Modern Curriculum Press Phonics: Level A

This is the first grade level workbook. If your child already knows his/her alphabet and phonemes, the K workbook would probably be a waste of time. If not, use games and activities to teach the alphabet, then begin with this one.

This workbook is fantastic. I was going to buy one of those Wal-Mart workbooks, but had heard marvelous things about the MCP workbook, so I bought it, and we love it. Here's what you get:

A bright, colorful, and engaging workbook depicting children of many cultures and abilities. Many of the pictures are 'real' pictures of things, not just illustrations.

Some of the skills it covers:

-individual phonemes
-blending
-decoding
-rhyming
-contractions
-some spelling
-short and long vowels
-writing
-high frequency sight-words

Some of the activities:

-circle the picture who's name begins with the letter...
-draw pictures and write a sentence
-mini (very easy) cross word puzzles
-word searches
-say the name of each picture, circle its name
-choose the correct word to finish the sentence

There's much more, those are just a few examples.

It also includes little tear out and fold-up readers, with not only fiction stories, but non-fiction ones about bats, clouds, camping, etc. There are alphabet and sight word flash cards (the level B workbook includes a little card envelope to keep all the cards in), tips to parents for each section, as well as suggested read-alouds, and some read aloud stories and poems are included.

Definitely better than the workbooks available in discount stores!

This is a handy-dandy little book.

A friend gave me the book and the only trouble I have had is figuring out which grade level it is. I am still puzzled. If it starts with level K as I have seen many phonics books start, then this means that level B is second grade. Or does the Modern Curriculum Press start with level A being kindergarden, then B being 1st grade?

It would be nice to see the grade level stated somewhere. For the parents sake.

If you are going to start your child with this book, it is simple enough in the beginning for a kindergarden child who knows the sounds of their alphabet. But is better for the child who can read very simple words. There is plenty of repetition for solid learning and is also fun enough to keep their interest peaked.