ConnSENSE Review: Sunburst Learn About Programs

Learn About Earth Science: Weather

Learn About Earth Science: Plants: (2001 Award of Excellence, Technology & Learning EDDIE, Education Software Review Awards Finalist, Learning Magazine Teachers' Choice Awards)

Learn About Physical Science: Simple Machines; 2001 Technology and Learning Awards of Excellence Winner: 2001 Learning Magazine Teachers' Choice Awards)

Sunburst Technology
Houghton Mifflin Company
101 Castleton Street
PO Box 100
Pleasantville, NY 10570-9961
1-800-321-7511
service@nysunburst.com
www.sunburst.com

System Requirements: Mac 7.0, 8mb RAM or higher, Win 9x, 2000, Win NT, 8mb Ram or higher, CD Drive required, Also downloadable from website on purchase, Sound card, color monitor with 256 or more colors.
List Price: Single: $89.95, Lab Pack of 10: $89.95 (according to website pricing), Network or Unlimited License: $699.95
(Above prices are the same for the downloadable software.)

The Earth Sciences Software was reviewed with LD students ages 6-8.5 over a four week period. Each title contains 9 lessons, introduced by Professor Labcoat, that are easily accessed from the main screen at any time. The units are brief followed by a multiple-choice assessment with reinforcement for correct answers. Used in conjunction with the online teaching resources, they can be easily integrated into the science units in the previously mentioned areas with correlation to the National Science Education Standards (ex.,Weather: Help your students to develop an understanding of properties of earth materials, objects in the sky, and changes in earth and sky, Content Standard D).

As below level readers, my students enjoyed the narrated, highlighted text throughout the presentations and quizzes. The format of the programs uses a mini menu on either side of the page which is easily understood and followed by the student. There are several activities included for visual memory and sequencing skills: memory matching (2 levels of difficulty), and sequencing of three related pictures. The students can get creative and show what they have learned in: create your calendar (weather), Fix It (Machines) and Build A Plant (Plants) with an area they can add their own text.

Fonts, font style and size are easily changed by the student. Each title also features a Journal for students to write their own notes or story. Printing of their work is easily accessed on the same page by a printer icon. The Jukebox plays original weather related songs to reinforce the unit concepts. Words to the songs are in the resource section at: http://sunburst.com/resources/productcomm/LAW/#Activities

Teacher options include: turning off sound, deselecting lessons, journal or quizzes. Once students have signed in, their names appear on the main menu on the opening screen to select. The student progress report gives the number of quiz questions answered correctly and total percent overall based on the number of quizzes completed. Certificates of completion for each of the nine units can be chosen from Professor Labcoat’s main page.

My students found the programs and games interesting and fun while learning the basic terms and gaining/reviewing a general knowledge base. The games were easily completed individually or in pairs. They especially enjoyed the follow-up games and writing journal. Ten Enrichment activities for classroom follow-up are included in each manual

All three titles were easily loaded and ready to present to students. The level is low and intended as an additional resource to classroom content for students in K-2. Overall, the programs are well written, enjoyed by students and presents basic facts well with frequent student interaction on each screen. The manual is extremely easy to follow step by step for the computer novice. Added bonuses are the easily accessed online resources and engaging hands on extended activities in the manual!

As an additional resource for specific unit and grade level, this software rates an A from both students and teachers!

Three "Learn About" Sunburst Programs