Sammy's Science House.

Sammy's Science House is an inviting exploration program that provides an excellent introduction to the fundamental processes used in science. Users can observe, classify, construct, compare and experiment with plants, animals, seasons and weather. Children can begin to use the program within their first session and are encouraged by Sammy the Snake to explore five science activities: Workshop, Acorn Pond, Weather Machine, Sorting Station and Make-a-Movie. The program allows children to print their workshop designs and notes from a field notebook created in Acorn Pond.

All of the science activities in this program are enjoyable and children will return to the program each time they sit down at the computer. This enjoyment is primarily an outcome of the variety of available activities and the friendly way Edmark programs guide young learners. The program's interface is patient and encouraging in a style similar to Millie's Math House and Bailey's Book House--other early learning programs by Edmark.

In the opening scene, children can select objects used in the five activities as a way to begin their explorations. The friendly interface prevents any confusion after its first use. Returning to the main menu requires a simple click on a picture of Sammy that is always displayed in the left-hand corner of the screen.

Children are prompted by a pleasant voice and receive visual cues when they inappropriately arrange or select objects for building, classifying, sequencing or identifying. The supportive feedback lets children feel helped instead of corrected--a very important feature of quality early childhood software. Children who feel they are doing something wrong are unlikely to try again.

Workshop, Make-a-Movie and Sorting Station activities each provide children with choices regarding the degree of difficulty required to complete a task. Children can select to sequence three or four movie frames, sort into two, three or four categories; or design one, two or three toys and machines. The learner controls the level of difficulty.

Teachers select Sammy's Science House for its friendly, exploring features and its basic science content. This is a "no problems at the computer" program that allows young children to work independently most of the time. Children will, however, invite adults over to help read the field notebook. It would be a plus if the program would "read" out loud to the user as the text is highlighted. The school edition is accompanied by a teacher's guide with lesson ideas and activity sheets that many will find useful. This program reminds us how young children can greatly benefit from using microcomputers!

Reviewed by Teresa J. Rosegrant, Graduate School of Education, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA