Using Memes in the Classroom

Posted on April 14, 2014 by Squarehead Teachers

I absolutely loved this idea! It might work better with upper grades, since I don’t think younger kids have had enough exposure to memes to get as much out of this activity. This post from Mrs. Orman’s classroom talks about five ways to use memes in the classroom. Here are the five ideas:

Teach about class rules, expectations and or procedures using memes
Have kids create memes as ice-breaker activities
Promote and reinforce your curriculum (such as a meme of George Washington)
Creative activity
Open house or new student orientation

Even if you don’t think using memes in your classroom will work well, her examples are HILARIOUS and totally worth the read!

Rights & Responsibilities of Citizenship

Posted on March 8, 2014 by Squarehead Teachers

The Arizona social studies core has a standard all about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Here’s my graphic organizer all about it. Kids should draw an example of each idea listed and then describe it.

Click here for the free printable PDF: Rights-Responsibilities of Citizenship

Rainbow Fish – Friendship Activity

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Squarehead Teachers

Rainbow Fish- Friendship STICKER The children’s book, Rainbow Fish, has been the subject of a few posts recently (click here and here for the previous posts). Rainbow Fish has so many good applications to character development. In the book, Rainbow Fish learns that he has more friends when he shares. Here’s one more activity you can use to develop this theme of what real friendship looks like. To complete the activity, students are directed to only color in the fish that have characteristics of real friendship.

Click here for the free printable PDF: Rainbow Fish Learns Friendship

Lovely Friends Classroom Note Exchange

Posted on February 5, 2014 by Squarehead Teachers

I take every opportunity I can to promote friendship among my students. I encourage lots of compliments and positive thoughts. So when Valentine’s Day comes around, I really push the friendship idea! When I saw this idea, I thought it was fabulous! Run off a bunch of copies of this page and let your students give compliments to each other!

Click here for the free printable Valentine notes PDF: Lovely Friend Hearts

Sweet Treats Behavior Management System

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Squarehead Teachers

This was too cute not to share. This teacher gives her students “brownie points.” But the problem was that brownies look kind of weird up at the front of the room. brown squares weren’t as cute and motivating as sweet cupcakes. She uses a brownie pan as the “tracking sheet.” The cupcake papers are laminated and attached to magnets. Here’s a picture:

Calm Down Box

Posted on January 18, 2014 by Squarehead Teachers

Here’s an idea submitted by a reader. This teacher has a “calm down box” in her classroom. She put stress balls, timers and other tangible things in the box and when students get overwhelmed or need some alone time, they can sit at a table with the box and calm down.

Great Anchor Charts

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

Anchor charts are a staple in any elementary school classroom. Here are some truly inspired ones:

Group work expectations anchor chart

Ways to compare fractions anchor chart

Quadrilaterals anchor chart

Classroom Rules Poster – Owl (DIY)

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Squarehead Teachers

Owls are pretty trendy these days. So when I saw a cute owl-shaped note pad at the dollar store, I just had to buy it (with plans to work it into my classroom somehow). Here’s the poster I came up with (pretty proud of my DIY project!):

Our classroom rule is “no one has the right to interfere with the learning, safety or well being of others.” Each student will sign the poster and we’ll put it up on the wall so everyone will remember our classroom behavior expectations.