Stargirl lesson plan

Stargirl:
A Unit Plan

Based on the story by
Jerry Spinelli
Written by Mary B. Collins

This version distributed by eNotes.com LLC.
©2005 by Teacher’s Pet Publications, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

*Only the student materials in this unit plan such as worksheets,
study questions, assignment sheets, and tests may be reproduced
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TABLE OF CONTENTS - Stargirl

Introduction 7
Unit Objectives 9
Reading Assignment Sheet 10
Unit Outline 11
Study Questions (Short Answer) 15
Quiz/Study Questions (Multiple Choice) 25
Pre-reading Vocabulary Worksheets 43
Lesson One (Introductory Lesson) 61
Nonfiction Assignment Sheet 72
Oral Reading Evaluation Form 65
Writing Assignment 1 69
Writing Evaluation Form 77
Vocabulary Review Activities 85
Extra Writing Assignments/Discussion ?s 78
Unit Review Activities 87
Unit Tests 91
Unit Resource Materials 133
Vocabulary Resource Materials 157

A FEW NOTES ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SPINELLI, Jerry 1941-Jerry Spinelli was born on February 1, 1941, in Norristown, Pennsylvania.
While still a youngster, one of his poems about a hometown football team's victory was published
in a local paper. This inspired him to consider a career as a writer. As an adult writer, he thought he
should write about topics that would be interesting to adults. The publishers he approached were not
interested in his work. After he married, he started writing about things his own children did. One
incident, when his child ate some food he was saving for himself, was the inspiration for his first
book, Space Station Seventh Grade.

Space Station Seventh Grade (Little, Brown, 1982) tells the daily life of Jason Herkimer. Jason deals
with everyday incidents as well as serious issues such as his parents' divorce, and living with a
stepfather. In the sequel, Jason and Marceline (Little, Brown, 1990), Jason and the trombone player,
Marceline, develop a deeper, more caring, and romantic relationship.

Who Put That Hair in My Toothbrush? (Little, Brown, 1984) is the story of Megin and Greg,
siblings who fight a lot but unite against a common threat. The story is told in first person, with
chapters alternating between Megin and Greg.

Maniac Magee (Little, Brown, 1990) was the Newbery Medal winner in 1991. In this book, Spinelli
deals with the absurdities of racism. Jeffrey Lionel Magee is a Caucasian boy who is orphaned at
the age of three. He runs away from his aunt and uncle's tension-filled home, and lives with a
succession of people. The first is a kind and loving black family. He leaves them when racist graffiti
is sprayed on their home. Next he lives with an old man in the equipment room of the park, but the
man dies. After that he lives with a racist, dysfunctional white family. Nicknamed Maniac because
of his athletic feats, he tries to start better racial relationships between the blacks and whites. Maniac
Magee also won the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award, 1990, American Library Association, 1991,
and the D.C. Fisher Award, 1992.

Spinelli's other works include Dump Days, (Little, Brown, 1988), The Bathwater Gang (Little,
Brown, 1990), There's a Girl in My Hammerlock, (Simon and Schuster, 1991), and Fourth Grade
Rats (Scholastic, 1991.) He lives in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.

5

INTRODUCTION Stargirl

This unit has been designed to develop students' reading, writing, thinking, and language skills
through exercises and activities related to Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. It includes eighteen lessons,
supported by extra resource materials.

In the introductory lesson students review the format of a newspaper and look particularly at the
“filler” items. Following the introductory activity, students are given a transition to explain that
Stargirl used the fillers in the newspaper to find out things about people so she could send them the
appropriate cards or greetings. Following the transition, students are given the materials they will
be using during the unit.

The reading assignments are approximately twenty pages each; some are a little shorter while
others are a little longer. Students have approximately 15 minutes of pre-reading work to do prior
to each reading assignment. This pre-reading work involves reviewing the study questions for the
assignment and doing some vocabulary work for several vocabulary words they will encounter in
their reading.

