Bare heads and beanstalks

What does a beanstalk and a pair of spectacles have in common?

Well, the answer is little Sunnyside learners of course, but how on earth pray tell?

The new topic in the Reception Class at Sunnyside School is 'growing', so the Team has magically transformed the home corner into a garden centre complete with real shrubs and cut flowers. 

This overabundance of vegetation in the classroom has dramatically affected the humidity levels sending them sky high so creating the ambiance of a tropical rainforest! Just to add to this jungle experience, a few weeks ago the little Sunnysiders planted their own Runner Bean seeds. Every day since then they have dutifully and enthusiastically nurtured their bean shoots to the point where the tendrils of this quintessentially British vegetable plant are now nudging the light fittings!

In addition to a variety of non-fiction books on growing plants, the little learners have also enjoyed reading a selection of story books with tenuous links to flora and fauna. Like the very traditional 'Jack and the Beanstalk' for instance, and the not so traditional, yet hilariously funny, 'Jim and the Beanstalk' by Raymond Briggs.

In Briggs' version of small boy climbs ridiculously tall beanstalk and meets grumpy giant, Jim, just like his famous predecessor, also encounters a none too cheery towering ogre, only this one is extremely short-sighted, toothless, and rather follically challenged. In order to help the poor chap feel better about himself, Jim spends a great deal time shinning up and down the ridiculously tall beanstalk supplying the giant with false teeth, wigs and, yes, spectacles in return for gold coins.

This wonderful story has really appealed to the little Sunnysiders' sense of humour, so much so it sparked an entire afternoon of crafting spectacles from pipe cleaners no less! In no time at all the classroom was filled with bespectacled little learners stomping about the setting yelling "Fee-fi-fo-fum!" at the top of their voices.

As Mrs Caring was busy fitting glasses to little learners and attempting to reform all the squashed and misshapen ones, a little learner interrupted her endeavours with a "Do you know?" announcement. 
"Do you know?" said she, peering through a pair of fluorescent green chenille spectacles, "The other day I went to the big hospital for my eye competition!" 
"Your eye competition?" questioned Mrs Caring, thinking she must have misheard the little learner due to all the "Fee-fi-fo-ing!" going on around her.
"Yes!" confirmed the little learner shoving her homespun specs further up her nose. "And.....I hadded to wear wooden glasses!"

The little learner went on to describe in great detail the tasks she was required to perform during her "eye competition", and she was adamant that she was made to do it all wearing glasses made of solid wood. When the little expert on eye examinations had finished sharing her knowledge with Mrs Caring, she went to share with Miss Kind, and then again with Mrs Crayon.

While thirty pairs of little learner eyes furnished with a myriad of brightly coloured tufty specs was a truly inspirational sight today, Mrs Crayon was completely captivated by the notion of eye wear carved from the wood of a large tree that bears acorns.

She then began to ponder how the admen of this world might try to persuade the masses that wooden glasses are the next must-have. And as she pondered, Mrs Crayon penned the following.  

Ode to wooden specs

Come and view our range of spectacles both standard and bespoke,

They'll last you all your life because they're made of solid oak.

Hand carved and finely finished they're ideal for anyone,

There's just one teensy drawback, it's a shame they weigh a ton!

You'll look and feel the business from your head down to your toes,

It just takes some getting used to all that weight upon your nose!

As sturdy as a sideboard they won't bend nor will they flex,

You'll have everybody asking you where did you get those specs?

Simply squirt a little polish and then buff them till they gleam,

You could finish with some Briwax tho' that is a bit extreme.

If you're set on buying wooden specs, then please don't hesitate,

Mind you...you'll need a neck of iron just to hold your head up straight!!

"They're alright till you need yer hands!"