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CONTENTS
page i
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
HARD DISK INSTALLATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
MAIN MENU WINDOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
USING A MOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
SELECTING SOUND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
SUBMENUS OR LEVEL WINDOWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
MUSIC COMPOSITION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
MUSIC LEVEL 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
MUSIC LEVEL 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
MUSIC LEVEL 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
SAVING YOUR TUNES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
ART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
DRAW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
SPIDER WEBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
SPACE TUNNELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
SPACE WORMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
SPACE RIBBONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
page ii
SPELLING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
ALPHABET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
RANDOM WORDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
NEW SPELLING HOMEWORK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
LAST SPELLING HOMEWORK . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
OLD SPELLING HOMEWORK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
STARTING A NEW HOMEWORK FILE . . . . . . . . . . 8
ENGLISH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
ENGL LEVEL 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
ENGL LEVEL 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
ENGL LEVEL 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
ENGL LEVEL 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
MATH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
LASER BLAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
BUG NUMBERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
APPLESPIDER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION . . . . . . . . . . . 12
ADD & SUB LEVEL 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
ADD & SUB LEVEL 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
ADD & SUB LEVEL 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
ADD & SUB LEVEL 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
MULTIPLICATION AND DIVISION . . . . . . . . . 13
MUL & DIV LEVEL 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
MUL & DIV LEVEL 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
MUL & DIV LEVEL 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
MUL & DIV LEVEL 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
PREALGEBRA MATH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
EXAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
MAKE EXAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
TAKE EXAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
SEE SCORES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
page iii
TIME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
TIME LEVEL 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
TIME LEVEL 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
TIME LEVEL 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
TIME LEVEL 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
FILE-CHANGE UTILITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
SPELL FILES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
ENGLISH WORD FILES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
SENTENCE PATTERN FILES . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
SUB-VERB AGREE FILES . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
SCRAMBLED WORD FILES . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
EXAM FILES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
SOME FINAL NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
All rights reserved, 1991
MOTES EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE
1632 Brooks St.
Fayetteville, AR 72701
SCHOOL-MOM Ver. 3.58
The Manual
INTRODUCTION
School-Mom is an educational tool for children ages 4 to
14. Its main options are Music, Art, English, Spelling,
Math, Exams, and Time. The name, School-Mom, comes from
the old term, School-Marm. This nickname was often used
when referring to teachers who taught all subjects to
all grades. This software, which uses a back-to-basics
approach to teaching, attempts to do the same. I think
you will enjoy it.
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
The minimum hardware requirements for running School-Mom
are 256K RAM and color graphics adapter (CGA). A mouse
is optional.
SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS
The minimum software requirement is DOS version 2.0 or
higher. There is also a separate file-change utility
program for parents or teachers that allows you to edit
or add to the data files. To run the file-change
utility just type CHANGE then press ENTER.
HARD DISK INSTALLATION
You can install this program on your hard disk. I
suggest you place it in a directory called SM. You can
use the installation utility to do this. To use the
utility just type INSTALL C: then press ENTER. All the
files on the floppy disk will be copied onto the SM
directory of the C drive. Notice I've assumed your hard
-1-
disk is C. If this is not true just substitute the
correct designator. For example, if you want to place
the files on a D drive just type INSTALL D: instead.
The installation program will also place a GO.BAT file
in the root directory of your hard drive. This will
allow you to run School-Mom by entering GO.
MAIN MENU WINDOW
This window lists all the main options that you may
choose from such as Music, Art, Spelling, English, Math,
Exams and Time. There are several ways to select an
option from Main Menu. You may use the up or down arrow
keys to highlight the desired option then press the
ENTER key to accept the option. You may also press the
key corresponding to the first letter of the desired
option until the option is highlighted then press the
ENTER key. Accept END or press the ESC key to stop the
program.
USING A MOUSE
If you have a mouse and have installed it's driver, you
can use it in the Draw option to draw and in the option
windows to select options. To select an option using
the mouse just move the mouse up or down until your
desired option is highlighted then press the left button
to accept.