The study guide questions are fact-based questions; students can find the answers to these questions
right in the text. These questions come in two formats: short answer or multiple choice. The best
use of these materials is probably to use the short answer version of the questions as study guides
for students (since answers will be more complete), and to use the multiple choice version for
occasional quizzes. It might be a good idea to make transparencies of your answer keys for the
overhead projector.

The vocabulary work is intended to enrich students' vocabularies as well as to aid in the students'
understanding of the book. Prior to each reading assignment, students will complete a two-part
worksheet for several vocabulary words in the upcoming reading assignment. Part I focuses on
students' use of general knowledge and contextual clues by giving the sentence in which the word
appears in the text. Students are then to write down what they think the words mean based on the
words' usage. Part II nails down the definitions of the words by giving students dictionary definitions
of the words and having students match the words to the correct definitions based on the words'
contextual usage. Students should then have an understanding of the words when they meet them
in the text.

After each reading assignment, students will go back and formulate answers for the study guide
questions. Discussion of these questions serves as a review of the most important events and ideas
presented in the reading assignments.

Students are assigned to do a project with this unit. Students are members of the Sunflower Club,
a club of students who pledges to do something nice each day for someone other than themselves.
Students will try to keep this pledge and keep a list of what they did each day. After about two
weeks, students will share their experiences with the class.

7

Two lessons are devoted to the extra discussion questions/writing assignments. These questions
focus on interpretation, critical analysis and personal response, employing a variety of thinking skills
and adding to the students' understanding of the novel.

After students complete the discussion questions, there is a vocabulary review lesson which pulls
together all of the fragmented vocabulary lists for the reading assignments and gives students a
review of all of the words they have studied.

There are three writing assignments in this unit, each with the purpose of informing, persuading,
or having students express personal opinions. In the first assignment, students write to inform. They
write a “filler” for the newspaper. In the second assignment, students write to persuade Leo to accept
Stargirl OR persuade Stargirl to find a better way to fit in with the group OR persuade you that Leo
and Stargirl acted appropriately in the book and wouldn’t need to be persuaded to do anything
differently. The third writing assignment gives students the opportunity to do some creative writing
by writing the plot summary for a sequel to the novel Stargirl.

In addition, there is a nonfiction reading assignment. Students are required to read a piece of
nonfiction related in some way to Stargirl. After reading their nonfiction pieces, students will fill
out a worksheet on which they answer questions regarding facts, interpretation, criticism, and
personal opinions.

The review lesson pulls together all of the aspects of the unit. The teacher is given four or five
choices of activities or games to use which all serve the same basic function of reviewing all of the
information presented in the unit.

The unit tests come in two formats: short answer and multiple choice. As a convenience, two
different tests for each format have been included. There is also an advanced short answer unit test
which is even more challenging.

There are additional support materials included with this unit. The unit resource materials section
includes suggestions for an in-class library, crossword and word search puzzles related to the novel,
and extra vocabulary worksheets. There is a list of bulletin board ideas which gives the teacher
suggestions for bulletin boards to go along with this unit. In addition, there is a list of extra class
activities the teacher could choose from to enhance the unit or as a substitution for an exercise the
teacher might feel is inappropriate for his/her class. Answer keys immediately follow the
reproducible student materials. The student materials may be reproduced for use in the teacher's
classroom without infringement of copyrights. No other portion of this unit may be reproduced
without the written consent of Teacher's Pet Publications, Inc.

8

UNIT OBJECTIVES Stargirl

1. Students will explore the theme of individuality/nonconformity.

2. Students will keep a log of the good deeds they do and share some of their experiences with
the class.

3. Students will practice reading orally and silently.

4. Students will answer questions to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the main
events and characters in Stargirl.

