"How many of you make your own lunches?" Miss Shelly asked.
Ethan, Bobby, Jason, Izzie, and Nina sat on the rug.
It was another day of Kids Central.
Nina spoke up.
"I don't, but my mom wishes I did."
"Well, today you will make a sandwich by yourself," Miss Shelly said.
"You can bring it to school tomorrow for lunch."
Jason smiled. That would make his busy parents happy!
"We have ingredients here to make tuna or egg salad sandwiches.
Decide which one you want to make," Miss Shelly said.
Nina and Ethan chose tuna salad.
Jason, Bobby, and Izzie chose egg salad.
"Egg salad makers, you have to boil your eggs.
So place your eggs in a pot of water.
I'll turn on the burner," Miss Shelly said.
"Let's mix the mayonnaise now," Izzie said.
"While we wait."
"Good idea." Bobby nodded and reached for the mayonnaise.
"Mix mayonnaise with mustard," Jason read.
"And here are the chopped cucumbers," Izzie said.
"Tuna salad makers," Miss Shelly said.
"You need to open your cans."
Ethan picked up a can opener and placed it on the can.
Twist, twist, twist. He opened his can.
"How'd you do that?" Nina asked.
"I turned the handle, but nothing happened!"
"Maybe the blade didn't cut through the metal," Ethan said.
"Squeeze the handles shut, like this."
Ethan showed her how.
"Thanks." Nina smiled.
"Now we drain the tuna and mix the mayonnaise with salt and cucumber."
"The eggs are ready!
Time to peel and chop," Bobby said.
Miss Shelly nodded. "You peel, I'll cut."
"No, we'll chop them,"
Jason said, reaching for the knife.
"We're supposed to make lunch by ourselves."
"Be careful, Jason," Miss Shelly warned.
She watched him chop an egg.
"You know, getting help is still okay sometimes," she added.
The egg salad makers mixed their eggs with their mayonnaise.
The tuna salad makers mixed their tuna with their mayonnaise.
"We're ready to make sandwiches!" the two groups cried at the same time.
Miss Shelly laughed. "Good work, chefs!"
The kids spread their salads onto pieces of bread.
Then they put another piece of bread on top.
"Now we'll wrap your sandwiches.
You can bring them for lunch tomorrow!"
Miss Shelly handed out sheets of paper.
"This is special paper.
It will keep your sandwiches fresh."
They folded the paper around the sandwiches.
But Jason was having trouble.
"Mine doesn't work!" he said.
"Can I help you, Jason?" Miss Shelly asked. Jason nodded.
"Try putting your sandwich in the center of the paper," she said.
When it was time to go home, Jason ran to his mom.
"I made my lunch for tomorrow. All by myself!"
He looked at his teacher.
"But Miss Shelly helped," he added.
"Sometimes a little help is okay."
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