SELECTING SOUND
Use the right and left arrow keys, or the mouse to
select whether or not you want sound. Most options will
use sound to indicate wrong answers. In all the
options, if the sound is on, a tune is played for every
100 points received. The sound option must be on if you
want to use the Music Composition option.
-2-
SUBMENUS OR LEVEL WINDOWS
All options have submenu windows. These windows are
used to select learning levels or to choose a particular
suboption. Choose from this menu using the same
techniques as in Main Menu. In particular, use the
mouse, arrow keys, or the key corresponding to the first
letter of the option to highlight the desired option
then press the ENTER key or the left mouse button to
accept. Accept END, or press the ESC key, or press the
right mouse button to return to Main Menu.
MUSIC COMPOSITION
The Music Composition option has three suboptions. You
can use these options to compose and play tunes. Note
that in all three Music options, only the treble cleft
is shown; therefore, only octave 3 notes and a few of
octave 4 notes will appear on the screen.
MUSIC LEVEL 1
In Level 1 you are shown a musical scale and asked to
enter notes by pressing a, b, c, d, e, f, or g. As you
press a key, the corresponding note is played and
displayed on the scale. If you make a mistake you can
delete the previous notes by pressing the BACK-SPACE
key. When you are done just press ENTER to play the
entire tune or press n to start a new tune. You may
also press the SPACE BAR to skip a note or equivalent,
pause for one beat. Also, press the up arrow key to go
to the next higher octave or the down arrow key to go to
the next lower octave. When you first start a tune,
octave 3 is the default. The notes of some octaves will
not be displayed on the scale but will still play. As
always, press ESC to exit the option and return to Main
Menu.
MUSIC LEVEL 2
Level 2 is similar to Level 1 except longer tunes can be
composed and the note duration can be changed. Either
1/1 (whole notes), 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, or 1/16 notes can be
-3-
played. Change the duration by using the left or right
arrow key. This change will remain in effect until you
change the duration again.
MUSIC LEVEL 3
Level 3 is similar to Level 2 except sharp and flat
notes can also be played. To choose a sharp note press
the +/= key first then the note key. To choose a flat
note press the _/- key first. The change stays in
effect only until the note is played then it reverts
back to a simple note. To remove a sharp before the
note is played, press the _/- key. To remove a flat
before the note is played, press the +/= key.
SAVING YOUR TUNES
When in Level 2 and Level 3 you may store your tunes to
a file and retrieve them later. To store a tune press
the ALT key then press the s key before releasing the
ALT key. Now type the name of the file where you wish
the tune stored and press ENTER. Do not use an
extension. For example, use a word like "tune" but do
not use "tune.dat". To get a tune that you've stored
earlier, press the ALT key then press the g key before
releasing the ALT key. A list of the tunes will be
displayed. Use the keyboard or mouse to select one of
these using the techniques described in the Main Menu
paragraph. This selected tune will be played and
displayed ready for editing.
ART
Art has five options. These are Draw, Spider Webs,
Space Tunnels, Space Worms, and Space Ribbons. The
following paragraphs describe each of these.
DRAW
This option allows you to draw freehand with a mouse or
joystick in multiple colors. If you want to use a
mouse, be sure to load the mouse driver before you
start.
-4-
If you're using a mouse, change the color by pressing
the right button and raise the pen by pressing the left
button. If you're using a joystick, change the color by
pressing c on the keyboard and raise the pen by pressing
p. In either case press e on the keyboard to erase and
start a new drawing.
The color currently being used is shown in a box at the
lower right corner. Also, if you want to erase part of
your drawing, change the color to background (or until
you can't see the color box) then move the cursor over
the area to be erased.
SPIDER WEBS
Here you can use the joystick or the arrow keys to
control the actions of a spider while he leaves a web
behind him. When the arrow keys are used, the joystick
is disabled for the duration of the drawing. You may
change back to the joystick by erasing the drawing.
Press c to change the color of the web, press the < and
> keys to change the rate or speed of movement, press e
to erase the web and start again, or press ESC to return
to Art Menu.
