The Day The Power Went Out
Not Just Any Day
The day was like most days: Noah and his family were each lost in their electronics. Mom was watching a cooking show, Dad was working on his computer, Magie and Mary were watching cartoons, and Noah was lost in a game of Battle Warriors on his new gaming computer.
Suddenly, there was a loud crack of thunder, and the lights flickered before going out completely. Noah's heart skipped a beat, and he looked around in confusion. "What happened?" he asked, his voice a little shaken.
Mom, Dad, Magie, Mary, and Noah huddled in the darkened living room, their faces confused.
What Now
Dad fumbled for his phone and turned on the flashlight. Its dim glow illuminated their worried faces. "The power's out; I’ll see if it’s a breaker," he said reassuringly.
Mom hugged Magie tightly, as she was very scared. "It's okay, sweetie. It's just a blackout. Everything will be fine." Noah felt more annoyed than scared, as he was on a new level in his game.
After checking the breaker, Dad checked his cell phone for updates. "It says here that the power is out in the whole neighborhood. They're working on fixing it, but it could be hours," he explained, trying to sound calm.
Without their screens and gadgets, they didn't know what to do with themselves. But then Mom had an idea.
Something To Do
"Why don't we try to find something else to do while we wait?" she suggested, her voice hopeful.
So Noah and his family searched the house, gathering candles as they did. In the dim light, they found an old board game tucked away in a forgotten cabinet in the den. It was surprisingly called “Something To Do.”
Reluctantly, they set it up and began to play. At first, Noah was skeptical. "This is going to be boring," he complained.
But as they played, they laughed and joked together, forgetting all about the power problem. Mom offered to find snacks in the pantry, and Dad started a fire in the fireplace. It was cozy and felt like camping.
The power was restored within a few hours, but the family didn’t even notice. They kept laughing and playing this new found treasure until it was time to sleep.
Coloring Exercise
Have students color this free image of a family playing a board game
