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 * SOFTWARE EVALUATIONS: **
 * __ #1- Smart Tutor’s Mathematical Online Tutoring: __**

This software program is an online math tutoring program designed to increase student motivation and improve students test scores. This program benefits students in grades K-5. This math program falls into all four categories: drill and practice, instructional game, tutorial, and problem solving. Lessons follow an explicit instructional method of interactive tutorial, guided practice and timed and graded quizzes to enable subject mastery. Immediate corrective feedback and explanations support the learning and retention of new information. The program covers. Smart Tutor’s online learning system helps students build subject mastery and practice valuable 21st century skills in a fun, non-threatening learning environment. Their activities are designed to grab students’ attention and keep them motivated through the use of interactive games, fun cartoon characters and engaging themes. Students who are struggling with math would be of great use for this website because the program can be accessed at home where the children can practice their math lessons to help them improve their grade and understanding with the online math tutor. This program would help me monitor the children’s improvement and progress and help me determine the adjustments I need to make to my lesson plans and/or teaching so it can benefit my student’s needs. This program will help children from grades K-5 in mathematics. When children are allowed on the computer, I can make it an activity where they get to play these mathematical games to not only capture their attention and to monitor their progress, but to also help them with their learning and understanding. This program is great because you do not have to download any special installations or software. All you need is an internet connection which can be a “pro” or “con” whether the students have access to the internet at both their school and home. Another strength is that the program is designed for ESL students too, offering the math in both English and Spanish. Students can have access to all the demo lessons but unfortunately there is a cost to have access to the entire program which can create an issue. Finally if a child is homeschooled this program is designed to help facilitate the students learning in a home environment. 1 student = Math $35 Classroom Pack = (25 students)Math $655
 * 1) Explain the purpose of the software program. What are the appropriate grade levels and subject areas for this software?
 * 1) List and explain what software categories this software program falls into. The software categories include: drill and practice, tutorial, simulation, instructional game, or problem solving.
 * 1) Describe a scenario where you would be able to integrate the use of this software program into your curriculum. What grade level? What subject area? How would the software integrate into the other classroom activities?
 * 1) What are the strengths and weaknesses of this program?
 * 1) What is the cost of this program? Where can it be purchased? Provide a web link to a manufacturer or retailer? What are the system requirements of the software?
 * __ Prices for a school/classroom: __**

Free!! Smart Tutor is 100% web based, so there’s nothing to download or install! Also included in your monthly or annual subscription fee is free and unlimited support via phone, email or online chat and free access to community forums, tips and advice.
 * __ Prices for home access: __**

Pricing Web Address: []

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 * __ # 2- Smart Tutor’s Reading Online Tutoring __**** : **

Smart Tutor’s is a researched based software program designed to accelerate learning, increase student motivation and improve student test scores by building a strong foundation in fundamental reading skills including phonemic awareness, phonics, sight words / high frequency words , vocabulary and reading comprehension __.__  This program is designed for students K-5. The software categories this program falls under is instructional game, tutorial and simulation. The Smart Tutors reading curriculum comprises over 1500 tutorials and activities and covers ”Reading First’s Big 5” and more including: **Phonemic Awareness** - Learn to identify, think about, and work with individual sounds in spoken words. **Phonics** - Learn systematic and predictable relationships between written letters and spoken sounds. **High Frequency Words** - Learn to recognize common sight words to increase reading fluency. **Vocabulary Development**- Learn to expand their vocabulary to communicate more effectively. **Reading Comprehension** - Learn to actively construct meaning when reading both fiction and non-fiction passages. Students who are struggling with reading and comprehension would be of great use for this website because the program can be accessed at home where the children can practice reading to help them improve their grade and understanding with the online reading tutor. This program would help me monitor the children’s improvement and progress and help me determine the adjustments I need to make to my lesson plans and/or teaching so it can benefit my student’s needs. This program will help children from grades K-5 in reading/language arts. When children are allowed on the computer, I can make it an activity where they get to play these designed reading games to not only capture their attention and to monitor their progress, but to also help them with their learning and understanding. The lesson plans are tailored to each student’s individual abilities based on their initial online placement assessment. 1 student = Reading $35, Classroom Pack = (25 students) Reading $655
 * 1) Explain the purpose of the software program. What are the appropriate grade levels and subject areas for this software?
 * 1) List and explain what software categories this software program falls into. The software categories include: drill and practice, tutorial, simulation, instructional game, or problem solving.
 * 1) Describe a scenario where you would be able to integrate the use of this software program into your curriculum. What grade level? What subject area? How would the software integrate into the other classroom activities?
 * 1) What are the strengths and weaknesses of this program?
 * 2) This program is great because you do not have to download any special installations or software. All you need is an internet connection which can be a “pro” or “con” whether the students have access to the internet at both their school and home. Another strength is that the program is designed for ESL students too, offering the reading in both English and Spanish. Students can have access to all the demo lessons but unfortunately there is a cost to have access to the entire program which can create an issue. Finally if a child is homeschooled this program is designed to help facilitate the students learning in a home environment.
 * 3) What is the cost of this program? Where can it be purchased? Provide a web link to a manufacturer or retailer? What are the system requirements of the software?
 * __ Prices for a school/classroom: __**

Free!! Smart Tutor is 100% web based, so there’s nothing to download or install! Also included in your monthly or annual subscription fee is free and unlimited support via phone, email or online chat and free access to community forums, tips and advice.
 * __ Prices for home access: __**

