End-of-Year Smiles

I'm finally slowing down.

And have two good "happies" for the end of another school year.

Happy Number One.
I was teaching 2nd graders homographs (if you need a reminder...same spelling, different pronunciations/meanings, such as "present" and "present"). We're going through a few examples and I start a discussion with the word "dove." First pronunciation and meaning? A student responds with the long-o form and gives the sentence, "I dove into the water." Great, says I. What about the other form? It is pronounced correctly. Very nice - and the meaning?

Enthusiastic Female Student: It's a body wash!

Me: (stifling a giggle) Well...yes...but what is...another meaning of the word "dove"?

Lightbulb Male Student: Ohhhh. It's chocolate candy.

Happy Number Two.
Thanks to a generous stay in one classroom, I was able to read most of Charlotte's Web aloud to the same group of 2nd graders. I couldn't help but re-enjoy these particular excerpts and thought it was worth reminding others of you who haven't picked up an E.B. White in awhile...

From Chapter XIV: Dr. Dorian

"Have you heard about the words that appeared in the spider's web?" asked Mrs. Arable nervously.
"Yes," replied the doctor.
"Well, do you understand it?" asked Mrs. Arable.
"Understand what?"
"Do you understand how there could be any writing in a spider's web?"
"Oh, no," said Dr. Dorian. "I don't understand it. But for that matter I don't understand how a spider learned to spin a web in the first place. When the words appeared, everyone said they were a miracle. But nobody pointed out that the web itself is a miracle."
"What's miraculous about a spider's web" said Mrs. Arable. "I don't see why you say a web is a miracle - it's just a web."
"Ever try to spin one?" asked Dr. Dorian.
"No," she replied. "But I can crochet a doily and I can knit a sock."
"Sure," said the doctor. "But somebody taught you, didn't they?"
"My mother taught me."
"Well, who taught a spider? A young spider knows how to spin a web without any instructions from anybody. Don't you regard that as a miracle?"
"I suppose so," said Mrs. Arable. "I never looked at it that way before. Still, I don't understand it, and I don't like what I can't understand."
"None of us do," said Dr. Dorian, sighing...

Mrs. Arable fidgeted. "Fern says that animals talk to her. Dr. Dorian, do you believe animals talk?"
"I never heard one saying anything," he replied. "But that proves nothing. It is quite possible that an animal has spoken civilly to me and that I didn't catch the remark because I wasn't paying attention. Children pay better attention that grownups..."