Software Resources

Hey guys, just wanted to say sorry for such a last minute post. I have been battling the flu for about a week now. Excuses, excuses...

Software Title: Fun School by Kaboose

Grade: Preschool – 6^th Grade

Subject area: Reading, art, logic/problem solving

Platform: Mac or PC

This is a fun site for elementary school students. Younger children will need to be supervised, as they may find it difficult to navigate the site because there are a lot of options on the screen. There is a section for parents and teachers that allows you to sort the games by age/ability level. I did not notice any advertisements on any of the pages.

I like that the website is colorful and user friendly. I also like the directions that are given before you play the various games. I have found some sites out there that don’t provide directions and you just kind of have to guess your way through it. Finally, I enjoy the logic puzzles that are included on the site because they are a great way to get those minds thinking. My nephew really enjoys the activities and doesn’t look at it as a “homework” or “school” site.

Software Title: Don Bain’s Virtual Guide Books

Grade: 4^th –adult

Subject area: Geography

Platform: Mac or a PC (requires that QuickTime is downloaded)

Okay, so this is not your ordinary learning website, in fact, it was designed to help people determine where they would like to go on vacation. However, I have seen this used in the classroom as a learning tool and the kids love it.

The fourth graders in our elementary school are learning about each state in the U.S. and everyday the teachers use this website to take their students on a virtual field trip of the state that they are learning about. The kids love taking “field trips” and it is a refreshing change from the many, many animated learning site out there. By choosing a state, region and city or land mark, the students are able to explore the state and actually see what it is like with the panorama views provided through QuickTime.

The teachers here have promethean boards in their classrooms, which allow them to share their computer screen through a projector. It seems to work best if the instructor does the navigating to ensure that the students are only “traveling” to the specific state of the day.

Software: Kids Know It Network

Grade: K-6

Subject area: Math, Science, Reading, History, Geography and more!

Platform: Mac or PC

I like this site because it is pretty straight forward. I also like it because it offers a wide variety of subjects and games for learning. I especially like sites that offer science as a subject area because they seem harder to find.

Picking and appropriate age range for this site was a little more difficult than the other sites. I think the cut off would have to be about 6^th grade as the subject material would become too easy or less challenging.

There are a few advertisements on the game pages, but none are flashy or draw much attention. Another thing about this site that I have noticed is that they have a category for kids to start their own business selling ceiling stars. I am not sure how legit this is as you either have to order the kit or speak to a representative on the phone (I didn’t call). I guess I might put that section in the parents and teachers beware category as far as supervision is concerned.