Laugh Lines March 2007

Matter of Fact
I once served as a substitute teacher in a first-grade class. The coteacher proceeded to explain fact families to the students. As she wrote each equation on the board, she said, "4+3=7, 3+4=7, 7-4=3 and 7-3=4. We call this a fact family because all of the facts are related." She continued with her second example: "3+3=6 and 6-3=3. There are four family members in the first example, but only two members in the second one. Why do you think the second family has only two members?" A student replied, "Because they didn't want to have any children."
Donna M. Maye
Ellenwood, GA

Civilians in Space
My preschoolers were studying about the moon and we were making a rubbing on a circle to make our circle look like it had craters. I asked the students if they thought it would be neat to be able to go to the moon. Sammy raised his hand and said, "My mom has been to the moon!" I told him that I didn't think so, because very few people have been to the moon and she wasn't an astronaut, so I didn't think she had been yet. Sammy was very insistent and wouldn't give in. Finally, I asked him what made him think that his mother and been to the moon. With his face beaming, he said, "Because my mom and dad went on a honeymoon!"
Marcia Helten
Wichita, KS

Apologies to Mary Todd
One of my kindergarten projects for President's Day is to color the interior of a paper log house to depict Abraham Lincoln's early years in Indiana. The children each receive a paper penny to glue at one end of a long table in the picture, and they are encouraged to add other characters around the table. Then the students are each asked who is joining Abraham Lincoln at his table. One very artistic child was happy to share who the person at the opposite end of the table was: "Sitting with Abraham Lincoln is Mrs. Ham Lincoln."
Mary Martin
Kouts, IN

Making the Grade
I was working with three second-grade boys. One boy was upset because he received a C on an assignment. The other two boys were trying to make him feel better. One boy said that his sister got an F already and then the other boy said, "Yeah, well my older brother got a V-minus once!"
Leatha Hopperdietzel
Abbotsford, WI

Just-Right Response
I'm a library media specialist and it's always an adventure when the kindergartners check out books. This day, Tyler was patiently waiting in line when I noticed he had a chapter book. I suggested he select another book because this one was too hard. He went back to the shelves. He returned with a picture book but it was not appropriate for a kindergartner, so once again, in my kindest librarian way, I said, "Tyler, this book is too hard, too." Together we decided on just the right book. As Tyler waited to check out the book, he looked at me and said, "Miss T. this book is hard too, see?" as he rapped on the cover with his knuckles. Tyler had the last word and we all had a good laugh.
Jo Sorrell
Boone, NC

March, 2007, Vol.37, No.6