CompuRead Level 4 - Stories 1-12

NOTE: THIS DESCRIPTION APPLIES TO ALL THREE MODULES

Level 4-Story 2, The Red Bow – Letters ow in snow.

Story Description

The story is written around the phonetic elements of ow and many others and shows the reader how each letter is used in words. The narration provides further reading skills by listening to the words and sentences allowing the learner to not only see the word, but to hear it pronounced.

The MAIN IDEA, “Be prepared for the unexpected” This Value Theme shows the reader that being prepared for something that could be wrong could possibly save their life. Preparation pays back in many ways especially when the preparation is carefully thought through and considering what could happen in an unexpected situation.

The PRESTORY BACKGROUND tells about being prepared for things that could go wrong. It shows to the reader that being prepared for little things could help even when any situation seems hopeless. The two young boys in the story of The Red Bow are so excited about going fishing that they completely don’t prepare for some obvious situations.

LISTENING TO THE STORY WITHOUT INTERRUPTION allows the student to hear the words pronounced along with viewing the story on screen, demonstrating the relationship between letters, words and sounds.

As with all CompuRead stories, there are many questions, with answers, that are posed to the reader to ensure story understanding and comprehension. The answers are giving, for the student’s immediate response. This provides a way for the student to see and confirm the correct answer, and therefore discouraging the student to not “practice error.”

PHONICS, WRITING AND SPELLING provides the student with creative ways to listen to their voice, and to recognize the sound that’s said by others.

This section continues with activities for letters; silent g, k and w, consonant digraphs, compound words, prefixes and suffixes, silent consonant digraphs to include…

• Plurals with the s ending

• Silent beginning letters, k, w, g.

• Long a, I and o vowel consonant e words

• Blends and Words to Sound, Read and Spell, and

• Sight Words

FICTION NONFICTION WRITING includes several genres that the CompuRead program stories are written around. It also emphasizes the story title, main idea and the specific genre, Realistic Fiction, this story was written under. To assist the student in finding related topics the write about, as with all stories in the CompuRead series, story starters, definitions and the opportunity to express creativity through art are built in to the curriculum’s sequence.

VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIVE SPEAKING includes relevant phrases that enhances the student’s vocabulary and sight word mastery. It also emphasizes the important task of good listening. In addition, speaking clearly is also shown with words that are commonly mispronounced and the correct pronunciation. Phrases are also a part of this story with many low and high vocabulary showing the relationship between the many English language words.

SCIENCE BACKGROUND tells about gasoline engines and provides a basic understanding how a boat is propelled through the water.

STORY MAPPING again reviews the story telling and writing process and shows the various aspects of writing and how a story is composed.

HOME FUN contains activities the student can be involved with at home to assist in his learning to read process.

The Reading Skills Review provides a way for the student and teacher to review the concepts learned and tracks the student’s progress through the CompuRead Courses reading program.

NOTE: THIS DESCRIPTION APPLIES TO ALL THREE MODULES

Level 4-Story 3, The Rodeo Bullfighter – Letters ow in cow and ou in shout, plus many others.

Story Description

The story is written around the phonetic elements of ow, ou and others. It shows the reader how each letter is used in words and provides many examples of words, phrases, exercises, sentences, spelling, and writing that use these words and blends. The narration provides further reading skills by listening to the words and sentences allowing the learner to not only see the word, but to hear it pronounced.

The MAIN IDEA, “I appreciate the danger some entertainers face.”

The PRESTORY BACKGROUND demonstrates to the reader how some entertainers face dangerous circumstances to entertain fans with their skills and courage. The rodeo bullfighter is one example. Many people don’t realize that these men are highly skilled and very athletic in their abilities to evade a raging bull that wants to gore anything in its path. The bullfighter is present in the rodeo arena for one purpose; to distract the bull long enough to allow the extraction of the bull riding cowboy, after he has finished his 8 second bull ride, and to get him to safety and to do this as quickly as possible.

