Software Reviews : THE U. S. CONSTITUTION: THEN AND NOW Reviewed by Eugene J. Cornacchia,Saint Peter's College Publisher: Scholastic Inc.,730 Broadway,New York,NY 10003 (telephone : [phone]) Year of Publication: 1987 Materials: Six 5.25-inch disks,teacher's manual (237 pages,including a student section) Price: $59.95 (unlimited duplication for a single classroom or lab allowed) Machine Specificity: Apple II series System Requirements: 128K,one disk drive,APPLEWORKS software Effectiveness: Fair User-Friendliness: Good Documentation: Good

Abstract

This high school package provides assistance to students who write diaries and reports of their role-playing experiences. It is easy to use and well documented. Each unit has modifiable word-processing files containing well-researched background information about each delegate and state participating in the Constitutional Convention. Data files for use with APPLEWORKS are also provided. Activities include writing diaries based on assigned roles, preparing legal briefs on the student's right to freedom of speech, mock convention debates, computer-assisted voting on the Virginia Plan, the New Jersey Plan, the Connecticut Compromise, and the slavery issue. Although role playing may be valuable pedagogically, the package is not stimulating enough for college use.