AR Word Count Awards

One of the most powerful motivators I have found in kindergarten is setting word count goals with AR.  If you aren't familiar with AR, it stands for Accelerated Reader, through Renaissance Learning. AR has its haters, but I strongly feel that what is done WITH AR in classrooms is the problem and not the platform itself. Quick explanation: kids read books and take comprehension tests on the computer. I have over two decades of reading success with my kids and AR is a huge part of that. 

AR keeps track of words read through a report you can run.  Starting in January (you can start sooner if you teach older students), I start a "Word Count Club."  Once students get to that word count for the month, they write their name on a poster (a real fancy piece of plain construction paper) and earn the monthly award. As soon as I show students where AR tells them how many words they just read in their book they get so excited.  They will tell me "I got 100% and read 272 words!"  Plus they practice reading numbers, so bonus! The majority of kids can make it into "the club" with effort.  Struggling or nonreaders can take tests on books read to them, books they listen to on Epic Books, etc.  It's some extra work on the teacher, but trust me, the ends justify the means.  Last year I had several kids reading 3,000-4,000 words a month.  Some were over 12,000 consistently.  All that practice is what I think is the missing link for tremendous growth in student achievement in American education.  This is my forever soapbox! 

You can purchase a packet of 15 different awards on my TpT store for $1.50 by clicking here.  Thank you for supporting my small business. 

Sample Awards:

Morning Meeting Game

Over break, I found this reel with a game I am exited to try with my kindergartners for morning meeting. Click the picture for the link. 

You can call it the Animal Game, Zoo Game, Habitat Game, etc.  The teacher shows her students six different motions for animals.   On the count of three everyone makes one of the motions.  Students who did the same motion as her are out.  The goal is to be the last one standing to win the game.  Simple and fun.

In reading the comments, I saw someone suggest teaching ASL for the animals, which I thought was a brilliant idea.  Kindergartners are fascinated with sign language.

There was some criticism in the comments that creating one winner isn't fair or this game isn't set up for kids with slow processing.  I think kids need to learn that they won't win every time, to be happy for your classmates, and that you won't be good at everything. If we never do things because it's not fair to every single student every single time, what exactly will we be doing?