Brighten The World Blogger Award

Brighten the World Blogger AwardTruly, I’m flattered that Squarehead Teachers has been nominated for this award: Brighten the World Blogger Award. Thank you to Well, Albee Darn! for nominating me and encouraging me to brighten the world around me!

Rules:

  1. List 5 things that brighten your world
  2. Do 5 things today that brighten the world (write about 1 of them)
  3. Nominate 5 bloggers who brighten your world
  4. Contact those 5 bloggers and tell  them you nominated them, along with why they brighten your world.

1. 5 Things That Brighten My World

  1. My hubby
  2. Blooming flowers
  3. A warm bowl of mac ‘n’ cheese
  4. Children’s’ laughter
  5. Clean laundry!

2. How I Brightened the World Today

I mailed a postcard to my grandpa. My grandma died less than a year ago, so I want my grandpa to feel extra loved…

3. Nominate 5 Bloggers Who Brighten Your World

Phillips Family

Intentional Acts of Kindness

Snoopy’s Homemade Fun

Staying Crafty

Lori Pori, What’s the Story?

Liebster Award… Thank You!

Thank you to Mummyshymz for nominating me for this Liebster Award!

The Liebster rules:

1.  Post 11 facts about myself.

2.  Answer the 11 questions posed by the nominator.

3.  Pass the love to 11 other bloggers

4.  Pose 11 new questions for the newly ‘loved’ to answer.

Part 1: 11 Facts

I’m needle-phobic but I like to sew. Go figure.

I love Wheat Thin crackers and cream cheese.

My favorite color is blue.

I prefer warm weather to cold weather.

I have 3 siblings.

The summer after I graduated from high school, I was a lifeguard.

My favorite number is 10.

I have a hard time remembering phone numbers… having a cell phone totally killed that talent.

I love playing board games.

I can’t stand the smell of beer or coffee.

I’d love to visit Europe someday.

Part 2: Answer Questions By Nominator

1. Why do you blog? I enjoy making things on Photoshop and I’m obsessed with talking about teaching.
2. Pet peeve? inefficiency
3. Name your best childhood memory Too many to narrow it down. Thank you Mom and Dad!
4. What is your comfort food? All things cheese.
5. Dogs or cats? Neither… sorry!
6. Name one item you cannot do without.  My contacts/glasses!
7. Biggest fear? Not being the person God knows I can become.
8. Mountains or the sea? Sea
9. Half-empty or half-full? Half full… optimism is critical to a happy and successful life.
10. Live to eat or eat to live? Eat to live
11. Favorite fictional character? Hermione Granger

I’d also like to thank Nerd in the Brain for nominating me for this same award! Here are my answers to their questions:

1.  If you could dance a jig with any fictional character, who would it be?  Charlie Brown & company. They’ve got great dance moves.

2.  Best movie soundtrack ever? Pirates of the Caribbean. Hands down.

3.  Your thoughts on dried pineapple? I don’t really even know if I’ve tried it, so I’m not sure.

4.  Have you ever fallen in love with a fictional character?  If so, who?  If not, what’s wrong with your crazy self? ;) Yes. Captain Shang in Disney’s Mulan is a total stud.

5.  Is there anything that you (intentionally) consume every single day? Water. (Deliciousness in a glass) and fruit, which I’m still working on.

6.  Tell us about your pets. 1 1/2 year old Beagle puppy named Toby.

7.  If you could instantly download any skill or knowledge (a language, musical instrument skills, kung fu, etc.) to your brain, what would you download? Patience, Chinese, Spanish and the ability to calculate stuff in my head.

8.  Your thoughts on your belly button? It’s been there my whole life.

9.  Salads – tasty treat or waste of chewing energy? Tasty (depending on what’s in them, I’m kinda picky).

10.  If you could live in the setting of any book, which book would it be?  I’m gonna choose the Bible. I’d love to have lived in Bethlehem at the time of the birth of Jesus Christ so I could go see Him.

