• The E-book disk is an interactive, CD-Rom version of the Big Book. It is designed to support and extend the use of the book through: comprehension, writing, editing, punctuation, vocabulary, variety of text types, Software / Interactive and Literacy.
• A wide range of activities can be done easily and efficiently on screen, enabling children to develop computer knowledge at the same time as they apply and extent their literacy skills.
  

• Deleting, editing or replacing existing text, for example to create a simple version, or a version from a particular character's point of view.
• Adding speech and/or thought bubbles throughout the story at the touch of a button.
• Writing responses to texts in the book, such as a reply to a letter or a summary of a factual text.
• Writing in a variety of text types using the Big Book texts as models.
• Experimenting with word substitution, to develop vocabulary skills.
• Deciding where and how to punctuate text that has had punctuation removed.
  

E-book activities are open ended and ideal for teacher–directed work.

• with the whole class, using an interactive white board, a data projector or a TV monitor connected to a computer to produce an enlarged image.
• with small groups working at a regular computer with a teacher, another adult, or an older child.

Children can use the disk independently. However, it is important to be aware that the activities are open-ended and that the disk does not give children audio instructions or feedback. Children should use the disk independently only after exploring it in a teacher-directed setting, and with clear follow-up expectations.

Every section of the big book is included on the E-book disk. Exactly how the text is presented varies from section to section. However, you will always find the following on-screen features.

Each page of the story appears exactly as it does in the book, except that the text is able to be edited and so does not have any special formatting. You will find the following features on every screen.

Click for a detailed explanation of the features of this screen.

Click to view the titles in Anthology Ebooks.

A CD-ROM drive and soundcard are needed.

PC
• 486/Pentium or better
• 8MB RAM minimum, 16MB RAM preferred
• 20 MB free disk space
• Windows 3.1, 95, 98

Mac
• 040/PPC processor or better
• 8MB RAM minimum, 16MB RAM preferred
• 20MB free disk space