5. The writing assignments are designed for several purposes:
a. To check and increase students reading comprehension
b. To make students think about the ideas presented in the novel
c. To encourage logical thinking
d. To provide the opportunity for students to practice good grammar and
improve their use of the language
e. To encourage students' creativity

6. Students will participate in group activities to improve their personal interaction skills.

7. Students will study vocabulary from the book to improve their own vocabularies.

8. Students will practice their public speaking skills.

9

READING ASSIGNMENTS Stargirl

Date Assigned Chapters Completion Date
Porcupine Necktie-4
5-9
10-13
14-17
18-21
22-25
26-29
30-End

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UNIT OUTLINE Stargirl

1 2 Study ?s P-4 3 Study ?s 5-9 4 5

Introduction PVR PVR Hot Seat Interviews PVR Ch 10-13
Project Assignment Porcupine-4 Chapters 5-9

Study ?s 10-13 6 Study ?s 14-17 7 8 Study ?s 18-21 9 10

Writing Speaker: Library: Nonfiction Nonfiction Reports Read 22-25
Assignment 1 Meditation & Assignment Prepare Sunflower
Yoga PV 22-25 Club Reports
PVR Ch 14-17 PVR 18-21

Study ?s 22-25 11 Study ?s 26-29 12 Study ?s 30-End 13 14 15
Extra Discussion
Sunflower Club PVR 30-End Writing Extra Discussion Questions
Reports Assignment 2 Questions Writing
PVR 26-29 Assignment 3

16 17 18

Vocabulary Review Unit Review Unit Test

P=Preview the Study Questions
V=Do the Vocabulary Worksheet
R=Read

11

STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS Stargirl

Porcupine Necktie - Chapter 4
1. Who was Leo Borlock?
2. What was Leo’s going away present from his uncle Pete?
3. What mysterious gift appeared on Leo’s doorstep on his birthday?
4. Who is Kevin?
5. Identify Stargirl.
6. Identify Hot Seat.
7. What unusual thing did Stargirl do in the lunchroom on the first day of school?
8. What was Hillari Kimble’s first theory about Stargirl?
9. List at least three unusual things Stargirl did in the first weeks of school?
10. List four of the rumors going around school about Stargirl.
11. “We fought daily, Kevin and I.” Why?
12. What did Stargirl leave in the mailbox the day Leo followed her after school?
13. Identify Wayne Parr.

Chapters 5-9
1. What did Stargirl do that attracted so much attention at the football game?
2. What was the result of Stargirl’s halftime show?
3. Hillari told Stargirl not to sing happy birthday to her, and Stargirl agreed. Did Stargirl keep
her promise?
4. Identify Archie.
5. Identify Senor Saguaro.
6. Describe Archie’s “school.”
7. By when did Stargirl Caraway become popular at school?
8. What did Stargirl do at her first football game as a cheerleader?
9. Identify Cinnamon.
10. Identify Dori Dilson.
11. Who won the oratorical contest at MAHS?
12. What change took place in the students in the last weeks of December into January?

Chapters 10-13
1. What day was Stargirl scheduled to go on Hot Seat?
2. How did Stargirl say the Pledge of Allegiance?
3. Who was the unexpected, unwelcome mourner at Anna Grisdale’s grandfather’s funeral?
4. What happened to Danny Pike?
5. What happened to Danny’s new bike?
6. What was unusual about Stargirl’s cheerleading?
7. What was the reaction of most students when Stargirl would cheer for them?
8. How was this basketball season different from every other sports season?
9. Of all the unusual things about Stargirl what struck the narrator as the most remarkable?
10. Why did Stargirl leave the basketball game to talk to the bus driver?
(Continued on next page)

15

Stargirl Study Questions Page 2

11. What trick did the basketball team and cheerleaders play on Stargirl?
12. What was the job of the hot seat jury?
13. Why did the narrator secretly wish no one would watch the Stargirl Hot Seat episode?
14. What other names had Stargirl used?
15. What was Stargirl’s philosophy about her name?
16. What did the Hot Seat jury do to Stargirl?

Chapters 14-17
1. When Kovac, the Sun Valley star player, was injured, who was first there to help?
2. At the end of the second play of the game against Glendale, what happened to Stargirl?
3. What was Stargirl’s Valentine message to Leo?
4. What was Leo’s reaction to Stargirl’s Valentine message?
5. How did Archie put the basketball game loss in perspective?
6. What nickname did the girls give Leo?
7. Describe Leo’s encounter with Stargirl the first time he went to her house.
8. Describe the enchanted place Stargirl took Leo to in the desert.

