CJ's Swamp is an activity appearing in JumpStart Advanced 1st Grade: Fundamentals. It is accessed by clicking on CJ's house (Frog Manor) from the main screen and is designed to teach spelling and math at a first grade level. Which subject is taught varies, though the progress report can be used to access the desired subject.
Characters
Description
The activity takes place in CJ's swamp, which contains a machine for making swamp gas. Players control CJ to collect swamp gas bubbles using his plunger in order to fill the swamp gas machine. A word with a missing letter or a math problem will appear on the machine. If it is a word, Frankie will tell the player what word must be spelled. Depending on the type of problem, bubbles with either numbers, letters, or comparison signs will start floating upwards in the swamp. Players must collect the correct bubble and place it into the word or problem. Once four problems are solved, the swamp gas tank will fill up by one quarter. (If they are spelling words, players must alphabetize them on higher difficulty letters before this happens.) Thus, a total of 16 math or spelling problems must be solved in order to win a powerup. Alligators swim throughout the swamp and will pop any bubbles they come into contact with. If CJ touches one, he will flinch momentarily and make an exclamation, but there are no significant gameplay consequences.
Controls
CJ is moved with all four arrow keys. The space bar is used to pick up or place a bubble, and to move words in order to alphabetize them.
Difficulty level differences
Skill (academic) Level
Spelling
- Level one: Words are all two or three letters long. All vowel sounds are short.
- Level two: Words are usually four letters long. Consonant blends, vowel digraphs, and long vowel sounds may be seen. Starting in this level, players must alphabetize the four words when they're done spelling them.
- Level three: Words may be three, four or five letters long. Consonant digraphs may appear.
Addition
- Level one: All numbers are single-digit.
- Level two: Numbers may be single-digit or double-digit. Double-digit numbers will have a one or a two in the tens place at greatest.
- Level three: Numbers may be single-digit or double-digit, and double-digit numbers may be much larger.
Subtraction
- Level one: All numbers are single-digit.
- Level two: Numbers may be single-digit or double-digit. Double-digit numbers will have a one or a two in the tens place at greatest.
- Level three: Numbers may be single-digit or double-digit. Double-digit numbers may have a three in the tens place.
Pre-Algebra
- Level one: All numbers are single-digit. Most problems involve zeros or ones.
- Level two: All numbers are single-digit. The numbers in the problems are often somewhat larger.
- Level three: Double-digit numbers may appear.
Number comparison
- Level one: All numbers are single-digit.
- Level two: Double-digit numbers may appear.
- Level three: Double-digit numbers may appear in both sides of the problem.
Game Play Level
- Level one: One alligator appears.
- Level two: Two alligators appear. The alligators' movement speed is increased slightly.
- Level three: Three alligators appear. The alligators' movement speed is increased slightly more.
Digital manual description
Gameplay Instructions
CJ's power up is definitely the stinkiest. He's collecting Swamp gas bubbles and, once again, you and Frankie get to help. This game alternates between math and spelling curriculum. Use the arrow keys to move CJ around. The space bar will make CJ grab a bubble. Hit the space bar again when you've moved a bubble to the machine and want to let it go.
In the spelling curriculum sets, Frankie will tell you the word you need to spell and some of the word's letters will appear in the swamp machine. Move CJ around and grab the bubbles with the correct missing letters, then move him to the machine and let go of the bubble when it is in the correct spot. When you complete 4 words, you will need to move CJ around to put the words in alphabetical order. The math curriculum sets work the same way. Just find the missing numbers or symbols to complete the equations and put them into the machine.
Higher curriculum skill levels will introduce more complex spelling words or equations that deal with larger numbers. Higher game play levels introduce more alligators and they move a little faster.
Curriculum Skills:
- Spelling
- Alphabetizing
- Addition
- Subtraction
- Comparing Numbers
- Algebra (filling in incomplete addition or subtraction equations)
Trivia
- A player must solve a total of 16 problems in order to win a powerup, making this activity rather lengthy compared to others in the game. It shares this trait with Casey's Soccer Field.
- Swamp gas is likely a play on real life swamp gas (the methane-rich gas that is produced by the fermentation of plant and animal material in swamps), and gasoline, which is often referred to as simply "gas".
Gallery
