Discoveries is a series of four interactive CD-ROM programs for Grades 3-6 (ages 8-12). Each CD-ROM takes you on a virtual field trip where you can discover a new environment by scrolling through a 360-degree panorama filled with images, motion video, animation, voices, and music. Students write in an e-journal and "photograph" images on the CD.

The series won the National Educational Media Award (1996), the New England Book Show Award (1996), the Bookbuilder's Award (1995), and was selected for the Gallery at the Fifth Annual Macromedia Conference (1994). It was originally published by D. C. Heath, then Houghton Mifflin, now Sunburst.

The titles in the series include:

Saguaro cactus Discoveries: In the Desert (The Sonoran Desert) hot air balloon Discoveries: Sky High (The History of Aviation)
turkey in the forest Discoveries: Into the Forest (Great Smoky Mountains National Park) Florida Everglades Discoveries: The Nature Connection (The Florida Everglades)

There are several special features of the Discoveries series:

Panorama, a 360-degree image filled with photos, motion video, animation, voices, and music. In In the Desert, the panorama switches from day to night. student's writing journal Student's online journal for writing and photographs
forest visitors' center The Visitor's Center (from Into the Forest), home to the Library (multimedia, interactive books), the Activity Wall (containing the Tree Cross-Section, Hiking Game, Smokey Bear poster, Fun Facts), the World Map 9with interactive elements), and the Door Wall (containing the Trivia Game, the Pamphlet Racks, the Forest Explorations, and a map of the Appalachian Trail).
page last modified: September 01, 2003
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