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Mrs. Bailey’s 4B

There’s Gotta Be a Better Story by Mrs. Bailey Friday morning I was waiting in the Gathering Area for the 4-B Kids. I wanted to see their reaction when they saw my face – scratches on my nose, a bruise on my cheek, a big fat lip. I didn’t tell them what had happened. We had a common start for a story, and I asked them to imagine what the story might be and sent them to their computers to write it. Enjoy their stories; you’ll find my real story at the end.


One Icy Night by Ayla Baer One icy night Mrs. Bailey was drinking hot cocoa and looking out of her window at all of the trees covered in snow. She was getting all dressed in her snow stuff to go shovel her sidewalk. When she walked out of her house she said, “Oh, my! It’s icy!” She was walking to get the shovel, and she fell. She went into the house to see what had happened to her: her glasses were broken; her knee was bleeding, and her face had scratches all over it. She was so sore.


The Pup Attack by Aiden Gail Reese I asked Mrs. Bailey, “What happened to you?” She said she would tell us when we were in the Gathering Area. She told us she has a bloody knee and a big fat lip – and scratches on her glasses. Obviously. She told us that she was lying on the couch when the pup Sky just ran up to her and jumped on her. Mrs. Bailey forgot to clip Sky’s toenails so Sky accidentally scraped Mrs. Bailey. It wasn’t too bad. Sky bumped Mrs. Bailey in the head with her head. That gave Mrs. Bailey a bruise on her cheek. Sky went away and then came back and accidentally scratched Mrs. Bailey’s glasses, which are usually kind of dirty anyway.


The Fall by Elly Fogt One cold winter school night, Mrs. Bailey was cleaning her basement. She was taking totes up and down her stairs. On her third trip down, she fell down the stairs. She scratched her glasses, got a bloody lip, a bruised cheek, a bruised knee, and a red mark down her nose. “BRUCE! HELP! I’VE FALLEN AND I CAN’T GET UP!” Mrs. Bailey screamed from the basement. “I’m coming, Pattie! Hold on. I’ll be right there,” said Bruce as he was getting out of his chair. Bruce went down the stairs and said, “What on earth happened to you?” “I was bringing down my laundry, and a piece of clothing fell from the basket. I slipped on it and fell down the stairs,” she said. As Bruce was lifting her up, he asked, “Are you all right?” “I guess I’m all right. Not my glasses though,” Mrs. Bailey said with a sigh.


The Real, Boring Story by Mrs. Bailey My tale, the real story, is less exciting than those created by the 4-B Kids. I stumbled. I fell. I face-planted. Just that. No ice. No dogs. No basement stairs. Leaving school, I was in a hurry, as always – errands to run, pick up Avery, get to Lauren’s game. I could taste blood; my lip was swelled, and I checked for my teeth. There was blood on my nose. My big fat book bag, perhaps, softened the fall. My glasses are usually dirty so I didn’t notice the scratches until Mrs. Leverton, who had come to my assistance, told me. Earlier that day, during my prep, I had gone to the high school. Pam had let me know that our Big Blue Bucket was full of pop-tabs so I yook an empty Bucket to make the exchange. Had I stumbled and fallen then, spilling a 5-gallon Bucket of pop tabs, THAT would have been a better story!

Mrs. Bailey’s 4B

There’s Gotta Be a Better Story by Mrs. Bailey Friday morning I was waiting in the Gathering Area for the 4-B Kids. I wanted to see their reaction when they saw my face – scratches on my nose, a bruise on my cheek, a big fat lip. I didn’t tell them what had happened. We had a common start for a story, and I asked them to imagine what the story might be and sent them to their computers to write it. Enjoy their stories; you’ll find my real story at the end.


One Icy Night by Ayla Baer One icy night Mrs. Bailey was drinking hot cocoa and looking out of her window at all of the trees covered in snow. She was getting all dressed in her snow stuff to go shovel her sidewalk. When she walked out of her house she said, “Oh, my! It’s icy!” She was walking to get the shovel, and she fell. She went into the house to see what had happened to her: her glasses were broken; her knee was bleeding, and her face had scratches all over it. She was so sore.


The Pup Attack by Aiden Gail Reese I asked Mrs. Bailey, “What happened to you?” She said she would tell us when we were in the Gathering Area. She told us she has a bloody knee and a big fat lip – and scratches on her glasses. Obviously. She told us that she was lying on the couch when the pup Sky just ran up to her and jumped on her. Mrs. Bailey forgot to clip Sky’s toenails so Sky accidentally scraped Mrs. Bailey. It wasn’t too bad. Sky bumped Mrs. Bailey in the head with her head. That gave Mrs. Bailey a bruise on her cheek. Sky went away and then came back and accidentally scratched Mrs. Bailey’s glasses, which are usually kind of dirty anyway.


The Fall by Elly Fogt One cold winter school night, Mrs. Bailey was cleaning her basement. She was taking totes up and down her stairs. On her third trip down, she fell down the stairs. She scratched her glasses, got a bloody lip, a bruised cheek, a bruised knee, and a red mark down her nose. “BRUCE! HELP! I’VE FALLEN AND I CAN’T GET UP!” Mrs. Bailey screamed from the basement. “I’m coming, Pattie! Hold on. I’ll be right there,” said Bruce as he was getting out of his chair. Bruce went down the stairs and said, “What on earth happened to you?” “I was bringing down my laundry, and a piece of clothing fell from the basket. I slipped on it and fell down the stairs,” she said. As Bruce was lifting her up, he asked, “Are you all right?” “I guess I’m all right. Not my glasses though,” Mrs. Bailey said with a sigh.


The Real, Boring Story by Mrs. Bailey My tale, the real story, is less exciting than those created by the 4-B Kids. I stumbled. I fell. I face-planted. Just that. No ice. No dogs. No basement stairs. Leaving school, I was in a hurry, as always – errands to run, pick up Avery, get to Lauren’s game. I could taste blood; my lip was swelled, and I checked for my teeth. There was blood on my nose. My big fat book bag, perhaps, softened the fall. My glasses are usually dirty so I didn’t notice the scratches until Mrs. Leverton, who had come to my assistance, told me. Earlier that day, during my prep, I had gone to the high school. Pam had let me know that our Big Blue Bucket was full of pop-tabs so I yook an empty Bucket to make the exchange. Had I stumbled and fallen then, spilling a 5-gallon Bucket of pop tabs, THAT would have been a better story!