The Mammoth Food Dig
© 2002 Ohio Distinctive Software, Inc
This program drills students on their knowledge of food and nutrition. The problem is, it starts out too easy and then immediately gets too hard, and makes little or no effort to teach, only to drill. Kids are supposed to answer multiple choice and true/false questions read aloud by a narrator in order to win keys to unlock treasure. The first level begins with questions like "Beets are fruit. True or False" while the next asks kids questions like "How many quarter cups are in one half pint?" This is simply too great a skill leap. There are 10 levels in all with higher levels asking kids to calculate the percentage of calories from fat or to determine food nutrient values. Records of performance can be printed out, but progress is not saved over time. The program can be played in English or Spanish, but is just too hard to be worth the purchase.
$5, Win, Mac
Teaches: food and nutrition, science, health