specializing in educational software reviews
Hot off the Press!!
BIG Announcement from Knowledge Adventure!!!! I knew it was only a matter of time, although Josiah (my son and the console expert) considers it blasphemy of sorts. At E3 Knowledge Adventure will unveil the first of their kids console games for the Playstation. Educational content on PlayStation???? YEP! They will release games including Sabrina, Franklin, Telletubies for the PlayStation and GameBoy Color soon. If these go well, I'm sure it won't be long before the educational content creeps in there.....if the kids will allow it. ;-)
New releases slated for E3 from Scholastic include a new series based on Clifford the Big Red Dog and two new I Spy titles.
Other new E3 announcements from Knowledge Adventure include the following scheduled releases:
- Two new deluxe, 2CD versions of Jump Start, Math Blaster and Reading Blaster.
- New personalized study programs for middle school and high school kids titled Excel Middle School, Excel High School and Excel Mathematics. This looks more integrated than their previous 'bundles' and I have high hopes.....it's about time there was a decent upper level program to talk about! Let's keep our fingers crossed!
- New language programs titled Learn Your Way. There have been few new foreign language programs this past year, so I look forward to the new advances in technology. This will star with Spanish, French and English
New program from Edmark: Edmark has been concentrating it's efforts on the school market this year. They have come out with some very innovative, and nice packages. They are not so expensive that homeschoolers can not join in either! Their latest just arrived, and I will review it asap. It is called Space Academy. It includes "scientifically accurate" information in an adventure based program. The virtual manipulative look esspecially cool!
Found a wonderful new site for teachers and homeschoolers! The Hegener's put me on to this site, and they are right, it's a wonderful resource! Great information, links, lesson plans and more for school teachers, but with application to homeschoolers as well. Check it out at: http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/directory.html Check out her demo for the new math book as well!
Follow along as news unfolds at E3 this month! E3 is the biggest computing trade show that applies to people interested in new software, new video games and more. Unfortunately I won't be attending this year, but plan to next May. Watch all the latest news along with me at http://www.e3expo.com
New Disney products expected at E3 this month! Watch for reviews of these new programs as they are released:
- Who Wants to be a Millionaire 2: Release date May 9th
- Disney's Dinosaur Activity Center: Release date May 16th
- Disney's 102 Dalmations: Puppies to the Rescue: Release date November 2000
- Disney's Magic Artist 3-D: Release date September 30, 2000
- Disney's Mickey Saves the Day 3-D: Release date October 17, 2000
- Disney's Mickey Toddler: Release date July 15, 2000
- Disney's Mickey Preschool: Release date July 15, 2000
- Disney's Mickey Kindergarten: Release date July 15, 2000
- Disney's Beauty and the Beast: Release date September 28, 2000
- Disney's Little Mermaid 2: Release Date September 1, 2000
- Disney/Pixar's Buzz Lightyear Learning 1st Grade: Release date August 15, 2000
- Disney/Pixar's Buzz Lightyear Learning 2nd Grade: Release date August 15, 2000
New online Math Product: WWWrr has just launched a new online math product which correlates with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards. This product allows students to practice and review math concepts at their own pace. There have been predictions that interactive online sites will take over software. Whether that will happen remains to be seen, but here's one of the first. Check out the free demo at: http://www.wwwrrr.net
Math course available online! The Denali project announces Summit@home. This new site allows users to recieve a broad range of mathematics and reading content. They are offering a free one-month trial beginning June 15th. This site will be geared toward students who need remediation and review. There are currently 850 learning activities. Here's another one folks.....maybe the 'predicters' are right???
Classroom Connect starts yet another quest! If you haven't participated in one of Classroom Connects Quest trips yet, you are missing out! My kids LOVED the one they did. The latest one starts on May 25th, and runs through June 2nd. They will be going on an expedition to Japan in an attempt to solve the mystery of why Okinawans live longer than anyone else on Earth! Sounds interesting! See you there.
