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Educator Resources

TIPS & TRICKS:

Make the Most of Your Rhymes With Reason E-Learning Subscription

Our Educator Resource page is here to help, whether you just received our award-winning, music-backed educational technology or you've been subscribed for some time and are looking for new strategies.

Make learning fun and get results with these how-tos and curriculum guides which can be applied to both classroom settings and out-of-school time...

GETTING STARTED

in just a few easy steps...

This image shows teachers how to add a classroom within Rhymes With Reason's educational technology program. An arrow is pointing to the words 'New Class'.
1. Create a classroom

To start, click New Class. 

Give your class a name and then click Create Class.



Image shows teachers how to invite students to their classroom within Rhymes With Reason's literacy educational technology program.
2. Invite students to join

Enter your new classroom and select Invite Students from the classroom settings menu. Here you’ll have options to copy either a direct sign up link or your unique classroom ID and password, or open an email app directly to share sign-up information with your students.

The ID and password can be used by going to rhymeswithreason.com, clicking Sign Up in the header, and navigating to Join Classroom under Student Plans.
Image shows teachers where to monitor individual student progress within Rhymes With Reason's educational technology. It shows a dashboard with numbers, buttons, and student names.
3. Track learning progress

You can view students’ progress through every unit of every module, including scores on pre-assessments and quizzes. Classroom averages for quiz scores, words learned, and hours on task are displayed at the top of a classroom page. Individual summaries are visible under student names within a classroom.

More detailed information about student progress can be viewed by selecting a student within a classroom.
Image shows teachers what the dashboard looks like when an individual student's progress is showing in the Rhymes With Reason educator dashboard. It shows student quiz completion, their name, and timestamps.
4. Student placement

Each student will take a placement test upon first logging in to Rhymes with Reason. If your student is struggling with the module they placed into, you can move them into an easier module set by selecting the student within your classroom, choosing a module from the right-hand dropdown menu, and clicking Assign Module.

ORIENTATION SERIES


Included in your welcome email, find Rhymes With Reason's entire Educator Orientation video series.

These videos reinforce key 'Getting Started' steps, offer teacher how-tos, then dive deeper into integrating Rhymes With Reason into curriculum. The series can be watched in succession or as-needed.

EDUCATOR DASHBOARD


From viewing the program from a student perspective, to creating custom playlists, to monitoring progress and adjusting to student needs, our Educator Dashboard is the place to be.

Watch for helpful tips on using Rhymes With Reason's powerful backend tools to manage your classroom and meet your goals with ease.

CROSS-CURRICULAR PLAYLISTS

From civics class to career courses and for the college bound or future CEOs, we've got a playlist for that!

  • ABOUT THE PLAYLIST

    Built on the foundation of Young CEO, the Workforce Development playlist focuses on the workforce of the future, solidifying for students the key terms and concepts that will help them to secure success within a company or industry. Learners are introduced to terms such as orientation, interviews, resumes, and networking to prepare them for this journey.
    Best For:
    Grades 7 - 12
    Example Vocabulary Terms:
    Adapt, Responsibility, Mentor, Experience, Bonus
    TRY THE PLAYLIST

    ABOUT THE PLAYLIST

    The College Prep series of playlists features the most advanced vocabulary in the Rhymes with Reason library. With a blend of students' favorite pop and hip-hop hits (the latter of which you can find 67 of the top 100 SAT words within!), study of these modules raises testing confidence and scores. Alongside SAT/ACT vocabulary, you'll find terms common among AP English classes.
    Best For:
    Grades 9 - 12
    Example Vocabulary Terms:
    Facet, Vignette, Cultivate, Revoke, Equivocal
    TRY THE PLAYLIST

    ABOUT THE PLAYLIST

    Developed around proven Civics coursework, our Young Changemaker playlist is an opportunity to work through concepts important to becoming a model citizen. From this module, students walk away with the knowledge and skills to affect change. Discussion-inspiring sections include Foundations, Values, and Action with 100 new terms in total being introduced.
    Best For:
    Grades 7 - 12
    Example Vocabulary Terms:
    Justice, Representative, Proposal, Grassroots, Register
    TRY THE PLAYLIST

  • ABOUT THE PLAYLIST

    The Young CEO playlist supports aspiring entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial thinking to raise young professionals who will provide value to any industry they may one day enter! 

    Learners are guided to think about the phases and aspects of what it takes to be successful in business; sections include Business Basics, Starting a Business, and Business Skills.
    Best For:
    Grades 7 - 12
    Example Vocabulary Terms:
    Invent, Revenue, Integrity, Acumen, Clientele
    TRY THE PLAYLIST

    ABOUT THE PLAYLIST

    The Wellness playlist focuses on the physical, mental, and communal aspects of our health, encouraging users to take care of themselves and others in all areas. 

    Learners are guided to think about the mindset they approach the world with, how they strengthen their minds and bodies, and how their actions impact others around them. 


