Hands-On Experiments for Smart Kids: Discovering Life
© 2000 Montparnasse Multimedia
One of a series of programs, this CD provides dozens of onscreen experiments that help children understand important science concepts. Many topics are explored including physics, biology, chemistry, matter, ecology, mechanics, energy, meteorology and health. On the positive side, there is a lot of interesting information here. Kids begin by picking a topic and are then led to "paths" that include narrated text and illustrations, plus onscreen experiments. For instance, in the "matter" area, in a lesson on identifying minerals, children can drop various types of rocks into a crusher to see which is the hardest. They learn that testing a mineral's "hardness" aids in identification of that substance. In general, the information presented is solid, but the program unfortunately has many weaknesses. The icons and navigation are nonintuitive and children must wade through multiple layers to discover activities. Testers found it easy to get bounced around and difficult to find their way back. The activities, too, are weak, lacking depth and offering only superficial interactivity. Teachers may find the CD useful for illustrating some concepts, but in general, we can't recommend this program.
$29.95, Win, Mac OS (CD-ROM)
Teaches: science, physics, biology, weather, chemistry, health