*-,._.,-*~
"Anyone who has a library and a garden wants for nothing" CICERO

Sue Broberg                    Media Technology Specialist
Oak Park Heights, MN           Carver School
651.351.1141                   651.702.8250
broberg4@eta.K12.mn.us         sbroberg@eta.K12.mn.us

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