SPACE TUNNELS
In this Art option you can use a joystick or the arrow
keys to control the growth and/or elongation of a tunnel
through deep space. The rules for using the joystick or
keys are the same as those just described in the Spider
Webs description.
Press ESC to quit, e to erase and start again, c to
change the color of the tunnel, g to make the tunnel
grow larger, r to make the tunnel reduce in size, the >
key to increase the growth rate, or the < key to reduce
the growth rate. With this option you can produce
beautiful screen art that appears to have 3-dimensional
qualities. It is very relaxing. Try it!
SPACE WORMS
This Art option is similar to Space Tunnels but it
-5-
produces an elongating worm with alternating colors.
You have no control over color. See the previous
section for details.
SPACE RIBBONS
This option is exactly like Space Worms except the worm
is flattened. This produces even better 3-dimensional
effects.
These Art options were designed especially for
relaxation and enjoyment. However, they can be used to
stimulate creativity.
SPELLING
This option has five options -- Alphabet, Random Words,
New Spelling Homework, Last Spelling Homework, and Old
Spelling Homework. The following paragraphs describe
these five.
ALPHABET
The purpose of this option is to teach preschoolers the
alphabet, both upper case and lower case. You are shown
an uppercase letter then three choices for its lower
case equivalent. To choose the correct lower case
letter use the right or left arrow key to move the
pointing arrow to the correct choice then press ENTER.
Points will be added for correct answers.
You may press ESC to stop, otherwise the entire alphabet
will be shown. Also, you may press c to change the
foreground color for the letters.
The following three options will test your ability to
spell words. The Random Words option uses existing
libraries of words while the New Spelling Homework
option requires you to input your own words. After
being drilled on these words you have the option of
storing them for later use with the last option called
Old Spelling Homework.
-6-
RANDOM WORDS
This option has four levels of difficulty. The first
level contains words that are three characters long, the
second level contains words that are four characters
long, the third level contains words that are five
characters long, and the fourth level contains words
that are six characters long. Each level is identical
except for the length of the words. Large word
libraries are included on the disk and words are chosen
at random from the libraries.
A word will be shown in the word box. When you think
you know how to spell it press any key. The word will
disappear and you must spell it. If you still need
help, press the down arrow key to see the word again.
If you spell it wrong you'll be asked to try again.
NEW SPELLING HOMEWORK
This option allows you to enter your daily spelling
homework. You are allowed to enter up to 30 words of
variable length. The only limitation on length is that
the words must be shorter than 17 characters. When you
choose this option you are only quizzed on those words
you have entered.
When you choose the New Spelling HW option you are asked
how many words you want to enter. Just type the number
and then press ENTER. If you choose to enter 10 words
or less you may enter all 10 of the words on the same
screen. Type each word then press ENTER. All editing
functions such as delete, back-space, insert, and arrow
key movements are allowed while you type the words. You
may also use the up and down arrow keys to move from one
word field to another. Press the F1 function key when
you think you have them all spelled correctly. You will
now be quizzed on the words you entered.
If you choose to enter more than 10 words you may only
enter one word at a time. Again, all editing functions
such as delete, back-space, insert, and arrow key
-7-
movements are allowed. Press ENTER when you have the
word spelled correctly then type the next word. If you
decide not to enter as many words as you originally
planned just press the F1 key. If you change your mind
and want to quit just press ESC.
When you are done with this option you have the option
of storing the words you just entered for later use. If
you choose yes, the words are stored in the Last
Spelling Homework data file and added to the end if the
Old Spelling Homework data file. These words will be
recalled later when using the last two options.
LAST SPELLING HOMEWORK
This option can be used to recall the last previously
stored spelling homework exercises. This can save you
the time of retyping the words. Note that only the last
set of spelling words can be recalled using this option.
OLD SPELLING HOMEWORK
In this option you are quizzed on all the words that you
previously stored in the Old Spelling Homework data
file. When you store words in this file they are added
to the end of the file. The file gets bigger each time
you store more words. Use this option to review all
your old spelling homework.
