Rios, Jose

Turner, Matthew J

English

University of Washington: UW Tacoma Digital Commons

University of Washington TacomaUW Tacoma Digital CommonsEducation Publications Education11-2002Review of "Interactive Explorations"Matthew J. TurnerSpanaway High SchoolJose RiosUniversity of Washington - Tacoma Campus, jrios@u.washington.eduFollow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/education_pubPart of the Science and Mathematics Education CommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Education at UW Tacoma Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion inEducation Publications by an authorized administrator of UW Tacoma Digital Commons.Recommended CitationTurner, Matthew J. and Rios, Jose, "Review of "Interactive Explorations"" (2002). Education Publications. 1.https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/education_pub/1JoSe VAZQUEZ, DEPARTMENT EDITOR AV &T Software Reviews ENVIRONMEN- TAL ISSUES Interactive Explorations. (2000). Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Technical Support Center, 1120 South Capital of Texas Highway, Austin, TX 78746-6487, 800- 323-9239, http:Z/www.hrwtech support.com. CD-ROM $37.47. ISBN# 0-03-053914-5. System Requirements Macintosh Compatible * 68030 CPU running at 25MHz or higher * Color display capable of 256 colors at 640 x 480 * System 7.1 or higher * 2x speed CD-ROM Drive * 5MB RAM * 30-40 MB RAM if you wish to install individual Explorations * Printer: Laser printer, ink- jet, or 24-pin dot matrix IBM Compatible * 80386 DX running at 25MHz or higher * Color display capable of 256 colors at 640 x 480 * Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 * 5 MB RAM available for application * 30-40 MB RAM if you wish to install individual Explorations * SoundblasterTM compati- ble sound card Interactive Explorations, created by the technical support personnel of Holt, Rinehart and Winston, is a teacher's dream. Suitable for students in grades 8 through 10, any science educator who aspires to teach scientific methods with a focus on envi- ronmental issues would find this software an asset to the program. Simply put, this software pro- vides students with a virtual lab- oratory that abounds with vivid graphics, captivating scenarios, and striking realism. The CD-ROM contains eight engaging laboratory simulations that allow students to select and test numerous variables, make note of their findings, deduce a solution to the presented prob- lem, and submit results. The first simulation offers a scenario in which students are asked to deter- mine why African Cichlid fish in a pet store aquarium are not thriv- ing. Students must find out if lack of food, too much light, high tem- perature, or pieces of ornamental wood in the tank is the culprit causing the fish's struggle. In a second scenario, Dr. Mike Roe asks students to first identify several microorganisms and then conduct further research to find out which one of them is causing his patients dis- comfort. The students click on prepared slides and drag them to a microscope, which gives them a closer view of the microorgan- isms and allows them to match the sample slides with those the doctor sent. Once this is accom- plished, they conduct research from a virtual computer provid- ed at the back of the lab to pin- point the trouble-causing microbe. A third scenario enables stu- dents to find out why deep-sea creatures are difficult to keep in captivity. The simulation guides students in manipulating vari- ables such as feeding, water tem- perature and pressure, water conditioners, and seawater com- position until they can get a colony of tubeworms to thrive in an aquarium. As in all the lab simulations, they must then send the aquarium manager their for- mula for success. An investigation of the effects of building a dam across a river is next. Students provide a town council member with infor- mation on the long-term effects of a dam, as she prepares for an important town meeting to decide whether or not the dam should be built. Using a simulat- ed stream, students adjust water flow and take notes on visible changes seen in the system. They then provide the town council member accurate infor- mation about the effects of a newly constructed dam. Earth Science concepts such as water velocity, erosion, and silt deposi- tion are the key concepts dealt with in Flood Bank. In Moose Malady, Hans Oleson wants to find out why the moose in his area are becom- ing sick and dying. Students run simulated chemical tests to find JOSE VAZQUEZ is a Professor of Science in the General Studies Program at New York University. He holds an under- graduate degreefrom the University of Puerto Rico and a graduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania. His teaching experience ranges from elementary school to college level. His predominant passion in education is teaching science (particularly genetics) to gifted students. His address is: Shimkin Hall 327, NYU, 50 W 4th St., New York, NY 10012; e-mail: irv2@nyu.edu. - U 0- F- v) CA ~- 0) 702 THE AMERICAN BIOLOGY TEACHER, VOLUME 64, NO.9, NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2002 This content downloaded  on Wed, 9 Jan 2013 12:14:47 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditionsout which of several elements found in the rainwater and two food sources is causing their demise. Environmental pollution and heavy metal contamination are the major concepts presented here. Hydrangea plants are the focus of the sixth activity on the CD-ROM. Students are asked to find out why a previously blue-flowering hydrangea suddenly sprouts pink blooms. The students must adjust the soil condi- tions, hours of light, and amount of food given the plant to determine the cause. As in the rest of the plant growth simulations, How's It Growing includes a control group with which students can make com- parisons and pinpoint the single variable that is causing the changes. The Venus Flytrap must be saved from plant poachers in Shut Your Trap. In this simulation, stu- dents must determine the optimal growing conditions for this plant in captivity by adjusting humidity, hours of light exposure, and fertiliz- er additions. The only way to stop the illegal removal of these plants from the wild is to determine how nurseries can grow them from seed, flood the market, and put the poach- ers out of business. Students are motivated to send their results back to the nursery in a noble attempt to thwart the poaching effort. Energy conservation is the name of the game in The Generation Gap. Students must determine if a new wind turbine, known as the Electroprop, is a cost effective means of energy generation in the San Francisco Bay area. A simulated wind tunnel is provided in a lab to carry out electrical output efficiency trials as students adjust wind veloci- ty. People who are constructing cab- ins in the area are readily awaiting a cost analysis because the turbine is quite