Rhyme to Read - App Review & Giveaway

A little while back, I posted about Apps I used in guided reading.  If you read it, you know I love using the iPad during reading groups to engage my students in learning.  Why? Because students RESPOND to the iPad!  A few weeks back, Lynn from Rhyme to Read contacted me about using the Rhyme to Read app in the classroom and sharing with you guys how the app works.  Of course I jumped on this opportunity, because let's face it - I love my iPad, my kids love my iPad and we need all the extra practice we can get with end of the year testing coming up! :)

This iPad isn't like the typical apps I use, it's not a game.  It has 20 books, each on a different word family.  We just finished up word families or so I thought, but this app had word families I had not covered, so this was great!

The app was developed by 2 teachers.  I love this! They know exactly what students need because they are teachers! 

Take a look at one of the books.  The words are color coded!  Sight words a black and each word family has it's own color.  This helps students to recognize the word family itself. The words can be tapped to be read aloud!! This means the students can use this app BY THEMSELVES!  They can practice reading the words to themselves, they can sound out the words, and they can tap the words to see if they were correct. (The words can be tapped part and whole...it's really cool y'all!)  The pages can be swiped left to right or right to left, super easy.  Not only are these books great for phonics, they are FULL of sight words which are perfect for Kindergarten too! 

Each book should be mastered before the student moves on to the next book, because they go in order and build on each other.  You could use these in reading groups, for independent time, an iPad station, tutoring, remediation...really, the list goes on!

At the end of each book, it reviews all the sight words for that book.  Then, it reviews all the word family words for all the books prior to that book.  I LOVE this! This keeps it comprehensive!

This app can be purchased in the app store for $9.99 or each book can be purchased individudlally for $0.99.  Obviously it makes sense to purchase the whole app because you save money! :) When have you ever paid $0.50 for a book? Me? Never! The Scholastic readers are always way more than that and those jokers are currently falling apart.  True story!

My students really enjoyed using this app! I made a list of the books (numbers) and checked off the students as they mastered the books.  Students can work at their own pace, which is really nice and get just what they need! My class is still working through these books, but I think it's a great program! :)  I can't wait until next year when I can get started even earlier!! I have learned a lot about phonics this year and truly believe in teaching my kids to read through phonics!  You won't be disappointed with this app!

So - what do you think? Love it as much as I do? Want to win it?! Enter to win below! Winner will be notified via and must respond within 5 days to win.  Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Side Note - I was given this app for free to review, but these opinions are my own and honest! :)

Community Helper Hats

We finished up our week of Community Helpers! I was so impressed with how quickly my kiddos learned all the jobs, uniforms, tools, and responsibilities of the Community Helpers.  On Friday, they always do an art project with Ms. Moore and this week they made Community Helper hats with Ms. Moore.  They turned out super cute! We traced them on white construction paper and covered them with bulletin board paper and then they glued them to a sentence strip and we stapled them.  The red was for firefighter, blue was police officer, yellow was bus driver, white was nurse, but all the hats were shaped the same to make it easy :)

I'm working on a Community Helpers pack, but it's not quite ready! I promise to post soon :)  

Have you heard about the sale that TpT is having tomorrow and Wednesday? 

Everything in my store is 20% off! If you use TpT's promo code, they take an extra 10% off which comes out to 28% off.  It's time to stock up on everything you need to get you through the end of the year :) What's on your wish list?

Planting Zinnias

This was an ugly rainy week for most of the Kindergarten classes, but fortunately, we made it over to the garden! This week, Ms. Joni taught us how to plant Zinnia seeds in plastic cups.  They filled plastic cups with soil, used their two fingers to make a "peace sign" to put two holes in the soil, put two seeds in, and then covered them up.  Easy peasy!

We haven't been to the garden in 3 weeks because of the break and the plants had grown so much!  Ms. Joni sent some strawberries back with us to cut up and eat...they were delicious! :) 

Before we left a few rain drops got us, but thankfully the bottom didn't fall out until about 30 minutes later.  The kids really enjoy the garden and we are so thankful for Ms. Joni and Ms. Doris for always teaching us something new! 

The kids always seem to be more fascinated with the bugs than the plants, so when we get to worm week this group should have a blast! :)  

We will be studying all about plants this week coming up and I can't wait to show them a few really neat things with plants that will connect with what Ms. Joni has been teaching us!

Needs some plant activities?

We're using these fun centers in our room next week :)  What activities do you like to do with plants?

May Currently

It's been a while since I've done one of Oh' Boy 4th Grade's "Currently" link ups, but hey - all my assignments are finished and I am human again, at least for now...so let the link up begin! :)

Listening: 

Seriously - this is one of my favorite movies! :) 

Loving:

It's Saturday! I got up and went to Sh'Bam at the gym.  If you don't know what that is, it's a fun Les Mills dance class..love! I went to lunch at McAllister's with a friend and ran lots of errands.  It's been a great day!

Thinking:

I have 2 units that are almost finished...Community Helpers and Ocean...I can't seem to get either finished...soon enough!

Wanting:

I am ready for it be Summer Break! I love my kids, but I am ready to hang out pool side and soak up the sun! 

Needing:

My Spring classes are finished and I rent my books, so I need to return them! My new classes will start May 19th....ahhh!

Surprise:

I'm surprising my friend Jen over at Crayon's & Cuties in Kindergarten! She has an adorable little blog and lots of great informational posts..plus lots of great products in her store!  She's also a great friend! So go visit her!

That's it for this month, your turn to link up! Leave a link for me so I can come see what's going on with you!