LISTENING TO THE STORY WITHOUT INTERRUPTION allows the student to hear the words pronounced along with viewing the story on screen, demonstrating the relationship between letters, words and sounds. This story, as well as all other stories in the CompuRead program, introduces to the reader a wealth of new words, concepts and phrases, all necessary for the mastery of the English language, through the medium of artful storytelling. The narration, shows to the listener, how phrasing of words, sentences and paragraphs can enhance the memorability of the story.

PHONICS, WRITING AND SPELLING provides the student with creative ways to listen to their voice, and to recognize the sound, through pronunciation and enunciation, that’s said by others.

This section continues with activities for letters; ou, ow and many others through;

• Exercises in proficiency for reading, writing; fiction and nonfiction, and spelling

• Word Endings

• Vowels, Diphthongs, Punctuation, Finding Opposite Words, Rhyming

• Blends and Words to Sound, Read and Spell, and

• Sight Words

FICTION NONFICTION WRITING includes several genres that the CompuRead program stories are written around. It also emphasizes the story title, main idea and the specific genre, Realistic Fiction, it was written under.

VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIVE SPEAKING includes relevant phrases that enhances the student’s vocabulary and sight word mastery. It also has multisyllable and compound words for student proficiency and includes phrases of low and higher vocabulary.

SCIENCE BACKGROUND tells about how the rodeo bullfighter came to be and his very important job of protecting the cowboy from the dangerous bulls. Everything the bullfighter does and wears is for a very specific reason.

This section also talks about the Rodeo Queen and the part she and her attendants play within the rodeo. Being a rodeo queen is not just a beauty content, but it also involves many other life and specific rodeo skills as well.

STORY MAPPING again reviews the story telling and writing process and shows the various aspects of writing and how a story is composed.

HOME FUN contains activities the student can be involved with at home to assist in his learning to read process.

The Reading Skills Review and Certificate of Completion provide a way for the student and teacher to review the concepts learned and tracks the student’s progress through the CompuRead Courses reading program.

NOTE: THIS DESCRIPTION APPLIES TO ALL THREE MODULES

Level 4-Story 4, Two Deer in a Shed – Letters oe in toe and ou in shout.

Story Description

The story is written around the phonetic elements of oe and ou shows the reader how each letter is used in words. The narration provides further reading skills by listening to the words and sentences allowing the learner to not only see the word, but to hear it pronounced. This story also shows how some animals have a difficult time surviving during winter and how man can sometimes assist staring wild animals.

The MAIN IDEA, “Many animals do not survive the winter.”

The PRESTORY BACKGROUND tells about how man can assist wild animals that are vulnerable to low food during cold and winter months, to help them survive during the winter months when wild food is scare or hard to get to.

LISTENING TO THE STORY WITHOUT INTERRUPTION allows the student to hear the words pronounced along with viewing the story on screen, demonstrating the relationship between letters, words and sounds.

PHONICS, WRITING AND SPELLING provides the student with creative ways to listen to their voice, and to recognize the sound that’s said by others.

This section continues with activities in:

• Consonant Blends and Digraphs

• Words and Sound Alike

• Multisyllable, Compound and Sight Words

• Quickie Questions

• Blends and Words to Sound, Read and Spell

FICTION NONFICTION WRITING includes several genres that the CompuRead program stories are written around. It also emphasizes the story title, main idea and the specific genre of Animal Story/Realistic Fiction it was written under.

VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIVE SPEAKING includes relevant phrases that enhances the student’s vocabulary and sight word mastery. This section has an extensive phrase collection of low and higher vocabulary words.

SCIENCE BACKGROUND tells about camouflage. A young fawn’s only defense again predators in the wild is laying perfectly still against the forest foliage and allowing its surroundings to conceal the fawn’s location – being perfectly camouflaged. Also a new born fawn has no smell to predators.

STORY MAPPING again reviews the story telling and writing process and shows the various aspects of writing and how a story is composed.

HOME FUN contains activities the student can be involved with at home to assist in his learning to read process.

