Frindle
by Clements
Script by Jan Lamont

Characters: (3-4)
News reporter (6), Mrs. Granger (2), Mrs. Allen(1), Nick (3)

Reporter: (to TV audience) We're coming to you live from Carrington, where a fifth grader student has stirred up a lot of commotion by inventing an new word for an everyday object. Here comes his English teacher now. Mrs. Granger, I'm a reporter from the evening news. I'd like to ask you a couple of questions. Can you tell us how a new word was started right in your classroom?

Mrs. Granger: (not impressed by TV reporters) I have always said that the dictionary is the finest tool ever made for educating young minds, and I still say that. Children need to understand that there are rules about words and language, and that those rules have a history that makes sense. And to pretent that a perfectly good English word can be replaced by a silly made-up word just for the fun of it, well, it's not something I was ready to stand by and watch without a fight.

Reporter: And have you lost the fight, Mrs. Granger?

Mrs. Granger: It's not over yet. (she walks away)

Reporter: And now, here's Nick and his mother to tell us their side of the story. So tell me, Nick, why did you make up this new word, frindle?

Nick: Well, my teacher Mrs. Granger said that all the words in the dictionary were made up by people, and that they mean what they mean because we say they do. So I thought it would be fun to just make up a new word and see if that was true.

Reporter: And were you surprised when Mrs. Granger got mad about that?

Mrs. Allen: We never felt that Mrs. Granger got angry. When everyone started using the word frindle, it just got to be a disruption, that's all. She is really a very fine teacher.

Nick: Yeah, I mean, I learned a lot about words, and without her, I wouldn't have.

Reporter: So what's next for you and the new word?

Nick: Well, the funny thing is, even though I invented it, it's not my word anymore. Frindle belongs to everyone now, and I guess everyone will figure out what happens together.

Reporter: Good luck to you, Nick. Thanks for talking with us on the evening news.