Ask Oscar

This is the software publishers description:

Ask Oscar is the ideal application to help develop children's skills in using a branching database. The application allows children to create branching trees containing either pictures, text or both.

This classroom tool uniquely allows you to create, sort, edit and view the tree all in one single display. Children can visually see the tree growing as they enter their questions and perform sorts.

Features

• Each item smoothly glides across the screen as the tree is sorted
• Items can have a pictures associated
• Whole groups of items can be quickly added to the tree from a wide range of picture groups. The picture groups can also be customised
• As the tree grows it automatically scrolls to where it is being sorted
• Ask Oscar encourages many types of learning activities by using its features of sorting, finding and testing
• The tree can be viewed at different scales
• A configurable on-screen actor can help children find their way around the application, offering help and suggestions and explaining how each of the buttons work

Powerful Printing options

Options allow trees to be tiled across many pages to create a large wall display, or printed continuously* as a banner.

Items can be printed separately from the tree, creating an additional resource that can be used away from the computer

* Banner printing requires a printer which supports this feature.

Educational

• Key Stages 1, 2 & 3
• Supports the following QCA schemes of work:
• 1D Labelling and classifying,
  Program of study reference KS1 1a, 2b
• 2E Questions and answers,
  Program of study reference KS1 1b, 1c, 2c, 4a, 4c
• 4C Branching databases,
  Program of study reference KS2 1b, 1c, 4a
• Scottish 5 – 14 levels A – E

Although designed to meet the needs of the branching database and decision tree element of the National Curriculum (Key Stage 2 in England and Wales), Ask Oscar is also ideal for use at KS 1 and KS 3 where a branching database/decision tree can be used to re-enforce work on decision making, sorting, and identification.