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ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN LIMA NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 1990

     ^^^^^^ NEVER RELEASED OFFICIAL TI MODULES:
     ^^^^^^^^^^PART 2 - EDUCATIONAL MODULES
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^by Charles Good
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Lima Ohio User Group

     TI had alot of irons in the fire when they suddenly
stopped production of the 99/4A in 1983.  A number of in
house command modules were ready for production, and third
parties under license from TI were writing their own module
software.  The first part of this series described never
released, or released to only limited circulation, utility
and productivity software.  Part 3 will describe
entertainment module software.  This article describes
educational modules for elementary and high school levels.
Many of the non-math modules have two parts, a learning part
with alot of text to read and a game part that is based on
what you have learned from the text.  As far as I know none
of the modules described in this article have ever been
offered for sale.  A video tape demonstration of all the
modules described in this article is available from us to
any user group that sends a VHS tape and paid return mailer,
or $5.

      NUMBER BOWLING
     Copyright 1983 by Scott Foresman.  This module teaches
decimals and fractions and can be used by 1 or 2 players.
A question appears in the lower third of the screen, and an
on screen timer starts.  You type the answer and then press
<enter>.  Maximum 10 points are awarded (a strike) if you
answer within 2 seconds.  For each additional two seconds
you lose a point.  If it takes you over 10 seconds to
<enter> the correct answer you get 5 points.  On the right
side of the screen is the bowling lane.  When you press
<enter> the ball is released and knocks over pins for your
score, the longer you take to answer the fewer pins are
knocked down.  The score is displayed in bowling "frame"
style in the upper left of the screen.  You are given two
chances to come up with the correct answer.  After the
second wrong answer, the correct answer is displayed and the
bowling ball rolls down the gutter for zero pins.

     There are three levels of play, AMATEUR, PRO, and
CHAMPION.  The difficulty of the questions increases with
each level, but the "points per second" as described above
remains the same at all levels.  Two AMATEUR questions are:
"Write the decimal seventy nine and seven tenths," and
"Which is greater, 97.64 or 84.835?"^^An example of a
CHAMNPION question is "Write the decimal twenty eight ten
thousanths."  Answers always require typing numerals and the
decimal point.  I find it almost impossible to get an answer
typed and <enter>ed within 2 seconds for the maximum 10
points.

     This module is not particularly sophisticated.  It
teaches only by indicating correct and incorrect answers
(where it then displays the correct answer).  Unlike many
other TI modules, including MIGHTY MULTIPLICATION described
in this article, the software does not really show HOW to
solve the questions.

      AN INTRODUCTION TO PLANT GENETICS
     Copyright 1984 by Texas Instruments.  This module
uses  the garden pea to illustrate basic genetic principals
by describing experiments done by of the father of modern
genetics, Gregor Mendle.  Speech is an option.  Since I am
an Associate Professor of Botany and teach introductory
genetics to college freshman, I am qualified to give expert
commentary about the scientific and educational merits of
this software.  The first menu gives these choices, the
first two of which are text and graphics to be learned and
the third of which is a game:
     Press 1 for What is genetics.
     ^^^^^^2 for How does it work.
     ^^^^^^3 for The Mendelian maze.

     The first choice, #1, defines and/or illustrates each
of the following vocabulary words.  Each is pronounced if
SPEECH is available, and the student has the opportunity to
hear each word pronounced as many times as necessary:
     Botany^^^^^Heredity^^Genetics^^Traits^^^Dominant
     Recessive^^Phenotype^Genotype^^Genes^^^^Chromosomes
     Cytosine^^^Guanine^^^Thymine^^^Adenine^^Mitosis
     Interphase^Prophase^^Metaphase^Anaphase^Telophase
     Deoxyribonucleic acid.

     I find the definitions of Phenotype (trait that can be
seen), and Genotype (traits, whether they can be seen or
not) confusing although probably not actually wrong.  I
wouldn't define these two words this way to my own students.

     Choice #2 briefly mentions Gregor Mendle and
illustrates some of the monohybrid cross genetic experiments
Mendle did with peas.  Punnet squares are used to show the
genetic combinations (genotypes) of the offspring.  I take
great exception to the genetic notation used in the
software.  The module uses "X" for a dominant gene and "Y"
for the corresponding recessive gene (allele).  This is not
the standard genetic notation used in all the text books.
In standard notation, a capital letter is used for a
dominant gene and the same small case letter for the
corresponding recessive gene.  Also, in standard genetic
notation the letters "X" and "Y" are used in genetic
problems involving sex linkage to designate the sex
chromosomes of animals.  Students studying the genetics
chapter of any introductory biology textbook (high school or
college) will be very confused by the use of "X" and "Y" in
this software.  In its presentation of Punnet squares, the
software sometimes refuses to accept some of the possible
correct answers.  This may be due to incomplete debugging of
this never released module.

