I Blame the Former Administration

 We were doing a quick mini-lesson on rhyming couplets when a student raised her hand to clarify. "Rhyming words don't have to spelled the same," she confirmed, "they just have to sound the same, right?"

"Exactly," I told her. "Rhyming is a sound tool. Take for example these words-- and I wrote sleigh, way, and Santa Fe. I made my way to Santa Fe on a sleigh," I laughed.

"That's stupid," said another student. "There's no snow in Santa Fe." 

"I beg your pardon," I said, "there certainly is. In fact, both times I've been there, it has snowed."

"No," he insisted. "It's too warm to snow in Southern California."

"Santa Fe is New Mexico," I said.

"Whatever," he replied. "It's hot in New Mexico, too."

"Not all the time," I told him, "and Santa Fe is in the mountains. Have you ever been there?'

"No," he shook his head dismissively.

"Well, I have, and I've literally seen snow there twice!" I said.

"It doesn't snow there," he repeated. "It doesn't snow there."

"Why don't we move on with rhyming couplets," I suggested.