The Reading Skills Review and the Certificate of Completion provides a way for the student and teacher to review the concepts learned and tracks the student’s progress through the CompuRead Courses reading program.

NOTE: THIS DESCRIPTION APPLIES TO ALL THREE MODULES

Level 4-Story 5, No One Loves Me – Letters ea in breath

The story is written around the phonetic elements of ea in breath, and shows the reader how each letter is used in words. The narration provides further reading skills by listening to the words and sentences allowing the learner to not only see the word, but to hear it pronounced.

The MAIN IDEA, “I will appreciate what I have at home.” This Value Theme shows to the reader how important it is to be grateful of what one has and to appreciate what has been given to you for your comfort.

The PRESTORY BACKGROUND tells the story of a beloved pet dog, Lightning, our main character, who feels his owners do not love him. His owners, the Jones children, go away for a short time and Lightning runs away. He experiences several adventures while he is away from the Jones’ home and finally is found. He then realizes that he is indeed loved and learns to appreciate what has been given him.

LISTENING TO THE STORY WITHOUT INTERRUPTION allows the student to hear the words pronounced along with viewing the story on screen, demonstrating the relationship between letters, words and sounds.

PHONICS, WRITING AND SPELLING provides the student with creative ways to listen to their voice, and to recognize the sound that’s said by others.

This section continues with many activities that teach…

• More Advanced Phonics

• Consonant e, the blend of consonant e, ea in bread and the digraph o consonant e

• Multisyllable and Compound Words

• Sight Words

• Blends and Words to Sound, Read and Spell

• Word Problems and Comprehension, and

• Synonyms

FICTION NONFICTION WRITING includes several genres that the CompuRead program stories are written around. It also emphasizes the story title, main idea and the specific genre of Realistic Fiction it was written under.

VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIVE SPEAKING includes relevant phrases that enhances the student’s vocabulary and sight word mastery. It covers multiple word definitions, pointing out that many English words have many meanings depending on the context of the sentence.

SCIENCE BACKGROUND tells how to find your pet if it is lost. It shows what can be done to prevent your pet from being lost and how to recover it. Included is a discussion of responsible pet ownership.

STORY MAPPING again reviews the story telling and writing process and shows the various aspects of writing and how a story is composed.

HOME FUN contains activities the student can be involved with at home to assist in his learning to read process.

The Reading Skills Review and the Certificate of Completion provide a way for the student and teacher to review the concepts learned and tracks the student’s progress through the CompuRead Courses reading program.

NOTE: THIS DESCRIPTION APPLIES TO ALL THREE MODULES

Level 4-Story 6, Do Not Touch Me

Story Description

The story is written around the beginning and ending schwa sound and shows exactly what that is. The narration provides further reading skills by listening to the words and sentences allowing the learner to not only see the word, but to hear it pronounced.

The MAIN IDEA, “There are a certain few people we must avoid.” This value theme emphasizes the safety of our children from strangers who’s intent is to do them harm.

The PRESTORY BACKGROUND tells about Donna, the main character, and what she needs to know to assist police to capture a man who wants to harm her. It describes Donna’s actions, while she is temporarily away from home, that lead to the apprehension and conviction of a child molester.

Donna keeps her composure as she quickly outwits her molester and remembers the man’s description and the license plate of the vehicle he is driving. With the basic facts provided by Donna, the man was caught and convicted.

LISTENING TO THE STORY WITHOUT INTERRUPTION allows the student to hear the words pronounced along with viewing the story on screen, demonstrating the relationship between letters, words and sounds.

As with all CompuRead stories, included are many question sets that delve into the comprehension and understanding of the story to emphasize the child’s learning. The questions also provide a way for the student to express themselves verbally allowing them to practice forming thoughts and relating those thoughts to others.

PHONICS, WRITING AND SPELLING provides the student with creative ways to listen to their voice, and to recognize the sound that’s said by others.