     Choice #3 is a maze game.  You enter Mendel's garden,
the Mendelian Maze, and locate the four pea plants that are
the offspring of the monohybrid mating shown at the top of
the screen.  Move through the maze, position the cursor over
each of the offspring, and press the fire button.  There are
lots of other pea plants in the garden that are not
offspring of the displayed mating.  If you guess wrong you
have to start over.  When all four correct peas are marked,
the secret exit of the maze opens and you can move there and
get out.

     I suspect that during most its development this
software was not reviewed by a university professor.  I can
understand why it was not released in its present form.

      PETER PAN'S SPACE ODYSSEY
     The title screen says "WALT DISNEY PERSONAL COMPUTER
SOFTWARE DESIGNED EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS
COMPUTER. Broken 1986 by the Master." What I have available
to me is a group of EA5 files that only work with a
supercart, or with a GramKracker (loader on, bank 1 on, EA
module in grams 5&&6), or possibly a Geneve.  I suspect that
the actual copyright is 1984.  I have no idea who "the
Master" is.

     This module teaches about the planets of the solar
system, including facts about each planet and the relative
location of the planets with respect to each other.
Music graphics and speech are all used superbly.  The first
menu gives these choices: 1- Planet Chart^^^^2- Game.

     Pressing #1 you are given the choice of learning about
the inner planets or the outer planets.  These two sub
menus give you the opportunity to read information about
each planet, one planet at a time.  It is a good idea to
take notes because you need this information in order to
play the game.  Information presented is appropriate for
junior high school or high school science classes.

     Pressing #2 starts the game.  Wendy says, "Help, help
Peter Pan, help!"^^Captain Hook's ship arrives and carries
Wendy off into space while the captain says, "You shall
never find her Peter Pan."^^Peter Pan appears and replies,
"Just you wait and see."

     Captain Hook is going to move Wendy around from planet
to planet.  Peter Pan is given a clue to Wendy's current
location and must fly to that planet.  Often, by the time
Peter Pan arrives at the correct planet Wendy has been moved
to another planet.  There are four levels of play with
higher levels requiring Peter Pan to visit more planets
before he finally catches up with and rescues Wendy.  Clues
include such phrases as "HAS KNOWN BIOSPHERE" and "STRONGEST
MAGNETIC FIELD".

     A graphic of the inner or outer planets orbiting the
sun is shown.  These two groups of planets are separated by
the asteroids, which Peter Pan must fly through without
getting hit in order to reach the other group of planets.
Peter Pan flys to the orbit of the appropriate planet (joy
sticks or arrow keys) and presses the fire button (or "Q")
when he is over the planet.  If he is correct he says "Got
it!".  An incorrect choice causes Peter Pan to say, "I'd
better try again," or "The right one must be here
someplace." Flying through the asteroid belt between the
inner and outer planets is dangerous.  Peter Pan is allowed
four asteroid hits before the game ends without rescuing
Wendy.

     Excellent bit map pictures of Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain
Hook, and Tinker Bell are shown at various points in the
game.  Unlike PLATO educational software for the TI, this
module makes supurb use of all the 99/4A's bells and
whistles (music, bit map color graphics, and speech).  The
game is easy to win IF you know your planetary facts.  I
give PETER PAN a high rating.

      VON DRAKE'S MOLECULAR MISSION
     This is another Walt Disney "designed exclusively for
the Texas Instruments Computer" module with a copyright 1984
date on the title screen.  As with Peter Pan, there is
excellent use of bit map color graphics, music, and speech.
This module is an aid in learning aspects of introductory
high school chemistry.  What I have available to me are a
series of GramKracker module files that occasionally locks
up the computer or refuses to accept correct input.
Apparently the software was not fully debugged when Walt
Disney withdrew from the TI computer market.

     You are in Professor Ludwig von Drake's chemistry
laboratory and have a supply of forceps to manipulate pieces
of chemicals.  You must open the forceps and grab stuff with
the open end.  If you bump things with closed forceps or
bump the wrong end of open forceps you lose the forceps and
von Drake says, "Lost another one."^^When you lose all your
forceps, or run out of time, the game is over.  As time
progresses the temperature on the displayed thermometer
increases and Von Drake says, "Hmmm, things are heating up
in here" in a German accent.  The main menu gives these
choices, each of which has a beginning, intermediate, and
advanced level.  Increasing levels of difficulty present
more difficult chemical problems for solution.  The starting
number of forceps and the time allowed to solve the problem
are the same at all difficulty levels.
     1- Reading Chemical Formulas
     2- Forming Compounds
     3- Balancing Chemical Equations

     From item #1 you are shown several kinds of atoms and
their corresponding oxidation/reduction (valence) numbers.
You have to make the simplest possible chemical compound
from all the displayed kinds of atoms by grabbing the
appropriate number of each kind of atom and dumping the
atoms into the reaction pot.  When the correct number of
atoms are in the pot, you light the burner under the pot and
cook the atoms into the compound.  At this point you find
out if you are correct.