Chapters 18-21
1. How did the students at school treat Stargirl after the basketball game loss?
2. How did Leo feel about getting the silent treatment?
3. How did Stargirl feel about getting the silent treatment?
4. What question did Senor Saguaro “ask” Leo in answer to Leo’s search about what to do
about Stargirl?
5. What did Stargirl teach Leo?
6. Why was Stargirl’s giving unusual?
7. Who gave Leo the porcupine necktie?
8. How did Stargirl learn what was going on in people’s lives?
9. Describes Stargirl’s card game.
10. Why did Stargirl drop money coins here and there?

Chapters 22-25
1. Why was Leo surprised at Stargirl’s house, parents and room?
2. How did Stargirl’s happy wagon work?
3. Identify Peter Sinkowitz.
4. What was Leo’s reaction to Stargirl’s explanation of her Peter Sinkowitz project?
5. What did the students say about Stargirl during the shunning period?
6. What was Leo’s reaction to the “Stargirl loves Leo” banner?
7. What was Leo’s crime?
8. What was Leo’s problem, and what did he do about it?
9. When Stargirl forced Leo to talk to her about why he was avoiding her, what did he tell her?

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Stargirl Study Questions Page 3

Chapters 26-29
1. After Leo told Stargirl she should change, what did she do?
2. What was Leo’s reaction to Susan?
3. Identify Evelyn Everybody.
4. Did Stargirl’s change to Susan increase her popularity at school?
5. How many stones were in Susan’s happy wagon when Leo went to do homework with her?
6. Why did Susan’s vision and make her happy?
7. Why was Dori mad at Susan?
8. How did Susan behave in the car on the way to the contest?
9. What two birds did Susan talk about after the brief stop in the desert on her way to the
contest?
10. What was the title of Susan’s first speech at the contest?
11. How was Susan’s final speech different from the others at the contest?
12. Who welcomed to Susan at school after the contest?

Chapters 30 – More Than Stars
1. Who returned to school Monday after the contest?
2. Identify Ukee Dooks.
3. Describes Stargirl’s presence at the Ocotillo Ball.
4. What happened to Stargirl after the dance?
5. Where was Stargirl’s secret office?
6. What was in Stargirl’s office?
7. What is the Sunflower Club?
8. After time passed, Stargirl’s mark was left on the school. What things showed this?

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ANSWER KEY STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS - Stargirl

Porcupine necktie - Chapter 4
1. Who is Leo Borlock?
Leo is the narrator of the story.
Leo’s present was a porcupine necktie.
Leo’s mysterious gift was a porcupine necktie.
4. Who is Kevin?
Kevin is Leo’s friend at school.
Stargirl is a new girl at Leo’s school. She is quite different from everyone there.
Hot Seat is the school TV show produced and directed by Leo with Kevin as the on
camera host who interviewed students at the school.
Stargirl played her ukulele and sang “I’m looking over a four leaf clover that I
overlooked before” while twirling and dancing around the tables.
Hillary said Stargirl wasn’t real. She thought Stargirl was a plant by the faculty to
increase school spirit – Stargirl was a hoax.
9. List at least three unusual things Stargirl did in the first weeks of school?
- She had a sunflower canvas bag with her lunch in it.
- She played a ukulele and sang at lunch.
- She dressed like Heidi (or Bo Peep), wore Indian buckskin, a kimono, and had
enamel ladybug pins going up her stockings.
- She sang happy birthday to the kids at school.
- She made up a song about isosceles triangles and sang it in math class.
- She turned left instead of right in a cross country meet, and never came to the finish line.
- She brought her pet rat to school.
- She danced in the rain at gym class time.
- She laughed when there was no joke.
- She danced when there was no music.
- She made a “home” of her school desks with cloths in the flower in a vase.
10. List four of the rumors going around school about Stargirl.
She lived in a ghost town in the desert.
She lived in a bus.
Her parents were circus acrobats.
Her parents were witches.
Her parents were brain-dead vegetables in a hospital in Yuma.

