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Charles W. Morgan: Voyages of the Past, Present and Future Review by Teri Lucas
Interactive Multimedia CD-ROMMystic Seaport (The Museum of America and the Sea)
P.O. Box 6000
75 Greenmanville Avenue
Mystic, CT 06355-0990
(888) 973-2767 or (860) 572-5315
http://www.mysticseaport.org
The Charles W. Morgan Buzz Card, as it is called, is a multi-media CD-ROM designed for both Windows and Macintosh users. Its subject is the history of whaling in the United States and provides a comprehensive tour of our last surviving wooden whaling vessel. There are five chapters or themes for exploration. Chapter 1: Explore the Morgan, covers the design of the ship, how whales were hunted, and a tour of the ship today. Chapter 2: Venture into History, discusses the value of whale products, who were the whalers and their life at sea. Chapter 3: Discover Connections, explores the topics of where the whales were hunted, along with the changes within and eventual decline of the industry. Chapter 4: Sail towards Today, relates how the Morgan was saved and how it become a national and historical monument. Finally, Chapter 5: Navigate the Future, climaxes with a look at the Mystic Seaport Organization.
Included in the five chapters are a series of questions with detailed answers and pictures. Additional lists of books, publications, web links and videos or DVD's are also provided. There is a glossary of over 180 nautical terms to round out a vocabulary study. There are four games, which add to its educational value. A 3-D Virtual Tour featuring the ship's plans and blueprints, a guided walking tour, and panoramic images taken from 11 locations on board conclude the work.
I found this to be a superb synopsis of whaling in the United States, a serious unit study for the individual interested in this topic. The CD is of exceptional quality and does not require the viewer to go on reading endless amounts of text that can become quite monotonous. The information is relayed through video clips and the narration is excellent. I definitely found myself wanting to schedule a visit to Mystic Seaport sometime in my home schooling future!