This section continues with activities for…

• Schwa Sounds Review with vowels a, e and o

• Rhyming

• Multisyllable, Compound and Sight Words

• Recognizing Absurdities in Sentences

• Contractions and Possessives

• Word Definitions

• Blends and Words to Sound, Read and Spell, and

• Sight Words

FICTION NONFICTION WRITING includes several genres that the CompuRead program stories are written around. It also emphasizes the story title, main idea and the specific genre, Realistic Fiction, the story was written under.

VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIVE SPEAKING includes relevant phrases that enhances the student’s vocabulary and sight word mastery. It includes logical thinking and several low and higher vocabulary phrases enhancing the vocabulary of the reader.

SCIENCE BACKGROUND tells about how beautiful rocks can be found and used in making jewelry.

STORY MAPPING again reviews the story telling and writing process and shows the various aspects of writing and how a story is composed.

HOME FUN contains activities the student can be involved with at home to assist in his learning to read process.

The Reading Skills Review and the Certificate of Completion provides a way for the student and teacher to review the concepts learned and tracks the student’s progress through the CompuRead Courses reading program.

NOTE: THIS DESCRIPTION APPLIES TO ALL THREE MODULES

Level 4-Story 7, Delicious to the Core – Letters ble to zle.

Story Description

The story is written around the phonetic elements of ble to zle and shows the reader how each letter is used in words. The narration provides further reading skills by listening to the words and sentences allowing the learner to not only see the word, but to hear it pronounced.

The MAIN IDEA, “Young people can accomplish difficult tasks,” shows how young people, both boys and girls, can quickly learn and accomplish difficult task and not only get the job done, but excel at it at the same time.

The PRESTORY BACKGROUND tells about a group of boys, who Mr. Randle, a local apple orchard owner, thinks will destroy his apple crop that needs to be picked. In desperation, Mr. Randle hires several boys to pick is apples so Steve’s Country Orchard Store can sell them to the local people. Everyone works together as a team to pick the apples. The harvest is successful and at the end of the apple picking, Mr. Randle has a surprise waiting for all the boys because of their careful harvesting of all the apples.

LISTENING TO THE STORY WITHOUT INTERRUPTION allows the student to hear the words pronounced along with viewing the story on screen, demonstrating the relationship between letters, words and sounds.

PHONICS, WRITING AND SPELLING provides the student with creative ways to listen to their voice, and to recognize the sound that’s said by others.

This section continues with activities for…

• Poetry

• Compound Words

• Consonant le Words

• Phonics and Schwa Sounds Review

• Blends and Words to Sound, Read and Spell, and

• Sight Words

FICTION NONFICTION WRITING includes several genres that the CompuRead program stories are written around. It also emphasizes the story title, main idea and the specific genre of Realistic Fiction the story is written under.

VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIVE SPEAKING includes relevant phrases that enhances the student’s vocabulary and sight word mastery. This section provides much practice with compound words, relevant and irrelevant sentences and how they relate to one another in storytelling. It also includes an exercise in Where, When and Why allowing the student to determine the story happenings to categorize them to these specific categories.

It also have an exercise in comparative and superlative words, er and est, showing to the reading how word endings can change the meaning of words as in; sore, sorer and sorest.

Again, as always, there are several phrases with low and higher vocabulary words to show the reader a much more expressive way to relate the meaning or written and spoken words.

SCIENCE BACKGROUND tells about apples and their history. It tells about storing apples and the many varieties and how they are grown in varied climates around the world.

STORY MAPPING again reviews the story telling and writing process and shows the various aspects of writing and how a story is composed.

HOME FUN contains activities the student can be involved with at home to assist in his learning to read process.

The Reading Skills Review and the Certificate of Completion provide a way for the student and teacher to review the concepts learned and tracks the student’s progress through the CompuRead Courses reading program.

