The top seven effective ways to make a wish according to my First Grade students.

Sometimes first graders can get you so sidetracked.

The other day I was assigning a writing assignment in which they had to write three things they would wish for when blowing the white seeds off of a dandelion. This turned into a conversation of the various methods of wishing and their effectiveness.

After 45 minutes and much brainstorming, this is what the class determined - a countdown of the best wishing methods from worst to best.

7. The Magic Lamp -

Pros:

• You get to meet a wacky, singing genie that you ain't ever had a friend like.
• You get 3 wishes, not just one.
  

Cons:

• There is probably no such thing as a magic lamp.
• There is a lot of danger involved in finding one.

6. The Wishbone -

Pros:

• You get to pull bones apart.
• It's a nice Thanksgiving surprise.

Cons:

• Some of the girls think it's gross.
• It could be that wishbones are nothing more than bones and because they do not have brains, they do not understand that you are even making a wish on them.
  

5. Dandelions -

Pros:

• It's easy. Just pick up a dandelion and blow off the white seeds.
• You weed your lawn while you make wishes. (Although I had to explain the fact that they are actually spreading seeds and likely making the weed problem worse.)

Cons:

• There are so many dandelions, it might actually kind of "cheapen" your wish, making it less likely that it will come true.
• It could be that dandelions are nothing more than dandelions and because they do not have brains, they do not understand that you are even making a wish on them.
  

4. The Wishing Time - 11:11

This was a new one for me, as I had never heard of a wishing time. However, I was informed by 17 students that it actually does exist and that it often EVEN WORKS!

Pros:

• It comes around once a day.
• It comes around twice a day if you are allowed to stay up REALLY late.

Cons:

• You have to try really hard to remember when it happens.
• You have to have a watch or be by a clock. Sometimes you are outside.

3. The Wishing Well -

Pros:

• Wishing wells are almost ALWAYS magical.
• Wishing wells are awesome.
  

Cons:

• You could fall down a wishing well and DIE!! (I did not mention Baby Jessica to the students. They were already freaked out enough by the prospect of falling down a well. Strangely enough, Desmond gets pushed into a well in LOST last night. That show is blowing my mind.)
• It could be that wishing wells are nothing more than wells and because they do not have brains, they do not understand that you are even making a wish on them.
  

2. Wishing Stars -

Pros:

• Stars are awesome!
• It makes no difference who you are.

Cons:

• You can only make night wishes.
• It could be that stars are nothing more than giant flaming balls of gas and because they do not have brains, they do not understand that you are even making a wish on them.

1. The Birthday Candle Wish -

Pros:

• This is the only time your parents kind of let you play with fire.
• Birthdays ARE very special.

Cons:

• If you don't blow them all out on your first try, you are so out of luck.
  
• It could be that candles are nothing more than burning chunks of wax and because they do not have brains, they do not understand that you are even making a wish on them

** There also was some discussion about finding a four leaf clover and wishes. It was determined that four leaf clovers do not grant wishes, but are just used for good luck. This sparked this discussion on luck:

ABBY: Last week my older brother said he had really bad luck.

ME: Oh yeah?

ABBY: Yeah, first he got in a car crash. And then his girlfriend got REALLY mad at him. She even called him an F word.

OTHER KID: What's the F word?

ME: I'm not sure, but it sounds REALLY bad.

ABBY: Yeah, and then he bought a fish tank and 3 of his fish died in the bag before he even got home.

ME: Wow. That is really bad luck.

ABBY: I know!