Can Smarties be considered an occupational hazard?

Today at school I was teaching a vocabulary lesson around words that are needed to understand the Reading story this week.

blah blah blah....

Anyway, I took out my massive bag of smarties and announced that I had a smartie for any student could use one of the words in a sentence. (I also had a few other yummies in there in case they really didn't want a smartie.)

So, a student correctly used the word "opponent" in a sentence, and I dutifully tossed him a smartie. He asked if he could please have on of the other candies in the bag. I said "Sure, toss yours back to me!" I put up my hand as he geared up to "toss" it back.

He launched it at me and I MISSED the pass. (Seriously, smarties can be slippery little suckers in their wrappers.) I missed in front of an entire group of fifth graders. Then, in that split second while I was processing that fact...the unthinkable happened.

The airborn smartie hit me smack in the middle of my forehead. How many fifth graders can honestly say that they hit their teacher in the head with a smartie? During class? Let me tell ya, Not. Very. Many. But, you know me, I go the extra mile to make things memorable in the classroom.

At first the kids gasped and waited for my response. I burst into laughter and they did too. We just laughed and laughed about it.

I don't know if they learned the meaning of the word "opponent", but hopefully they learned the meaning of grace and and a lesson in being able to laugh at yourself.

What a day at the office. Or is it at the "classroom?" Hmmmm...