This morning, our Universal Screen Team jumped right back into week two of testing. I wrote about stories that emerged from week one of testing last week. Today’s edition was too cute not to share.

As I pulled up my testing screen, I made small talk with first grade A sitting next to me. “How was your long weekend?” I asked. “Did you do anything fun?”

She proceeded to tell me about skiing. On day two, she was signed up for a full day of lessons but the instructor only let them go down the magic carpet. Never having skied myself, I inferred that this wasn’t great. “So my mom picked us up for lunch and I went on the lift for the first time ever.”

“That sounds like a story you need to write!” I said.

“I already did. For weekend news this morning,” she replied matter-of-factly.

Later in the morning, as I walked B. back to my testing table, I asked her a similar question about her weekend. She too went skiing. “I went down the black diamond!” she announced.

“Amazing!” I replied. “That sounds like a story you need to write.”

“I did…”

“For weekend news?” I asked.

B. nodded.

One of my last first graders of the day was C. I noticed his Eagles sweatshirt. I asked if he knew that Ms. Messler, our principal, was an Eagles fan. He nodded.

“So is Santa,” he said.

“Who?” I asked, not sure I heard correctly.

C went on to tell me that his elf had delivered Eagles gear and let his family know that Santa rooted for the Eagles, too.

This morning,I got glimpses into several first graders’ mathematical brains. I also learned that these kids are having amazing adventures, living like writers, and I now know Santa’s football team. Not bad for the day back from a long weekend.