The Zoombinis Come to the Rescue of Thinking Out of the Box
by Diane S. Kendall
Thinking outside of the box. Many teachers tell us that it's hard to devote time to such an important, but often underrated, concept in these days of standardized testing. Software, though, can help - whether used in small groups, in the back of the classroom between projects, or as a strategic and beneficial break from the regular routine of upper elementary and middle school classrooms.
What software you ask? Well, a package like Zoombini's Mountain Rescue EEV can literally do what its title implies - come to the rescue - offering students and teachers a chance to think and strategize, in this case, out of the mathematical "box."
Perhaps you are already familiar with the lovable Zoombini's from the Zoombinis Logical Journey (and other Riverdeep/Learning Company titles). They are round little characters that sport different characteristics or attributes- hair, eyes, color, shoes, glasses, etc. In their travels (as per the other classic Zoombini software titles that are on the market), they need to be sorted, matched, mapped, and otherwise very closely examined by students based on their attributes to help them solve a quest.
In this latest outing, the lovable gang is back with a new adventure involving another fascinating trek over a terrain that puts the Zoombinis at risk and gives them a real math workout - all without using numbers. There are nine puzzles to solve while avoiding feisty Fleens, negotiating with nagging Norfs and ultimately befriending benevolent Boolies -- all while supporting NCTM standards throughout! Standard math concepts such as mapping, permutations, and operations are all cunningly introduced and tested without being dependent on reading or computational proficiency. And want to know the most interesting part? This is all happening while skills in forming and testing hypotheses, attributes, algebraic thinking, patterns, graphing, permutations, variables, binary numbers and operations and data analysis and statistics are being built. Sound like a tall order? Well then you haven't met the Zoombinis.
Of course, it gets a little complicated working with these darlin' roundlings. The way the program is designed, users have no choice but to rely on prior knowledge of math and how it works. They need to invent several possible solutions to each conundrum, revise their ideas, and then decide upon the best answer. But the best part for many kids is that this process is not judged at every step - there are no penalties for failing. You can count on an initial level of frustration as students are challenged to rethink their approaches to problem solving as they work with the Zoombinis. You may also witness evidence of extreme brain activity as students wonder why they were not given more input or direction, or struggle with the idea that there may be more than one right way to solve the 9 different puzzles of the game. But you can also count on a commitment by students to stick with it so that they can master the quest.
Sound hard? It's not. It's just different and the package comes with a Teacher's Resource Binder with lesson plans correlated to NCTM standards, a comprehensive User's Guide and reproducible student activity sheets that make thinking out of the box quite comprehensible.
So, are your students ready to be rescued by the Zoombinis?
Software Information
Zoombini's Mountain Rescue EEV
The Learning Company School Division/Riverdeep
http://www.learningcompanyschool.com
Windows versions through XP and Mac versions through OSX
School Edition (2 Licenses) - $69.95
Lab Pack (6 Licenses)- $189.95
Call for Site License Information
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