Gretchen is partnered with TJ for a project.
- Anachronism Stew: In-Universe. TJ convinces Gretchen to partake in a very simplistic project of a pyramid made of sugar cubes and an army man inside it.
- Both Sides Have a Point: Sans TJ himself, the Recess Gang tries to convince Gretchen to give TJ a chance being her partner and to accept he just has his own way of doing things. However, his causing Gretchen to fail the project leads TJ to realize it's not enough breezing through life: he actually has to put in the effort. In the end, he applies both aspects of his work ethic: he does the project on his own term, but he also applies himself.
- Conflict Ball: Gretchen is annoyed with TJ getting away with things she gets in trouble for.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Miss Finster catches Gretchen and TJ in chewing gum. She punishes Gretchen by putting her in garbage detail for the rest of the week, but TJ avoids punishment by revealing a dentist's card that he held in his hat and that the gum is prescribed by his dentist due to early stages of gingivitis. Knowing how dangerous gingivitis is (as it has done to her own teeth), Finster is permissive enough to let TJ continue chewing his gum. Once Finster leaves, T.J. revealed to his friends it was just a clever ruse that he planned up as an excuse to chew gum.
- My God, What Have I Done?: TJ has this reaction when he realizes his laziness actually harmed Gretchen's grade.
- Not So Above It All: Miss Grotke joins in a Historical Longevity Joke about Miss Finster.TJ: Ancient civilizations? Like back when Miss Finster was a kid?
(all the kids burst into laughter)
Miss Grotke: Actually, TJ, we're going to go back thousands of years, not hundreds. (she starts laughing too)
