Mousetracks: A Kid's Computer Idea Book [Paperback]

Peggy L. Steinhauser (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Organized by popular themes like sports, tropical rainforests, outer space, and publishing, the more than 70 step-by-step activities work with any graphics and word processing software, on any kind of computer. Kids can explore a favorite interest, get a leg up on schoolwork, or just have fun. Full-color illustrations throughout.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 5?With more than 70 projects, this book is filled with creative activities and exercises geared toward helping young people build their computer skills. Children start with simple operations in making patterns and using colors and progress to projects for creating personalized stationery, original greeting cards, bookmarks, and wrapping paper. Young graphic designers can fashion original birth certificates, neighborhood maps, and family trees. Instructions for planning a party and making decorations, place mats and party favors are provided. Chapters focusing on space, dinosaurs, rain forests, and ancient Egypt are also included. While some of the activities are very basic and require limited computer skills, others will require considerable supervision and assistance from older students or adults because much of the text, including the glossary of computer terminology and the step-by-step instructions, are beyond the reading level of most primary-grade children. Prerequisites for the use of Mousetracks include a word processing program, a basic drawing program, a color monitor, and a color printer. A kids' CD-ROM encyclopedia or access to an online reference service is also recommended. The computer-generated illustrations are attractive, colorful, and add considerably to the visual appeal of the book design. With the appropriate equipment and guidance, young computer lovers should have much fun following these inventive suggestions.?Jerry D. Flack, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Any parent who's bought a computer for a child will relish this book's approach, which encourages kids to use the computer for learning. Favorite topics from sports and dinosaurs to space are used to teach kids about how to use computers. From honing investigative skills to printing out projects, this works with any graphics or word processing software on any computer. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 104 pages
• Publisher: Tricycle Press (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883672481
• ISBN-13: 978-1883672485
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #646,156 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What great ideas!, August 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Mousetracks: A Kid's Computer Idea Book (Paperback)

As a K-6 computer teacher, I am always looking for new ideas to share with my students. This book has great computer ideas for kids, especially those in K, 1st, & 2nd grades. Best of all the project instructions can apply to any wordprocessing & painting program! While the book claims to be a "Kid's Computer Idea Book," parental assistance would be necessary to read the instructions.