Tucker McBride

Return to a time when a boy could be a boy; when life was more clear from the top branch of a tree; when a kid could trade anger and disappointment for action and adventure; when the whole neighborhood was his playground; and the sloppy kiss from a dog could make everything right.


Monday, February 3, 2020

Under the Porch


In Tucker McBride’s Many Lives, the sequel to my novel Tucker McBride, Tucker hides one of Gramma’s canning jars under the side porch. 
We find that Tucker can actually sit under there with its three-and-a-half-foot headroom. How tall would the space need to be for you to sit on the ground under the porch without ducking or slouching?

To find out, sit on the floor and ask someone to measure you, from the floor to the top of your head. Would you be able to sit comfortably? Now, suppose you want to hide your collection of Indian head pennies in the space. Imagine your space under the porch is shorter than you need.

Close your eyes and see yourself crawling into the space. Now try to sit on the ground. Oh no! The space is too short, and all you have in your pocket to measure the distance is Tiny’s dog collar. See yourself wiggling around so you can hold up the collar, starting with it on the ground. You would feel more comfortable if it were 4 feet high. The length of the collar is 8 inches. How many collar lengths equal 4 feet?

Now, see yourself as a History Magazine writer and have fun with a little Google research. When were Indian Head pennies first circulated in the United States? Give the year and the place you got your information. If the coin is in good condition, how much is one Indian Head worth at the price of coins today? Tucker had collected three hundred ninety-nine of the special pennies. What would the collection be worth at today’s price per Indian Head penny? Write a paragraph for the magazine and include the facts you found.

Enjoy,
Doris
Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.

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