Sunshine Radiating from California!

It was 85 degrees in California today... so it seems appropriate to be sending the Sunshine Award back out into the BlogWorld.

I am honored to have received this Award from:

The Corner on Character, 

A Teacher's Treasure,

Learning Ideas - Grades K-8, and

Jasztalville: Where Inquiry and Creativity Rules.

These are all blogs that I love, so I felt so SUNSHINEY inside to see my name on their list too! Thanks, Pals!  Your blogs inspire me daily!



Here's the truth:  I have become quite attached to my BlogFriends! (Don't tell my "local" friends, but I have "postponed" (didn't seem nice to say "avoided" ) them more than once to chat and "listen" to you!)

So here are the answers to the requisite questions...

Favorite color: Purple (a healing color for me--physically or emotionally, purple often sets things right in my world. My classroom has plenty of purple. I even have purple shoes!)

Favorite animal: Sloth. Not kidding. My second favorite animal is a manatee. Notice a trend... Slow moving, kinda chubby, blissfully unaware... oh, OOPS, I forgot I was describing an animal...

Favorite number: 17  I started teaching in Room 17. Now I teach in B17. At least I don't get lost (At school. I am OFTEN lost everywhere else I go)

Favorite drinks: VentiMochaNoWhip at Starbucks. I say it as one word. But I really do WANT whip. (See answer to the question about favorite animal for rationale...)

Facebook or Twitter: I can barely answer my cell phone. Sometimes I need help from my kids to work the technology in my classroom. I've tried both. I'd rather eat ice cream.

My passion: Trying to invent new ways to motivate and teach sixth graders who don't always want to learn. I keep thinking that  I will read enough, buy enough, find enough ideas (Thank you, Blog Friends!) to figure out the secret. I think I need to add blogging to my passion list too, because it makes me soooooo HAPPY!

Giving or receiving: Giving. Definitely. I feel awkward getting things. I'm always grateful, but I'm so graceless (and tardy) in expressing it. Giving is MUCH easier for me.

Favorite day: Saturdays. AHHHHHHHHH. Sleeping in. Big breakfasts. Extra coffee. No deadlines.   DARN! I'm writing this on a MONDAY!  BIG Sigh.

Now the nominating. This is difficult because the award has been passed around a few times. First, I would give it back to those who passed it on to me! (See paragraph two for some great places to visit!  LINK UP!)

Then I would add... in no particular order...
1. A Teeny Tiny Teacher (Always makes me laugh. A LOT. Anyone else want to bribe Kristin to come teach at YOUR school?! I'll start the bidding...)



2.  Oh Boy Fourth Grade (She cracks me up too! Completely original, that girl! Farley and Kristen together? We would need medical help from that much laughter! My sides hurt thinking of the possibilities)


3. Runde's Room (One of the first blogs I ever read! And the first person to link me to Pinterest! YAY, Jen! I have borrowed charts, art, AND math ideas from you!)



4. Sixth Grade Scott Foresman Reading Street Resources (Another of my first-ever-read blogs! So glad you're back, Shannon!)



5. Cardigans and Curriculum (Dear Casey appreciates social studies like Jen Runde and I do! Great site!)



6. Teaching My Friends (This blog is terrific. I keep having to print the posts because there is so much information. Soooo Organized. So inspiring!)



7. Life in 4B. (Miss Bongers teaches fourth graders... but my sixth graders would be so lucky to have her stop by! I love to see those little papers taped in the notebooks--along with the great stuff that always follows!)


8. Miss Klohn's Classroom (So excited that another 6th grade teacher knows how I feel!  Check out Katie's colorful library and her new blog look!)



9.  Fourth Grade Frolics (Tara writes from her heart--Just like Barbara from the Corner!  A sweet blogger with a new blog look--and it's partly purple!)



10.Multi-Grade Matters: Ideas for a Split Grade (I continue to great wonderful math ideas here.  Lots of interesting posts from Deborah!)



The sun is setting here, but it's still warm.  Sending warm thoughts to anyone who made it to the bottom of this post (and to those who made it partway too!)

Now... it's time for me to link up with some blogs to help me fill in the rest of my plan book for tomorrow!   JOY!