I

Question

f Alexander Dillahunt wasn’t the world’s worst typist, he was
close. But that was okay. Fixing mistakes on a computer was
a snap—especially if you caught them right away. That was the
beauty of the Undo, Alexander thought: a tiny backwards arrow at
the top of the screen that performed magic, allowing the user to go
back to a more perfect, mistake-free moment in time.
That’s how Alexander Dillahunt got it into his head to create
the Universal Undo. The Universal Undo would do nothing short
of “taking back” the last thing a person did.
Making a working model was simple. All Alexander needed to
do was figure out how to take something in 2-D and make it 4-D
(skipping over 3-D completely) and then get the whole thing to fit
inside his smartphone. Finally, after a few weeks of trial and error,
the Universal Undo was ready for a test run.
Alexander went into the kitchen and stood in front of the
refrigerator. From there he walked to the cupboard. He waited a
few seconds, then hit Universal Undo on his smartphone. Presto!
Alexander was back at the refrigerator. He walked to the stove.
He waited, hit Universal Undo—and there he was, back at the
refrigerator again. Action undone!
Alexander took his new invention outside. By the traffic lights,
he ran into Mrs. Bieberman, who was carrying a bag of groceries
and holding the hand of her 3-year-old son Tommy.
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2
3
4
5
This selection is an example of
a fictional narrative, a type of
writing in which the author tells
a story about made-up characters
and events. This is the type of
writing you will develop in the
Performance-Based Assessment at
the end of the unit.
As you read, consider how the
author makes the characters and
situation interesting. Mark the
text to help answer this question:
How does the author keep the
reader interested and make the
flow of events clear?
LAUNCH TEXT | FICTIONAL NARRATIVE
UNIT 4 INTRODUCTION
276 UNIT 4 • IMAGINATION

! WORD NETWORK FOR IMAGINATION
Vocabulary A Word Network is
a collection of words related
to a topic. As you read the
selections in this unit, identify
interesting words related to the
idea of imagination and add
them to your Word Network.
For example, you might begin
by adding words from the
Launch Text, such as invention,
excitement, and discovery.
Continue to add words as you
complete this unit.
Tool Kit
Word Network Model
Copyright © Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
NOTES
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: Where can imagination lead?
“Hello Mrs. Bieberman! Hi Tommy!” Alexander called out. He
smiled. “That’s a really silly hat you’re wearing, Mrs. Bieberman!”
Then he tapped his smartphone. If everything worked, his last
comment would be Undone.
“Hello yourself, Alexander!” exclaimed Mrs. Bieberman.
Good! thought Alexander. She hadn’t heard it! Flushed with
excitement, he continued. “You know, your little boy looks like a
toad.” He paused, waiting for a response.
“
I do not not look like a toe!” Tommy wailed and, still
blubbering, started to play his video game. Had Alexander tapped
Undo—or just imagined it? He couldn’t remember.
“He can’t go long without his game,” Mrs. Bieberman said,
sighing. “And only three years old.” Alexander hadn’t started
playing video games until he was nine.
“I want a cookie!” said Tommy suddenly, tugging at the hem of
his mother’s skirt. Mrs. Bieberman reached into a bag of cookies
and pulled one out. “I’ll give you just one, Tommy.” Tommy
grabbed it and stuffed it in his mouth.
“How’s your mother?” asked Mrs. Bieberman. “I should call her.”
Alexander was aware of a tap tapping sound.
Mrs. Bieberman reached into a bag of cookies and pulled one
out. “I’ll give you just one, Tommy.”
Alexander froze. How could he have missed it? He’d read all about
multiple discovery—the idea that most inventions are made by
a number of different people in different places at the same time.
How could he have thought he was the only one?
“’Bye Mrs. Bieberman, Tommy” said Alexander in a shaky voice.
Tommy, his mouth crammed with cookie, looked into
Alexander’s eyes and hit a button on his video game. Tap, tap-tap
.
Mrs. Bieberman reached into a bag of cookies and pulled one
out. “I’ll give you just one, Tommy.” ❧

WRITE LIKE A 6TH GRADER

QuickWrite
Consider class discussions, the video, and the Launch Text as you think
about the prompt. Record your first thoughts here.
PROMPT:

What might happen if a fictional character were to
come into the real world?
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: Where can imagination lead?
Title of Text:
Date:
CONNECTION TO PROMPT
TEXT EVIDENCE/DETAILS
ADDITIONAL NOTES/IDEAS
How does this text change or add to my thinking?
Date:

Answer 1

Title of Text: The Universal Undo
Date: [Insert Date]

CONNECTION TO PROMPT:
In the Launch Text, Alexander Dillahunt creates an invention called the Universal Undo that allows him to go back in time to undo his last actions. If a fictional character like Alexander were to come into the real world, he might use his invention in ways we never expected. For example, he could help people avoid mistakes or make better choices in critical situations. This could lead to both positive and negative consequences, impacting relationships and the very essence of decision-making.

TEXT EVIDENCE/DETAILS:

1. Alexander’s excitement about the functionality of the Universal Undo shows how much he believes in the power of his invention. For example, he eagerly tests it and celebrates its success when he “undoes” his movement.
2. The comedian aspect of his interactions with Mrs. Bieberman and Tommy demonstrates how character relationships would change if he could truly erase his words and actions. For instance, when he accidentally insults Tommy, he wonders if he actually tapped the Undo button or just imagined it.
3. The theme of “multiple discovery” reflects the idea that great ideas might be created by multiple people. This could lead to a more dynamic scenario in the real world, where inventions appear suddenly and in unexpected ways.

ADDITIONAL NOTES/IDEAS:
If Alexander’s invention brought him into the real world, it may have repercussions beyond fun interactions. People could rely too much on it, leading to consequences that undermine personal responsibility. Moreover, it could spark ethical debates about whether we should be able to undo our mistakes, ultimately shaping new societal norms.

How does this text change or add to my thinking?
Reading this text made me think about the consequences of technology and how it can impact our lives. Imagining a character like Alexander existing in our world brings up questions about accountability and the nature of choice. Would we become too reliant on such inventions? Would people’s willingness to accept responsibility diminish if they knew they could just “undo” their mistakes? This makes me ponder about how much we value our decision-making and learning from failure.

Date: [Insert Date]