Reading and Raz-Kids

These Connected Kinders are ready to read!   What an exciting time in kindergarten! During center time, I have started to take small groups to read.  The children are loving it!  They are pleased with their abilities and enjoy adding books that they can read by themselves to their book boxes.

We have an amazing opportunity to read with a subscription to Raz-Kids.  Raz-Kids is an incredible digital library that our class has access too.  Our tech night this week was to teach parents how to access Raz-Kids from home and sign up for the parent access to your child's activity reports.  If you were unable to make the tech night, I sent the hand outs home Friday.  I will try to explain it here as well.  If you are unable to access Raz-Kids, please let me know and I am happy to help.

The Raz-Kids library is available on both computers and devices like kindles and ipads.  You can get to the site through the blog.  Just click on the Raz-Kids button on the top tool bar.  Or, go to this site:
http://www.raz-kids.com/main/Login   Here, it will ask for our class' user name.  Type in ConnectedKinders (no space).  Then find your child's name and put in his/her graphic password.  Now, you should have access to your child's leveled book assignment.

Just a note, the website uses Flash Player so ipad access has an additional step.  You will be unable to download and read books using the Safari browser.  One option is to buy the app Puffin (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/puffin-web-browser/id406239138?mt=8&affId=1449142) .  Puffin is a web browser that allows you to use sites that require Flash.  It is $2.99.  Or, you can download the free Raz-Kids app (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/learning-a-z/id474207297?mt=8&affId=1449142) and have access to the books and quizzes through the app.

Each book has the option to listen to the book (with word by word highlighting), read the book, and take a quiz.  In class, when children are working independently, I have the children do all three in order: listen, read, quiz.  They receive bonus stars for each activity completed.  Further, as a teacher and parent, we get reports on which activities are complete and how the child is performing on the quizzes.

The children are LOVING Raz-Kids, they are so motivated to read and earn stars.  I am so impressed.  Please give this amazing site a try!