NOTE: THIS DESCRIPTION APPLIES TO ALL THREE MODULES

Level 4-Story 8, I’m Glad I Am Me

Story Description

The story is written around the phonetic elements of ace in lace and old in mold and shows the reader how each letter is used in words. The narration provides further reading skills by listening to the words and sentences allowing the learner to not only see the word, but to hear it pronounced.

The MAIN IDEA, “I will appreciate today’s modern clothing.” This Value Theme shows the reader how today’s modern clothing is much improved over clothing that was made and wore in the 1800’s and early 1900’s, and even earlier.

The PRESTORY BACKGROUND tells about the history of clothing, how is was made, usually at home, and the draw-backs it had for the wearer, the lack of comfort it had. Many times the weight of winter coats made from melton, a thick heavy cloth got wet and how it took days to dry. And of course, the many buttons on all types of clothes and shoes – the zipper had not been invented at this time.

LISTENING TO THE STORY WITHOUT INTERRUPTION allows the student to hear the words pronounced along with viewing the story on screen, demonstrating the relationship between letters, words and sounds.

PHONICS, WRITING AND SPELLING provides the student with creative ways to listen to their voice, and to recognize the sound that’s said by others.

This section continues with activities for…

• Phonics and phonetically Regular Spelling Words

• Multisyllable, Compound and Sight Words to include the ld ending

• Root Words and Blends for sp, st, sw, tw, and spl and a Review of Silent gh words

• Blends and Words to Sound, Read and Spell

FICTION NONFICTION WRITING includes several genres that the CompuRead program stories are written around. It also emphasizes the story title, main idea and the specific genre of Historical Fiction the story was written under.

This section also emphasizes writing of a correct sentence and provides a discussion of sentence writing and what needs to be remembered for its construction.

It also provides an exercise of present and past words and shows how they are used in sentence construction and composition.

VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIVE SPEAKING includes relevant phrases that enhances the student’s vocabulary and sight word mastery using low and higher vocabulary words.

SCIENCE BACKGROUND tells about cloth, clothing and its design and manufacturing.

STORY MAPPING again reviews the story telling and writing process and shows the various aspects of writing and how a story is composed.

HOME FUN contains activities the student can be involved with at home to assist in his learning to read process.

The Reading Skills Review and the Certificate of Completion provides a way for the student and teacher to review the concepts learned and tracks the student’s progress through the CompuRead Courses reading program.

NOTE: THIS DESCRIPTION APPLIES TO ALL THREE MODULES

Level 4-Story 9, The Nell Fish

Story Description

The story is written around the phonetic elements of oo in book, and shows the reader how each letter is used in words. The narration provides further reading skills by listening to the words and sentences allowing the learner to not only see the word, but to hear it pronounced.

The MAIN IDEA, “I will be tolerant of my younger siblings,” and demonstrates how older brothers and sisters should react kindly to younger brothers and sisters.

The PRESTORY BACKGROUND tells how Hal, the older brother, is very tolerant of his younger little sister, Nell. They have a fishing adventure and Nell wants to go on and be with her older big brother, Hal. She says she will not be adventurous and not get into trouble, but does the exact opposite. Hal later finds Nell fallen into a nearby brook and pulls her out of the cold water. Later, Hal, slips a hook into Nell’s coat and calls her his “Nell Fish.”

This is a wonderful story demonstrating how older siblings should be tolerant of younger brothers and sisters.

LISTENING TO THE STORY WITHOUT INTERRUPTION allows the student to hear the words pronounced along with viewing the story on screen, demonstrating the relationship between letters, words and sounds.

PHONICS, WRITING AND SPELLING provides the student with creative ways to listen to their voice, and to recognize the sound that’s said by others.

This section continues with activities for…

• Reviewing oo as in book along with phonetically regular spelling words and single and double consonant words

• Multisyllable, Compound and Sight Words

• Hyphenated Words and Action Words (Verbs)

• Contractions and Root Words

• Blends of br, cr, dr, fr, gr and pr Words to Sound, Read and Spell

FICTION NONFICTION WRITING includes several genres that the CompuRead program stories are written around. By now, in the CompuRead series, the student should be somewhat skilled in writing simple and even more advanced sentences and understanding their meaning.

