Software

It is important to review the software you are thinking about using.  One reason would be to make sure it is age appropriate.   Some maybe geared to a higher level or more advanced subject matter than your class can handle.  Context needs to be explored so that it is acceptable to the teacher for subject matter.  The software should be easy to understand and navigate through to hold the child's attention.  Scratch was the game I played.  I thought this game was fun, creative, engaging and beneficial to students through their own creativity.  You can program your stories, games, and aimations and share them with others online. Scratch is also software that can be used collaboratively which is great for a project for children to work on together. This software was a great way to learn and I think would hold a child's interest.  Stay Afloat was a game that was far less engaging than the other game I played.  They used a hangman type format that can be used for only short periods of time.  I felt that it was a drill and practice which is ok but, of course is not creative or was intended to be used that way.  Children would become bored with this game.  You could use this only for fifteen minutes at a time, like preparing for a test. I would try to find another more interesting game if at all possible.