While exploring the impact site of a large meteor, the ClueFinders are unexpectedly transported across the galaxy to a far-off planet. Joni and Owen find audience with a beguiling princess while Santiago and Leslie are apparently trapped by a wicked sorceress. The sorceress threatens the entire planet with destruction and the ClueFinders are the kingdom’s only hope.
The ClueFinders need you! To rescue Leslie and Santiago and save the planet
Millennia, Joni and Owen must find the two halves of a missing amulet. As they
search the land and rush to free its native peoples, they uncover compelling
legends and strange tales. Join the ClueFinders as they collect and use
information to save the planet’s inhabitants and themselves. Getting to
the bottom of this mystery will require careful reading, clever problem solving,
and courage. The ClueFinders are waiting for you. Are you ready to join them?
Your search for the two halves of the valuable amulet will take you across the
entire planet Millennia. There are two regions to explore: the land of the
Doldreks and that of the Sorrens. Along the way, you will face challenging
problems. Some will provide you with fuel to confront other challenges. Solve
others to collect clues that will help you recover the amulet and save the
planet Millennia. As you collect various things - clues, ThermaGems,
LavaRocks, amulet halves they will go into Joni’s backpack so you can take
them with you. Each item rests in its own pocket. (Each clue pocket holds up to
five clues.)
So you’re ready to go! You begin by exploring the Doldrek’s homeland -
the Crystal Caverns, and then continue to the land that the Sorrens occupy
- the Mystic Mountains. As you travel, be on the lookout for information
about the things you need to collect, the amulet you need to find, and the
history of the planet. And pay close attention! You may learn interesting
information that will help you unlock the mystery Millennia hides. You
need to rescue all of the Doldreks and Sorrens who hold clues before you
continue to Millennia’s imposing Mount Valdrok for the final portion of your
adventure.
Includes
Assessment - Start with a Test Drive
The ClueFinders Mystery of The Missing Amulet contains a pre-assessment activity, or "test drive," which customizes the program’s difficulty level for each player. This optional test asks players a series of questions, so it can place players at levels that match their abilities. Activities not suitable for assessment are excluded from the test and usually begin at the first difficulty level. Each assessment test question is both spoken and displayed. Players can click on LapTrap to have a question repeated. Possible answers to the question cycle until the player chooses an answer by clicking on the horn.
Note: Players must complete the entire pre-assessment activity in order to have their results recorded and used in The ClueFinders Mystery of the Missing Amulet. After completing the test drive, players must sign in as new players to have their results applied to the game. Assessment results will not be applied if players exit before signing in as new players. Assessment results will also not affect existing games—ones already in progress before taking the test drive. If a game customized with assessment results is too difficult or easy for a player, the program will automatically adjust the level up or down to better suit his or her needs and interests. (See Auto-adjusting Skill Levels in the Educational Focus.) A player can also adjust levels manually at any time (See LapTrap in Getting Help.)
Skills Learned
Educational Focus
The ClueFinders Mystery of the Missing Amulet builds children’s reading
abilities in a rich game world filled with mystery and exploration. It is
designed to provide engaging reading experiences that will lead to healthy
reading habits.
Reading to Learn
An important change in reading ability takes place during the upper elementary
years. At this time, many children shift from "learning to read" to
"reading to learn." They are now better able to use contextual clues
to understand new words, and so begin to build vocabulary at an ever increasing
pace. With a larger vocabulary, their confidence in their own reading ability
increases as well. This allows many children to develop a taste for reading for
personal enjoyment as they discover the vast variety of literature available to
them.
Auto-adjusting Skill Levels
Each activity in The ClueFinders Mystery of the Missing Amulet has multiple
levels, so the program can move from simple to more complex concepts at a pace
that suits each player. Players can tackle more challenging problems even if
they haven’t mastered all skills or concepts in the program; most skill areas
adjust their levels up or down independently from the others, thereby creating a
tailored learning experience that addresses each player’s specific needs. The
program carefully tracks players’ responses to each level’s activities,
using that information to adjust the type of puzzle presented. Users may also
choose to adjust the difficulty levels manually. If players want more
practice on a particular puzzle type or content area, they can use Practice
Mode. In Practice Mode, players can choose a specific activity and level on
which to work.
