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spacer all reviews > > > middle school software

SuperGrades - The Power Secrets of Learning

Clarity Learning Solutions

Ages 10 to 14

Rating Scale
5 = great,    1 = poor
Educational Value
4.9
Kid Appeal
4.2
Ease of Use
5.0

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In SuperGrades - The Power Secrets of Learning, Middle School students Kevin and Jenna team up with teacher Ms. Austin to help instruct their friend Liz (and you!) in simple skills and tools that will help improve school performance in a matter of weeks.

Six sections -- The Basics, In the Classroom, Reading, Getting Things Done, Math, and Taking Tests -- cover everything from basic organizational skills to instruction on how to take good notes, breaking down large assignments, even picking the right research topic. Sprinkled along the way are Power Secrets and Tips. The Tools menu provides the user with blank copies of assignment sheets, note-taking sheets, project schedules, and much more.

Educational Value

The sole purpose of this program is to help kids become better students. Kids are not being told what to do, but rather guided and trained. For instance, after being given various tips and instructions on how to take quality notes, the user is asked to take notes during Ms. Austin’s Congress lecture, and then compare his or her notes to an exemplary model.

SuperGrades has a strong emphasis on developing organizational skills --the foundation of being a good student. However, the program covers much more, like the difference between reading textbooks and novels, and great test taking tips. Go through each module twice, do the exercises and activities, be patient, and results are practically guaranteed.

Kid Appeal

While the topic of study and learning skills sounds incredibly dry, SuperGrades is surprisingly entertaining. Right off the bat the user is introduced to Kevin, a charismatic, blonde, former 'dumb jock' type, whose grade transformations have caught the attention of friends Jenna and Liz. As Kevin and Ms. Austin share the Power Secrets of Learning with Liz, the user is learning right alongside of her. For example, Ms. Austin will ask, "Why do you want to do well in school?" The user is asked to select various reasons Ms. Austin has listed on a check-list and Liz will share her reasons, too. It’s a sort of simultaneous, you’re-not-alone-in-this learning environment.

With cartoon-like animation, sound effects, relatable characters, and interactive learning exercises and activities, any Middle Schooler who honestly has a desire to improve his or her grades will have no problem paying attention and soaking up this valuable information.

Ease of Use / Install

Our reviewers had no difficulty installing this program on their Windows test machines.

Best for... / Bottom-Line

Ask any A-student what their 'secrets' are -- and they’re sure to be in here!

See SuperKids' comparisons with other middle school software titles, and the Buyers Guide for current market prices of the product.

System Requirements


Reviewed on:
-     Pentium 4 - 3GHz running Windows XP, with 1GB RAM and 24x - CD-ROM
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