Rain and high humidty brings the
land snails out of their hiding places and into English lessons in Istanbul. In
our playground lesson, Rita, 8, and I imagine and tell stories about snails.
There are two snails, each with
one brown spiral shell, one muscular foot, four tentacles, two eye-like light
sensors, brown grey skin, and maybe a mustache. They carry their houses on
their backs, and extend and retract their tentacles to look and feel around.
 |
| photo: Beckie |
Snails glide on silverlike slimy trails as they secrete mucus. They crawl sideways on the wooden bench. A snail even climbs up the phone. We are scared of pulling the shells too hard when we pick up the snails because they hold fast onto things with their sticky slime. Don’t be scared: touch the snail slime.
Here is Rita's snail story:
You are opening your mouth and grabbing the leaf. Are you eating? Do you want to try the leaf? Do you like it? The leaves are tasty and good for you. Taste it, just one small piece. If you don't eat the leaf, I will never let you go back home. But if you eat the leaves, then you can eat eight strawberries.
drawing: Rita I don't want to eat the leaf! I want dessert!But we don't have any dessert. And we wouldn't give it to you anyway because you won't eat your leaf. The big snail ate a leaf already. Little snail, you need to eat it. You need to eat it because I said so. You need to eat this leaf or never, never, ever, ever eat your strawberries.Can I play now?Yes, you already ate the leaf. You can go and play. Not like your sister.Slide down! Take a bath in the puddle at the bottom of the slide! Don't be scared. Swim!Now climb the jungle gym! Use your muscular foot and sticky mucus! Hold on! Don't stick there. Don't get stuck there. Let go!
 |
| photo: Beckie |
Okay, I'm stuck here.I know that you're stuck there.Now I'm going high. You stay here and wait for me.My brother, I want to go with you. Can I go with you?I'll go very high.Why are you going up there?If you go without with me, I'll tell mom where you've been!I am going on the roof! Don’t tell mom!Okay. I won't tell...if you let me stay with you.Hold on!Careful! Our shells are fragile and may break if we fall.I can't hold on! I am falling down!Are you okay?
drawing: Rita I'm alive but my shell is broken. Oh, I'm alive but I want to go home.Maybe you will get better with water. I'll bring you to the grass.
