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Copywork
About This Passage
This passage teaches two sentence shapes: a 'when' sentence that shows cause-and-effect, and a 'says' sentence that shows what another person thinks. Students also see the word 'hobby,' which introduces a big idea — that people can love doing things even when those things bother other people. The two sentences together tell a small story: something is happening, and then someone tries to make sense of it. This pattern (event + reaction) is one of the most useful in all writing.
When Rodrick's band practices in the basement, the whole house shakes. Mom says we should be proud that Rodrick has a hobby.
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Tell someone what happened in this chapter in order. When you get to the most important part, slow down and tell it carefully — what happened, why it mattered, and what you think about it.
Discussion Questions
- Greg's mom says the family should be proud of Rodrick for having a band, even though the band is loud and not very good. Is being PROUD of someone the same as ENJOYING what they do? What in the story makes you think so?
- At Christmas, Greg wants a video game but gets a sweater. He feels sad because he did not get what he wanted. Is Greg being UNGRATEFUL, or is he being HONEST about his feelings? Can a person be both at the same time? What in the story makes you think so?
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Critical Thinking
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