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There are still several items for Grades K-3 of samples from Scott Foresman if anyone from any building would like to come get. They are in the garage. I'm out of 4th grade stuff! Susan

Hello All,

I just wanted to make everyone aware of another option that we could look at for Read Aloud materials. I have a Linda Hoyt series that is called Interactive Read Alouds. It is set up much like the Making Meaning however the Linda Hoyt comes with 150 lessons as opposed to the 30 that are in the Making Meaning. Linda Hoyt also offers nonfiction components that go along with the fiction read alouds and additional book lists to extend the lesson if needed. Also included is a CD that has all the blackline masters and poems that are in the series, so there is a technology component that goes along with it. There are three books in the series, K-1, 2-3, and 4-5. Even if we split lessons in the book between grade levels then there will still be 75 lessons per grade level as opposed to 30. I like the series, and it was something that I have chatted with Becky Garst about through MRI. I have copy of each grade level, but it has been flying out of my hands as soon as the books are returned, so I am assuming that the teachers I have offered it to have liked it as well. Just wanted to put it out there as another option to a Read Aloud component for guided reading.

Angela Stevens

Committee--

I'm glad most of you were able to make it to the meeting last night. I'm going to try the Wiki again so that we can see the discussion and comments of all the members.

I think the committee along with the representatives last night feel that Making Meaning will not work without the classroom libraries and updating and adding to the guided reading libraries. Please discuss with teachers in your buildings and let me know if you would like for me to work on a quote of the above. (Making Meaning, classroom library, and building guided reading library updates)

Scott Foresman has also offered to make a presentation if the committee desires.

Please let me know about the above proposal by Tuesday, October 2. Carla had mentioned that it might be good to talk with some from Springfield so if you know teachers in Springfield you might ask them about Making Meaning. We could arrange a visit to McBride (I think that is the Springfield school that Carla mentioned) if the committee desires also. I know we have to live within a budget, but I do not want money to be the deciding factor. I need to know what teachers feel will support their instruction the best and support MRI.

Committee,

I do not know how well the Wiki virtual meeting is working so I will email and post to Wiki. I had an exciting phone call with Carla Needham/Development Study Center in regard to a new writing program that will become available in August. I have not spoken with Becky Haseltine at MRI about this, but Carla indicates that Becky is very supportive of the Being a Writer program and MRI. Anyway, she is sending me some materials and then I will send out to you if you will send me your home address.

This is the website with some general information. http://www.devstu.org/literacy.html

She also indicated that she is in Springfield on August 9 and 10 and would be happy to meet with some of us at dinner if we like what we see. I'm tied up with new teacher during the day, but told her if we could meet about dinner time we could ask more specific questions after looking at the materials.

If you have any leads on good writing/grammar/computer/technology resources, please forward to me and I will forward to the group. Send me your home mailing address and I will send you the materials as soon as I receive them. Thanks and hope you are having a great start to your summer!

Susan

Textbook Committee-- With everything going on here at the end of school and administrators wanting textbooks taken care of for beginning of next school year, I feel our best method of communication will be via this virtual meeting. Last year the textbook proposal committee surveyed the faculty and compiled data, received input from area COC schools regarding textbook rotation and monies, and then put a rotation schedule and proposal for monies together with input from all the buildings. The first year of the rotation is Communication Arts--writing and grammar and computer/technology.

I would like input from the teachers on textbooks that will support writing, grammar, and computer/technology. Since the district will be doing MRI next year, I will contact Becky Haseltine so see if she has some research based textbooks that will support our GLEs and MRI. If you have textbooks that you are using that would be useful for the entire district, please make a comment so that the entire committee can research the suggestion.

This way of meeting is new for me also, but I like the concept that we can contribute and do our work at any time and any place. I will contact Becky Haseltine next week and let the committee know of any of her suggestions. Susan

[[image:feed-icon.gif width="26" height="28" align="left" link="http://textbk.wikispaces.com/page/xml/home?v=rss_2_0"]]
Click here to subscribe to the wiki and any updates/changes will automatically be sent to your reader/aggregator. If you don't know what this means, you need to attend a [|tech workshop] ;>)

=Textbook Committee=

Susan has asked me to create a virtual meeting space for our Textbook Committee. I’ve created this wiki called textbk. This is basically an editable web page that you can access from any station connected to the Internet. Below are some basics to get you started. I’m sure you will get more directions from Susan soon. If you need any further assistance with the wiki please let me know. -Janetta


 * 1) Bookmark this webpage for future reference.
 * 2) Before you start, click the Refresh button on your browser to be sure you are viewing the latest page.
 * 3) To enter your comments, click the Edit this Page button. You can copy and paste content using a right click and the popup menu, or type directly on the screen.
 * 4) You can use the Add a Link button (globe with a chain link) to insert hyperlinks.
 * 5) Click the Images and Files button (tree) to upload files or images.
 * 6) There is also a button for Insert Table.
 * 7) Click the Save button to save your changes to the wiki.
 * 8) If you want to see who has done what, click the history button for a list of revisions.