Left up on the monitor this morning: the spelling test that Becky put together for her fourth-grade class to take on their last day before the holiday break. I offer it to you as the sort of innocent, inclusive, and happy cultural document the Bill O’Reillys of the world would grind beneath their white-fur-trimmed jackboots.

And Mr. O’Reilly, I’ll be posting the answer key after all her students have handed it in, so don’t worry if you get stumped.

Spelling Test
name _______________
     
Bubble in the sentence that contains the misspelled word.

1. 
� Old St. Nicholas will visit on Christmas Eve.
� We will write a New Year’s resolushun in 2006.
� Correct as is.

2. 
� I wish for pease in the world.
�    On New Year’s Day, many people enjoy watching college football.
� Correct as is.

3.
� Santa claus is coming to town.
� Divali is a celebration of light.
� Show some Yuletide cheer this holiday.

4.
� Find joy this season.
� Winter solstice is the shortest day of the year.
� Correct as is

5.
� How will you celebrate the winter season?
� Show good wil to your classmates.
�  Correct as is

6.
� kwanzaa and channukah are celebrated in more than one day.
� ‘Eid al-Fitr comes right after the fasting of Ramadan.
� Correct as is.

7.
� Will you stay up until midnight on New Year Eve?
� Not everyone has a Christmas tree.
� Correct as is

8. 
� Kwanzaa is based on 7 principles.
� The last day of vacation is January 2, 2006
� Correct as is.

9.
� The Yule log comes from last year’s tree.
� Wintir is the coldest season.
� Correct as is

10. 
� Conifers stay green all year long.
� Summer solstiss is the longest day of the year.
� Correct as is.

1. 
   carpundit 2005 12 16 at 1:21:46 pm

   I am deeply, deeply disturbed.

   By the use of “bubble” as a verb meaing “to fill.”

2. 
   SneakySnu 2005 12 16 at 1:30:54 pm

   ‘Eid al-Fitr comes right after the fasting of Ramadan.

   For 4th graders?  Only in California! (Or maybe here in Toronto, or in a New York City PS.)  I’m so impressed.

3. 
   Hungry Hyaena 2005 12 16 at 4:28:03 pm

   I have to second Carpundit’s point about “bubble” cum verb.  Dear Lord!  I mean, I know I’m a traditionalist, but Yikes!

4. 
   Chris Clarke 2005 12 16 at 4:35:16 pm

   You said “bubble cum.”

5. 
   Jym 2005 12 16 at 5:19:48 pm

   =v= Budding pedants could argue with #2 on the grounds that “pease” is a valid plural of that legume that we’re often asked to visualize as whirled.  But overall I’m terribly offended that Festivus was left out, and I will be writing a letter to my local school board forthwith!

    

   P.S.:  I learned about “pease” from De La Soul.