"Spelling Games"

The letters of a word are scattered about the screen - you steer your worm around to pick the letters up in proper order. Don’t bite your tail though! The program is run by selecting Word Worm from the main menu screen. The game uses all the words from your word list, in a random fashion. You play the game until all words have been used or until you click Stop. Clicking Help or pressing will bring up this screen of information.

The letters to spell the word are shown along with your worm’s head. You must spell the word by picking up the letters in proper order. Use the cursor arrow keys to steer the worm around the screen. Note: we have chosen to use the cursor control keys to move the worm rather than the mouse. Classroom field experience has shown children need to know precisely where the worm will move. The definite motion and direction provided by pressing the cursor control keys has been found to yield far better results that the uncertain continuous motion of the mouse. Using the cursor arrow keys for motion also preserves the primary purpose of the mouse: to make program choices. You are allowed three incorrect tries at picking up letters before the spelling is given to you. You should do some planning in this game - try to keep the worm from crossing its body (biting its tail). If it does, there’s no penalty, but you’ll hear a loud scream! After each word, click Next Word to go to the next word in the list. You may flash the word (for a hint) by clicking the Flash Word button (speed can be controlled). Note a flash counts as a try, however. You can flash the word two times, at most.

The Word Worm screen also shows you how many words are left in the list and your current score. Once you have finished Word Worm (either by trying all words in the list or stopping the game), your score will be given to you and a list of the words you had trouble with will be provided. At this point, you will be returned to the Spelling Games main menu. Here, you can play another game, load another word list, or Exit the program.

Mixed Case Lists: Letters will be scattered on the screen with their proper case. They must be picked up in order, paying attention to letter case.

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