Publishers: Scholastic

Date Published:  1998

Platform: Windows 95/ Macintosh

Content Area:  Math-
 Computation   Equalities and Inequalities  Factors and Primes  Fractions, Decimals, and Percents  Interpreting Graphs  Measurement  Money  Order    Patterns and Functions Pre-Algebra  Problem Solving and Critical Thinking

Range of Grade Levels:  Third through Ninth

Content Description:  First the player views different interviews about the Arcade.  Then the player chooses a level they want to play on.  (8-9, 9-10, 10-11, 11-12, 12-13)  Once the player has chosen a level and typed in their name they are taken to the Alley. In the Alley, there are different shops that you can work in to make money.  You are trying to make enough money to play in the arcade at the end of the alley.  For every job you do you make a set amount of money.  The arcade games cost fifty cents to two dollars.
There are eight different stores.  In PI Digitovsky’s the player focuses on numbers and its theories.  Chez Bernie focuses on amounts and prices and Cookie Rama uses fractions, graphs, and sets.  Universal Imports uses equalities and inequalities.  Wheel Power focuses on time and distance.  While Code Busters uses patterns and functions.  The Long Stuff Store uses measurement and the Truly Tasteless Toys focuses on money and making change.  In each shop, the player receives an assortment of customers where you must perform so many problems for that customer.  For example if you were in Truly Tasteless Toys you may be asked:  I bought 1 banana peel that cost $0.50 and 3 rubber chickens that cost $1.60 each and I gave you $10.00.  How much change to I get?  The player would then have to count the cost, subtract, and then show their answer on the coin dispenser next to the problem.  They would then type in their answer.  For every problem, they get right they receive around ten cents.  For each set of problems, they receive around a dollar.
 In the arcade, the games focus on strategies, patterns, geometric shapes, and hand eye coordination.  The games are fun and with colorful graphics.  You could do play individually or in pairs.  The individual shops tend to take ten to twenty minutes depending on how much money the child wants to earn.  The arcade games do not last as long as the shop games.  You could use this program as a whole class when you are getting the class used to the program.

This game uses drill and practice, problem solving, tutorial, game, tool, and some simulation.

Strengths/Weaknesses:  This program enables children to master math on their own.  It provides hints, helps for throughout the game, and allows you to make the game easier or harder.  The game saves your progress if you wish to stop in the middle of the game and it is easy to reload an old game.  The graphics are colorful and detailed.  There is upbeat music with a fun format for learning The player gets as much time as needed to figure out the math problems except in the arcade.  A weakness is that students must already understand the concepts they are using.  There is no workspace so the player must either do it in their head or on a separate piece of paper when it comes to computations.  .

This software would be a good way to reinforce the lesson the teacher is focusing on in the classroom.  It also shows how you would use those concepts in a real life situation: providing connections for math to life.

I would rate this software as a nine.  This is a great tool to use in the classroom, but some the players must be able to understand the concepts they are using.

Review One:  Warren Buckleitner is an editor of the Children's Software Revue.
This is from the Scholastic Web Page.
By reading this review, I would want to try the software because it sounds fun and educational.

Review Two:  DiscoverySchool.com
This review is not only through but it tells you exactly what to expect from the software.  The reader is left with a good feeling about the software and the desire to explore it yourself.

Review Three: Susi Sez
KidsZone.com
This is yet another raving review for the Math Shop Deluxe software.  This review is detailed and informative and leaves the reader wanting to try the software.