Mr. Docker Is Off His Rocker! by Dan Gutman Page A

him!” said Miss Daisy. “Quickly! To the science room!”
    I didn’t need any dictionary to tell me what science is. Science is for nerds.

2
The Power of the Potato
    We walked a million hundred miles to the science room. Michael, who never ties his shoes, was the line leader.
    â€œScience is for nerds,” I said.
    â€œScience is fun!” said Andrea, who thinks everything about school is fun.
    The science room is probably theweirdest room in the history of the world. In the corner there was a skeleton wearing a top hat. There was a cage with white mice running around it. There were strange machines, microscopes, computers, plants, and other stuff all over the place.
    â€œThis place is freaky weird,” Ryan said.
    â€œWhere’s Mr. Docker?” Andrea asked.
    â€œI don’t know,” said Miss Daisy, who doesn’t know anything.
    We were looking at all the junk when the door banged open and an old guy came in. He was standing on one of those rolling things that looks like an old-time lawn mower. He was wearing a helmet,goggles, and one of those doctor lab coats. What a nerd!
    â€œHi, everybody!” he said. “I’m Mr. Docker!”
    Then he smashed into the chalkboard and fell off his rolling thing. We allran over to pick him up off the floor.

    â€œAre you okay?” we all asked.
    â€œNever better!”
    Mr. Docker took off his helmet and goggles. He had crazy gray hair that went off in all directions. It looked like he hadn’t combed it in years. If my hair looked like that, my mother wouldn’t let me out of the house.
    â€œHey, I’ve seen that guy before,” Ryan whispered. “He lives down the street from me!”
    Mr. Docker reached into his lab coat and pulled out a potato. He took a bite out of it.
    â€œSorry I’m late,” Mr. Docker said. “I hadto harvest my tubers.”
    Huh? I didn’t know what he was talking about.
    â€œTubers are potatoes,” Andrea said. “I looked it up in the dictionary once.”
    â€œVery good,” Mr. Docker said. “Welcome to science. I’m going to take you on a scientific journey. We’re going to explore the wonders of our world. The future is in your hands. You will be the scientists of tomorrow.”
    â€œNot me,” I said. “I’m going to be a football player.”
    â€œBut we can all be scientists,” Mr. Docker said. “All you have to do is look around and ask ‘Why?’ Why does theEarth spin? Why do dogs wag their tails? Can anybody think of another science why question?”
    â€œWhy do we have to learn science?” I asked.
    Andrea looked at me and rolled her eyes.
    â€œThat’s a good question,” Mr. Docker said.
    I stuck out my tongue at Andrea. Nah-nah-nah boo-boo on her!
    â€œWe have to learn science because science is all around us,” Mr. Docker said. “When you bounce a ball, you’re learning the science of physics. When you look at a flower, you’re learningthe science of botany. When you pick your nose, you’re learning the science of biology.”

    â€œYou’re also getting the boogers out,” I added.
    Ryan said he was a scientist because he went on the Internet and found out how to make a stink bomb.
    â€œWe’re all scientists,” Mr. Docker said, “and kids make great scientists, because you’re naturally curious. I love it when kids ask why questions. Does anyonehave another why question?”
    â€œWhy can’t we go to recess?” I asked.
    â€œScience is more fun than recess,” Mr. Docker said as he took something out of his desk drawer. “Hey, let me show you something. I brought this from my laboratory at home.”
    â€œWhat is it?” asked Emily.
    â€œIt’s a potato clock,” Mr. Docker said. “There are no batteries. You don’t plug it into an outlet on the wall. It’s powered by the chemicals in