In Making things Decay, Smudge
buries some objects, which can be dug up later on so that you
can see how these objects have changed. Making Things Decay
is a simulation, which allows children to see the effects of
decay on various household objects.
In “Naming Parts”, the picture
on the screen needs to be completed by selecting parts of
the object from the right of the screen and placing them into
the correct positions. Once all the parts have been placed,
labels will appear, which can be placed onto the picture.
Naming Parts may be used to complete parts of a plant, a
boy or girl, inner organs of the body or parts of an animal.
In Smudge’s Basket game, children
can place objects under a large magnet to test whether the
objects is magnetic or not. Children may try to predict whether
objects are magnetic before starting the experiment. When they
have finished, they can see whether the results matched their
expectations, and can discuss the reasons for any differences.
Trains and Magnets allows children
to experiment with magnet’s ability to attract and repel each
other. A train and trucks must be moved into a station, magnets
need to be added to the buffers, so that when Smudge and Cecily
are loaded, the train can pull the trucks and passengers out
of the station.
The Good Conductor is an experiment
where children can test whether objects conduct electricity
or not. Children need to place objects onto a gap in an electrical
circuit, and if the object conducts electricity, the bulb in
the circuit will come on.
The Weather Chart activity may
be used to record the weather during a week. Children can record
the type of weather (sunny, cloudy, rainy or snowy) and they
can choose to include measurements of rainfall and maximum
and minimum temperatures.
In Connecting the Kennel, the screen
shows the inside of Smudge’s kennel with a battery and one
or more lights and some switches. Children need to draw in
the wires that will connect them together to make a circuit.
In Seasonal Slices, scenes from
the four seasons are shown, and children need to select objects
which they think are appropriate for the season and place them
onto the picture.
Children need to place weather
symbols onto a map so that the map represents the description
of today’s weather shown at the top of the screen. There are
options to include temperature, wind (with direction) and a
level of difficulty.
The
Science Collection is a collection of six different activities
to introduce the general concepts of science to children
aged 4 years and above. It features six activities: Trains & Magnets, The Good Conductor, (making a)
Weather Chart, Floating & Sinking, Decay and (the simulation
activity) From Seeds to Plants.
