Skipping Homework Autumn Kolter

Skipping Homework

Jamie was walking home from school with her friend Beth. They both hated homework, but Beth knew doing her homework was better than not doing it. On the other hand, Jamie thought it would be fine to not do it. After her parents got home from work, she asked her mom to send Mr. Smith, her teacher, an email saying that Jamie’s homework got eaten by the dog.

“Now, Jamie,” said her mother, “did that really happen?”

“Of course, Mom! Why would I lie to you?” said Jamie.

“Because I check your backpack every day to see if you have homework,” replied her mom.

Jamie could tell that her mom wasn’t buying her lie, so she went to her dad. “Hey, Dad, can you email Mr. Smith saying that our dog ate my homework?”

Her father knew that Jamie was lying because her mom had told her dad that Jamie was upset. No was the answer, but she still didn’t do the homework. And even the next day she didn’t do her homework.

She started getting in trouble at school for not doing her work, but she also started gaining popularity for it with her classmates.

After a couple of days, she saw Beth doing her homework and marched right up to her and said, “Beth, you are such a nerd! Why do you even do homework! It won’t make you popular!”

“I know,” said Beth, “but I prefer good grades more than bad grades.”

After Jamie left the room, she went to her class. Her teacher announced that there would be a school spelling bee.

“Everyone in this class will vote for who will be selected to be in the spelling bee,” said Mr. Smith.

Since Jamie had become so popular, she was nominated to be the one in the spelling bee. Jamie screeched in terror!

“W—What do you mean I’ve been nominated!?”

“75 percent of the class voted for you,” said Mr. Smith.

“NO NO NO NO! I can’t be in the spelling bee! I—I don’t even know how to spell INFORMATION!” said Jamie.

Mr. Smith replied, “Well, most of the class voted for you, and besides it’s not our fault that you chose to never do your homework.”

Jamie was super frustrated that on her way to practice with some flashcards she knocked over a trash can and made a huge mess. After school when she got home she told her mom that she had been nominated for the school spelling bee. Her mom was happy for her. “Do you know who else got nominated?” She asked.

“No,” said Jamie, “but I will find out tomorrow.”

The next day at school everyone was asking how she felt about going up against Beth! Jamie was shocked. She pushed

everyone out of the way to find Beth. When she found her, she asked why Beth had decided to do it.

Beth said, “Oh, you know. Jessie, Ella, and Emma—most of our friends are also doing it.”

“Okay,” she said. “So I just need to beat them and then I can at least get second place.”

But when the night came, Jamie was shaking, shaking, shaking! The judges asked Beth the first question and Beth answered perfectly. Jamie was up next. The word was INFORMATION. Jamie started, “I—M,” and before she could correct herself the buzzer went BEEEEP! She’d said the wrong letter! She begged for another chance, but the judges didn’t want to hear another word from Jamie. “You are out of the competition,” said one of the judges. After the spelling bee was over the judges announced the winner—Beth! The crowd roared! Beth was congratulated so many times— while on the other hand, Jamie landed in dead last. She was upset, but decided she would never in her entire life skip homework on purpose again.

Autumn Kolter, Grade 4 Hilltop Elementary School, Henderson Teaching Artist: Stephen Peters