What a Difference a Year Makes! (Compare/Contrast Homework)

Slowly, Mrs. Phillips, read off the names the Literary Pumpkin winners. Miss Lipsky's fifth grade class held their breath as she announced "Ok Drivers and Crew Chiefs, that's all the winners this year! See you back at the racetrack for the carnival!"

"We didn't win?" asked Brandon.

"No, we didn't," replied Ana.

The students looked at each other surprised.

Last year, Miss Lipsky's fifth graders, made pumpkins based around a book-of-the-month called Train Song. They took three medium sized pumpkins and painted them to look like the engine, coal car, and caboose of a train. Ryan drew a picture of a conductor that was placed on the engine and Tia drew passengers sitting in the caboose. Many students got to help glue on all the tiny, black beads that made the "coal" on the coal car.

When Miss Lipsky and Mrs. Matthews triumphantly brought the pumpkins downstairs to the lobby they found that they had been misinformed about the pumpkin decorating contest. This wasn't a small event, this was a pumpkin extravaganza! They saw a stack of turtles representing the Dr. Seuss classic, Yurtle the Turtle. Mrs. Lehane's fifth grade class had made the entire cast of Agatha's Featherbed, complete with old Agatha lying in her bed and covered by a patchwork quilt! The three pumpkins Miss Lipsky and Mrs. Matthews held began to look small and insignificant next to all the beautiful displays. They decided that next year they would work even harder to create an amazing pumpkin show like everyone else!

This year Miss Lipsky has three English and Language arts classes (one more than she had last year). The three classes spent time brain storming what book they should use for the Literary Pumpkin Project. Miss Lipsky finally decided on Jimmy Zangwow's out of this World Moon Pie Adventure. The students were excited when Miss Lipsky exclaimed "We can each make a tiny martian like the ones in the book and we can eat moon pies!!" The students worked hard decorating their pumpkins. Slowly, they began to look like the main characters in the book and the tiny martians. When Miss Lipsky and Mrs. Matthews brought the pumpkins to the lobby, it took four trips to get them all downstairs in Mrs. Lehane's red wagon!

After putting all the pumpkins in their spots the two teachers surveyed the lobby. This year's pumpkins were even better than last years! They knew they'd be lucky to win a prize over any of the other pumpkins.

"Good afternoon, imagineers and dreamers, I'd like to read off the names of the Literary Pumpkin winners" Mrs. Phillips' voice came over the loud speaker. Miss Lipsky's third period class sat silently listening to the names being read. Down the hall Miss Lipsky's homeroom sat quietly in Mrs. Sterling's classroom, while second period tried to contain their excitement in Mr. Ruark's room.

"And the winner for Most Creative is Miss Lipsky, Mrs. Matthews, Mrs. Shannon, Mrs. Phillips, and Mr. Pinchots' homerooms!"

Miss Lipsky winked at Mrs. Matthews, "Told you we'd win" she said.

P.S. Thank You Miss Emma for finding all of our spelling and grammar errors :)