The Game Panel
Ladybirds
Recognise numerals (9)
Recognise small numbers without counting (4,5)
Find one more than or one less than (14)
This is a simple counting activity. Between one and five ladybirds are shown. The pupil counts them
and then clicks on the appropriate number at the bottom of the screen. The toadstool and flower act
as useful visual markers in case the user finds it easier to count as they pass a particular point.
In this activity the number keys on the keyboard can also be used.
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Find Number. Count the ladybirds on the screen. |
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One more than. At this level the user must count the ladybirds and then add one. So,
if there are three ladybirds shown he/she must click on the number 4. A fourth ladybird will
appear. |
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One less than. This works in a similar way, with the pupil having to take away one
from the number counted. |
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Timer. Count the ladybirds against the clock. |
Click-a-Brick
Know by heart all pairs of numbers with a total of 10 (30)
Understand the operation of addition (24)
This activity reinforces number bonds and pairs of numbers with a total of ten.
The screen shows a brick of length 10 on the baseboard and another brick placed on top. The pupil
must choose the brick from the selection at the top of the screen which will, when added to the one
already there, make ten.
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Words. The display at the bottom of the screen shows the sum in the form N add ? is
10. When ten layers of bricks are in place, a little roof is added. |
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Symbols. At this level the activity works in the same way except that the display shows
the sum in the form N + ? = 10. |
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Print enabled. If this option has been enabled, a print button will appear on the signpost
when all the number bonds are displayed. |
Time of Day
Begin to understand and use the vocabulary of time (23,78)
Sequence familiar events (23, 78)
This activity is designed to encourage an understanding of the passage of time through the day. The
detailed picture of the street shows people and objects which change as the day passes. Although there
is a clock at the bottom left of the screen, this is not intended to be an activity which teaches telling
the time. However, the position of the hands can be pointed out if appropriate or may be helpful as
a clue to the answer.
Some characters appear at random in the scene. Can you find where the cat is?
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Choose time. At this level, pupils click on a time of day, say Home Time, and the picture
will change to show events appropriate to that time. There is opportunity for discussion here
and observation of direction and purpose. Which direction are the children going? What might
the shopkeeper be doing? Is the shop keeper opening or closing the shop? |
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Guess time. At this level, a picture is shown and the pupil selects a time of day from
the list underneath. |
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Print enabled. On any of the scenes, hold down CTRL-P to print the screen for a display. |
Penguins
Use language such as more or less, greater or smaller (11,12)
This activity tackles the concept of more than and less than. Each of the two bears has a number of
penguin friends. The pupil has to decide which line has more/less penguins in it, according to which
activity has been selected.
The pupil then clicks on the line of penguins or the bear to see if he/she is correct.
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Timer. Choose which bear against the clock. |
Pop Factory
Begin to relate addition to combining two groups of objects (14)
Separate a given number of objects into two groups (16)
Know by heart addition doubles (30)
This activity is useful for reinforcing number bonds. It is also used to introduce the concept of
something 'standing for' something else. In the Factory, each number has its own colour, shown beneath
it. Those colours are repeated on the button panel at the right of the screen. Therefore, in order
to select the number 5, the pupil will need to click on the big yellow button. Five bottles will then
be filled with yellow pop.
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Fill all. At this level the pupil has to count the bottles and work out which of the
big buttons must be pressed. |
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Two goes. At this level, the pupil can only fill the bottles in two separate actions.
The first choice will fill some of the bottles and the remainder will be filled afterwards. This
produces a simple sum. On some occasions the numbers displayed will not allow all the bottles
to be filled in two attempts if the smallest number is selected first. This is to encourage the
pupil to think in terms of 'What two numbers added together make . . . ?' |
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Halves. Here the pupil is asked to fill half of the bottles. Having done that, the
rest of the bottles can be filled, using the same colour, of course. |
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Timer. Fill the bottles against the clock. |
Chase Charlie
Estimate a number (8)
Recognise numerals (9)
Begin to use the vocabulary involved in adding (14)
Nine lanes of a race track are shown. One of them will have a visitor, usually Charlie, but sometimes
Wayne or Sally. In the panel at the bottom of the screen is a number. Pupils must click on the runner
who is in that lane. Once selected, the athlete will start running. If selected quickly enough, they
will beat the visitor.
The activity adjusts to the success of the user. If, for example, you are adept at winning, the display
of numbers at the top disappears. It is then necessary to count across quickly or estimate the correct
lane. The numbers will reappear if your successes fall behind those of the visitor. A click on an incorrect
lane when the number line is not shown will indicate the lane number.
This activity is disabled if switch access is on.
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Find Number. A simple number is requested. |
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Answer Sum. At this level, two numbers are shown as a simple addition sum. The pupil
must add them together and then click on the lane number which shows the total. |
Chickens
Recognise numerals (9)
Order a given set of numbers (12).
A number of chickens are shown sitting on their laying boxes. The task is to arrange them so that
they are in numerical order. There will always be one space left, usually with an egg in it. Click
on any chicken to make it fly to the empty space. When a chicken is in the correct place, the number
will turn green.
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1 to 5. Put five chickens in order. |
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1 to 10. A similar activity with 10 chickens to put in order. |
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1 and 10. Here only the numbers 1 and 10 are shown as guides. |
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10 to 1. At this level, the chickens must be ordered 1 to 10, in reverse order right
to left. |
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Count off screen. The eggs hatch when all the chickens are sorted and the hens are
counted as they fly off the screen. |
The Birds
Talk about, recognise and recreate simple patterns (18)
Recognise and predict from simple patterns (62)
Begin to understand and use ordinal numbers (e.g. the fifth bird) (13)
There are three different pattern sequences and a choice of two or three colours, giving a total
of six different levels. At each level there are 10 patterns to solve.
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Line pattern. At this level the task is to work out which birds come next in order
to continue the sequence, for example black, white, black, white . . . Pupils
click on one of the birds on the ground and it will fly up to the fence rail. If they have filled
the gaps correctly, the birds will remain. Otherwise, they will fly back to the ground and the
user will be asked to try again. After a subsequent incorrect attempt the pupil is shown the
next correct bird in the sequence. |
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Grid Pattern (3 x 3) and (4 x 3). These activities are similar but the pupil must think
in two dimensions rather than one. A bird can be removed after it has been placed by clicking
on it. |
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Three colours. This adds another level of difficulty. |
Editing the Birds patterns
Click on the pattern type you wish to edit, as well as the number of colours to be used. If the tick
box for the number of colours is not ticked only black and white birds will be used.
Select the number of the Sequence you wish to edit.
Click on any bird with the left mouse button to change its colour: black, white or pink if selected.
Click on any bird with the right mouse button to toggle between Shown or Hidden, indicated by a ?.
In the line pattern sequence, you can add a bird or remove the last bird by clicking on the Add or
Remove buttons. The maximum number of birds that can be displayed is twelve.
A maximum of two birds of any colour may be hidden when using a three colour pattern or three birds
when using just black and white.
To return to the original pattern click on the Undo button which will undo any changes made to the
pattern being edited.
Click on the Clear button to clear the current pattern. A blank sequence of black birds will be shown.
Select the colour of the bird and whether it is shown or hidden. In the line pattern you may need to
add additional birds depending on the sequence you are creating.
Your edited sequence will be automatically saved if you close the editing box or choose to edit any
other pattern.
At any time you can restore the original patterns by clicking on Default. This will remove all changes
made in all sequences during the editing process.
A checkbox will be displayed when the editing process is complete. Click on Yes to save the changes
or restore the default patterns if this option has been chosen in the editing process. |
Getting Started