to the Slice of Life (SOL) community.
Thanks to Stacey, Tara, Betsy, Dana, Beth, and Anna
for hosting this meeting place each day in March
and for nurturing our writing lives.
This is a cautionary tale! Since retirement, I've read the grocery store ads a bit more in an effort to take advantage of sales. Sometimes I even go "off island" to take advantage of a sale that isn't offered in our one grocery store chain. Two weeks ago as I scanned the current biweekly flyer, I was surprised to see that the 2 for $5 offer on Smart Pop popcorn was accompanied by a free offer of chips. Hmmm, I had taken advantage of this offer already, but hadn't noticed the free chip offer. I'm not a chip person, but my husband is. Sometimes we like a few chips to accompany a taco salad. I didn't recognize the brand of chips, but I jotted Smart Pop on the grocery list. (I know that Costco's Smart Pop bag is an even better economic choice, but I've learned that sometimes the allure of a BIG open bag is not a good thing to have around.)
When I picked up the chips, I found myself reading the back of the bag. Such clever marketing and word choice. If I were still in the classroom, I would save the empty bag for a unit on word choice along with the Coldwater Creek catalog and J. Peterman Company catalog already in that file. Check out the clever advertising in these two pictures.
And now I have a question. What did you notice about the bag? You're so observant! Yes, the chip bag is an empty bag. Which contents, by the way, never accompanied a taco salad. And which contents were never shared with aforementioned husband who is the chip person in our family.
And so I think of some additional uses for this empty bag. It could be used to teach vocabulary! Irony, paradox, and incongruity all come to mind when I think of the pairing of two bags of Smart Pop popcorn with a free bag of chips. I could also donate this bag to my friend Karen who teaches health. It deserves to be analyzed by her students as part of their healthy eating curriculum. Maybe Bruce could use it in his argumentative writing unit. After all isn't persuasion the point of all advertising? But for now, I'm tucking it into my substitute bag for one of those days when the teacher's plans leave us with a bit of time at the end of the period.
Once a teacher, always a teacher! Great way for those of us still on active duty to take advantage of "free" resources!
ReplyDeleteI like to say you can take the teacher out of the classroom but you can never take the classroom out of the teacher!
ReplyDeleteThere are things to learn from everything around us! I love this slice.
ReplyDeleteHa,ha! This is so funny. Didn't share the chips, but you have so much to share about the bag! Such good ideas- we really need to keep our eyes open, there's a wealth of ideas to keep teaching fresh and new, and interesting!
ReplyDeleteWhat great, fun, relatable ideas! My favorite part was being able to see the bag and make the observations. I didn't notice the bag was empty. That was hilarious! Great humor through out! I had a lot of fun reading.
ReplyDeleteThis is a funny slice, full of wit and wisdom! Love your teaching twist on a bag of consumed chips!
ReplyDeleteI have seen that brand of chips in our store, but have not tried them, yet. I'm guessing you would recommend them. Does Lance know about this bag? I love the way you have developed multiple lessons from this empty bag.
ReplyDeleteTeachable moments are the best! Maybe you should keep that bag for an fun activity when you substitute. You never know when you will need a "filler".
ReplyDeleteHomemade happiness - love it!
ReplyDeleteOh how funny. The bag is empty. Your brain is still teaching even though you are retired. Perhaps the desire to teach and help others never goes away.
ReplyDeleteI love your humor.
xo
Pamela