expensive. Students must cal- culate how many years it will take for the Electroprop to pay for itself through the energy it generates from this region's prevailing winds. Throughout this CD-ROM, stu- dents take on the role of a lab scien- tist in the truest sense. Each simula- tion begins with a faxed commu- nique from an organization that needs assistance in solving a press- ing issue. The student-turned-scien- tist must use the given information, critical thinking skills and careful observations to solve the problem accurately. Following their analysis, students must write the organization to reveal their findings and offer a solution to the problem. One of the most noteworthy fea- tures of the software is that students receive instant feedback from the pro- gram as to whether their lab data were correct or not. Moreover, a student can proceed at his or her own pace and retry any simulation until they achieve success. Dr. Labcoat, a talking lab supervisor, cordially invites stu- dents to begin each exercise and also provides encouragement along the way. The only potential drawback encountered was that the first three Classroomn 1-800-659-SKULL 10313 S. Sunnylane, OKC, OK 73160 www.skullsunlimited.com Mention this adfor afree 130-pagefull-color etail catalog. - - - - ----- Do you really want to go in there without us? CLASSROOM TECH REVIEWS 703 This content downloaded  on Wed, 9 Jan 2013 12:14:47 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditionssimulations could be accomplished very quickly. Teachers should plan ahead and have students tackle two or three of the provided simulations within a single class period. We would highly recommend this software to other science teachers. The interaction capability, sound effects, and graphics are beyond com- pare. The manual contains outstand- ing background information, student worksheets, and answer keys. As a special feature, students can click on pictures of famous scientists and read about that person's historical accom- plishments. Moreover, a simulated computer research station and calcu- lator are at the student's fingertips to aid investigations. This software would be best utilized within a com- puter lab where the teacher can care- fully monitor student progress and ensure students are keeping detailed notes. They must return accurate data to the organization that sent it in order to effectively complete the exer- cise. This software pays for itself in short order as the rich experiences students receive from interacting with it far outweigh its initial cost. Matthew J. Turner Spanaway Lake High School Spanaway, WA 98387-5906 Jose M. Rios University of Washington, Tacoma Tacoma, WA 98402-3100 MIDDLE SCHOOL ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY Science Is Elementary: What's Inside Your Body? 2001. SVE & Churchill Media (6677 North Northwest Highway, Chicago, IL 60631). 1-800-829-1900. www.SVE media.com. DVD-ROM $94.95. System Requirements * Any DVD-compatible player What's Inside Your Body? is an exciting and engaging introduction to human anatomy and physiology. As part of SVE's Science Is Elementary series, these DVDs explore six of the major body systems. When the disc is first placed into the machine it starts automatically, a very nice fea- ture. The screen then presents a menu where the viewer can select from the systems covered on the disc, or can select the "see full pro- gram" option to view the entire film. About 20 minutes each, these DVDs give a short yet fairly intense overview of each body system. The hosts of this journey through the human body are Lori Laboratory and her two assistants, Charlie and Jesse. These live-action characters describe the aspects of each system through a collection of witty conver- sation, video clips, and computer-gen- erated animations. The first stop on the Heart & Blood/Digestion & Respiration disc was in the Circulatory System. Here, Lori and friends tell the importance of the heart, blood, and blood vessels, and the path the blood takes on its journey through the heart. The viewer is then brought to the respiratory system, where she/he learns about the differences between external and internal respiration, and the anatomy of the upper and lower respiratory systems. Lori then decides to present the anatomy and physiolo- gy of the digestive system. She dis- cusses the gastrointestinal tract and the accessory organs and enzymes involved with digestion. Finally, Lori describes how all three of these sys- tems are related, bringing a logical close to the film. The other disc in the What's Inside Your Body? series covers the Skeletal, Muscle, and Nervous Systems. Lori and her assistants start off with a discussion of the basic organization of life. From here, they describe the main functions of the skeletal system and identify some of the 206 differ- ent bones that exist in the human body. Then, they go on to recognize the two divisions of the skeletal sys- tem and finish with the types of joints in the body and how they assist in movement. From here, the discussion shifts into the muscle sys- tem and the three types of muscle. Finally, they introduce the nervous system, discussing the importance of the brain and spinal cord, as well as the differences between the central and peripheral nervous systems. The series is an excellent collec- tion of information appropriate for grades 5 through 8. The Teacher's Manual that comes with each DVD indicates grades 3 through 6 but because of the difficulty of the vocab- ulary and ideas presented, younger children would have a very difficult time understanding the concepts introduced. However, the Teacher's Manual does include a complete tran- script of the DVD and a list of vocab- ulary words and a glossary, as well as a couple of worksheets for reinforce- ment. Each of the discs also contains an on-screen glossary to look up diffi- cult terms. With the brevity of the segments and the presentation of the material the DVDs in the What's Inside Your Body? series provide an excellent way to introduce students to the systems of the human body. Jeff Sack Valley Regional High School Deep River, CT 06417 Web Site Review SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EXPLORATION SITE The Flying Turtle Company, LLC. PO Box 45179, Boise, ID 83711-5179. http://www. ftexploring. corm. Contact information: flyingturtle@ flyingturtle.org. Operating under the premise "to discover how the same basic princi- ples influence and control how 704 THE AMERICAN BIOLOGY TEACHER, VOLUME 64,NO.9, NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2002 This content downloaded  on Wed, 9 Jan 2013 12:14:47 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Review of  Interactive Explorations

https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=education_pub

Review of Interactive Explorations

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

University of Washington: UW Tacoma Digital Commons