The End of Year Party

By Marianne Winters

Story 5

49

The summer vacations were coming. Grade 4 was planning a party to celebrate the end of the school year. Miss Torres asked her students, ‘What type of party do you want?’ The students had different ideas. ‘I want a dancing party,’ said Alicia. ‘with music and a DJ! And with cakes and cookies!’

‘I’d like a party with games and prizes,’ said Gerardo. ‘I’d like a party with a magician,’ said Laura. ‘We want a painting party,’ said Katrina and Jaime. ‘OK’ said Miss Torres. ‘Let’s start planning! But first, we need to write a letter to your parents. We need their help!

So Miss Torres and the children wrote a letter. It said:

Dear parents, We are having an end-of-year-party on the last Friday of the semester. Could you help us? Could you send ________________ with your child on the day. Thank you very much!

Grade 4 and Miss Torres.

Then the children filled in the space in the letter with all the types of food and drink they wanted for the party. They asked for sandwiches, potato chips, fruit, lemonade, bottles of water, and cookies. They also asked for a big strawberry cake. Alicia said her Mom was a very good cake-maker. She said her Mom would be happy to make a cake. So the letter asking for cake went to Alicia’s mom.

Glossary

twist: (v.) to turn or bend into a curly shape. The day before the party, Miss Torres asked: ‘Can you help me decorate the classroom? Here are some rolls of crepe paper. Will you choose a color and twist the crepe paper like this.’ Of course, everyone wanted to help! When the crepe paper was ready, Miss Torres got out some sticky paper. ‘Can I help you with the sticky tape?’ asked Rodrigo. ‘Of course you can. Thank you,’ said Miss Torres.

It was the day of the party. The classroom was beautifully decorated. Alicia’s Mom arrived with an enormous strawberry cake. ‘Oh, it’s beautiful!’ said Miss Torres. ‘Do you want me to put it on the table over there?’ ‘Yes, please. That’s very kind of you!’ Just then, Mr Evia, the school caretaker, came in with the bean bag game board. ‘I have the Burst the Balloon board, too. Where do you want them?’ he asked.

Glossary caretaker: (n.) a person who looks after you or your things.

‘Could you put them there by the window? Thank you,’ said Miss Torres. ‘Children! It’s time to blow up balloons!’ Everyone blew up one balloon and then fixed them on the Burst the Balloon board.’ Now the games were ready. Glossary

burst: (v.) break open or apart suddenly and violently, especially as a result of an impact or internal pressure. ‘There’s a prize for anyone who gets the bean bag into the hole and for anyone who bursts two or more balloons!’ explained Gerardo.

Glossary

manage: (v.) to be in charge or be the leader of a project, a place or business.

Nobody managed to get the bean bag into the hole, but Max burst three balloons. He won a beach volleyball!

Soon it was time for Laura’s magic show. Among her tricks, she put a straw through the closed top of a plastic bottle! She made a spoon bend by just holding it between her fingers. For her last trick she put a coin on a piece of paper and folded the paper various times. When she opened the paper, there was no coin!

Everyone was very impressed and they couldn’t work out how she did it. Then it was time to dance.

‘Rodrigo, could you help me with these chairs? We need to move them,’ said Miss Torres.

‘Yes of course’, said Rodrigo. ‘And, do you want me to help with the music?’

‘No thanks, Rodrigo. Alicia is doing the music. She’s being the DJ today.’

For those who didn’t want to dance there was a painting corner and a painting competiton. Miss Torres had put out paints, a bowl full of daises and a pile of paper. The idea was to make flower prints. Miss Torres was the judge.

The finisehd prints were all on the table. Miss Torres looked at them once. Then she looked at them all again. She walked up and down trying to choose the winner.

Finally she said, ‘Guys, all these prints are so lovely that I can’t decide who the winner is! So here’s a lollipop for each of you! Well done!’ And with that she took out a large bag of lollipops and gave one to each child.

The dancers noticed the lollipops immediately. ‘Don’t worry! There’s a lollipop for you dancers too, because you all dance so well!’

Suddenly the children starting whispering and giggling. Miss Torres wondered what it was all about. Then Laura, Katrina, Rodrigo and Gerardo left the room. Miss Torres was just about to follow them to see what was going on, when they came back into the room. They were carrying a very large bouquet of flowers! Glossary

giggle: (v.) laugh lightly and repeatedly in a silly way.

‘This is for you Miss Torres,’ said Alicia. ‘Thank you very much for organizing our wonderful party!’ ‘Oh, thank you, everyone! And thank you for being wonderful students,’ said Miss Torres, wiping away a tear. ‘And now it’s time to have something to eat. Come on everyone! Who can help me serve the food?’ And afterwards, everyone agreed it was a great end-of-year party!

Bibliography

Eating Healthy

by: Valerie Bodden (Creative Paperbacks, 2015)

Eating Healthy

by: Valerie Bodden (Creative Paperbacks, 2015)

Charlotte´s Web

by: E.B. White, illustrated by: Garth Williams (HarperCollins, 2012)

Oh Rats! The Story of Rats and People

by: Albert Marrin, illustrated by: C.B Mordan (Puffin Books, 2014)

Horse Hooves and Chicken Feet: Mexican Folktales

by: Neil Philip, illustrated by Jacqueline Mair (Clarion Books, 2003)

Nombre

Grado

Escuela

Maestro (a)