Hanna had a two-part homework assignment.
The first task was to write a commercial to be presented to her grade three class of Pioneers attempting to sell them something that would have been useful for their Pioneer lifestyle.
The second was to create a poster about the product using items/tools that would have been used by the Pioneers.
Marks would be determined based on “pizzazz” of the presentation, authenticity etc.
Greg and I knew what we had to do.
We quickly set the kids up with a movie and met in the rear boardroom (back deck) to brainstorm ideas.
We concluded that we should burn the edges of a large piece of cardboard as the backdrop for the poster. Despite Hanna telling us three other classmates had also arrived with this fringed, antiqued look, we knew we were headed in the right direction and remembered making something similar when we were kids. It would be a slam-dunk A grade for Mom and Dad. Further, we proceeded to rub a used tea bag in an effort to nail those marks for authenticity. Sadly, the teabag broke open and loose leaves dredged the page. Not unlike the days of yore.
Hanna had selected ketchup from a list of possible products the Pioneers would have used.
Greg and I were quick to nix ketchup for fear it was a trick despite appearing on the list of potential supplies and simply didn’t offer that je ne sais quoi we were looking for. Instead, we settled on what we predicted would be a huge crowd pleaser and worked tirelessly on our Maple Syrup presentation.
Greg went to the candy store and found maple syrup suckers for all of Hanna’s Pioneer classmates so if she ever felt as though she was losing their attention, Shazam! Bribery with candy, it doesn’t get any sweeter than that.
We burned a cork and used the charred ends to write the words “Maple Syrup”—there it was—pizzazz!
Hanna attempted to write some key points on her poster but I erased them and re-wrote them in neater printing and beefed up the language changing all of her ideas tweaking the verbiage while ushering her back to the television so Greg and I could put some finishing touches on our project.
She appeared again to suggest we not use maple syrup as the adhesive to pin down our storyboard because it might be too sticky in her backpack. We were far too engrossed in a conference call with the Pioneer Village Deputy from his one room home to pay any attention.
I guess it hit me when I was printing in my best eight year old writing, “Maple Syrup by Hanna.”
We are the best parents ever.