STARTING A NEW HOMEWORK FILE
If at the end of the school year you want to start a new
file of old spelling homework you can use DOS commands
to copy the old file to a new name or delete the old
one. For example type RENAME HW-WORDS.DAT HW-WORDS.BAK
then press ENTER. The next time you store words a new
file called HW-WORDS.DAT will be created.
When you're done using any of these spelling options,
press ESC to return to Level Menu if you're in the
Random Words option or to return to Spell Menu if you're
in the other options. After you escape from a spelling
option your misspelled words will be shown.
-8-
ENGLISH
This option has four levels. In the first level you
learn nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. The second
level develops skill in forming sentences by asking you
to unscramble sentences. The third level teaches you
the 5 basic sentence patterns and the fourth level
teaches subject-verb agreement.
ENGL LEVEL 1
In Level 1 you are first given the definition of a noun
and a list of nouns to choose from. Choose a noun by
using the arrow keys to highlight your selection and
then press the ENTER key. Next, the definition of an
adjective is given and a list of seven adjectives is
shown to choose from. Then the definitions of verbs and
adverbs are given and lists of each are shown for you to
choose from. When the last word has been chosen, two or
three sentences will be displayed that use the words you
chose. Although the sentences will be grammatically
correct, they will not always make sense. When this
happens, they are usually very amusing. Press the SPACE
BAR to repeat the process with new words. Press the ESC
key to quit and return to Level Menu.
ENGL LEVEL 2
Here you are given several words that can be used to
make a correct sentence. One of the words will be
highlighted. You must move (using the arrow keys) this
highlighted word up to the top of the screen and place
it in correct sentence order. When you have placed that
word in the correct spot the second word will be
highlighted.
While you are moving the word to its correct location a
timer will be running. If you correctly place the word
before the timer runs down, you will be given extra
points. When the entire sentence is correct you will
receive an additional 10 points.
While you are placing the words you will notice that a
small arrow will be moving from the right of the screen
-9-
to the left. If your word gets hit by this arrow it
will be knocked back down to the bottom and you'll have
to start it again. So watch it!
ENGL LEVEL 3
In Level 3 you are first shown that sentences have two
basic parts -- the subject and the predicate.
Definitions are also given. After pressing the SPACE
BAR you are shown how the predicate can be separated
into its parts and as a result, that sentences have 5
basic patterns. Shorthand names of each are given.
After pressing the SPACE BAR again, definitions of each
part are given. Finally, you will be given examples of
each of the 5 sentence patterns.
Press the SPACE BAR once more and you'll be given a
randomly chosen sentence from the sentence file and
asked to identify its sentence pattern. Select the
pattern by using the arrow keys to highlight the correct
pattern then press the ENTER key. Each correct answer
is rewarded by the addition of 10 points to your score.
Press ESC to quit or simply select END from the list of
patterns. Press the SPACE BAR to see another randomly
chosen sentence.
ENGL LEVEL 4
When you choose this option you're first given some
necessary instruction on how to insure that the verb
agrees with the subject. It then presents a sentence
with a missing word (usually a missing verb). You are
then required to select the correct missing word from a
list of two choices. To choose the word, highlight it
with the up or down arrow key then press ENTER. Each
correct answer is rewarded by the addition of 10 points
to your score. Press ESC to quit or simply select END
from the list of words. Press the SPACE BAR to see
another randomly chosen sentence.
When you escape from any of the English options you will
be placed back into English Level Menu. Choose a new
level or escape again to return to Main Menu.
-10-
MATH
This option is divided into 6 options. These are Laser
Blast, Bug Numbers, Applespider, Addition and
Subtraction, Multiplication and Division, and Prealgebra
Math. These are described in the following paragraphs.
LASER BLAST
This is an exciting game that entertains and teaches
quantity. First, a number of blocks are shown. Then,
colored numbers begin to float across the screen. The
object of the game is to shoot the correct number with
the laser. The correct number is the one that equals
the number of blocks. To shoot, simply push the SPACE
BAR. To return to Main Menu press ESC.
