Can you tell me more about the simulation?

The students are traveling through the solar system in groups of four. Since they are humans and rely on oxygen for survival, they must earn a daily MATh (Megabeam Action Thruster) unit. MATh units are earned by successfully completing the daily Photon Work in the form of math practice to gain the necessary oxygen for survival. Accurately completing the Photon Work will provide 24 earthly hours of oxygen, weekends and holidays are exempt in Star Voyagers. If a team does not have the necessary averaged score, they become Aliens. Aliens still need to complete the daily Photon Work for sustenance, however, they are prohibited from planetary travel. Aliens have the opportunity to earn back their "humanhood" by acquiring a Shield. Shields are valuable commodities in space as they provide an additional 24 hours of oxygen should a team find themselves without a MATh Unit on any given day. Teams may save their Shields for later use, or, if need be, they may be used retroactively.

What is Photon Work and tell me more about the homework and tests?

The students work independently on a daily basis computing four challenging math problems. These problems offer a variety of practice from the different strands of California's math standards. Each strand spirals throughout the school year so no concept is left behind. Daily practice is followed up with a weekly homework assignment to further practice the week's Photon Work skills. After every third homework assignment, an assessment is given to ensure mastery of the skills. The assessments are designed to be very similar to the homework assignments, the numbers have been changed, however, to protect the innocent. This combination of daily problems and weekly homework will give students three weeks to practice and prepare for their test and ask for help when/where necessary.

How do the teams work?

After completing the photon work, students switch their work with another team for the correcting process. Crew members are assigned specific duties ranging from computing a team score, verifying score, tallying errors that were made, or attending to the ship. Throughout this stage of the simulation, students support each other by providing guidance with any problems that might not have been fully understood.

How will my class benefit from the Star Voyagers program?

Your students will become competent mathematicians. Through repetition, practice, and team support, students not only will be held accountable for mastering basic math skills, but they will be more confident mathematicians and test scores will reflect this confidence.

Can I see some examples of the math work?

Just go to the Samples page and you can download examples of daily Photon Work, Homework, and Assessment for your grade level.

What grade levels are available?

2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and PreAlgebra are presently available.

How do I order a Star Voyagers program?

There are three different ways to order Star Voyagers.

We accept personal checks and school purchase orders by mail, you can order online with your credit card through our secure server, or you may order by phone.

What is the difference between STANDARD and DELUXE versions of the program?

The STANDARD Star Voyagers notebook contains directions, planning schedule, standards for grade level, black-lined masters, daily Photon Work and answer key, weekly homework, and monthly assessment.

DELUXE offers the same features as STANDARD version, but also includes transparencies of Photon Work for use with overhead projectors.

We feel these two versions give teachers on a limited budget, as opposed to teachers with unlimited budgets, the option to purchase the less expensive STANDARD version and make dittos of Photon Work or even have transparencies made through their school district.

How much does Star Voyagers cost?

The STANDARD version costs $59.95 and the DELUXE version is $109.95. We are required to charge sales tax for California residents, plus a $9.95 shipping and handling charge for each order. Also, please remember to include your grade level.

How do I contact you?

You can contact us by:

Phone: 949-459-8078
Email: bandrews@starvoyagers.com
US Mail: Star Voyagers
19252 Jasper Hill Road
Trabuco Canyon, CA 92679-1174

Please feel free to contact us anytime because we love to hear from teachers using Star Voyagers. In fact, send us a picture of your Star Voyagers bulletin board and we will include it on our website for others to see. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to let us know.