Friday, September 2, 2011

It's Friday... It's Free...and it's Random.

It's a miracle!  I survived the first two weeks in my new "year one" at a new school district.  :)  Overall, I'm so happy that I made the switch, even though I definitely miss my old third-grade team.  My new team-mates are wonderful, and I have never felt more welcome in a school or a district.  (This is my third... and hopefully final move... so I sort of consider myself an expert on these kinds of things.  Ha!) My new school has a great climate, and I have a really fantastic principal.  I also have a really cute class!  I can already tell that this year might really stretch me as a teacher.  The first few weeks were definitely challenging in about umpteen ways, but I am confident that it will be a great year! 

In other news, I am absolutely exhausted.  I am seriously so out of gas!  Today was an in-service day, and I can't even begin to tell you how stressed out I am about changing basically my entire curriculum.  As I type this, I am hunched over my Reading Street manual trying to make the lessons Amanda-esque. {This probably goes without saying, but I needed a break, so I logged into good 'ole Blogger for a debriefing session.}  Seriously, I have NEVER taught with a basal series in my life!  I take it back.  I used a basal during my student teaching experience six years ago!  Aside from that, I have been doing Reader's Workshop.  Of course, because I like to make more work for myself and have things a certain way, I have started to create resources to use with the first story: Boom Town.  I keep thinking that if I create resources like I always have, I'll feel some level of normalcy.  Holy mackerel... this series is seriously monstrous though.  There's so much in there, and I am so overwhelmed by how much there is.  Apparently not overwhelmed enough though, because I still feel the need to cutesify things and create posters.  Why?  I am apparently out of my mind.  

Anyway, so far, I've only made a few RS resources besides the Unit 1 Daily Fix-Its that I made a while ago.  If you think that you can use anything, please help yourself!  :)  {For some reason, Scribd is making my vocabulary list look funky in the preview, but the pdf has normal formatting.  I'm actually sort-of embarrassed to even post it like this, but the original file looks sooooo much better.  I downloaded it from Scribd to double-check, but let me know if you have any problems with it.}

 I hope you all enjoy the long weekend!  It's Friday!!!!!  Happy Weekend! :)

 Reading Street Objectives- Boom Town Boom Town Spelling List 1 Boom Town Vocabulary
This is what the file looks like when you download it!  :)
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14 comments:

  1. KellySeptember 2, 2011 at 7:24 PM

    Hi Amanda! I am so thankful for finding your blog (and others from it). I have taken a break from teaching, but on reading your blog I've started to get the urge to get back into it - thank you for inspiring me! If only I had found blogs like yours before I left it could have helped me.
    Anyways....
    I love the Scrappin Doodles you use and would like to get them for myself (for my return to teaching ;-p) - which sets do you use?

    Thanks so much!
    Kelly in New Zealand

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  2. UnknownSeptember 2, 2011 at 8:10 PM

    I love the border! So cute! I'm not in third and we don't use reading street, but I would use these sheets if I could! Very professional looking. Why couldn't the publisher hire you to make these?!?!
    Good luck!
    Andi

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  3. Rachel LambSeptember 2, 2011 at 9:24 PM

    you'll make it. Have you considered still using what you always have to supplement the basal. that;s how I use reading street. I use components from it that fit me. The stories are good and you can use them to model whatever strategy fits!
    Rachel

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  4. TaraSeptember 2, 2011 at 10:00 PM

    Hi Amanda,
    I'm not sure where you are on integration but Boom Town is a fabulous social studies integration on goods, services, supply, demand, etc. I think I have some stuff on my school computer unless you have already finished. I could get it to ya maybe for next year or to refresh if you guys do those skills in ss. Thanks for all your amazing bloggy ideas.... We all heart you! Tara

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  5. AmandaSeptember 2, 2011 at 10:16 PM

    Thanks Andi!

    Rachel, I have to follow the program with fidelity and very closely align my lessons with another teacher, so I don't know how much I can supplement. I asked a lot of questions about supplementing, especially with writing, and it pretty much got the ax. I'm still going forward with the Daily 5... and I luckily have a read aloud slot worked into my day to read lots of other great books. We'll see how it goes!

    Tara, I would love that! Thank you so much for offering to share! :)

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  6. AnonymousSeptember 2, 2011 at 10:17 PM

    Thank you! I could really use these! Will you be doing them for every single story?

    Brandy

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  7. Amanda K.September 2, 2011 at 10:38 PM

    Amanda- we have reading street too. We are starting Boom Town next week. Here is a fabulous website from a county here in TN that also uses Reading Street.

    http://classroom.jc-schools.net/waltkek/Third%20Grade.html

    Amanda
    Third Grade Meanderings

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  8. AmandaSeptember 3, 2011 at 8:55 AM

    Thanks Amanda! I found that website earlier in the summer. I just can't use most of the files because I don't have Word. :)

    Brandy, I will be making the same files for every story. I like things to match. :) Haha!

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  9. AnonymousSeptember 3, 2011 at 9:57 AM

    Amanda,
    Everything looks great! We do Reading Street in my school, but I teach 5th grade. I'm not very creative visually, so am bummed that you teach a different grade and I can't use what you do. Good luck!

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  10. JackieSeptember 3, 2011 at 10:36 AM

    Thanks Amanda! I teach third and we use reading street as well - it is definitely a very full series! I love the spelling list you made with the fun practice ideas! I'm definitely saving it for next year (we are starting our fourth story on Tuesday)!

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  11. UnknownSeptember 3, 2011 at 12:12 PM

    I'm not sure how your school works, but we use Reading Street and if you try to fit everything in it's VERY overwhelming!! We actually pick the parts out that we feel are most important for our kiddos and the school gave us the directive that we can use Reading Street more as a resource than a curriculum. Good luck- but once you get your pieces together, it'll get so much easier!

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  12. AnonymousSeptember 3, 2011 at 4:19 PM

    Amanda,

    I love these! Thank you very much. I hate that we are a week ahead of you, but I'll save them for next year. Here's a link to my website. I've made tri-folds for each story. Hope you can use them. Thank again!

    Cindy

    http://www.ncsd.k12.mo.us/classwebsite/cgreen-hulsey/Doc2.htm

    PS For some reason I can only post as
    anonymous. I'm a member of your blog too. Can you tell me if anyone else is having trouble posting?

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  13. MeganSeptember 4, 2011 at 11:46 AM

    I'm sitting down to plan today and decided to check blogs instead (a habit I need to break). So glad I did because this post will help me start. I'm planning on using the RS story on Mondays to introduce the skill and vocabulary (since it builds each year). Throughout the week I will supplement with other resources.

    Thanks for sharing.
    Blackboard and Beyond

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  14. UnknownSeptember 4, 2011 at 3:37 PM

    Hello! I also listed you as a top 10 blog. You can check my post out at http://swimmingintosecond.blogspot.com/2011/09/top-ten-blogs.html
    Thanks for all that you share!
    You can get your award at http://bit.ly/rtHPbL

    ReplyDelete