Points are given for each hit. The faster you play, the
larger the number of points given. The speed can be
increased by using the > key and decreased using the <
key.
If you want to change the background color just press c.
Be careful not to choose a background color that matches
the color of one of the floating numbers. If this
happens you will not be able to see that particular
number.
BUG NUMBERS
This math option teaches the concept of multi-digit
numbers. You are shown three large boxes. The box on
the right will have 0 to 9 large individual bugs. The
center box will have smaller bugs grouped in clusters of
10 each. The box on the left will have very small bugs
in groups of 100 bugs each. Your job is to find how
many bugs are shown on the screen.
You must first count the number of large bugs in the far
right box. Type this number and press ENTER. This
gives you the least significant digit. Next, count the
number of groups that contain 10 bugs and enter this
-11-
number. This gives you the next most significant digit.
Finally, count the number of groups that contain 100
bugs and enter this number. This gives you the most
significant digit and you're done. Ten points are given
for completion.
APPLESPIDER
This is a very exciting and intense game that drills you
in basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and
division. The applespider wants to eat your apple. You
must prevent this by using the arrow keys to move the
apple out of the spider's way. At the beginning you are
given 10 free moves. To get more moves you must solve
the equation at the bottom of the screen. For every
correct answer you get five more moves and points are
added to your score.
As your score increases, the spider gets faster. You
may control the speed by using the < and > keys. The <
key makes the spider mover slower and the > key makes
him move faster. The number of points added to your
score for correct answers depends on how fast you play.
As always, press ESC to stop.
ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION
This option has four levels of difficulty. In each
level the numbers are chosen at random.
ADD & SUB LEVEL 1
In this beginners level, stars are shown beside each
number. The number of stars equals the number. For
example, suppose you are asked to add the numbers 2 and
3. Beside 2 there will be two stars and beside 3 there
will be three stars. To find the answer just count the
number of stars, type the answer and press the ENTER
key. If you are asked to, for example, subtract 2 from
4 there will be two stars beside the number 2 and four
stars beside the number 4. However, two of the four
stars beside the number four will be blinking to
indicate the two that will be taken away. Also, the two
-12-
stars beside the number 2 will be blinking. To find the
answer just count the number of stars that are not
blinking. After you've entered the correct answer you
must press a key to continue.
ADD & SUB LEVEL 2
This level is exactly like Level 1 except the numbers
are larger and the stars are not shown.
ADD & SUB LEVEL 3
This level illustrates how to add and subtract multiple
digit numbers by stepping you through the process.
Again, all numbers are chosen at random. Active
elements of the problem are highlighted by flashing the
digits. Individual questions in the form of simple
equations are shown at the bottom of the interactive
window. A flashing cursor at the end of this equation
indicates that an input is expected. If you enter the
correct value it will be placed in its proper spot. The
computer will beep if the answer is incorrect. When
you've finished with the problem, you must press a key
to continue.
ADD & SUB LEVEL 4
This level is exactly like Level 3 except numbers with
decimals are used.
In each of these levels a complete correct answer is
rewarded by the addition of 10 points to your score. If
sound is on you'll also get a tune for every 100 points.
You can press ESC to quit and return to Level Menu when
you're done.
MULTIPLICATION AND DIVISION
This option also has four levels of difficulty.
MUL & DIV LEVEL 1
This level is similar to Add & Sub Level 1 because you
must count stars that do not blink to find the correct
answer. The difference is that the stars are grouped
differently and there is only one line with stars. For
-13-
example, suppose you are asked to find the product of 4
and 2. At the bottom, where the answer belongs, you
will find two groups with four stars each. In other
words, the computer has taken the four stars and placed
them in the answer line twice. There is a total of 8
stars and they have been placed on the line where the
number 8 belongs. If you are asked to, for example,
divide 12 by 3 then beside the 12 will be placed three
groups of stars with 4 stars in each group. Only one
group will not be blinking. So, if you count the stars
that do not blink, you'll find the correct answer to be
4.
