Jump Start Adventures 4th Grade 2000

PC version requires:
P90+, Win 95/98, 4xCD-ROM, 16 Mb RAM

Mac version requires:
PowerPC, 120 MHz+, Sys 7.5.3+, 4xCD-ROM, 11 Mb RAM

Description:

Join Sally, TJ, and Gizmo in exploring the Sapphire Falls gem mine and solving its mystery. A treasure map has been stolen and a strange creature was seen in the mine! Enter the mine and use your Adventure Journal to record information about people met and clues collected along the way. During an encounter, choose what to say in reply to someone, and also decide when to finish the conversation. Chat with people again by clicking on their pictures in the journal.

Start turning on lights in mine tunnels by solving math Platform Problems. This leads you to a closed stone door. Collect gems to insert in it. Gems can be obtained using Laser Letters - cut them out of a crystal wall with a laser, by picking the correct spelling for spoken words. Or dig for gems in the country that matches a geography question in Map Madness. Gems can also be uncovered by matching descriptions and/or pictures out of history in Tablet Turnover.

Next fly in a balloon to different cave entrances and search for clues. Connect pipes to drain water in a pond by matching Wacky Words to parts of speech. In Clue Climber, scale cliff walls by matching words on ledges with answers to questions on homonyms, synonyms and antonyms. But watch out for falling rocks! In the musical cave, play Crystal Keys to open a secret door by matching musical notes - play tunes like the Blue Danube and the Star Spangled Banner! Then take the Race Chase, quickly switching tracks by identifying statements as true or false - try to beat the creature to the end of the tracks and avoid obstacles!

Finally, check all the people that you've met and the clues, and try to deduce who is hiding behind the costume! Games can be played again by clicking on the camera icon on the toolbar. The Progress Report shows progress in different curriculum topics and gives access to Practice Mode, for more game play in specific areas.

Features:

• 11 games
• 200 tutorials
• Adventure Journal
• Up to 99 users
• Game and Practice modes
• Tutor mode for details
• 3 skill levels
• Tool bar for Help etc.
• Detailed User Guide via Internet
• Progress report for each user
• Games can be replayed directly
• Assessment Test
• Workbook with 31 worksheets

Technical Aspects:

Report and Conclusions:

The games were easy to play, and only 2 are arcade style. Laser Letters is not difficult, even for the arcade challenged like me. However the Race Chase moves very quickly and kids will need speed reading skills to read the statements and work out whether they are true or false in time to pick the right track!

The program does not provide systematic learning in the topic areas covered, but it does test (and increase) kids' general knowledge in a range of curriculum areas. The Sapphire Falls Mine Mystery will catch children's imaginations while they play and learn!