Counting to 100
Leticia walked into the kitchen and washed her hands for dinner.
“What have you been up to?” her father asked.
“I’ve been counting. I need to know what I have 100 of,” Leticia said.
“I have 119 stickers, 106 pennies, but only 74 crayons.”
“Why do you need 100 things?” her father asked.
“Tuesday is the 100th day of school,” Leticia said. “As a 100th day project, everyone needs to bring 100 of something.”
“The whole family can help you with your project,” her father said. “But first we need to eat dinner. Fetch your brother and tell him it’s time to eat.”
100 of Something
After dinner, Leticia showed her family a large piece of paper. There were 100 squares marked on the paper grid. “I have to glue 100 objects into those 100 squares,” Leticia said.
“That should be easy,” her brother said. “Use your pennies.”
“My teacher wants our projects to be creative,” Leticia said.
“Let’s brainstorm. Do you read in school?” her mother asked.
“We read a new book every day. I like books,” Leticia said.
Making Little Books
“What do you like about books?” her brother asked.
Leticia smiled. “I like the covers. I like the titles. I like the stories.”
“We could help you make little books. Teeny-tiny books would fit on the grid,” her brother said.
Leticia wasn’t sure. “If we made books, could I write in them?”
“Of course. It’s your project. We’re just helpers,” her mother said.
“Right!” her brother agreed. “It’s your choice!”
Leticia liked the sound of that.
Secret Messages
Leticia and her family made the little books. They used a lot of supplies. Then, Leticia wrote little notes in the books. She had to write very small.
When Leticia finished, she shared her project with her family. They were surprised by her idea.
“Cool,” her brother said.
“This is very creative,” said her mother.
On the 100th day, everyone brought projects to school. Leticia showed her project to the class. At the top, she had written 100 Reasons I Love to Come to School. The title made her friends curious. They began reading the messages in the little books.
The Special Project
“Look, Kate, this one is about you,” Mia said. “It says ‘I like to see Kate smile.’”
Soon there was a crowd around Leticia’s project. The teacher decided to read the little books to the whole class. After he read each book, the class clapped for the person the book was about.
There were books for every student in Leticia’s grade and every teacher at the school. There was a book for the custodians, school bus drivers, librarians, principal, and the cafeteria workers, too.
Leticia had found a creative way to celebrate the 100th day of school. Her 100 reasons told 100 people why they were special.
Glossary
brainstorm (v.) to share ideas, often on how to solve a problem.
celebrate (v.) to do something special to honor an event.
creative (adj.) showing the use of imagination.
curious (adj.) really wanting to know or learn.
grid (n.) a set of evenly spaced, straight lines that cross each other to form squares.
project (n.) an organized plan or activity with a purpose.
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