9 Pluto Rising

Pluto Rising

At last it was Friday. Time for the Class 2D scientists to present their cases! Team KPB went first. Riley held a wooden spoon in the air. "Today we are here to decide if Pluto is a planet. I'm a Solar System Supreme Court judge. This is my hammer thingy." Bang! Riley rapped the wooden kitchen spoon on Mrs. D.'s desk. "It's called a gavel," said Mrs. D. "There are three laws, like tests you have to pass, to be a planet." Morgan and Heather walked in neat circles around a yellow beach ball marked SUN. Logan was walking funny around the beach ball.

"Hey, Pluto, why are you walking funny?" Heather asked Logan. "I can't help it, Neptune. My orbit's out of whack," said Logan. "Law Number One," said Riley. "To be a planet, you have to orbit around the sun. "Law Number Two. To be a planet, you have to be big and round, or else you get pushed around by the other planets." "Pluto is almost round," Stink pointed out. Bang! "Odor in the court!" Riley said by mistake. Everybody cracked up.

"Law Number Three. To be a planet, you have to be big enough to kick rocks and other space junk out of the way." Logan bumped into Morgan. Logan bumped into Heather. But they did not budge. Not one inch. "Pluto is way too puny to bump stuff out of the way. Therefore," said Riley, using a big word to sound super-duper smart, "Pluto is NOT a planet. No way, no how." Logan (aka Pluto) shrank to the ground, took off his sweatshirt, and showed off the T-shirt he had on under it. It said, 134340.

"I rest my case." Riley hit the desk with the spoon so loud it sounded like the Big Bang. "Vote NO for Pluto. It's the law." "Let's give Riley's team a big hand," said Mrs. D. Everybody clapped. "Next up is Stink's team with a short play."

CAST Neptune Saturn Jupiter Pluto Skunk Sophie Webster Stink Neptune:rm Neato Neptune, the Blue Planet. Satum: (Wirling tuo Hula-hoops.) I'm Spinning Saturn. have rings! Jupiter:rm Jupiter Jerk. I'm the biggest of them all. Pluto: (Flinging Superman cape in air) I'm Captain Pluto! I may be small. but— (Pluto bumps Neptune Neptune bumps Satum. Satum bumps Jupiter)