This Apple Learning Series 3–6 Curriculum CD set contained 10 CD-ROM titles curated and sold by Apple Education as a bundle. The PDF spec sheet touts that, “students can create their own maps, learn to use a spreadsheet, explore electrical principles, explore a rainforest, use onscreen math manipulatives, understand word problems, practice vocabulary and spelling, create interactive stories, and even get to know Ben Franklin.”
CDs are included for Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies and Reference. Apple provides the following descriptions:
Language Arts
Carmen Sandiego Word Detective, The Learning Company
With this engaging program, students solve word challenges to stop Carmen from turning all words into gibberish. To solve some of the challenges, students select adjacent letters to spell out words, spell words that are said aloud, and return words and punctuation to their correct locations within a story. The program allows teachers to create customized lists of spelling words and to track student progress.
Imagination Express Destination: Time Trip, USA, Edmark
This program allows students to create interactive stories using scenes from six different time periods: 1640, 1776, 1865, 1929, 1945, and today. In their stories, students can combine animated stickers of people and objects with text they enter on the screen, narration and other sounds that they record, and prerecorded sounds. In addition to stories, students can use the program to create items such as postcards and newspapers. The options available can be customized according to the needs of the students.
Math
Math Mysteries: Whole Numbers, Tom Snyder Productions
Part of the Math Mysteries series, this title includes two CDs, both of which have students join the passengers and crew on a cruise ship to solve math word problems. With the Whole Class CD, the teacher introduces specific math skills and the students collaborate to identify the problems, collect information, and solve the problems. Then on their own or in pairs, students use the Mystery CD to practice and reinforce skills in solving word problems. The CDs cover basic operations and single and multistep problems.
Mighty Math Calculating Crew, Edmark
The “crew” in this innovative math program consists of four superheroes who challenge students with math problems in multiplication, division, number lines, fractions, money, and 3D geometry. Activities such as Superhero Superstore and Dr. Gee’s 3D Lab feature onscreen manipulatives to help students understand the underlying math concepts. The difficulty level and activity topic can be adjusted with the program’s Grow Slides component.
The Cruncher, Knowledge Adventure
The Cruncher teaches students how to use spreadsheets and graphs by having them solve problems and apply mathematical concepts to real-life situations. The results can be displayed with graphs and charts and annotated with sound effects and animated illustrations. The program also includes a Show feature, which explains, step by step, how The Cruncher solves the specific formula; projects that allow students to use The Cruncher to solve interesting, real-world problems; and tutorials.
Science
A Field Trip to the Rainforest Deluxe, Sunburst Technology
With this program, students travel through the rainforests of South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, learning about the plants, animals, and people who live in these areas, as well as the status of rainforest resources and current and future preservation efforts. Students can consult a comprehensive field guide for more information on these topics, take notes and add pictures using the program’s journal feature, and play a rainforest trivia game.
Thinkin’ Science Series: Zap!, Edmark
Students explore light, sound, and electricity in Zap!, part of the Thinkin’ Science series of educational software. In this engaging CD, as they prepare to produce a concert, students explore three learning environments: Laser Lab, where they experiment with light and color; the ElectroLoft, where they experiment with circuit building and repair; and the SoundWave Studio, where they learn about sounds and their waveforms. Students learn more about the topics covered with the “Sci-Clopedia” and take their own notes with the Notebook feature. The program’s Grow Slides feature lets teachers set the topics to be covered and the level of difficulty.
Social Studies and Reference
MapMaker’s Toolkit, Tom Snyder Productions
Mapmaker’s Toolkit is a versatile program for creating maps to use in the classroom. The CD includes more than 450 current and historical maps that can be used as they are or customized to change the features displayed, add color and text, and mark different elements such as transportation, population, crops, and weather. The maps can be printed in different sizes (including as a poster), presented electronically with the slide show feature, or posted publicly on the Internet.
What’s the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?, Scholastic
Based on the award-winning book of the same name, this engaging and humor-filled CD presents Ben Franklin in his different roles as writer, printer, scientist, inventor, diplomat, and founding father. Students can either watch and hear each chapter in a video format, or read and hear each chapter in a more detailed text format. Games for each chapter help students reinforce what they learn. The CD includes audiovisual “side trips,” a glossary, and a Teacher’s Resource room with assignments, bulletin boards with ideas for displaying student work, and challenges.
World Book 2001, World Book
This two-CD set combines the text and illustrations of the World Book Encyclopedia with the impact of video, sound, animation, and Internet resources. Students can easily access specific information with the program’s search tools and use the highlighting and sticky notes features to keep track of what they find. Includes an atlas, a dictionary, a Homework Wizard to help students with assignments such as reports and timelines, and Internet links to additional resources and updated information.
Somewhat shockingly, a PDF was still downloadable on the Apple website in 2020.
Source: Apple
