Using Jump Start Classic Second Grade Software
Review of Elementary Learning Program for Primary Students
Jan 23, 2009
Parents and teachers alike want learning software that teaches curriculum as well as entertains enough to keep children engaged. Jump Start Classic Second Grade does just that. C.J. the frog and Edison, his trusty sidekick, narrate each event and even provide instruction and comic relief at times. Students enter the activities via an elevator behind a sliding bookcase in the classroom.
Jump Start Classic Second Grade Modes of Play
Two ways to play include going on an adventure, or just freely playing at three levels of Scout, Explorer and Trailblazer to earn animated stamps. Thankfully, these levels aren't identified by numbers, so the kids can play unfettered by pressure about their level. To go on an adventure, the player reads a letter from a pen pal giving a challenge to accomplish. As the player receives post cards from each state, they are presented significant trivia about that location, thus learning the United States map.
Jump Start Classic Helpful to Varied Age Range
Fortunately, the grade level is not mentioned after the introduction, so it can be used for remediation or enrichment for a broad range of ages as long as the adult moves past the introductory song to the sign in screen before inviting a child to play. It works well when done alone, or with another person. The older or higher level child can provide guidance to the buddy when needed while both of them can have the time of their lives.
Special Features for Parents and Teachers on Jump Start Second
Like much other children's software, clicking on the second icon showing on the desktop takes you to a CD of all the tunes on the program. This feature allows user to play any of the songs in the games. It can be played during play time, used as a sing-along activity, or just for fun to reinforce basic skills like parts of speech, science, and math. Musical pieces are played in varied musical styles which reflect what students hear in daily life. The report card chart on the classroom wall helps the adults know what the students have mastered.
Learning Games Available on Jump Start Classic Second Grade
- Clubhouse – Teaches phonics, jukebox requires counting money to play songs (which also teach skills), computer keyboard is nothing special (only typing), plant includes concentration style matching games for numbers, geometry, money, time, homonyms. A telescope reached by climbing a ladder teaches planets with some humorous science fiction thrown in
- Classroom – Provides a starting point for playing the games.
- Boiler Room – Involves tracking, directionality, and coordination in a recycling game, and is a bit challenging for some students.
- Football – Practices addition and subtraction with some regrouping.
- Bone Vault – Works with math fact equations and missing addends.
- Cave Writing – Lets students decipher secret codes in both American Sign Language and Braille.
- Cricket Band – Provides a motor break. Would be better if notes stayed on musical score during playing.
- Log Ride – Earn log rides with answering math facts and spelling questions.
- Ice Cave – Solve math problems in a grid. (To avoid frustration, if the bug starts at top, place answers on bottom, and vice versa.)
Overall, this Jump Start symphony of primary curriculum is worth having and worth investing the time to get your child started on this computer learning. It can be played in two different ways, operates on varied levels, has special features, and a number of different games to make learning fun and interesting for primary children. This and other products from Knowledge Adventure are excellent choices for making learning an edutainment activity.
Disclaimer – Just because a child can succeed in an educational software program at one's enrolled grade does not mean he is finished with that grade level's curriculum, as writing skills, longer term attention to reading details, and two-step math problems are required to be fully functioning at the next grade level.
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