Calvin Henry

Samantha Tucker
Jed Yarnell

Title: Sheppard Software Chemistry Games

Version: None
Publisher/website address: http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Elementsgames.htm
Target Audience: 7-8th Grade
Types of Software: Game, drill, practice, and critical thinking.
Curriculum: Beginning chemistry and introducing elements.
Possible environment: Individual
Supplements: Many educational games are offered through this website.
Describing the Software: Sheppard software is fun, interesting, and very educational. This
website allows the student to play games about the periodic table and all the elements it obtains.
The website has games for students to play, ranging in different levels of advancement. The
software gives the correct answer if the wrong one is put in, also gives verbal answers. Every
question that is asked, the element is shown on the periodic table so it gives the student a good
visual.
Impressions on the Software: The overall appearance of the website and software that can be
used has a very simple design but applies to older mid-level students. This could be used for
many uses but in a science class could use it for practice or introducing the periodic table.
Students get immediate response along with effective questioning. The programs are easy to
navigate through, even bouncing back and forth between different quizzes. As a teacher, this
could be very effective to use in class and great interaction with the students involving their
progress. Sheppard Software passes.

Title: PHET Interactive Simulations

Version: None
Publisher/website address: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/energy-forms-and-changes
Target Audience: Middle School students
Types of software: Interactive simulations, critical thinking.
Curriculum: Physics energy forms and changes.

Calvin Henry
Samantha Tucker
Jed Yarnell

Possible Environment: Individual

Supplements: Website has over 110 million simulations.
Describing the Software: PHET Software is very intriguing and offers many different virtual
experiments that the student can do on their own at home or at school. One example is the
transfer of energy when heat is applied or taken away. This is shown with a couple of beaker
glasses that are full of water; the cups can be set on a gas powered flame or be cooled with ice
cubes. All this is controlled by the student and what they want to see. During the experiment, the
software can be adjusted to show how the energy is being transferred throughout. Temperatures
can be measured as well, showing that the water temperature increases and decreases.
Impressions on the Software: The software was very interesting, well designed, and easy to
operate. All activities offered were very real and good simulations for students to work with. This
could be used in a classroom if a teacher does not have access to a real science lab or just needs
to illustrate something in a lesson. Sound effects are limited but certain actions do have them.
The software is intriguing enough to get students interested in what really happens and still
passes.

Title: Google Scholar Write Up

Version: N/A
Publisher: Google
Website Address: http://scholar.google.com
Target Audience: All age groups
Type of software: Search engine
Curriculum: Scholarly articles, patents. This can be used for research in all curriculums.
Possible Environments: This could be used in group research projects both large and small or
individual research projects.
Supplements: This is a scholarly documentation research software.

Calvin Henry
Samantha Tucker
Jed Yarnell

This is a search engine. Although it may seem simple at first, once you look up a topic it
is a more in depth search engine than you would normally find. On the homepage you can select
boxes to refine your search. For example if you only wanted to browse articles you would select
the article box and then type the topic into the search engine.
I really like the software and have actually used it for writing research papers and it has
been very helpful, user friendly, and it is easy to cite articles. I would advise my students to use
this software for any research paper. The only thing that might be a problem is that there can be
so many articles on one topic that it looks confusing. My advice is to start at the beginning of the
search results and take your time on skimming for the appropriate article.

Title: Time for Kids/ Flashcard Write Up

Version: N/A
Website Address: http://www.timeforkids.com/homework-helper/flashcards
Publisher: Time Inc.

Target Audience: This is a very versatile piece of software as far as age group is concerned. It
can be used by all age groups.
Curriculum: Drill and Practice
This software can be used in many different environments such as Individual, small group, large
group, and a lab setting.
Handouts could be made after flashcards were created. There is a print option so this is a very
convenient way for students to study.
This flashcard software is very useful. Individually each student can create and mark
which flashcards he or she may need to work on the most. This could be done in small or large
groups as well. The only downside is a limited space for typing but there is still a moderate
amount of space, just not enough room for a paragraph.

Calvin Henry
Samantha Tucker
Jed Yarnell

As a teacher I could create and save the flashcards so students could type in the url and
study the flashcards I have made at home or in class when time is provided or I can project them
for the class to answer as I present the flashcards. Overall I really like the software. The layout
wasnt distracting. Being able to mark question to view again is also very helpful and I didnt
find this on any other flashcard software.

Title: Middle School Science

Version (if Applicable): NONE
Publisher/Website address: http://www.boardworkseducation.com/middle-school-science_108/
Target Audience (if your opinion differs from the publisher, state that): Middle School
(grades range depending on the lesson)
Type(s) of software (drill & practice, game, critical thinking): drill and practice and lecture
Curriculum(s) How does it (or can it) fit into the curriculum: Many different lessons with
intractable activities
Possible environment(s): One computer classroom, Individual
Supplements (Documentation, teacher handouts, student handouts, did it come with other
software) Check website to see if there are extra handouts: free animations, virtual
experiments, quizzes, lesson plans, posters, PowerPoint material, sample disks, flash cards..
Write a paragraph or two describing the software: This software is similar to a PowerPoint
complete with intractable material. This software merges lecturing and practice and has a very
wide range of lessons (from metals and non-metals, plants, and cells) and even some sample
experiments. Moving forward and backward is simple (arrows in the bottom corners) and
clicking on the software moves the slide forward (shows more text but does not move the
software to a different part of the lesson/slide). However, there is not a pattern to the slides
(which slides are interactive and which are not).
Write a paragraph or two on your impressions of the software and possibly how you see the
software being used in your class: This type of software will help the students (who will learn
the material) and the teacher of the classroom (who creates the lesson; since the software already
includes premade lessons then less planning and time will go into creating a lesson). This
software can be used as a lecture and then a worksheet or a group project can be used to assess
the students progress. The intractable material varies from definitions, to matching, and to
classifying. This software passes the final check.