Peter and the Starcatchers

Peter and the Starcatchers

1. Vocabulary List:

Consult the online dictionaries http://www.onelook.com/

Find the words in Peter and the Starcatchers to see how they are used.

Write student friendly definitions.

Tier 2 Words	Page #	Student Friendly Definitions
gaunt	37	thin and bony; really skinny
lunatic	49	crazy and reckless
rations	51	a limited amount of food or water
mocked	52	to make fun of someone
languidly	59	lacking energy; moving slowly with little energy
triumphantly	61	showing that you are happy and proud
predicament	70	a difficult, unpleasant, and embarrassing situation where there is no clear or easy way out of it
apprehensively	70	acting or looking uneasy or fearful about something
WRITE YOUR OWN STUDENT FRIENDLY DEFINITIONS: MAKE SURE YOU CHECK TO SEE HOW THE WORD IS USED IN THE BOOK
unison	80
discreet	82
remnants	82
tentative	82
staggered	82
reluctantly	82
savoring	84
vicious	84
frantically	86
desperately	90
emitted	91
protocol	96
consequences	100
SELECT YOUR OWN WORDS FROM THE READING

2. Look up the meanings of the words below that you do not know; add these to your vocabulary list. Then think about the mood that these words create in the book. Remember to consult the page # and how the word is used in Peter and the Starcatchers.

p. 8 dismal	p. 15 decrepit	p. 15 scruffy crew
p. 24 stinkhouse	p. 37 gloomy	p. 37 depressing
p. 37 windowless	p. 37 reeked	p. 39 maggot
p. 40 retching	p. 41 drunken bellowing	p. 42 worthless
p. 42 incompetent	p. 68 despair	p. 68 hopeless

What is the feeling that you get from these words? Describe that feeling.

Why do the authors use these words in Peter and the Starcatchers?

3. Write short definitions for these words:

Word	Definition
p. 37 windowless
p. 68 hopeless
reckless
spiritless

What does the suffix “-less” mean?

Can you think of other words that have –less as a suffix?

4. Write short definitions for these words:

Word	Definition
p. 22 disapproval
p. 22 disapproved
p. 28 disappointed
p. 104 disappeared

What does the prefix “dis-” mean?

Can you think of other words that have dis- as a prefix?

5. Write short definitions for these words:

Word	Definition
p. 12 p. 92 impossible
p. 65 impatient p. 96 impatience
p. 42 incompetent
p. 96 inhuman

What does the prefix “im-” and “in-“ mean?

Can you think of other words that have im- or in- as a prefix?

6. Write short definitions for these words:

Word	Definition
p. 1 undisputed
p. 102 unflappable

What does the prefix “un-” mean?

Can you think of other words that have un- as a prefix?

7. Words can be semantically related (synonyms), but convey different shades of meanings.

Authors choose synonyms carefully to convey emotions of characters. The following list contains words used in Peter and the Starcatchers when different characters speak. Find the word in the book and describe how the word used reveals meaning about the event in the story.

Word	Page #	Particular Meaning or Emotion Conveyed
declare	1	Peter would announce to everyone his age. Stated as fact. I think Peter is very confident.
inquired	4	James questioned what he just heard. He always does this and seems unsure of himself.
observed	5	Slank notices the boys and states publicly that he does not care for boys. Slank is very observant at all times, and he says what he thinks.
whispered	7	James tells Peter he can’t swim so that others cannot hear. He is afraid.
complained	9	Mack wants Alf to think Mack cannot lift the trunk because his back hurts. He complains a lot.
teased	13	Mack is making fun of Alf because he hears bells.
wondered	15	Mack questioned why anyone would sail on a ship with Pembridge as captain.
yelled	16	Slank was angry that Alf was putting his hand under the canvas covering the trunk. He seems protective of the cargo.
repeated	17	Mack tries to get Alf’s attention by saying again, “Come on.” Alf is staring at Peter. You get the idea that there is a connection between them.
WRITE THE MEANING OR EMOTION CONVEYED IN THE STORY
shouted	20
pleaded	22
weeping	22
interrupted	28
boomed	28
roared	38
screamed	38
muttering	40
bellowed	44
sneered	48
hissed	53
queried	65
scoffed	77
commented	92
snapped	95
threatened	95
FIND OTHER SYNONYMS AND WRITE THE MEANING OR EMOTION CONVEYED

8. Forms of a Word

Fill in the blanks:

Verb (If Possible)	Noun	Adjective	Adverb
triumph	triumph	triumphant	triumphantly (p. 61)
apprehend	apprehensiveness apprehension	apprehensive	apprehensively (p.70)
----------------	desperateness desperation	desperate (p. 22)
----------------			languidly (p. 59)
----------------		discreet (p. 82)
----------------		gaunt (p. 37)
FIND YOUR OWN EXAMPLES FROM THE READING

9. Forms of a Word

Fill in the blanks:

Noun (If Possible)	Verb (Base Form)	Verb Past Tense	Verb –ing (adjectives)
mock	mock (p. 52)	mocked	mocking
		staggered (p. 42)
savor			savoring (p. 84)
depression			depressing (p. 37)
		emitted (p. 91)
despair (p. 68)
FIND YOUR OWN EXAMPLES FROM THE READING

10. Forms of a Word

Fill in the blanks:

Noun	Verb	Adjective
interruption	interrupt	interruptive
	repeat
	complain
	declare
FIND YOUR OWN EXAMPLES FROM THE READING

11. Synonym/Antonym

Fill in the blanks:

Synonym	Word	Antonym
	decrepit
	dismal
	vicious
FIND YOUR OWN EXAMPLES FROM THE READING

Remember to consult the Internet resources for dictionaries.