Patricia Polacco Presents the Graves Family
Target Words / Story Context / Student-Friendly Explanationlunge (p. 6) / When Sara and Seth first visited Ronnie at his house, the Venus flytrap lunged at Sara. / To lunge means to move forward suddenly.
repulsive (p. 13) / When Sara and Seth visited the Graves’ home, they discovered the pillows were the most repulsive spiders they’d ever seen. / Something that is repulsive is very disgusting!
relish (p.17) / When Sara and Seth ate dinner at Ronnie’s house, everyone ate with relish, except Sara and Seth. / To relish something means to really like or appreciate it.
cordial (p. 18) / Mrs. Graves was cordially invited to attend the Garden Club tea party. / To be cordial means to be very warm and sincere.
subtle (p. 21) / When the Best Decorated House contest was announced at the Garden Club tea, the ladies all glanced at each other in a subtle way because they all wanted to win. / Something that is subtle has such a small difference that it is difficult to detect. It is not obvious.
untimely (p. 24) / Mrs. Graves’ Venus fly trap had an untimely growth spurt when she brought it to the Garden Club tea. / An event that is untimely is happening at the wrong time.
Word Associations:
1. Which word or words go with our opinion of something? (repulsive, relish)
2. Which word or words go with a kind of movement? (lunge)
3. Which word or words go with how we treat someone? (cordial)
4. Which word or words go with the when something happens ? (untimely)
5. Which word or words go with comparing things? (subtle)
Have You Ever….? Turn and Talk and…
1. Describe a time when something has happened to you at an untimely moment.
2. Describe a time when you might look for subtle differences between two things.
3. Describe something that you relish.
4. Describe something that is repulsive to you.
5. Describe a time when you have had to lunge.
6. Describe a time when you treated someone in a cordial way.
Which Would…?
1. Which would you find to be more subtle….the differences between September and May? or the differences between second grade and third grade?
2. Which would you relish more…..an extra outdoor recess? or a fun movie in the classroom?
3. Which do you think is more repulsive…..mold growing on an old piece of bread? or slimy moss on the sidewalk?
4. Which would you rather lunge for …..a baseball headed your way? or a drinking glass falling off the counter?
5. Which is more untimely…..missing a party day at school due to sickness? or having a snow day on the school party day?
6. Which would be more cordial….making sure a new student has a friend to play with on the playground? or saying please and thank you to the bus drivers and cooks?
Engage in Conversation about Word Meanings
1. What kinds of nonfood things do you relish?
2. When would it be helpful to lunge?
3. Are there good things that can happen in an untimely way?
4. What kinds of subtle changes or improvements could we make to our school day?
5. How could you politely deal with something that is repulsive to you?
6. What kinds of actions should we use to show that we are trying to treat people in a cordial way?
Name ______#____
The Graves Family by Patricia Polacco
1. Use the word repulsive correctly in a sentence.
______
2. What is an item or possession that you relish?______
Explain why:______
3. Draw a sketch using the word lunge. Explain what is happening in your sketch.
______
4. Circle the sentence that uses cordial correctly.
Mrs. Graves was cordially invited to attend the Garden Club tea party.
The young girl was cordially gossiping about the boy with the green shoes.
5. Circle the sentence that uses untimely correctly.
My picture was taken untimely as I was in the middle of a big sneeze.
The police officer drove up untimely as the robber was robbing the bank.
6. What are two things that should be done in a subtle way? Explay why.
- ______Why? ______
- ______Why? ______