    Best For:
    Grades 6 - 8
    Example Vocabulary Terms:
    Nutrition, Intake, Contemplate, 
    Cope, Longevity
    TRY THE PLAYLIST

    ABOUT THE PLAYLIST

     The Science playlist is a set of three modules based on vocabulary appearing in several sections of the New York Regents Exam, including Physics, Earth Science, The Living Environment, Neuroscience, and Chemistry. 

    Learners aiming to strengthen their knowledge of many aspects of the physical world will be well-prepared by this collection of vocabulary and exercises.
    Best For:
    Grades 6 - 12
    Example Vocabulary Terms:
    Magnetic Field, Biome, Ecosystem, Plasticity, Noble Gas
    TRY THE PLAYLIST

  • ABOUT THE PLAYLIST

    The Young CEO playlist supports aspiring entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial thinking to raise young professionals who will provide value to any industry they may one day enter! 

    Learners are guided to think about the phases and aspects of what it takes to be successful in business; sections include Business Basics, Starting a Business, and Business Skills.
    Best For:
    Grades 7 - 12
    Example Vocabulary Terms:
    Invent, Revenue, Integrity, Acumen, Clientele
    TRY THE PLAYLIST

    ABOUT THE PLAYLISTS

    All playlists build upon our main academic vocabulary modules; Basics through College Prep. 

    Basics begins with Tier 1 Vocabulary for learners as early as 2nd grade. Playlists continue through Fundamentals & Essentials. Next is College Prep, which raises testing confidence and scores by familiarizing students with SAT/ACT vocabulary and terms common within AP English classes.

    Playlists can be used in the combination the educator finds best serves their students, and together offer over 2,000 terms.


    TRY THE PLAYLIST

    CREATE YOUR OWN

    Our Custom Playlist Builder offers added value & flexibility! 
    How It Works:
    Our easy to use Custom Playlist Builder makes it possible for educators to create their own custom units tailored to their particular curriculum needs. Choose content using our existing bank of over 2,000 academic vocab words found in hundreds of songs to form your own unique playlists.

    Examples of Playlists 
    Educators Have Created:
    Chicago Musical Artists, Concepts: Teamwork, Romance, and Competition
    HOW TO GUIDE

These playlists build upon our main academic vocabulary modules; Basics through Essentials. 

They can be used in the order the educator finds best serves their students, and combined offer over 2,000 terms. The opportunity to build additional custom playlists provides added value and flexibility.

HOW WE RHYME

Advice, implementation strategies, and lesson plans from fellow educators across the country.

ON MOTIVATING STUDENTS
IDEAS FOR IN CLASSROOM USE
STUDENT PERSPECTIVES
RAP BATTLE
A Best Practice Guide to Motivating Students
Submitted By: Dan Finegan, Detroit-based educator, counselor, and coach
Learning Environment: Downtown Boxing Gym (Detroit, Michigan)
Learn how Detroit-based educator, counselor, and coach Dan Finegan leveraged Rhymes With Reason during afterschool time at Downtown Boxing Gym.

For tips on implementation, offering choice, building trust and creating rewards, download this handy Best Practice Guide created with Dan's expertise.

Within, you'll even find an activity idea for National Reading Month!
Three Ways to Use Rhymes With Reason in Your Classroom
Hear about how music-backed educational technology is used in live classroom scenarios from teachers and school administrators in New Orleans, California, and Michigan.

From essay prompts to written reinforcement to discussion-starters, popular and hip-hop songs students love are keeping them engaged in class. These interactions inspire increased vocabulary, higher test scores, and improved student confidence.
Students Discuss Why Popular Music is Engaging in the Classroom
"Hip-hop is a very known thing and if we could add education to it, it would just be the star of everything!" 

Our students are expanding academic vocabulary with words like resilient, vicarious, coordinates, and more. With 67 of the top 100 SAT words within hip-hop lyrics, our edtech app leverages music to capture students' interest and elevate their chances for success.

"One of the words - quid pro quo - showed up [on the PSAT] and I was like - I know this! We did this in Rhymes With Reason!" - Student
Bump Up Literacy Levels via Vocabulary Rap Battles
Host an in-class rap battle to increase student comprehension:

Step 1: Assign a unit to entire class for student individual practice or cover a single unit (read aloud) in front of your entire class.

Step 2: Divide students into small groups.

Step 3: Give students time to write a rap using at least three of the five words.

Step 4: In front of the class, have student volunteers perform the raps which their groups wrote.

CURRENT EVENTS: HIP-HOP TURNS 50

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF HIP-HOP

As a music-backed educational technology company, our Rhymes With Reason team could not be more excited to support you through this momentous year; the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop! 

In addition to being the musical genre within the lyrics of which you'll find 67 of the top 100 SAT words, hip-hop has made an undeniable imprint on our country.

August 11th, 2023 kicks off hip-hop's official 50th year; just in time for back-to-school celebrations with your students! We invite you to download our "Beyond the Booth: Hip Hop at 50" Educator Resource Guide, and let us know how hip-hop has made a difference in your life and classroom.

As you celebrate this major moment in music, further discover this genre's educational value with our "Hip-Hop at 50" Playlist. The short demo lesson dives into five terms; learn to use Ubiquitous from Mos Def & Talib Kweli, Culture from DJ Khaled & Nas, & more.
HIP-HOP AT 50 PLAYLIST

SHARE YOUR INSIGHTS

We're always looking for creative ideas, helpful feedback, testimonials, student success news and more from educators using Rhymes With Reason. 

