Third Grade. Knitting. Doors Locked? Don't Forget Your Keys.

In through the front door,

Around the back,

Peek through the window,

Off pops Jack.

"Good, you guys are doing great! Ok, one more time..." I use a metered chant to speak to the small group of 8 year old girls and boys balanced on the edges of their blue chairs, rather uncharacteristically focused. They quietly sit, tongues firmly between their teeth, haltingly repeating this new rhyme as they attempt to make yarn and needles do what their brains bid them to do. Suddenly a ball of red yarn sails through the air landing between the legs of two chairs and rolls, bump!, into the bright yellow bookcase in our classroom. Following the yarn back to its source, I look at her, with her mop of blonde hair shaking, cheeks red, and two needles clenched in one sweaty palm. The colt-like little girl looks up with fire in her eyes and exclaims, " gggrrrrr, MS. JAAAAAACCCCQQQUUESSS, THE FRONT DOOR IS LOCKED! Do you have a key?" *sigh* I smile, and say, "Yes dear, I certainly do have a key. Needles at the ready - that's right, working yarn is on the right needle, remember? Good, let me show you how this works." wonderful = third grade. knitting. doors locked? don't forget your keys. - jj