Pricing Web Address: []

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 * __ # 3- Word Expander: __**

This is a vocabulary program for Kindergarteners, designed for students to read and spell, recognize word families and to teach and reinforce spelling and word recognition. The software categories of this program include drill and practice, instructional game and simulation. The program lets students try to spell or identify words based on visual images and/or audio clues. The program allows a student stretch a word out, based on something they hear or see, using some sort of engaging point and drag interface. Use of combination animation, graphics, and audio helps to interest students and present the material. This program will help children read, spell, recognize and practice word families. For example the words cat, rat, bat, mat are all part of the same family. This program helps fit the standards and curriculum of recognizing words and families. I can incorporate this program into my lesson by having children play on this site as their assessment to monitor if they understand the material I just taught. This program can be accessed at home making it easier and more efficient for the students to use. This program is also available in all versions for the type of software your computer requires. The program however is only structured for kindergarteners only. The program is free of cost. All you have to do is download the version your computer requires and GO!
 * 1) Explain the purpose of the software program. What are the appropriate grade levels and subject areas for this software?
 * 1) List and explain what software categories this software program falls into. The software categories include: drill and practice, tutorial, simulation, instructional game, or problem solving.
 * 1) Describe a scenario where you would be able to integrate the use of this software program into your curriculum. What grade level? What subject area? How would the software integrate into the other classroom activities?
 * 1) What are the strengths and weaknesses of this program?
 * 1) What is the cost of this program? Where can it be purchased? Provide a web link to a manufacturer or retailer? What are the system requirements of the software?

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 * __ #4- Pixie Science: __**

Science Pixie is a K-2 software program designed to teach and assess student understanding of the ﬁve senses, animal classiﬁcation, and life cycles. You can also extend observation, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills with student-created projects that incorporate painting, matching, writing, storytelling, narration, and more. This science software program includes problem solving, tutorial, and instructional game. For example, after teaching students about the difference between living and nonliving things they can complete a sorting activity to evaluate their comprehension. Constructing their own models and diagrams requires higher-order thinking skills and helps students organize information. This type of project work also helps you assess their comprehension. This program is designed around the standards and evidence outcomes that the children should be assessing. If the children are learning about the weather for instance, they can use this program to help them scientifically create charts that help them observe and detect the weather conditions. This kind of activity can be used in a K-2 classroom when learning about science. There aren’t really any cons to this program. It is easy to access and help children understand the science skills. The program can be accessed online through any computer at home or in the classroom. This program was designed by a science teacher to help students understand K-2 science. Pricing varies… []
 * 1) Explain the purpose of the software program. What are the appropriate grade levels and subject areas for this software?
 * 1) List and explain what software categories this software program falls into. The software categories include: drill and practice, tutorial, simulation, instructional game, or problem solving.
 * 1) Describe a scenario where you would be able to integrate the use of this software program into your curriculum. What grade level? What subject area? How would the software integrate into the other classroom activities?
 * 1) What are the strengths and weaknesses of this program?
 * 1) What is the cost of this program? Where can it be purchased? Provide a web link to a manufacturer or retailer? What are the system requirements of the software?
 * 1 student = $54.95 **
 * 5-24 students = $38.00 **
 * 35-99 students = $25.00 **
 * 100-499 students = $22.00 **
 * 500+ = $20.00 **

**__# 5- ABC 4 KIDS Workshop__**
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 * 1) Explain the purpose of the software program. What are the appropriate grade levels and subject areas for this software?

ABC Kids is a highly popular multimedia program designed for preschool children. It consists of spelling game software used worldwide in over 75 Countries for kids to learn English ABC alphabets and word spelling activities using pictures, realistic speech audio and self-testing via an easy graphical and audio-visual oriented process. Includes full alphabets from A - Z, over 100 different picture objects to spell, realistic voice- to-text speech engines to teach the alphabets, spelling activities, pronunciation and a self-testing module to test out spelling.


 * 1) List and explain what software categories this software program falls into. The software categories include: drill and practice, tutorial, simulation, instructional game, or problem solving.

This program falls under problem solving, tutorial and simulation. ABC Kids Alphabet Spelling Games with Pictures Software makes learning the Alphabets and grasping the basic spelling activities & concepts easy, using a logical step-by-step process that is both interesting and fun to use for the average school going child. The Voice synthesizer teaches both the accurate pronunciation of the word and its correct spelling as well. The Self-Testing mode has automatic testing and correction features embedded in the program, which can be used to self-check the learning progress.


 * 1) Describe a scenario where you would be able to integrate the use of this software program into your curriculum. What grade level? What subject area? How would the software integrate into the other classroom activities?

Young children in preschool will benefit from this program to help prepare them for entering kindergarten. It helps them start to recognize the alphabet and pictures. I could integrate this into classroom activities by having them use this website as a useful tool for learning and recognizing pictures and the ABC’s in a more technical manner to help prepare them for kindergarten standards.


 * 1) What are the strengths and weaknesses of this program?

There isn’t really a weakness to this program. It doesn’t however require a windows operating system in order to be accessed. It is also free and able to access at any time.


 * 1) What is the cost of this program? Where can it be

purchased? Provide a web link to a manufacturer or retailer? What are the system requirements of the software?

This program can be downloaded as a trial. It does however require a operating system of either Windows 98/Me/2000, Windows XP/Vista or Windows 7. Once the trial version has expired, the cost of the program is $19.95.

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