     Pressing #2 from the main menu displays several kinds
of atoms and their oxidation/reduction numbers.  Some of
these atoms will not react with each other.  You have to
pick the correct number of atoms that will react with each
other and make the simplest possible compound, as described
for #1 above.  This is harder than #1 because you have to
know which atoms you can and can't combine to make
compounds.

     In #3 you are shown a chemical balance and a chemical
equation of the form chemical1 + chemical2 --> chemical3 +
chemical4.  You have to put the correct number of each
chemical on the correct side of the balance so that the same
number of atoms will be on each side of the chemical
equation.  You chase sprite numbers with your forceps in
order to do this.  For example, N2 + F2 --> NF3 requires ONE
molecule of N2 and THREE molecules of F2 on one side of the
balance, and TWO molecules of NF3 on the other side of the
balance.  At higher difficulty levels, some of these "to be
balanced" equations can be quite tricky.

     If you run out of time or cook the wrong stuff in the
reaction pot the computer is also supposed to give an
animated display of the correct answer, but in the files I
have you get a lockup instead.  I would give this module
high marks if it worked properly.  Even as it is, one can
learn alot of chemistry by playing around in Von Drake's
laboratory.

      VERB VIPER
     The title screen says, "Copyright 1982 DLM Inc.^and
Texas Instruments Inc."^^ Several authors are listed from
the University of Kansas.  This module is by the same folks
that brought us DEMOLITION DIVISION, DRAGON MIX, WORD RADAR
and other educational command modules for the TI.  I don't
know why VERB VIPER was never released.  It is as well done
as the other DML modules that were marketed.  Joysticks are
optional.  Speech is not used.

     VERB VIPER teaches subject verb agreement.  You control
a snake (viper) in a boat, the SS VIPER.  A noun is
displayed at the base of the boat and a series of verbs
float toward the viper.  When the correct verb approaches
its mouth (agreeing with the subject in number and tense)
you open the viper's mouth with the fire button.  The viper
sticks out his long tongue and eats the verb.  Nouns and
verbs change rapidly and there is alot of action.  You have
to think fast! Points are awarded for eating the correct
verbs and not eating the incorrect ones.  You can set the
following before play begins:
     SPEED at which verbs float towards the viper:
     CONTENT OPTION,  categories of nouns and verbs:
     DIFFICULTY LEVEL within each content option:
     RUNTIME in minutes before score is displayed:

     I enjoy playing VERB VIPER.  It is an excellent
combination of education and arcade action.

      GERM PATROL
     Copyright 1983 by Texas Instruments.  Germ Patrol
teaches about how to stay healthy and avoid pathogenic
bacteria and viruses.  There is no music or speech, and only
limited use of color.  The mixture of graphics and text
reminds me of some of the PLATO software that uses bit map
graphics.   The main menu gives you these choices:
     1- Learning about germs.
     2- Fighting germs.

     Choosing #1 gives you a long mostly text lesson.  The
main themes are that to avoid nasty germs it is a good idea
to brush your teeth regularly, wash your skin regularly
(particularly open cuts), and avoid sneezing in someone's
face.  When sneezing, germs should be trapped in tissue.
During the lesson you are given the opportunity to practice
the games of part 2.

     Choosing #2 allows you to play three games.  In one,
you seal an open wound with a moving red blood cell, forming
a blood clot.  The clot prevents entry of germs into the
wound.  In another game you wash your skin with soap suds
and prevent nasty germs from entering the pores of your
skin.   Finally, you are given the opportunity to hold a
tissue over your face and catch the incoming (why not
outgoing from a sneeze?) germs within the folds of a tissue.

     The best single word to descrive GERM PATROL
is BORING.  The games are simplistic and the action is
sloooow.  The text, though correct, is over simplified.
There is alot more to avoiding bacterial and viral
infections than skin washing and tooth brushing.  For
example, proper food handling and storage as well as
avoiding contaminating (or contaminated) drinking water are
also important.  I certainly can understand why GERM PATROL
was never marketed.

      E.T. IN HIS ADVENTURE AT SEA
     This is also known as ET AT SEA.  The title screen says
"Developed by Looking Glass (TM), copyright 1983 Texas
Instruments." This is my personal favorite among the
education modules described in this article.  You learn
about geograhy.

