Explode the Code Homeschool Curriculum
Get Ready, Set, Go for the Code | Explode the Code | Beyond the Code

Activities include tasks such as visual tracking, matching, tracing, copying, and identifying the letters and their sounds. Special emphasis is given to discriminating between similar objects and letters, to developing the motor control necessary to write legibly, and to developing the listening skills children need to follow directions carefully. By the time children finish the series they will have learned all of the lowercase consonant letters as well as their sounds and written forms, and will be ready for Book 1 of the Explode The Code series. Softcover, 78 pages. For teachers guide to the listening exercises see stock # 379852.

Amusing illustrations, drawn by children, highlight the lesson exercises. The simple directions and consistent format allow students to progress independently. The workbooks provide teachers and students with an instructive and entertaining program to supplement any reading and spelling program. Book 7 primarily focuses on soft c and g; silent consonant letters; ear, ei, eigh words; digraph ph. Grades 3-4

Drawings accompany many of the new words to help students understand the vocabulary. The short fictional stories develop reading skills; the stories become slightly longer as the series progresses. Lively illustrations add visual interest and aid student's understanding of the text. Questions and exercises following the stories develop comprehension and critical thinking; some ask students to connect the events of the story to their own experience, so they must go beyond a simple retelling of the story's plot. Grades 3-4.

Book 4's engagingly illustrated stories include Nelson Went Overboard for Dogs, What a Scare!, A Different Kind of Library, A Birthday to Remember, The Treasure Hunt, and A Wild Ride. Introductory exercises teach word families and vocabulary, while follow-up questions develop students' understanding of the stories and encourage their reasoning abilities. Drawings accompany many of the new words to help students understand the vocabulary. After each story, students can complete illustrations by adding their own drawings. Grade 4.