Page 3: ShmipMorp's Beads

Later that morning, we had a meeting and the students decided on official class colors.
bracelet cartoonI thought it would be cool if we all made matching bead bracelets that showed the colors and let everyone know we were all together as a big family in class 4D. 

I handed out beads and string for everyone to make the bracelets. The students had come up with a pattern that was 2 blue beads, 3 yellow beads and then 1 lavender and 1 red bead, before it repeated again.
The students were having fun making the bracelets and getting to know each other, and I was walking around the room looking at their handiwork. 
When I got to ShmipMorp’s desk, I looked at his bracelet and noticed that it had no lavender or red beads.
“ShmipMorp, what happened to your lavender and red beads? That’s the pattern we decided would be the official pattern for class 4D.” 
ShmipMorp pointed to his nose.
“What’s wrong with your nose?”
He said, “Beads.”
“What are you trying to tell me? What happened to your lavender and red beads?”
nose cartoon purple“Nose,” he said.
“Nose?” I asked, confused.
“Nose,” he said again.
Then it hit me and I yelled,
“The lavender and red beads are in your nose!”
All the other students stopped working and looked at ShmipMorp. 
“Yes, in my nostrils,” he said.
“Why did you put the beads in your nose!” I yelled imagining the worst possible outcome at the nurse’s office.
“Lavender beads go in left nostril, for L, and red beads to in right nostril, for R,” said ShmipMorp matter of factly.
Beads shouldn’t go in any nostril!” I screamed. I don’t care what letters they start with. You have to get them out right now!”
“How? I can’t reach them anymore,” said ShmipMorp.
“I told you he’s an alien,” a girl named Suzie whispered to her neighbor.
Other students seemed concerned. “How are you going to get beads out of his nostrils?” asked Joe.
“I’m not sure,” I said.
“Hey, I saw some pliers in the science area,” said a kid named Carlos, “we could use those.” pliers cartoon
“No, we’re not sticking pliers up anyone’s nose this year. That got us into trouble the last two years. ShmipMorp, are you sure you can’t get the beads out?” I asked. 
“I’m pretty sure,” he said, seeming a little depressed.
“I have an idea,” said a girl named Josie.
“What’s your idea?” I asked.
pepper shaker cartoon“Well, my mom gave me some pepper for my macaroni and cheese, and maybe if he sniffs it, he’ll sneeze out the beads.” 
“You put pepper on your macaroni and cheese,” yelled a boy named Carl, “Gross! What are you some kind of alien?”
“Be quiet Carl,” said Josie who had been with Carl every year since Kindergarten.
“Well, I guess that’s an idea,” I said. Better than ShmipMorp having to go to the nurse on his first day at our school.”
Josie prepared the packet of pepper by placing it precariously in the proximity of ShmipMorp’s nose. 
Nothing happened.
“Breathe deeper,” said Josie.
Again, nothing happened. We all waited two more minutes, and ShmipMorp hadn’t sneezed at all.
Josie lost her patience, ripped the little pepper package open and poured it precisely on the perimeter of ShmipMorp’s nostrils. 
Suddenly his eyes began watering, and his cheeks got red, and then he said, “aaa….aaaah……aaaahhh…”
But then quiet filled the room.
“Aw come on and sneeze already!” yelled Jake.
Suddenly ShmipMOrp said, “Aaa….aaaah…aaaahhhh,” again, and then he said, “CHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
We all saw the lavender and red beads fly across the room and bounce off the smartboard. smartboard2
A few kids cheered, while a few kids screamed, “That’s so gross!”
“Finally,” I said, “Now ShmipMorp, go get your beads and finish your bracelet.”
ShmipMorp retrieved his beads off the floor, and all the students went back to work on their bracelets until it was lunchtime.

I had a bag with 124 red beads, 234 lavender beads, 87 yellow beads, and 345 blue beads, how many beads did I have in all?

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