Preview
Copywork
About This Passage
Mary Pope Osborne uses four short sentences to show the discovery of the book of the dead. Each sentence is one small physical action: reach, pull, unroll, see. The sentences do not stop to explain; they let the reader follow Jack's hands. Students will practice copying short sentences that show a careful person handling something old and important.
Jack reached into the jug and pulled out the folded cloth. It was wrapped around an ancient looking scroll. Jack slowly unrolled the scroll. It was covered with wonderful hieroglyphs.
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
- The four pictures from chapter 5 — stairs, boat, jug, folded cloth — turn out to be a treasure map in code. The brother carved the message so anyone could see it but only someone who knew the right way to read it could understand. Was the code clever or unfair? Use the chapter as evidence.
- Jack and Annie do not take any of the other treasures from the boat. Gold plates, jeweled goblets, woven baskets, jewelry with blue stones — all of it is left where they found it. Why does Mary Pope Osborne show the temptation and then show the children resisting it? What is she teaching about what brave visitors do in old places?
+ 3 more questions in the complete study guide
Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
A long piece of parchment or papyrus rolled at both ends; the standard form of book in the ancient world before the codex.
Item 2
The ancient Egyptian writing system that uses pictographic symbols to represent sounds, words, and ideas.
Item 3
Having cold air moving through, characteristic of large unsealed indoor spaces.
+ 7 more vocabulary words in the complete study guide
Critical Thinking
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