I am making my own cursive copywork sheets to coordinate Writing with Ease 2 and Story of the World 2. (Our narration is coming from our SOTW readings and the helpful questions and narration tips in the SOTW Activity Guide.) I pull the sentences from our literature that corresponds to SOTW2 or from the SOTW2 text itself. Sometimes I use these sentences in WWE a few weeks behind when we read it in SOTW, so the weeks don’t match up exactly; but we like it better than using more random selections in the WWE workbook.
I’m making it available to anyone else who happens to be using WWE2 with SOTW2, who wants to check out the same books for literature, who is teaching cursive, but doesn’t want to take the time to make their own copywork in WWE2. If you want to make your own copywork in manuscript, you can do that here or here. The cursive documents are loaded at the end of each sample sentence. However, this is not meant to be used in place of the WWE text. In order to do the program properly, you must have the instructor’s text at the least.
I used the first three weeks of the workbook for WWE2, so I will just add from week four on. I consulted the instructor’s text and the workbook to get a feel for exactly what types of sentences to look for; but feel free to use your own if you don’t like these. If there was a difference between the workbook and instructor’s text for focuses of certain weeks, I often followed the workbook’s directions. I will keep adding to this page throughout the year.
Week 4: different kinds of sentences
from Who in the World Was the Acrobatic Empress?
The first sentence is a command spoken by Theodora when they are appealing to the Roman stadium crowd to allow their mother the job of bearkeeper. (This example used a period, not an exclamation mark.) The second sentence is Comita’s (Theodora’s sister) response.
I know this may not make sense, but follow me.
Theodora, what are you doing?
from Magic in the Margins: a Medieval Tale of Bookmaking
These are a bit harder, because of the quotes, more punctuation, and a few bigger words. You can choose which imperative sentence you like if you don’t want both.
“How shall I do that?” Simon asked nervously.
“By capturing mice, Simon, that’s how!”
“Remember, use your imagination!”
Week 5: seasons
The first two examples are from Why Are You Calling Me a Barbarian?
In the winter, we wear these trousers down past our feet. That’s how we protect ourselves from the freezing cold.
It feels like winter here, even when it’s actually springtime. I miss the fragrant flowers of Rome.
WWE2-5a, SOTW 2 WWE2-5B, SOTW 2
This example is from Rikki-Tikki-Tavi adapted and illus. by Jerry Pinkney. (corresponds with India)
One day a summer flood washed Rikki-tikki-tavi out of the burrow and floated him, kicking and clucking, down a roadside ditch.
Week 6: Poetry
We are using FLL 2 as well, so this sentence comes from “The Goops.”
And that is why I’m glad that I
Am not a Goop — are you?
Week 7-10: Commas in a series
I tried to generally follow the workbook. If it had a series of verbs or infinitives, I also tried to find that type of sentence. I also tried to find sentences that weren’t too long or with lots of difficult spelling.
Week 7:
Beginning here, I have begun combining sentences in the documents. Just print whichever page you like. The first two examples are from Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. The next two sentences come from SOTW2, p. 56 and 64 respectively.
He nearly drowned in the bathtub, put his nose in the ink on a desk, and burned it on the big man’s cigar.
Rikki had sprung, jumped on the snake’s back, bitten as high up as he could, and rolled away.
Muhammad told them that they shouldn’t drink any alcohol, gamble, or mistreat their slaves.
I did nothing but eat, drink, and go to parties with my friends.
Week 8:
The first sentence comes from Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the second from SOTW p. 65, the third from The Day of Ahmed’s Secret, and the fourth from My Father’s Dragon.
He was dizzy, aching, and felt shaken to pieces when something went off like a thunderclap just behind him.
Flowers grew blue, yellow, and scarlet along the edges of clear, running streams.
Woven into the harness of my donkey are my own good-luck colors, blue, green, and gold.
The thick, dark, damp, scary jungle began just beyond a narrow strip of beach.
Week 9:
The first sentence is from Rikki-Tikki-Tavi; the middle three sentences from the story of Sinbad in SOTW, p. 64, 66, and 68; and the final sentence is from My Father’s Dragon.
It was a large yard with rosebushes, lime and orange trees, and clumps of bamboos.
I bought myself the best food, the finest drink, and the most beautiful clothing.
Trees, grass, flowers, and streams all flew away in a cloud of destruction.
I saw nothing but sand, trees, the sky, and the mountain rising above me.
He took chewing gum, black rubber boots, a compass, a very sharp jackknife, and some clean clothes.
Week 10:
Both of these sentences are too difficult; the first (from SOTW2) has difficult spelling, and the second (from My Father’s Dragon) is too long.
Philosophers, scientists, astronomers, and writers came to Baghdad to study, to learn, and to write books.
The two wild boars, the seven tigers, the rhinoceros, the two lions, the gorilla, along with the countless screeching monkeys, were all riding down the river on the crocodiles sucking pink lollipops, and all yelling, screaming, and getting their feet wet.
Week 11
The first sentence is spoken by the raja in One Grain of Rice. The following three sentences are from Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. I changed the middle one slightly.
No! How do I know how long the famine may last? I must have the rice for myself.
Let’s talk! You eat eggs. Why shouldn’t I eat birds?
Who is Nag? I am Nag. Look, and be afraid!
Hush! Nag is everywhere, Rikki-tikki. Can’t you hear?
