MADELINE CLASSROOM COMPANION: 1ST & 2ND GRADE

Published by Creative Wonders, ABC Electronic Arts, Limited. P O Box 9017, Redwood City, CA 94063-9017, (415) 482-2400. E-mail CWSUPPORT@CWONDERS.COM

Madeline provides a 2-disk CD-ROM-one with supporting curriculum for 1st grade and the other one for 2nd grade. The price runs around $28.95 on CD-ROM is compatible for both Windows and Macintosh systems.

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Content

There is a welcome from Madeline to introduce the activities in her town. Before going to Main Street, Madeline will ask the child to sign in. Parents may have to assist the child with typing in their name. Once a name is entered, the child can click on his name to play. Madeline keeps track of each players progress and all of the medals won.

The Madeline character is a very likeable character. The control bar has easily understood pictures so that young children can understand without having to read instructions. Madeline talks you through each activity and a child can click on Madeline if he/she needs help at any time. There is an icon for 3 levels of difficulty so that the child can select the levels commensurate with their ability. Medals can be won after answering a specified number of answers correctly. The medal is divided into pieces and the child knows when they have won their medal. The child has the option of printing each medal and he/she can save each accomplishment.

When the child wants to leave an activity, they can click on the exit icon which has a picture of a door.

This CD-ROM consists two disks. Each disk has nine sections:

Disk 1

Disk 2:

Disk 1 covers a 1st grade curriculum of reading, early math, basic grammar, geography, cultural awareness and listening skills. Disk 2 is designed to be used after the child has mastered the 1st grade skills. The 2nd curriculum contains 25 activities that teach multiplication, reading, writing, spelling, and rhyming. The activities are designed to develop skills to meet nationally recommended curriculum guidelines.

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Audience

According to the package, the program is intended for the 1st and 2nd grade age level or ages 6-8.

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Ease of Use

The player can go anywhere in the program from Main Street. The cursor on the screen tells them where they are. The child moves the cursor over different locations. If the cursor changes to a star, then the player can click on it to see a full animation. If the cursor changes to a picture, the player can click on it to enter an activity. The player can easily move from one activity to another. This ease of use enhances the child's enjoyment of the activities.

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ACCOMPANYING MATERIALS:

  1. A user's guide is provided to explain the minimum system requirements and the installation and start-up for both Windows and Macintosh. The options for Windows is also provided to help in the use of several options. The guide also describes the welcome, the signing in process, and the contents of the control bar. Then the guide describes all of the activities that are available in each disk. It shows a picture of Main Street and pictures of each activity. Each activity is explained with how to play and what skills are required in each of the three skill levels.
  2. The guide has a troubleshooting section which covers installation problems, video problems, sound problems, lockups or freezes, internet service provider problems, and printer problems. The final section is information on technical support where addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses are provided.
  3. There is a free packet of Avery Kids stickers and postcards to use with the Madeline print activities. You can print from the art studio pictures on a full page and/or on big round sticker sheets. Also, postcards can be printed out.

The packet includes: 2 sheets of Big Round Stickers 1 sheet of Full Page Stickers 2 sheets of Postcards

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System Requirements

Windows

Macintosh

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OTHER TITLES:

Deluxe Learning Series:

Learning Adventures:

Pre-Teen/Teen:

Reference:

FUN FACTOR:

The encouragement that Madeline offers makes learning fun. When correct answers are given, she praises the child and when a correct answer is given she cheerfully tells them the try again. She also offers the child to click on her if they need help with a task or activity. The movie theater is an animated cartoon with a song that the child can learn and sing along with. The availability of the French and Spanish features helps the child learn words and pronunciations of common words that they know in English.

RECOMMENDATION:

I feel this is an excellent interactive product for the first and second grader. Most parents would probably think that this product would be enjoyed mostly by girls. I feel that it would be fun for both boys and girls. I like the positive feedback and the cheerfulness of the Madeline character. She has a delightful French accent and uses both English and French words to praise a child's progress through the activities. I reviewed and played with the product and found that it was fun for me. I purchased the CD-ROM for my 7-year-old son and he plays with it for hours at a time. I would recommend this product for parents to help their young children learn and to help them gain computer skills in maneuvering with the mouse. Also schools may want to purchase this CD-ROM to use in their computer laboratory to support curriculum activities and to enhance the children's computer skills.

Reviewed by Gail Trevino, March 1999.
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