Therefore, this story introduces finding Inferred Information in stories and how its written about in sentence and paragraph composition. This section of fiction and nonfiction writing provides an example of this and challenges the student to look at the text to determine what is actually stated and what is inferred, an excellent sample exercise for future writers and authors.

VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIVE SPEAKING includes relevant phrases that enhances the student’s vocabulary and sight word mastery. It includes word descriptions, antonyms or opposite words and several phrases of low and higher expression words for vocabulary mastery.

SCIENCE BACKGROUND tells about the Rainbow Trout and its environment.

STORY MAPPING again reviews the story telling and writing process and shows the various aspects of writing and how a story is composed.

HOME FUN contains activities the student can be involved with at home to assist in his learning to read process.

The Reading Skills Review and the Certificate of Completion provides a way for the student and teacher to review the concepts learned and tracks the student’s progress through the CompuRead Courses reading program.

NOTE: THIS DESCRIPTION APPLIES TO ALL THREE MODULES

Level 4-Story 10, Big Sam and Little Yellow Mew

Story Description

The story is written around the phonetic elements of ew in stew and shows the reader how each letter is used in words. The narration provides further reading skills by listening to the words and sentences allowing the learner to not only see the word, but to hear it pronounced.

The MAIN IDEA, “Animals can be heroes and save the lives of their masters.” This Value Theme shows how we can all work together, in spite of our differences, for the betterment of all concerned.

The PRESTORY BACKGROUND tells about how dogs and cats take on the mannerisms of their masters or owners. In this story, Clint, who is given a large black dog by his neighbor, Daren. Clint grows to love his new partner, Big Sam. Clint flies a helicopter for a living and everywhere he goes, so goes his dog, Big Sam. Later, through Clint’s travels, he acquires a small cat, naming it Little Yellow Mew. Together, all three make up a great team. Clint gets into an accident and is alone for some time, but through the love and devotion of his “crew” he survives with the efforts of Big Sam and Yellow Mew by his side.

This is a heartwarming story of how animals and their devotion to their human masters can save the lives of those they love.

LISTENING TO THE STORY WITHOUT INTERRUPTION allows the student to hear the words pronounced along with viewing the story on screen, demonstrating the relationship between letters, words and sounds.

PHONICS, WRITING AND SPELLING provides the student with creative ways to listen to their voice, and to recognize the sound that’s said by others.

This section continues with activities such as…

• Phonics

• Spelling, Compound and Sight Words

• Blends of spr, str, shr, tr

• Word Definitions

• Visual and Auditory Association

• Interpreting Information

• Comparative and Superlative Words

• Diphthong ew

• Blends and Words to Sound, Read and Spell, and

• Sight Words and Meanings

FICTION NONFICTION WRITING includes several genres that the CompuRead program stories are written around. It also emphasizes the story title, main idea and the specific genre of Realistic Fiction the story was written under. As in all CompuRead stories, it features story starters, synonyms and picture and story art and composition.

VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIVE SPEAKING includes relevant phrases that enhances the student’s vocabulary and sight word mastery. This section features Fact and Opinion and what the difference is between them. It emphasizes and shows examples of each, thoroughly showing the difference for the student. Captions are addressed as well and introducing the concept of Idioms about dogs and cats. An extensive collection of phrases are also emphasized with low and higher vocabulary words and their meanings.

SCIENCE BACKGROUND tells about the mail carrier. This person brings news into remote parts of the world and is always welcomed by those who do not have regular urban mail services – an interesting discussion for a young child to learn about.

STORY MAPPING again reviews the story telling and writing process and shows the various aspects of writing and how a story is composed.

HOME FUN contains activities the student can be involved with at home to assist in his learning to read process.

The Reading Skills Review and the Certificate of Completion provides a way for the student and teacher to review the concepts learned and tracks the student’s progress through the CompuRead Courses reading program.