Preview
Copywork
About This Passage
Warner uses this small moment to show how a smart dog learns by paying attention. Watch does not just join in randomly — he stands still first, watches Benny, then copies what Benny is doing. The copywork is worth doing because it shows young readers how a writer can describe an animal as smart without ever saying the word smart. The careful step-by-step writing matches the careful step-by-step way watch is figuring things out.
watch seemed to know what was going on he stood still a minute watching Benny dig with the stick then he began to dig too with his paws
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
- Joe gets Benny into the cold ocean by talking about pretty seaweed instead of by saying 'go in.' Was Joe being clever, or was Joe being a little tricky? What in the story makes you think so?
- Benny digs his first clams and right away wants to keep them as pretty things instead of eating them. Then Jesse says he will change his mind once he tastes them. Who do you think will be right — Benny or Jesse? Why?
+ 2 more questions in the complete study guide
Critical Thinking
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