Problem-Solving Help
In The ClueFinders Mystery of the Missing Amulet, an onscreen character explains
each activity. This explanation aims to support players in understanding what
they are being asked to do. Often it directs players toward recognizing the
different parts of a puzzle on the screen that they may need to use. If users
don’t understand the directions the first time, they can hear the directions
repeated by clicking on the puzzle character or on the ClueFinders Joni and
Owen. Players can also get help by clicking on the ever-present red video
phone. The video phone keeps the four ClueFinders in constant communication.
Leslie and Santiago will automatically call when they notice players having
difficulty solving a puzzle, or players can click on the red video phone at any
time to receive additional support in solving a question or puzzle.
Educational Feature
A Personalized Learning Experience
The ClueFinders Mystery of the Missing Amulet uses A.D.A.P.T. Learning Technology. A.D.A.P.T. Learning Technology is a dynamic system that continually adjusts the program to match each player’s growing abilities. A.D.A.P.T. effectively builds skills, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning.
A. Assesses Abilities
A fun activity assesses each player’s skills.
It then starts the learning adventure at the right skill level in
each program area.
D. Develops Skills
Each activity is tailored to each player’s
individual progress.
A. Adjusts Levels
Skill levels are automatically adjusted to
match each player’s growing abilities, so learning is always
stimulating, never frustrating.
P. Provides Help
The ClueFinders act as personal tutors,
offering detailed learning help when needed.
T. Tracks Progress
Every skill is monitored to pinpoint strengths
and weaknesses. A.D.A.P.T. helps players make progress in the areas
they need it most.
Activities Include
Players practice different reading skills in each of the individual activities in The ClueFinders Mystery of the Missing Amulet:
ThermaGems
Players use their vocabulary and logic
skills to determine which word in a set of four words doesn’t
belong. Players then direct a probe to catch the gem with the word
that doesn’t belong.
Ice Breaker—In this arcade-style vocabulary activity, players exercise their familiarity with language as they determine the missing word in a sentence or find a synonym or antonym of a word in the sentence.
Jukebox Jumbler
Players use word definitions to fill in a
crossword puzzle. Prefixes and suffixes of the answer words are
already filled in to provide focus. This activity helps players
develop their spelling and vocabulary skills.
Crystal Gateway and Mystic Gateway
In
each of these activities, players decipher clues which they have
earned throughout the game to open a door to a secret passageway.
Players develop skills in sequencing, following directions, and
reading for meaning.
LavaRocks
Players use their vocabulary and logic
skills to determine which pair of words in a set of four analogies
doesn’t belong. Players then direct a probe to catch the LavaRock
with the word pair that doesn’t belong.
Bridge Builder
In this grammar activity, players must
determine the part of speech of a particular word in a sentence. The
word appears on a block that players must maneuver correctly to form
a bridge across a chasm.
Rock Muncher
In
this reading comprehension activity, players read passages which
give them important information about the planet Millennia. Players
then answer questions demonstrating their understanding of what
they’ve read. They must determine the main idea or topic of each
passage, make inferences, find synonyms, and locate specific
details.
Mystic Messages
Players read story passages which have
words missing. By using contextual clues to draw conclusions,
players must correctly determine and spell the missing words. As
each word is correctly filled in, certain letters from the word
"magically" appear in a secret message at the bottom of the screen.
By using logic skills, players can infer what the message will say
and use that knowledge to help determine the missing words
above.
Gates of Mount Valdrok
In this strategy activity, players must
figure out a secret password by typing it into spaces provided on a
locked door. Characters on screen then tell players if any of the
letters they entered are in the password and the number of letters
in the correct places. This activity helps to build skills in
spelling, planning, and logical thinking.
Product Features
Windows Requirements
Macintosh Requirements
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