Nick Bottom saves the day

Tonight I am thankful for Nick Bottom, the weaver-turned-actor from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. When every other joke or bit of amusement is flying over the heads of my fifth grader students, I can always rely on Nick Bottom’s amusing last name to garner a laugh and justify my claim that this play is a comedy.

Every time I say his name, regardless of how many times I’ve said it already, someone in the class snickers.

Which is shocking considering the teacher reading to them is named Mr. Dicks.

You’d think my students would become immune to amusing last names, but I guess this is Shakespeare. He’s a master.

Even when it comes to silly names.