Millie's Math House
Publisher: Edmark
Reviewed by Mary Silverman
SCHOOL SUBJECTS: Basic concepts of numbers, shapes, sizes, and patterning.
GRADE LEVEL: Preschool, kindergarten
PLATFORM USED FOR EVALUATION: Macintosh Performa 6115CD
HARD DISK OR CD-ROM?:disk
TIME TO PLAY: Up to 30 minutes - depending on attention span of child
RATING: 9
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM:
Millie is a moose who has six rooms full of activities in her house. The activities are designed to teach and provide practice for such subjects as shapes, size, patterning, counting and number recognition.
Most rooms provide two levels of participation. The explore and discover mode teaches the basic concepts, and the question and answer mode gives applications and practice. In each room, it is easy to switch from the explore mode to the question mode; one just clicks on the picture frame.
In the bottom right corner of each room is a picture of a a flip chart. This explains the goals of the activities and the process in both the explore and discover mode and the question and answer mode. In addition, it suggest supplementary activities for school and home as well as providing insight into how children may respond to different aspects of the activities.
From this location, one can establish a teacher management system to keep track of accuracy of each child as well as to set a time limit if one so chooses. These records can be printed.
In the bottom left corner in each screen is a moose which enables one to go back to the main menu.
A brief summary of each room follows.
- BIG, LITTLE, MIDDLE - In the explore mode, three peanut-like characters need to get the right size shoes from shelves. When one clicks on one, it explains "I'm big; shoes please."; if one then clicks on the correct size shoe, the character smiles and verbally reinforces "large". If one clicks on the wrong size shoe, the character frowns and says the size you picked. In the question and answer mode, one character shows on the screen and asks for shoes. The phrasing of each character varies and is quite charming.
- MOUSE HOUSE- Here one can build houses from Frank Lloyd Mouse's blueprints. As one drags the shape, the animated mouse at the top of the screen names the shape. One can either match designs on the right side of the screen or design one's own house. In the question and answer mode, the animated mouse asks for specific shapes to build the house.
- BING AND BOING is designed to teach patterning. From a choice of eight pictures, one clicks on two or three to form the pattern. With each picture is a sound.
Next, a click on "BingÓ"causes him to hop along the pattern accompanied by the sound for each picture. In the question and answer mode, Boing starts a pattern then asks the player to finish it. In this room, one can create oneŐs own sound.
- BUILD A BUG teaches numbers. This room has only one mode. The screen provides a selection of numbers and body parts. A click on a number and body part causes that number of parts to move to the bug while a voice says the number and parts. One can drag the body parts to other places. A click on the nose causes the bug to emit a sound. The player can print his/her bug, and with a microphone, one can add one's own sound.
- NUMBER MACHINE- In explore mode, a click on a number on the cash register teaches the number by counting the animals who live in each drawer. A worm asks the player to find a specific number on the cash register in the question and answer mode.
- COOKIE FACTORY- In explore mode, a click on any of four parts causes things to happen. (cause and effect). The question and answer mode asks the player for a certain number of jelly beans; so it is a good review of the numbers taught in Build a Bug and Number Machine.
EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM:
This is an excellent program. It's fun, it's educational, and it uses effective instructional strategies. What a fun way to learn basic concepts! Designed for very young children, it is easy to use because the directions are clear and there are common tools in each of the six rooms. One clicks the picture frame to change activities within each room, or clicks on the Moose at the bottom left to change rooms. The characters are nonsexist, non cultural specific, and charming. The animation and sounds are appealing to children.
The instructionally sound format provides multi-sensory input: visual, auditory and touch. Immediate and varied feedback, both visual and oral is a powerful teaching tool. I t also allows for adaptations for children with disabilities who may need the touch window or single switch scanning. For children with limited ability, it would need more types of activities working on the same concepts.
Options for creativity are available in creating a mouse house, building a bug, and creating patterns. In addition, the instructions which come with the program suggest many ways to address the concepts in real life, using art, science, dramatics, music and games which can be useful for both parents and teachers. Having the option of record keeping can be helpful for teachers as well.
APPLICATION OF THE PROGRAM:
This program is good for the preschool to kindergarten age child. It could also be used for older children with disabilities. It can be used to teach and reinforce concepts. Patterning, counting, and number concepts are very much a part of kindergarten curriculum. It could be used during free or explore time by children independently, and the teacher can check on each childŐs skills at a later time.