11.  Zombies – deplorable brain eaters or misunderstood living-tissue challenged? Hmm. When the Apocalypse comes, I’ll let you know…

Part 3: Nominate Other Blogs

Crafty Creations with Kiley

Living Frugal And Fabulous

Mom’s Crazy Cooking

Living Life Purely

Cooking This And That

Frugal Makes Cents

Three Ladybugs Like to Play

Wallet Diet

I-Heart Baking

A Squared Creations

Fake it Frugal

Part 4: New Questions

  1. Last song stuck in your head?
  2. Prefer to drive or be a passenger?
  3. 1 food you dislike?
  4. Better to contact you by email or phone?
  5. Favorite holiday?
  6. Ever run away from home as a kid?
  7. One pursuit you gave up but wish you hadn’t?
  8. Least favorite household chore?
  9. Language you wish you could speak?
  10. 3 things you’d change about yourself?
  11. 1 word to describe your life right now?

Liebster Award… Feelin’ Loved!

liebster award

A big hug and a thank you to Miss Scarlett at Miss Scarlett Teaches and Learns for nominating Squarehead Teachers for a Liebster Award!

 The Liebster rules:

1.  Post 11 facts about myself.

2.  Answer the 11 questions posed by the nominator.

3.  Pass the love to 11 other bloggers

4.  Pose 11 new questions for the newly ‘loved’ to answer.

 Part 1: 11 Facts

  1. My favorite TV show currently on air is Psych (I only watch Psych and Big Bang Theory).
  2. I prefer T-shirts and jeans to dressy clothes.
  3. My go-to store is the dollar store.
  4. I love Zumba!
  5. Every week, I mail a postcard to my grandpa.
  6. I don’t like the color salmon.
  7. My hubby and I met through a mutual friend who was on my coed intramural basketball team in college.
  8. I get cold really easily.
  9. My hubby and I were Smurfs for Halloween.
  10. Clear counters are happy counters. I prefer usable kitchen counter space to decorative stuff.
  11. I’ve lived in China, but never seen the Great Wall. (Sad, I know) We spent our travel money on the Philippines instead.

Part 2: Answer Questions By Nominator

1. Are you really you or an alias? Alias… “Lil’ Squarehead”

2. What is your favorite ever song and why? Oooh, dang. That’s a hard one- Maybe “Lucky” by Jason Mraz and Colbie Callait, since it’s “our song” (between my husband and I). We sing it together, even though I’m not a fabulous singer. And it expresses beautifully how lucky I feel to have my hubby!

3. If you could change one event in history what would it be and why? Hmmm… can I say all the small moments of pain brought to this world by selfishness and pride. I know it’s not technically an event in and of itself, but I’d like to change that… get rid of it.

4. What is the scariest experience you’ve ever had? I get scared easily. I’m jumpy and my husband knows it… so he likes to startle me and then laugh. Basically, my hubby provides tons of 3 second scary experiences all the time.

5. Should I go for the lost love or remain true to my comfortable love? I believe you should choose your love and then love your choice. Loyalty is a big part of love in my book.

6. What’s your opinion on human rights? We’re all children of God and we should treat each other as such.

7. Dogs or cats? Neither… sorry! I prefer people!

8. Is there ever ‘necessary evil’? Yes, there will always be opposition (including evil and righteousness), but just because it exists doesn’t mean we should choose or tolerate it.

9. What do you hate most about yourself and why? Sometimes, I’m quick to judge. I need to work on that.

10. What do you love most about yourself? I try to encourage others. Everyone needs a cheerleader.

11. Scrunch or fold? Scrunch

Part 3: Nominate Other Blogs

Successful Teaching

Kathie Cooks

Doodle Bugs

Happy Home

Creating & Teaching

Youth Sports Parents

The Autism Helper

My Home For The Holidays

Just Wild About Teaching

Game4Learning

Post Departum Depression

Part 4: New Questions

  1. White bedroom walls or color?
  2. If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to?
  3. Your lifestyle best matches the lifestyle of what animal?
  4. What would you name the autobiography of your life?
  5. What’s the last movie you saw in theaters?
  6. What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life?
  7. What does your favorite T-shirt look like?
  8. What do you miss most about being a kid?
  9. Which do you prefer: chocolate, strawberry or vanilla ice cream?
  10. If you could switch lives with anyone for a day, who would you switch with? Why?
  11. What’s one quote/saying that had greatly impacted your life?

 

 

Liebster Award!

liebster-blog-award

(Liebster = sweetheart, beloved person, darling).

A huge thank you to Kelly at Free Little Words for nominating Squarehead Teachers for the Liebster Award. In my humble opinion, every teacher is a liebster. Thank you teachers!