MUL & DIV LEVEL 2
This level is like Level 1 but larger numbers are used
and no stars are displayed.
MUL & DIV LEVEL 3
This level leads you through long division and/or
multiplication with multiple digit numbers. As in Add
& Sub levels 3 & 4, active elements of the problem are
highlighted by flashing the numbers. The instructions
and questions to be answered are displayed at the bottom
of the interactive window. The flashing cursor at the
end of this question or equation is an indication that
the computer is waiting for an input.
MUL & DIV LEVEL 4
Level 4 is identical to Level 3 except decimals are
used.
In each of these levels a complete correct answer is
rewarded by the addition of 10 points to your score.
You can press ESC to quit and return to Level Menu when
you're done or press any other key to continue.
PREALGEBRA MATH
This option also has four levels of difficulty. All
four levels are basic introductory algebra but the
difficulty level does increase slightly with each level.
In each level you must solve for the unknown value of Y.
-14-
Just follow the instructions and answer the questions,
and the computer will lead you through the solution.
When you see the cursor flashing, the computer is
waiting for an input.
In all the Math options, the active parts of the
equation are highlighted by flashing the numbers. Also,
the final correct answer is rewarded by the addition of
10 points to your score. Press ESC to quit and return
to Level Menu when you're done or press any other key to
continue.
EXAMS
The Exam module has three options. These are Make Exam,
Take Exam, and See Scores. Each of these is explained
in the following paragraphs.
MAKE EXAM
In this option you are allowed to create a multiple
choice examination. The first screen you'll see is an
exam setup screen. This screen has three fields, one to
enter the number of questions you want to ask, one to
enter the title of the exam, and one to enter the
filename for the exam. You may move freely from one
field to another using the up or down arrow keys. Once
you have all the information typed correctly in all the
fields press the F1 function key. If you change your
mind and decide you don't want to create an exam just
press the ESC key to return to Exams Menu.
After you press the F1 key from the Exam Setup screen
you will see another screen that asks you to type the
first question, its five answer choices, and the number
of the correct answer. A total of eight fields are
shown -- two for entering the question, five for the
answers, and one for the number of the correct answer.
When you've entered all the questions you'll be returned
to Exams Menu. If you decide to stop and not enter as
many questions as you originally planned just press the
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ESC key. The exam will be created but with only as many
questions as you entered before pressing ESC.
TAKE EXAM
When you choose this option you'll first be asked to
enter your name. This is because your name will be
stored later along with your score. After you've done
this either press ESC to quit or press ENTER to get a
list of all the exam files on your current directory.
You may choose a file from the list or you may quit by
pressing ESC. Choose an exam file using the same
techniques you normally use to select options.
After you've chosen an exam file you'll see a screen
that shows the exam title, the first question to answer,
and its five answer choices. There are three way to
choose an answer. You may use the up or down arrow keys
to highlight the correct answer then press ENTER, or you
may press the key corresponding to the first letter of
the correct answer until it is highlighted then press
ENTER, or you may use a mouse to highlight the correct
answer then press the left mouse button to select it.
If you want to quit without answering the question just
select END from the answer list.
Your running score will be shown at the bottom of the
screen. After you're done, this score will be added to
the end of the score file that corresponds to the exam.
The score file will have the same name as the exam file
but a different extension.
After you've either answered all the questions or quit
you'll be shown your final score. You'll then have to
press ENTER to continue.
SEE SCORES
When you choose this option you'll first be shown a list
of the score files to choose from. To choose a file,
highlight it then press ENTER. If you change your mind
you may quit by pressing ESC.
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Next, you'll be asked if you want to send the scores to
a printer or to the screen. Type p then press ENTER if
you want it sent to a printer (don't forget to turn the
printer on) or type s then press ENTER if you want it
sent to the screen.
Before the scores are listed, the exam title and the
number of questions in the exam will be shown. If the
list is sent to the screen you'll have to press ENTER to
return to Exams Menu when the list is complete.
