Geodes—K–3 Reading Foundations Practice
Build Knowledge and Foundational Skills Simultaneously for Emerging Readers
Geodes® help students read to learn while learning to read by pairing knowledge-rich content with phonics-aligned practice in engaging accessible texts.
Evidence of Impact
A study of grade 1 classrooms using Geodes showed significant fluency gains over the school year.
Building Comprehension Alongside Foundational Skills
Traditional phonics-aligned texts build phonics skills, but leave a critical gap. Students aren't gaining the comprehension skills proficient readers need. Geodes pair with foundational skills programs, build knowledge, and engage emerging readers, helping to close that gap.
Pair Decoding Practice with Content-Rich Reading
Geodes are knowledge-building, supplemental readers for grades K–3 that help emerging readers apply phonics and decoding skills to meaningful, content-rich texts.
Phonics-Aligned Texts Support Science of Reading-Based Instruction
Supports Structured Literacy Classrooms
Students build decoding proficiency and comprehension together, supporting Science of Reading-aligned instruction.
Pairs with Explicit Foundational Skills Programs
By mirroring taught phonics skills, the texts give students consistent decoding practice while building knowledge, complementing any existing foundational skills program.
Grows Accuracy, Fluency, and Comprehension
By developing the full set of skills proficient reading requires, students achieve stronger, more consistent grade-level outcomes.
In the Classroom Guide
Explore Geodes title lists for Levels K–3, book notes, and other resources designed to help teachers make the most of every book.
Real-World Topics Build Content Knowledge
Geodes cover meaningful topics so students can build knowledge about the world around them, while learning to read.
Builds Knowledge Across Science, Social Studies, Art, and More
Knowledge-rich texts become accessible to all students, making it easier to support comprehension and engagement across the classroom.
Provides Scaffolding Support
By making knowledge-rich texts accessible to all students, teachers can more easily support comprehension and engagement.
Inside Geodes®
Discover the built-in scaffolds and teacher guidance that help educators respond to student needs and bring Geodes' engaging, knowledge-rich books to life.
Meaningful Reading Builds Student Engagement
Geodes give students texts that matter to them, so engagement follows naturally.
Authentic Stories Across Genres
Engaging texts capture students' interest and sustain attention, making reading feel enjoyable and rewarding.
Connects Students to the World Around Them
Texts that resonate make reading feel meaningful and relevant, bringing literacy to life for every student.
Fosters Joy, Curiosity, and Confidence
Students who persist with challenging texts develop positive reading habits that sustain engagement and support long-term literacy growth.
Resource Overview
Explore what's included in every Geodes set and how each resource helps students grow as confident, engaged, and increasingly independent readers.
“We've created a structure so that throughout the week students are participating in different types of reading of a Geodes book. By Friday, they are able to read the text fluently and with expression.”
—Chrissy Franz, Chief Literacy Officer, Adelante Schools, IN
Professional Learning That Grows With You
Through workshops, coaching, consulting, and on-demand tools, we help teachers deepen their practice, strengthen lesson execution, and build sustainable systems for growth. Every partnership is tailored to a district's evolving needs—whether launching a new program or refining established practices—with one shared goal: lasting success for teachers and students.
Alignment to Foundational Skills Programs
Geodes pairs with a range of high-quality foundational skills programs. Find your program to explore the alignment.
Explore More
Discover more information through additional resources on Geodes.
Building Knowledge with a Phonics-Based Approach to Reading
Understand how Geodes keeps books roughly 80% decodable while still using rich, precise vocabulary, so students build phonics skills and real content knowledge at the same time.
Unpacking Geodes: Engaging Early Readers and Building Lasting Knowledge
See what's in a Geodes box, from the K–3 leveled book sets to Inside Geodes, Warm Up Cards, and My Geodes® at-home resources, showing how each piece supports phonics practice and knowledge building together.
The Path to Reading Proficiency
Explore how students move from decodable practice to true proficiency, and where Geodes fits in bridging that gap with curriculum leader Emily Gula.