Other Classroom Connect announcements include:
- Connected Classroom Conference 2000: October 17-18 in Las Vegas, and November 30-December 1 in Houston. Keynote speakers include Jamie McKenzie (Las Vegas) and David Thornburg (Houston...this guy is GREAT!) For more info go to: http://www.classroom.com/pd
- Revisit Africa Quest if you missed the live one at: http://quest.classroom.com
- Plan for America Quest Spring 2000
- Ready, Set, Internet: This new project gets your kids working on inernet projects while you incorporate the Internet into your everyday curriculum and plans.
- Hot Links: Great links and resources for ten of the most popular elementary science topics. Add these resources to your unit studies.
- Revisit Galpagos Quest 1999 even if you missed the live version.
- Club Net: Allows you to let your student appreciate the similiarities and celebrate the differences among people living in different places by utilizing this new meeting spot on the Internet.
- Connected Questions: Question based unit studies available on the Internet
- Cybertrips: Can't afford the real thing? Take your class on a cybertrip this year to Egypt, Kenya, Paris, Mt Everest and more!
- Look it Up: This new area allows students to look up information easily about anything they may be studying. There are at least 20 different categories of study.
Another Math Blaster and Reading Blaster upgrade has hit the market this month. Math Blaster Ages 6-8 is the latest version of this program and will have a 2000 copyright date on the box. There will also be a new Math Blaster Ages 5-7 for those a bit more advanced. The new Reading Blaster will have the same copyright, but will be for ages 4-6 with a second title being released for the 5-7 crowd (supposedly for those a bit too advanced for the 4-6 title, but not ready for the more advanced ones.)
GeoSafari enters the next millenium with the new GeoSafari Knowledge Pad due out this Spring. This new tool will release with 13 CD-ROM titles. I don't have much more info at this point, but will keep you posted. We loved our original one......I wish I had never sold it!
Free Hyperstudio upgrade is now available from Knowledge Adventure at http://www.hyperstudio.com for thos owning versions 3.1 or higher. This is a great tool for creating multimedia presentations with your kids and students. If you have an older copy be sure to get the upgrade!
National Geographic adds content for teachers to its web site! If you have not checked out the National Geographic site lately, it is worth another look. They have recently added new content just for teachers at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/education
More Barbie! As if we could ever get enough of her? Well, some girls can't anyhow. Barbie Digital Makeover takes the original Barbie programs one step further. Check back in shortly for a full review, as this one just arrived at our house (3/2/00)
New Disney Princess Title includes interaction with some of the best known princesses. This program will have appeal to a limited audience, but young princess fans will enjoy it. Click here for the full review.
New Winnie the Pooh titles have just been released to accompany the opening of the new Tigger Movie (which we really liked by the way!) New titles include Disney's Activity Center, Disney's 3D Adventure and Tigger's Family Tree. Reviews of these products will appear just as soon as they arrive!
New products from DK Interactive include My First series. These programs are made for new computer kids. Check out My First CD-ROM Toddler and Preschool
Edmark announces new innovations for those with special physical needs. Click here for more detailed information. This is worth reading even if you don't need the products. It is amazing what they are coming up with these days!
Brainium.com: This newly launched site http://www.brainium.com offers core curriculum resources in the science area for K-8. "Brainium takes and instructional approace that brings the subject to life and shows students how scientific concepts have everyday relevance."
HomeworkCentral.com: This site offers the best in online resources with ofer 75,000 links in over 10,000 subjects. Enough to help any child finish their homework!
FREE ONLINE CLASSES http://www.free-ed.net Free-Ed is committed to providing an online, virtual university where users from around the world can study, take courses, and participate in community activities at no cost. This enterprise requires us to build a new kind of learning model that takes into account the technological strengths of the Internet and the needs of our users. Free-Ed separates itself from other educational sites on the Internet by offering only the highest quality content that is available and by offering all content free of charge. Our users will be a global audience of students, teachers, homeschoolers, parents of students, laypersons, and anyone else who has an interest in continuing or supplementing their education. Students at formal educational institutions will use our resources to supplement their studies and prepare for entrance exams. Teachers, homeschoolers, and parents can use free-ed.net as a source of learning materials and teaching ideas. Other s can use our resource as a means of continuing their education and satisfying their own curiosity about subjects that interest them. " Excerpt from Home Education Press free online newsletter available at http://www.home-ed-press.com
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