Our team would love to hear from you about how you're using our edtech to engage with students.

SHARE YOUR INSIGHTS

EDUCATORS ON THE RECORD

Hear how fellow educators are positively impacting students across the country through Rhymes With Reason.
Our scholars enjoy the myriad of opportunity to increase their vocabulary, especially our English learners. The program is our anchor tool for our SEI [Sheltered English Immersion] courses. It is also a primary tool from our incoming ninth-graders who are struggling with reading.

Dr. Cheryl James-Ward
Chief Executive Officer
e3 Civic High School
San Diego, CA
What Rhymes With Reason offers is unique and incredibly valuable: a program that helps learners at any age fall in love with learning vocabulary and comprehension to harness the power of reading to become the best version of themselves. More importantly, Rhymes With Reason has helped our students better identify and express themselves. 

Tracy E. Thompson
Executive Director
Juvenile Court & Community Schools
San Diego County Office of Education
Rhymes WIth Reason... plain and simple, it works for students. They are engaged and see themselves in the learning experience. Once they start using the resource they really see how language acquisition supports all goals in life. They see how literacy is the gateway to become career, college, and life ready. 

Kelli Cedo, PhD
K-12 ELA Curriculum Lead
Hampton City Schools
Hampton, Virginia

REFER A FELLOW EDUCATOR

Enjoying Rhymes With Reason? 

If you know a fellow educator whose students would benefit from access to our app, refer them and we'll get in touch!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Review common inquiries, or connect with our support team!

General

What's an EP?

An EP is our name for a unit — it consists of 5 vocab words with associated exercises and a 3-question multiple-choice quiz at the end. There are 20 EPs within a Rhymes with Reason module. In the music industry, EP is short for Extended Play record, a musical recording with a few tracks but less than a full album.

Who's using Rhymes with Reason?

Visit our community page to learn about our users!

What kinds of lyrics will students be exposed to?

All of the lyric examples within the Rhymes with Reason program have been screened for academic appropriateness. Students will not be exposed to demeaning, explicit, or violent lyrics while using this program.

What student age range is Rhymes with Reason best for?

There are 3 difficulty ranges for the standard ELA modules in Rhymes with Reason:

Our Fundamentals set of modules is for younger learners, typically those in 5th and 6th grade.

Our Essentials set of modules is for intermediate learners, typically those in 7th through 9th grade.

Our College Prep set of modules is for advanced learners, typically those in 10th through 12th grade.

How will students be tested?

Every EP ends with a 3-question quiz, there are 10-question Checkpoint quizzes after every 5 EPs, and there are Pre-Tests and Post-Tests for every module.

Which devices support Rhymes with Reason?

Rhymes with Reason is currently optimally experienced on desktops and all tablets (including chromebooks and iPads). The program is not yet optimized for mobile devices, but stay tuned as mobile optimization is coming soon!

How can I cancel my subscription?

We're sad to see you go, but if you'd like to cancel your subscription, contact us we'll take care of it.

Students

How do I sign up?

  • If you are joining a classroom that has already been paid for, your teacher will have a unique class ID and password for you that will allow you to activate your account. Go to Sign Up, then select the “Join Classroom” option under Student Plans and fill in your information there.
  • If your school has not purchased a Rhymes with Reason subscription and you would like to buy an individual subscription (minors, with your parent or guardian), go to Sign Up, select the “Individual Subscription” option under Student Plans, and fill in your information there.

How do I change my password?

If you can't remember your password and are unable to log in, you can change your password by selecting the "Forgot Password" option and entering your email address. You will receive a message with a link that will prompt you to create a new password.

You can also change your password once you've logged in by clicking your name in the upper left corner and selecting the "Change Password" option.

Teachers

How do I sign up?

Go to Sign Up and click on the Teachers tab.

  • If your school administrator has purchased a subscription and you would like to activate your classroom, select the Activate Classroom option. The next screen will ask you to enter your name and email address, and to create a new password. You will then need to enter your organizational username and password to sign up.
  • If you would like to start a 21-day free trial, select the Free Trial option. On the next screen you'll enter information about your school and your principal, and you'll create your login details.

How do I invite students to join my classroom?

Log in and click on your classroom from the dashboard. Under "Classroom Settings'' at the bottom, you'll see options to invite students via email or with instructions to enter a specific class ID and password on the student sign-up page.

You can also add students to one classroom from a different one if they are already using Rhymes with Reason within your organization.

Administrators

How do I allow teachers to activate their accounts?

Once you purchase your organizational subscription to Rhymes with Reason, you will be given an organizational username and password. Share these details with the teachers in your organization, who can use them to activate their classrooms and create their own personal login details.

Legal

Terms and Conditions
Rhymes with Reason does not use, or reference any explicit or suggestive content in the lyrics featured across the program. Our content is most age-appropriate for students in middle school and older. Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind, Music Licensed by BMI, ASCAP & SESAC.
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