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Copywork
About This Passage
This sentence teaches the power of a perfectly timed observation. Notice how DiCamillo uses the word 'immediately' — not 'quickly,' not 'right away,' but the longer, more formal word that makes Opal sound like she is carefully stating a rule about the world. The sentence is also the first moment Opal tells the reader exactly what she thinks, not just what happens, so it gives children a model for how writers slide a narrator's opinion into a story without saying 'I think.'
It's hard not to immediately fall in love with a dog who has a good sense of humor.
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Tell the story of this chapter in order, and then stop at the part where Opal says 'that's my dog.' Why do you think she said that?
Discussion Questions
- Opal had never met the dog before, but she said, 'that's my dog.' Was that the truth or not? What in the chapter makes you think so?
- Was Opal right to lie to the store manager, or was it wrong even though she did it to save the dog? What in the story makes you think so?
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Critical Thinking
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