Week 12: Helping verbs
The first selection is from The Pumpkin Runner. The next two are from Viking Adventure. I included several sentences in each example from Viking Adventure. You only need two sentences from each.
Joshua was shoved into Katerina Volta, who was gulping down a vial of purple liquid.
Once he had sailed in Viking ships. He had fought in far places. Then a wound had put an end to his fighting days. He had come home to his farm in Norway.
A woman was talking in the hall below. He could hear some of the words. She was telling a ghost story.
Week 13-14: Contractions
The first four examples come from My Father’s Dragon, followed by one example from The Magician’s Nephew, which we were reading aloud at this time. Then come three examples from The Pumpkin Runner, followed by the two last examples, which are from Puss in Boots.
As fond as we are of chewing gum, we’re sure we’d like you even better!
You’re our first little boy, you know. I’m curious to know if you’re especially tender.
Maybe you think we have regular meal-times, but we don’t. We just eat whenever we’re feeling hungry.
I’ll twist your arms the way I twist that dragon’s wings, and then we’ll see if you can’t hurry up a bit.
WWE2-13ad, SOTW2 WWE2-13bc, SOTW2
Don’t say I’m just like a woman, or you’ll be a beastly copy-cat. (The Magician’s Nephew, Polly speaking to Digory.)
It’s been a while since we’ve visited the city, Yellow Dog.
We’ve come here to run, and that’s just what we’re going to do.
As long as he’s got pumpkins to eat, he’ll keep running.
WWE2-14a, SOTW2 WWE2-14bc, SOTW2
You’ll see that you haven’t come out as badly as you think.
If you don’t, you’ll be cut up as small as sausage meat.
Week 15: Adjectives
Starting this week, I began making copywork using the web-app from Notebooking Publisher. These pages are much prettier and allow me to play around more with clip art. I am now following ABeka’s 2nd grade writing workbook in how they move the copywork example to the top of the page, and then remove the dotted middle lines and only provide the top and bottom lines for the copywork.
This first example is from The Pumpkin Runner, followed by two selections from The Pied Piper of Hamelin. Next comes an example from Viking Adventure, followed by two selections from Saint George and the Dragon.
He looked over his glasses at the lanky man driving the jeep, the yellow dog sitting beside him, and the old woman snoring atop a pile of pumpkins.
It was a tall, thin stranger in red and yellow, and he had a reed pipe in his hands.
The rats followed: black rats, brown rats, gray rats, fat rats, father and mother rats, uncle and cousin rats, they all danced after the Piper.
Servants brought dishes of roasted meat. They brought honey bread with white cheese and sweet butter.
After many days the path became thorny and led up a steep hillside, where a good old hermit lived in a little house by himself.
The noble knight wore heavy armor and carried an ancient silver shield marked with a red cross.
Week 16: Predicate adjectives
There are several different books to choose from here. The first sentence is from My Father’s Dragon, the second from Snow White, the next three from Viking Adventure, and the final one from St. George and the Dragon. Some of the sentences are combined on one document; those are placed in-between the sentences below (marked with two letters after the week, e.g. “16de.”)
The river was very wide and muddy, and the jungle was very gloomy and dense.
Snow White’s stepmother was beautiful, but she was also vain.
The sea was cold. The water was deep.
When adventures came, he must be ready. He must be brave. He must be strong.
The shore was low. The sand was clean and bright. The sky was fair. The sun was warm. (Viking Adventure, speaking of Wineland)
The path they had to follow was straight and narrow, but not easy to see.
Week 17: Interjections
The first sentence is from My Father’s Dragon, then from The Pied Piper, then from Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, and finally from “The Werewolf” in Favorite Medieval Tales.
Lollipops! Why, that is a treat! How about it, boys?
Rats! They fought the dogs and killed the cats. Oh, how I wish we had a trap!
Rikki-tikki! I led Nagaina towards the house and oh, come quickly! She means killing!
Look here! What is this marvel? Why, the beast acts like a man.
Week 18: Conjunctions
The first example is from St. George and the Dragon.
The Red Cross Knight had never yet faced a foe, and did not even know his name or where he had been born. But now he was bound on a great adventure.
These examples are from Knights of the Round Table.
King Arthur and his knights laughed and joked, but no one sipped his wine or tasted his bread. For on this special day King Arthur had a rule.
Fire is warm and bright, but its flames destroy.
Big Hands beat the Blue Knight and the Brown Knight, yet still Linnet called him names.
Week 19-21: Direct quotations
The first six examples are from The Minstrel in the Tower.
“Take this to your uncle Raimond,” she told the girl. “Show him the eagle carved on the back.”
“Three whole days!” she exclaimed through her tears. “What will we eat?”
“I wish I could go in your stead,” lamented Zara. “But I’m far too old to make such a journey.”
“Get down!” he called, trying to mask the fear in his voice. “Those boards might cave in under you!”
When she reached him, she said, “You didn’t give me a chance to tell you.”
“And when I took a good look at that boy,” Simon went on, “I saw Lady Blanche beneath the dirt on his face.”
The next two examples are from Knights of the Round Table.
“I could not bring your sword,” he told Kay. “But this one will do as well.”
Sir Lancelot could not help but hear voices muttering, “What do we know of this boy? Why should he sit beside the king?”
Ita Vita 
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