Calvin's having a bad morning, but it gets much worse on realizing that he forgot to do a massive school project, and he desperately attempts to throw it together at the last second.
Tropes
- Call-Back: Not explicitly stated, but this arc starts immediately after the previous one ended, which featured Calvin waiting for his propeller beanie to arrive in the mail for over a month. He was shown to think of basically nothing but the beanie for the entire time, and Susie mentions in this arc that the class had been discussing the insect collection constantly for the last month, so it's reasonable to assume that his obsession with his beanie meant he tuned out the assignment.
- Comically Small Bribe: After accepting that there's no way he'll be able to assemble a collection of fifty insects in the handful of minutes he has before class starts, Calvin tries to buy Susie's for thirty cents. To be fair, it's possible that's all the money he has on his person.
- Friendly Enemy: It's worth noting that, despite Calvin blowing her off at the bus stop for no good reason and putting her in a bad mood, once Susie realizes that Calvin forgot his insect collection she immediately starts doing whatever she can to help him until realizing that he's beyond help. Despite it all, the two are friends.
- Halfway Plot Switch: After a short opening featuring Calvin being grumpy, the first half of the arc is about Calvin frantically trying to cobble together an insect collection for school the day it's due. The latter part, however, shifts to mostly being about Calvin getting Susie in trouble with Ms. Wormwood for not paying attention in class, and the insect collection plot is forgotten until a brief mention at the very end.
- Here We Go Again!: The last strip of the arc is Calvin recounting the events of the day to Hobbes. Then on the last panel...Hobbes: I bet all this makes you get your book report finished right on time.
Calvin: My what? - Idiot Ball: Given Calvin's track record of constant misbehaving in her class, and Susie typically being a model student, it's a little strange that Ms. Wormwood would assume the worst of Susie on hearing her talking to him during class.
- Last-Minute Project: Calvin had an entire month to put together a collection of 50 bugs and scientifically label them, which he completely forgot about until the morning it was due. He then frantically starts trying to get whatever he can on what little time he has left. All he gets is a drowned worm, a smashed fly, a live ant, and a piece of lint that looks like a bug.Susie: Where have you been? Don't you pay attention? Don't you care about getting a good education?!Calvin: If any bugs fly into your open mouth, can I have them?
- The Permanent Record: The Principal shows Susie a massive file filled with papers and says that they have quite a file on Calvin.
- The Scapegoat: Calvin asks Susie to help him fudge together a partial insect collection in class, and Susie tells him to do it himself and to be quiet. Ms. Wormwood only hears Susie talking, however, and assumes that she's the one to blame for causing distractions, moving her to the front of the classroom.
- The Teaser: The arc starts with Calvin in a generic bad mood on having to get up early and go to school. It's not until the fourth strip that the subject of the insect collection is even brought up.
