Brainstorming with kids at USA

No More Lollipop Language
© Jeyanthi Manokaran

“Here’s our vocabulary list for today,” says Mrs. Thaney holding up a chart. The
list snakes down to the floor and goes on and on. The Sensational Second Graders, love
Terrific Mrs. T and her fun ways of teaching to read and write.
But right now, no one’s looking at her vocabulary list.
“Mrs. T,” says Jake in a stage whisper, “there’s a Giant Marshmallow …”
“…and it’s moving in your pocket!” finishes Neha, jumping up and down like a rubber ball.

Bursting into peels of laughter, the class gathers around their teacher. A
blubbery white thing hops and rolled out of Mrs. T’s pocket. A single eye peers at them from a drooping feeler.

“It’s my new pet,” she explains as the Moving Marshmallow puffs up, morphing into new shapes and colors. It springs and bounces around the children who move away as they squeal in alarm.
“I call him Zippy since he’s so full of energy. He jumped out of a pit in my backyard, but he’s quite harmless, you know,” explains Mrs. T. “I brought Zippy to school because all he talks is Lollipop Language.”

“rabada-looma kimoda-goop!” agrees Zippy
“rabada-looma kimoda-goop!” chorus the children much to Mrs. T’s dismay.
“Adi-palova pushkie-indory-zane!” tries Zipp
“Adi-polova pushkie-indory-zane!” echo the Second Graders merrily.

“That’s enough!” Mrs. T silences them firmly, “There’ll be no more Lollipop
Language in class!” she decides. “The best way for Zippy to learn and remember words
in English, is to experience it.”

She snaps her fingers, claps her hands and taps her feet. Presto! Their classroom turns into a rickety wooden roller coaster with a glass roof that snaps into place. Jiggajik-jik, jiggajik-jik goes the roller coaster. Before they know it, the Sensational Second Graders led by Terrific Mrs. T are rumbling through the clouds.

Zippy zooms along with them, soaring into outer space. He bobs up and down, thrilled with the speed, picking up new words from the kids as they sing…
“Hey Zippy! Learn about the stars,
Galaxies, the moon and sun,
Saturn, Jupiter and Mars,
Meteors are a lot of fun.”

Jiggajik-jik, jiggajik-jik rumbles the roller coaster. All of a sudden, it changes
direction and plunges down into a dark abyss. Whoooops! Before they know it, they
are floating slowly underwater. They glide from left to right and suddenly plummet down, down, down!
“Yahoo!” squeal the Second Graders.
“Ooooh!” mimicks Zippy.

“Zipp will learn if he behaves,
dolphins, octopus and fishes,
Coral, seaweed, salty waves,
Crabs and turtles if he wishes.”
The roller coaster roars through a tidal wave. It surges out of the sea doing a loop-the-loop. Jiggajik-jik, jiggajik-jik.

“Hold on tight!” orders Mrs. T.
“We’re falling! Somebody help!” scream the Second Graders.
“Nobody help!” said Zippy.
The roller coaster zig-zags on to a high mountain peak.
“Craggy cliffs and mountain goats,
Hikers, skiers in the snow,
Bears and yaks with shaggy coats,
There’s a lot that Zipp should know.”

Terrific Mrs. T snaps her fingers, claps her hands and taps her feet. The
roller coaster turns into their classroom again.
“There are important words Zippy should know in our classroom,” suggests
Mrs. T “What could they be?”
“Books and a black board,
Words and ideas too,
Desks and computers,
Lots to learn and do.”

The Sensational Second Graders clamor to extend the vocabulary list. Mrs. T
whistles for Zippy to bounce back into her pocket. The bell rings. There’s time
tomorrow for an exciting new vocabulary list. Lollipop Language is forgotten.