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Copywork
About This Passage
Selected because Tedd Arnold builds an entire friendship out of one misunderstanding in six short sentences. The fly's stomp and buzz are accidental from the fly's perspective; the boy hears them as a deliberate use of his name. Notice how Arnold lets the reader see both readings at once — the mad fly trying to escape AND the boy hearing his name in the buzz.
The fly was mad. He wanted to be free. He stomped his foot. He said, "Buzz!" The boy was surprised. He said, "You know my name. You are the smartest pet in the world!"
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
In your own words, tell the story of this chapter. What were the most important moments? What made them important — and how do you know?
Discussion Questions
- Tedd Arnold writes the chapter so that the reader can see both points of view at once: the fly is mad and trying to escape; the boy hears the fly's frustrated buzz as his own name. Why does Arnold show us both readings? What does the doubled perspective add to the story?
- Buzz catches the fly because he is looking for the smartest pet. He has decided in advance that he wants something special. Argue whether Buzz's quick decision that the fly is smart is honest perception or wishful thinking.
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Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
A small insect with wings; the unlikely main character whose only sound is the buzz that gives him his name.
Item 2
An animal kept by a person for companionship; what Buzz wants the fly to become, against the convention that flies are pests.
Item 3
Causing wonder; the adjective the show uses for itself, suggesting that pets must be remarkable to qualify.
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Critical Thinking
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