Your disk will come with several exams already prepared.
Try them out!
TIME
Use this option for learning to tell time. It has four
learning levels. In each level a clock is shown on the
screen and you must choose the correct time from a list
of three answers. Choose an answer by using the
appropriate arrow key to get the large arrow directly
over the correct choice, then press ENTER. When the
correct answer is chosen, points will be added to your
score and the digital time will be displayed below the
clock.
TIME LEVEL 1
In this beginner's level the big hand always points to
12. However, the little hand can point to any of the 12
numbers. For correct answers only one point will be
added to the score.
TIME LEVEL 2
In this second level only on-the-hour, quarter, and half
hours are used. In other words the big hand can only be
on the 12, 3, 6, or 9. Correct answers are rewarded by
the addition of 3 points.
TIME LEVEL 3
In this level the big hand may point to any of the 12
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numbers but may not point to any location between the
numbers. For example, the clock could show 7:05, 7:10,
or 7:15 but it will not show 7:03, 7:07, or 7:18. For
correct answers, 5 points will be added to the score.
TIME LEVEL 4
In this level any time is allowed on the clock. For
correct answers, 10 points will be added to the score.
In all these Time options, after you answer correctly
points will be added to your score then you'll need to
press a key to continue. For every 100 points you will
be rewarded with a tune.
FILE-CHANGE UTILITY
This utility program was designed for teachers or
parents. Its purpose is to allow additions to and
editing of the Spelling, English and Exam data files.
To run this program from the operating system type
CHANGE then press ENTER.
File Change Menu contains 14 options. The first 5
options are for making changes to the spell files which
contain words for the Spelling option. Spell_1.dat
contains 3 letter words, spell_2.dat contains 4 letter
words, spell_3.dat contains 5 letter words, spell_4.dat
contains 6 letter words, and the hw-words.dat file
contains old spelling homework words that you've
entered. The next 8 options are used to add to or edit
the English option files. These files are the
noun1.dat, adject1.dat, verb1.dat, verb2.dat,
adverb1.dat, sentence.dat, sub_verb.dat, and
sc-words.dat files. The last option allows you to make
changes to the Exam files. As always there is a final
option to END.
SPELL FILES
Use these options to change any one of the five spelling
word files. These files include the four files for
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Level 1 through Level 4 of the Random Words option and
the old homework word file for the Old Spelling Homework
option.
When you select a spell file from File Change Menu
you'll be asked to choose whether you want to add words
or edit them. If you select the Add Words option, the
computer will quickly run through all the words in that
particular file and stop after the last one. You may
then enter a new word or press ESC to stop. When you
enter a word, unless the word already exists, it will be
stored at the end of the file. The new word will be
displayed along with its number and you'll be asked to
enter another word or press ESC to stop.
If you select the Edit option the first word in the file
will be displayed. Then you'll be asked to press the F1
function key to go on to the next word, press ESC to
stop, or make changes to the word then press ENTER.
Keep pressing F1 until you see the word you want
changed. When you're done just press ESC.
ENGLISH WORD FILES
If you choose one of the English word file options
(Noun, Adjective, Verb1, Verb2, or Adverb file) from
File Change Menu you'll again be asked whether you want
to add or edit. The Add option works exactly like the
Add option of the Spell Files option. The computer will
quickly run through all the words in that particular
file and stop after the last one. You may then enter a
new word or press ESC to stop. When you enter a word it
will be stored at the end of the file. The new word
will be displayed along with its number and you'll be
asked to enter another word or press ESC to stop.
If you select the Edit option the first word in the file
will be displayed. Then you'll be asked to press the F1
function key to go on to the next word, press ESC to
stop, or make changes to the word then press ENTER.
Keep pressing F1 until you see the word you want
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changed. When you're done just press ESC.
There is a slight difference between the verb1 and verb2
data files. The verb1 file contains past-tense and
present-tense verbs that agree with singular subjects.
The verb2 file contains only past-tense verbs. If you
get these mixed up, the English Level 1 option will not
produce correct sentences.
