Overview - WHERE DOES MY MONEY GO LVL 1& 2 SOFTWARE M/W CD
Where Does My Money Go Software is based on PCI's popular board game Where Does My Money Go?. This user-friendly, practical software program teaches basic money handling skills in an interactive computer game format.
Now offered separately in both Level I and Level II software, this format teaches counting and shopping skills in a relaxed setting, with voice prompts and colorful contemporary graphics to cue players as they conduct money transactions at the grocery store, restaurant, mall, and shopping mart.
The program addresses earning money, paying fair share of weekly and monthly bills, dealing with good and bad luck money situations, and more. It is especially effective for inclusion settings with students of all educational abilities.
Players begin by clicking choices such as Roll Die, where an animated die realistically rolls; Bank, which allows players to take money from their savings; Wallet, which holds players' money and allows them to "Pay" or "Get Money"; and Score, which allows players to keep track of current scores. The Timer button on the main screen allows the game monitor to set the length of the game.
Level I
Currency in the Level I program is limited to quarters and bills ($1, $5, $10, and $20) to promote player confidence and to the reinforce the "next dollar" teaching method.
Level II
This version adds pennies, nickels, and dimes for advanced instruction. Many of the "Pay" and "Get Money" amounts in Level II differ from Level I in that a variety of coins must be used.
How to Play
Each player begins with $35 in his or her Wallet and $35 in a savings account. When a player clicks on the Roll button, an animated die rolls and the player's pawn moves that number of places to land on a category.
The player clicks to draw a card from that category. Some cards ask the player to "Pay Money," where the card appears to tell the player what is being purchased and how much to pay. "Get Money" cards give the player money, free passes, coupons, or gift certificates. The player then clicks on the Wallet button, which blinks to cue the player. The amount to "Pay" or "Get" is shown on the screen and the player clicks the correct combination of realistic bills and coins until that amount is reached, which is automatically added to or subtracted from the player's Wallet.
Players have five tries in each turn, after which time the program automatically selects another player. At the end of the game, the player with the most money (a total of savings and Wallet amounts) wins. A "Print" button is included so that the game monitor can print out the scores of each game for future reference.
About the Authors
Jackie Bowers is a Senior Recreational Therapist in the Finger Lakes D.D.S.O. in Elmira Heights, New York. She draws upon her extensive experience in teaching persons with developmental disabilities to conceive new ideas for teaching materials.
Janie Haugen-McLane, B.S.E., is senior vice president and executive editor at PCI Educational Publishing. She draws on her years of teaching and administrative experience to develop "real-life" innovative programs that teach life skills to persons with and without developmental disabilities. These programs are proven effective in elementary inclusion programs, secondary life skills courses, adult basic skills classes, and in a wide range of other learning environments. Her teaching methods benefit people of various ages and educational abilities who need a "hands-on" approach to learning.
System Requirements
Windows: 98SE/2000/XP/VISTA
Mac: OS 9/OS X/ Mac-Intel
Interest Level: Gr 2-12
Product Review3.9 Stars (out of 5)
"The multiplayer option makes this a nice game for the classroom...a very straightforward program."
--
Children's Software & New Media Revue, March/April 2002