Educational Software- April '98

Windows

Science Fair offers eight- to 10-year-olds and their teachers a collection of simple science experiments to perform on the computer. Activities range from levers and the weather to robotics, moon landing and basic science.

Great for introductory technology and design, with Paper Air Force you can print paper aeroplane parts for kids to assemble. The shareware includes five planes, the registered version 20. Information on fighter planes from World War I and II, through Vietnam and the Gulf War, enhance the package.

Great for Primary School Life and Living Things, Grow 'Em helps students choose and care for plants. It offers detailed gardening advice, and the facility to search a plant and animal database by plant and grub names.

Sounds crazy but its an entertaining method for 12- to 14-year-olds to hone basic algebra skills. Frogs with answers written on their backs hop around the bottom of the screen. Your task is to feed them by matching them with the crawling bug that has the correct equation on it. Zap!

Ideal for high school geography students, this program offers informative topics and quizzes to enhance your understanding of Africa. Unfortunately, the fine content is marred by a clunky interface.

BK Periodic Library offers the periodic table. By selecting different elements you discover what each one has in common and can graph differences between elements. You can also experiment by observing the reaction each metal has when exposed to extreme heat, which is great. At the other end of the temperature scale unfortunately, zero degrees is the lowest temperature available.

by Alan Hilvert-Bruce