When using the Hooked on Phonics, Math or Spelling App, certain areas will be unlocked through completion of a prior step, or achievement of a certain milestone.
Playing through the App in Sequence
From the main screen, you'll need to select the big PLAY button on the appropriate portal to begin playing within the numbered steps for the first time. Pre-Reader contains Pre-K content (individual letters and sounds), and the Learn to Read section includes Kindergarten (1-6), Kindergarten- 1st grade transition (7-12), 1st grade (13-18), and 2nd grade (19-30). For example:
When Learners move through the Phonics App, they may move freely between numbered Steps (listed at the top of your screen), but they will need to play each activity within a lesson to advance to the next activity and lesson. See below for an example where the bee activity for this lesson covering 'a' on the screen is inside a raindrop, as it has not been unlocked. Once the spider then the bee activity are completed, the next lesson (flower at the bottom of the screen) will open for play. This allows the App to track your Learners' answers and ensure they are practicing and mastering a skill before proceeding to new skills. Learners can go back and repeat activities at any time.
Unlike the Phonics App, Hooked on Math is divided by age/grade level via the following portals: Numbers and Counting (ages 4+/Pre-K-Kindergarten), Math Fundamentals (ages 5-7/1st grade), Elementary Math (ages 7-8/2nd grade), and Core Math (ages 7-9/3rd grade). Currently, Learners can move from portal-portal as needed, but cannot skip Steps or activities inside the portals themselves.
For example, this Learner must complete all activities located in Step/shipwreck number 1 before they're able to access subsequent Steps and activities.
Free Play (Phonics only at this time)
From the home screen, you'll notice the Game Room, eBook Library, and Music Library are always available for your child to revisit outside of the numbered Steps above. As your child completes the elements within the numbered steps, they'll become available in the free play section to revisit whenever you like. The same is true of the Rewards, which will automatically unlock as your child reaches milestones within the program portals. Upon fully completing all the activities in any Step, your child will receive a puzzle piece. Every 4 to 5 puzzle pieces will unlock the next reward toy in the Rewards section.
Unlock games in the Games Room
If you'd prefer, the games in the Game Room can be unlocked prior to completing the lesson activities.
- Navigate to the Grown-up Menu (teal circle in the upper right-hand corner of the main screen).
- Select the Learner tab > Edit User > change the Game Room visibility to visible. You may return here to change them back to hidden at any time.