Show and Tell Tuesday

I'm joining Barb from Ruby Slippers for her linky Show and Tell Tuesday. Check out Barb's blog, she has a great show and tell about social media blueprints.

I am excited and nervous about my new teaching assignment. When I taught kindergarten, I always did my own thing. If I wanted to teach about Johnny Appleseed and apples, I taught about Johnny Appleseed and apples. Then the last two years in kindergarten the district adopted Treasures reading and with that came a pacing guide. It wasn't too bad in kindergarten. When I started teaching first grade that pacing guide was my arch enemy. I hated that thing, I had to keep barreling through the books to stay with the pacing guide whether the kids master the skill or not. My principal said I didn't have to use Treasures, but the pacing guide was still mandating what skills were taught and when. 

Now I've moved to a new district and grade. I know I keep saying this, but just in case someone missed it, I moved to 3rd grade and I will only be teaching social studies and science. I went up to talk to the principal and while I was there she gave me the curriculum for my subjects. 

In Oklahoma,third grade social studies is all Oklahoma History. She gave me this book to use.

She told me I can use it or not use or add to it as I would like.

For science, I received these two books.

All of the science lessons use children's books to introduce the lesson! How cool is that! I get to choose the lessons I want to teach...NO PACING GUIDE! What? I can't believe it!

Here's what is crazy, for the past six years I have hated that pacing guide telling me what to teach and when. Now that I have freedom to teach what I want, I am nervous, anxious, even a little scared. What? Yeah, I know it doesn't make sense, I got what I wanted and now I'm scared???  I need to start making some long term plans, but I kind of freeze up every time I think about it. I'm sure part of it is because I am moving to a new school with a new principal in a grade I have never taught before. 

My goal for the rest of the week is to get some kind of plan for science. I can use the Oklahoma book if I need to, but I am thinking about starting the year with the state symbols and then do the history.  I know in the long run, I'll love the freedom, I just have to get over my "First Year Jitters!" :D