SENTENCE PTRN FILES
This option allows you to change the sentence pattern
files. If you choose to add sentences, the last
sentence in the file will be shown along with its
pattern. You'll then be asked to enter new sentence
information or press ESC to stop. When you've typed the
sentence and its pattern correctly press the F1 key to
store the information and get ready for the next
sentence. When you're done press ESC to stop.
If you choose to edit a sentence, the first sentence and
its pattern will be displayed. You may press ESC to
stop, F1 to see the next sentence, or you may make
corrections to the sentence and its pattern then press
F1 to store the changes and see the next sentence.
SUB-VERB AGREE FILES
This option allows you to change the subject-verb
agreement files. If you choose to add sentences, the
last sentence in the file will be shown. You'll then be
asked to enter new sentence information or press ESC to
stop. When you've typed the sentence and all its
associated information correctly press the F1 key to
store it and get ready for the next sentence. When
you're done press ESC to stop.
As an example, suppose your sentence is "They ____
late." Your two word choices will be "was" and "were".
Since the second one is correct you'll enter the number
2 in the last field. Once you've entered all four
pieces of information and pressed F1, the sentence will
be displayed at the top and you'll be asked to enter
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another sentence. When you're done press ESC to stop.
If you choose to edit a sentence, the first sentence and
its word choices will be displayed. You may press ESC
to stop, F1 to see the next sentence, or you may make
corrections then press F1 to store the changes and see
the next sentence.
SCRAMBLED WORDS FILE
Use this option to make changes to the sc-words.dat file
which is used in Level 2 of the English option. This
file contains the scrambled words that you must
unscramble to make correct sentences.
As always you'll be asked if you want to edit or add to
this file. After choosing to add you must first enter
the number of words you want to have in the sentence.
Then, you can type the words for the sentence. You must
type the words in correct order. The software will
scramble them before they are stored. Don't forget to
capitalize the first word and place a period after the
last word.
If you choose to edit, all the information will be shown
on the screen. You can then move around and make
changes. The only thing you can't change is the number
of words in the sentence.
EXAM FILES
Use this option to edit the exam files. You'll first be
given a list of the exam files by file name. To select
one of these files for editing, highlight it then press
ENTER.
After you press ENTER, the exam name will be listed and
you'll be asked to make corrections. When you're done
just press ENTER. If it's already correct you don't
have to retype it.
Next, the first question will be printed along with all
5 of its possible answers and the number of its correct
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answer. You can move the cursor around on the screen
using the arrow keys. You don't need to retype
everything. Just move to the error, make the correction
and then move to the next error. When you've made all
the corrections press the F1 key.
The second question will be displayed next along with
its possible answers. Make the changes and press F1
again. If no changes are required just press F1 and the
next question and answer set will be displayed. If you
finish editing before you get to the last set just press
the ESC key.
Remember to keep knowledge of this file-change utility
from your children. A child could use this program to
destroy your files. Always keep a backup of the
software so that if the data files get corrupted, you
can replace them.
SOME FINAL NOTES
I hope you enjoy this software and your children learn
much from it. I'll continue making additions,
improvements, and corrections. I believe it already is
the most comprehensive educational software available.
I HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO GET ALL THE BUGS OUT OF THIS
PROGRAM. HOWEVER, I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT NONE EXISTS.
WHEN YOU USE THIS SOFTWARE YOU MUST DO IT AT YOUR OWN
RISK. I ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR DAMAGE THAT MAY
OCCUR AS A RESULT OF ITS USE.
If you have questions or comments you may write to me at
the address shown in the opening screen or in the first
pages of this manual.
Dr. Andrew Motes
_______
____|__ | (R)
--| | |-------------------
| ____|__ | Association of
| | |_| Shareware
|__| o | Professionals
-----| | |---------------------
|___|___| MEMBER
School-Mom is produced by a member of the Association of
Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure
that the shareware principle works for you. If you are
unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an
ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be
able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a
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provide technical support for members' products. Please
write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon,
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