Title: Curious George Learns Phonics
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Interactive
Date Published: 1997
Platform: Mac or Windows? Both
Price: $60
Installation: Easy to?install. Windows 3.1 or Higher/Mac (For more details see attached pas)
Content Area: Reading/ Learning Phonics
Range of Grade Level: K?2/4?6 years
Content Description: Best use of this game would be individual. Can be played in any time available since there are different games. Anywhere from fifteen minutes or more. This software teaches rhyming words, alliteration, short and long vowels, beginning and ending sounds, and word building sounds. The first two games on the very basic levels and each game slowly builds upon these skills. Each game becomes more complicated and more interesting. They use some of the words and pictures in many of the games. Although games do not have to be played in any certain order I am going to list them in order of difficulty starting with easiest.

     Animal Acrobats- Learn rhymes, first letter sounds, phonemes, and word building skills by matching up acrobat teams.
    Comedy Clowns- Match words and pictures with their starting and ending sounds, and listen to the jokes fly!
    Peanut Pickup- The peanut vendors are making a mess! Help George and Eddie travel the circus grounds picking up peanuts. Catch peanuts from the vendor whose picture begins with the letter the supervisor calls out.
    Phonics Funhouse- Build words by grabbing letters from the clowns in this wacky fun house. Click on a letter when you see it appear, and then drag it to the billboard above the house.
    Sammy the Musical Seal- Sammy's horns don't work without their flags. Find the pictures and word parts that have the correct vowel sounds, and drag them to the horns.
    Thea's Story Theater- Thea has ten fabulous stories to entertain you. Read along with Thea and watch the players act out the scenes. When Thea's button flashes, click on it and she will have some instructions for you.

Strengths/Weaknesses: This software is easily navigated. The instructions are clear and there is always a help button if needed. Some of the games were set up on an easier level for younger players while other games were more complicated. It is set up for very beginning readers. Any child above that level may find this game really childlike and boring.
Rating: 8 This software is entertaining for younger kids, especially Curious George lovers. It is set up so that the child cannot lose and has plenty of rewards for when they are correct.
User Comments: "Our two preschool boys love "Curious George," so this CD-ROM was a treat. It was especially helpful for the four year old who has been resisting any kind of pencil work." http://www.parentcouncil.com/LanArts/phonics.htm
Links: www.bcpss.net/eng/K-3%20eng.htm
This website has lots of reviews of software for grades K-3 inclusing Curious George Learns Phonics.