Is Your Muffin Buttered?

You would think that being the big Mean Girls fan that I am, I would have expected the backlash that I received after sending out an email to our entire staff requesting judges for the MUFFIN MADNESS contest that we held in the FACS department. 

I did not.  But it sure came.

First let me tell you about the super awesome and incredibly fun activity that we did as a class.  The kids have been learning about quick breads so we decided to have a fun competition to go along with March Madness... and Muffin Madness was born. 

The kids started out with a basic muffin recipe.  They were allowed to do 3 add-ins, flavorings, or spices.  Then they had to make 1 substitution to make the muffin healthier.  Lastly, they had to name their muffin. 

The kids got so into it.  They loved it.  And surprisingly, the muffins turned out really well! 

Then we made a bracket:

Bracketology.

My classes went up against each other:

The Gibson Division.

Note: when students name their muffin BAM and tell you that it stands for Blueberry Awesome Muffin, it does not in fact stand for that.  It stands for something much less school appropriate.

My teaching partner's kids all went up against each other:

The Bean Division.

Note:  do not put gummy worms in the oven... even if it leads to a hilarious muffin name like The Wormanizer.  Lesson learned*.

And yes, one of her teams named their muffin Why Do You Care?

Then the winners from my classes went up against the winners of her classes and... the Muffin Madness Champion was crowned!!!  They were from my group... duh.  My kids are winners.

The winning group asked for their prize that they be allowed to come into my room during study hall to make more muffins.  I almost cried out of pride.  I'm almost crying now just remembering how happy this made me.  I love my kids.

I also love my co-workers... even despite the hazing I received after announcing our need for judges to taste-test muffins.  I received many the inappropriate comment... and someone went so far as to write a play-by-play of the championship game where the Beavers were up against the Tacos.  It was horrifyingly descriptive.

Then I started receiving what I imagine were the Google Image results of searching Taco Muffin.

The school secretary assures me that people giving me a hard time means that they like me. 

These people must freaking love me.

Regardless, I will be doing Muffin Madness every March from here on out.  The kids loved it way too much not to.  I'll just have to assign someone to butter the muffins.


*Seems like we should have already assumed this.