Lessons · Hece the owl
Learn with Hece
Every unit on Letter Island works the same way: first a short lesson Hece reads aloud, then the games, then three small questions. Answer them and the unit's treasure chest opens.
- 1Learn
- 2Play
- 3Show
Little stars Ages 3–5
Unit 1 · 5 games
First sounds
Read the lesson
- Every word starts with a sound. Listen: b-b-bee. Bee starts with the sound b.
- Which pictures start with the sound s? Say each name slowly.
- Words have beats. Clap them with me: bal-loon. Two beats!
- Rhyming words end with the same sound, like bee and tree. Listen to the ends!
The three questions
- Which picture starts with the sound l? (answer: (picture))
- Which word has two beats? (answer: (picture))
- Which one rhymes with bee? (answer: (picture))
Unit 2 · 5 games
Letter friends
Read the lesson
- Letters stand for sounds. Put s, u and n together and you get sun!
- Join the parts: bal and loon make balloon.
- A letter fell out! s, something, n. Say it slowly: s-u-n. The missing letter is u.
- Now read it yourself. The sign says sun. Tap the picture it shows.
The three questions
- Read the word: sun. Which picture is it? (answer: (picture))
- Which letter is missing? s _ n (answer: u)
- Clap: bal-loon. How many beats? (answer: (picture))
Explorers Ages 6–8
Unit 1 · 6 games
Word builders
Read the lesson
- Long words are easier in beats. Clap each one: but-ter-fly, three beats!
- To spell a word, say it slowly and write each sound: f-i-sh. Watch out: the sound sh needs two letters!
- Every letter has a big shape and a small shape. Some small letters hang below the line, like g, p and y.
- Rhyme pairs end with the same sound: cake and lake. Listen to the endings.
The three questions
- How many beats are in 'elephant'? (answer: 3)
- Which letter makes a real word? c _ t (answer: a)
- Which small letter hangs below the line? (answer: p)
Unit 2 · 5 games
Word hunters and readers
Read the lesson
- In a word search, words hide in straight lines. Find the first letter, then follow its neighbours. Can you find BLUE?
- Read every word: colour, number and place all matter. Two red apples on a box.
- A sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop. Who? Hece. Does what? Reads a book.
- For long words, spell one beat at a time: rain, then bow. Rainbow!
The three questions
- Read: three yellow stars. Which picture is it? (answer: (picture))
- Which one is written as a correct sentence? (answer: The cat sleeps.)
- What do you look for first in a word search? (answer: The first letter)
Captains Ages 9–10
Unit 1 · 6 games
Word wizards
Read the lesson
- Every beat has a vowel sound. Count the vowels to count the beats: hel-i-cop-ter has four.
- With several letters missing, read the whole word in your head first. Rain... bow! The gaps are r and b.
- A true rhyme matches the whole ending: light and night rhyme. Light and lift only look alike.
- Keep letters sitting on the line. Tall letters reach up, like h and k. Tails hang below, like g and y.
The three questions
- How many syllables are in 'television'? (answer: 4)
- Which pair is a true rhyme? (answer: light – night)
- Fill the gaps: b _ tt _ rfly (answer: u, e)
Unit 2 · 5 games
Champion readers
Read the lesson
- Champion word searchers start with the longest word and hunt for a rare letter, like Z or Q. Words can run in eight directions, even backwards!
- Read the whole sentence before choosing: 'Hedgie is on the box.' One small word changes the picture!
- Longer sentences answer questions. Who? Tosbi. Does what? Swims. Where? In the pond.
- A great sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, a question mark or an exclamation mark.
The three questions
- Read: 'The star is above the box.' Which picture is it? (answer: (picture))
- Which sentence is in the right order? (answer: Tosbi swims in the pond.)
- Which mark ends a question? (answer: ?)
6 lessons, 24 illustrated pages and 18 questions. Lessons are read aloud with your device's own voice; nothing is sent or saved.
