Jason was swimming away from a great white shark when someone tapped him on the shoulder.
"Jason," Miss Shelly said.
"I've warned you about video games in Kids Central . . ."
"Sorry, Miss Shelly," Jason mumbled.
He looked down and saw himself get eaten by the shark.
"Did everyone bring in a plastic garbage bag and a newspaper?" Miss Shelly asked the kids.
"Yes. But what are they for?" Nina wanted to know.
"It's a surprise," Miss Shelly said, her eyes twinkling.
"Everyone, grab two paint pens and a ruler from the table.
Toss them in your bags and follow me outside!"
Miss Shelly led the class to the picnic tables on the playground.
"We're lucky we have these tables.
But what if we wanted to sit under that tree over there?
Or in a park that doesn't have tables?"
The kids stared at her.
"The ground is all wet," Miss Shelly hinted.
"We'd get all wet," Bobby said.
"We'd need something to sit on!" Izzie burst out.
"Yes! We'd need something like a sit-upon!" Miss Shelly said.
"Today we're going to make sit-upons.
Take everything out of your bag except for the newspaper.
First we have to cut your garbage bags to make them smaller.
Let your newspaper slide all the way to the bottom of the bag.
Measure about ten centimeters from the end of the newspaper.
Then cut off the open end of the bag."
Miss Shelly handed out scissors.
"Measure," Bobby said, placing a ruler on his bag.
"Cut," Nina said, cutting her bag.
"Perfect!" Izzie said, holding up her bag.
"Now fold the loose side, like you're wrapping a present.
Then tape the end with duct tape.
Be careful. Duct tape is very sticky!"
Jason sat with his arms crossed, looking unhappy.
"What's the matter, Jason?" Miss Shelly asked.
"I don't like this craft," he said grumpily.
"Why not?" Miss Shelly frowned.
"My mom gave me a pink garbage bag!
I hate pink!"
Jason pushed his bag away from him.
"Oh, Jason. Pink is a great color.
But if you want a different bag . . . Let's see . . .
Does anyone want to trade bags with Jason?"
"I do!" Izzie jumped up. "I love pink!"
"Thank you, Izzie.
What color is your bag?" Miss Shelly asked.
"Gray. Is that okay?" Izzie looked at Jason.
"Gray is my favorite color." Jason grinned.
"Problem solved. Now everyone is going to paint their sit-upons!"
Miss Shelly turned to the other kids.
"Use your paint pens to decorate your sit-upon any way you'd like!
Make sure to put your name on it.
Then you're all done!"
"Wow, Jason. That's cool," Izzie said.
Jason had drawn a great white shark on his sit-upon.
"Thanks. I guess it's okay.
But it would have looked dumb on a pink bag!" he said.
[caption_out@