The Liebster duties:

1.  Post 11 facts about myself.

2.  Answer the 11 questions posed by the nominator.

3.  Pass the love to 11 other bloggers &

4.  Pose 11 new questions for the newly ‘loved’ to answer.

Part 1: 11 Facts

  1. I’m 5’ 11” tall.
  2. My husband has dimples.
  3. When I’m in the passenger’s seat giving directions, I often confuse right and left (must be the stress of navigating!)
  4. My nails are always painted a bright color (all done by yours truly, of course. I’m broke.)
  5. I love scented candles!
  6. I’m obsessed with my planner. I take it with me everywhere!
  7. I thought the computer animated kids movie, Madagascar 3, was hilarious!
  8. My favorite number is 10 (since it’s the easiest number to work with).
  9. Not a fan of carbonated beverages.
  10. I love Gerbera daisies! They’re the happiest flower!
  11. My sock drawer doesn’t contain a single pair of plain white socks. They’re all bright colors and patterns.

Part 2: Answer Questions By Nominator

Toilet paper over or under and are you a scruncher or a folder? Over. Always. Umm… scruncher?

Are you a cat or dog person? Neither… sorry!

What chore do you absolutely hate doing? Cleaning out drains, especially the shower drain. Yuck!

If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be and why? Oooh! TOUGH question. Not sure, but definitely an age after I’m married to my husband.

What is something you learned in the last week? How to correctly pitch a baseball.

Which celebrity do you get mistaken for? Taylor Swift.

What’s one thing your parent/s did that you swore you would never repeat with your own children and you have followed through with? Hmm… nothing comes to mind. Guess I had awesome parents. Sorry!

If you could have a room full of any one thing, what would it be? Peace and quiet.

What do you value most in other people? Christ-like character.

If you could only see the world in black and white plus one other colour, what colour would you choose? Dang, this one’s hard too! My first instinct is to say blue, since it’s my favorite color, but that might make me feel cold all the time.

Do you believe ‘half the fun is getting there’? Yes. Attitude determines altitude.

Part 3: Nominate Other Blogs

Do It Yourself Divas

Crazy Busta-Movin’ McCoys

The Fun, Cheap or Free Queen

Adventures of a Future Teacher 

Latter-day Chatter

Rockstar Diaries

The Pioneer Woman

The Mormon Worker

Confessions of a Homeschooler

Johnny Jet

Beginners Photography Blog

Part 4: New Questions

  1. What is your default cell phone ringtone?
  2. If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to?
  3. If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?
  4. What would you name the autobiography of your life?
  5. Describe yourself in 5 words.
  6. What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life?
  7. Have you ever won anything (contests, radio prizes, etc.)?
  8. What do you miss most about being a kid?
  9. Are you proficient with chopsticks?
  10. If you could switch lives with anyone for a day, who would you switch with? Why?
  11. What expression/phrase do you say the most?

The Library of Congress Can Help You!

The Library of Congress offers classroom materials and professional development to help teachers effectively use primary sources from the Library’s vast digital collections in their teaching. 

You can also find Library of Congress lesson plans and more that meet Common Core standards, state content standards, and the standards of national organizations. Awesome, right!?

Here’s the website: http://www.loc.gov/teachers/

“Now Turn To Your Partner And…”

Many, many activities in today’s classrooms involve partner/group work. But you don’t want kids to work with the same partner/group every time. So you need methods for grouping kids in a variety of ways. Below are a variety of table mats that teachers have used so that they can easily group kids by number, color, letter, etc.

P1030242 top

P1030268

This kindergarten teacher used masking tape to give each student space at the desk (and the tape holds down her partner sheet).

P1030242 bottom P1030243 P1030254

table mat

What are some fun Spirit Week Days you’ve seen/heard of?

Many schools have a spirit week with themed days like wacky hair day, PJ day, etc. What are some days your school has done or that you’ve heard of?

 

(thanks in advance for your ideas!) 

This Would Only Happen to a Kid…

I was in an elementary school nurse’s office the other day. A tiny girl standing against the wall accidentally scooted under the automatic hand sanitizer dispenser… yup. The machine squirted foam on her head! A little white dollop of foam on her cute little red head. I was trying SO hard not to crack up laughing!!!