     The screen displays a mercater projection of a world
map, very well done!  Four cities coastal cities are
indicated, one of which is flashing.  E.T. is in his boat
somewhere on the map and must be sailed to the flashing city
using the joysticks or WERSDZXC keys.  ET's space ship is at
one of these cities and at each city he is given a clue to
the space ship's location.  While sailing, ET must avoid
hurricanes, icebergs, waterspouts, and lightning.  There are
three different levels of play.  At successive levels the
above nasties get more and more aggressive.  If ET is zapped
by a nasty 4 times the game is over.  As ET sailes around
the map and changes hemospheres or enters a new ocean the
hemosphere or ocean name is displayed on the screen.  I find
it a little disconcerting that you can't sail west off
the left side of the screen and reappear to the east on the
right side of the screen.  Last time I heard, the world was
still round.  When ET reaches whichever city is currently
flashing and presses the fire button (or "Q"), the name of
the city and its country are displayed.  Possible cities
(only four are displayed on the map for any game) include:
     Calcutta India^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Sydney Australia
     Djakarta Indonesia^^^^^^^^^^^^Tokyo Japan
     Shanghai China^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Hilo hawaii
     Godthaab Greenland^^^^^^^^^^^^Anchorage Alaska
     St.^John's Newfondland^^^^^^^^Los Angeles California
     Lima Peru (not Ohio)^^^^^^^^^^Rio De Janeiro Brazil
     Havana Cuba^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Managua Nicaragua
     Reykjavik Iceland^^^^^^^^^^^^^Lagos Nigeria
     Cape Town South Africa^^^^^^^^Liverpool England
     Lisbon Portugal^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Marseille France

     Once ET docks at a port he is given a clue about the
location of his space ship in the form of a multiple choice
question.  Examples are: IMAGINARY LINE OF LATITUDE ABOUT
23 DEGREES SOUTH OF THE EQUATOR (answer- Tropic of
Capricorn), and PART OF A SEA THAT STRETCHES INTO LAND
(answer- Bay).  The answer to the question is a clue to ET's
space ship location.  Once a clue is given another city
starts flashing and ET must sail to this city to collect the
next clue about the location of his space ship.  At any time
the player can try to guess the correct city.  If the city
is correctly guessed, ET then needs to sail to that city,
always on the lookout for nasties on the high seas.

     Once in the correct city, ET finds himself in the
city's harbor.  He must collect all the red buoys in the
harbor and avoid various harbor obstacles (eels, tugboats,
waves, etc.).  Once the buoys are collected ET can sail to
the far end of the harbor where his space ship awaits and
take off into space for the ride home.

     This is a delightful game to play.  The graphics
are excellent, and the music adds a nice touch.  Repeated
plays teach alot about the geographic locations of strange
cities and countries, and you become familiar with
hemospheres, ocean names, and many other geographic terms.
Kids from the middle grades to university professors can
learn from ET's adventure.

      MIGHTY MULTIPLICATION 2
     Copyright 1983 by Scott Foresman.  Scott Foresman also
produced the module MULTIPLICATION 1 which was widely
marketed.  MIGHTY MULTIPLICATION is a supurb example of how
speech and the computer's video can be used to teach
mathematics.  Guided by speech and the visual displays, most
students can walk their way through any of the concepts
taught.  A little man called MIGHTY appears on screen at
various times to help.  This module does much more than just
ask for the solution to a math problem and display the
correct answer if the student answers incorrectly.  Students
are verbally and visually taken step by step through the
solution of each problem.  Each concept taught includes
teaching examples where the computer does all the work and
practice exercises.  The main menu displays these options:
     1- Multiplying 10 and 100
     2- Multiples of 10 and 100
     3- 2 && 3 digits X 1 digit
     4- 2 digits with renaming
     5- 3 digits with renaming
     6- More than 1 renaming
     7- Word problems
     8- Reviewing it all.

     Option #1 teaches 1x10, 2x10, 3x10, etc.

     Option #2 teaches 5x5, 5x50, 5x500, etc.

     Options 3 through 6 are self explanitory.  When I was
in elementary school, we called it "carrying" rather than
"renaming".

     With option #7 you are asked, "What speed do you want
Mighty to go? 10-99."  Then "How many hours does Mighty
travel? 2-9."  This sets up the problem, "Mighty travels xx
mph for y hours.  How far does Mighty travel?"  The
appropriate math is then displayed on the screen step by
step.

     If I were teaching 5th grade math I would certainly
want to use this module.  As Barry Traver said in an
interview at the 1989 Chicago Faire, "The computer can give
students the individual attention they need.  The computer
never criticizes and never gets tired or distracted by other
things."  MIGHTY MULTIPLICATION 2 is an example of computer
assisted instruction at its finest.
     .PL 1