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Leo was supposed to sign-up Stargirl for Hot Seat, and Leo was then to research her,
but Leo was reluctant to sign her up, and Kevin was frustrated.
She left an unsigned congratulations card.
Wayne Parr was a boy at school who did nothing special, but everyone noticed him
because of his good looks.

Chapters 5-9
She put on a halftime show with the band, did warmups with the team, took the football
from the tee at the start of the second half and kicked it into the stands, then left the
stadium.
The crowds cheered. A thousand people showed up at the next game. The cheerleaders
accepted her, then everyone else in school accepted her as well.
her promise?
Yes, Stargirl did keep her promise. She didn’t sing to Hillari; she sang to Leo with
Hillari’s name at the end of the song.
4. Identify Archie.
Archibald Hapwood Brubaker was a patent paleontologist and friend to the kids at
school.
It was an old cactus in Archie’s backyard.
Archie liked teaching and talking with the students. His “school” was always open, but
“official” classes were on Saturday mornings.
Stargirl became popular by the first of December.
Stargirl did all the regular cheerleaders cheers, but she didn’t take a break; she
roamed and cheered all over the stadium (including with the opposing team’s
cheerleaders). She did cartwheels and flips, and climbed the goalpost. She amazed
everyone.
Cinnamon was Stargirl’s pet rat that Hillari Kimble threatened to drop down the
stairwell.
Dori was a brown haired girl who wrote poetry. No one paid any attention to her until
Stargirl did.
Stargirl won.

19

They became individuals, noticed each other, came to life, and enjoyed life without
reservation or fear of being “different.” They accepted one another for who they were.

Chapters 10-13
She was scheduled for February 13, the day before Valentine’s Day.
“I pledge allegiance to the United Turtles of America and to the fruit bats of Borneo,
one planet in the Milky Way, incredible, with justice and black bean burritos for all.”
Stargirl
He had a bike accident and broke his leg.
It was put in the trash.
She cheered for everyone and everything without reserve.
They were embarrassed at first but when they realized they were being sincerely
cheered by everyone who gathered around, they felt great and went home smiling.
The team was winning.
Bad things did not stick to her.
She felt sorry for the Red Rock players and thought her cheering was only making
matters worse for them.
They sent her back into the school to get something and told the bus driver everyone
was aboard. They left her at Red Rock.
The jury’s job was to ask embarrassing and nosy questions that would make the
person being interviewed squirm but not roast.
He was afraid it would turn ugly.
She used the names Susan, Pocket Mouse, Mudpie, and Hullygully.
“My name is something I wear, like a shirt. It skits worn, I out grow it, I change it.”
They attacked her verbally, breaking the “only questions” rule. They told her they
didn’t want her at their school.

20

Chapters 14-17
Stargirl was the first one there to help.
Someone threw a ripe tomato in her face.
“I love you.”
He avoided her. He didn’t want to be associated with her because of her unpopularity,
but secretly he liked her a lot.
He compared it to the extinction of the species – a much greater loss and a broader
picture.
They called him Starboy.
Leo wanted to go undetected, so we went in the evening and stayed just in the vicinity at
first. Then he went in closer. When Stargirl came out, he crowded behind the car and
carried on a conversation with her from there, mostly talking about the rat. The
important thing was that he began to recognize his feelings for her.
It looked ordinary with just some scrub plants and cacti in the desert. What made it
enchanted was their meditation in silence.

Chapters 18-21
They gave her the silent treatment – didn’t talk to her, pay any attention to her,
or sit with her at lunch.
He didn’t like it. It made him feel awkward to be around Stargirl at school.
She didn’t seem to notice; she just kept talking to Leo.
about Stargirl?
“Whose affection do you value more – hers or others?”
She taught him to wonder, to read, to laugh, and to see.
She didn’t take any credit for it.
Stargirl gave him the necktie.
She read the “fillers” in the newspaper–the parts without headlines or pictures--
hospital admissions, death notices, birthday and wedding announcements,

21

coming events, and police blotters. She also listened to people around her and read
bulletin boards.
She would follow someone for fifteen minutes and try to figure out what kind of a
card to send them.
She didn’t really like to carry coins, and she knew how happy it makes people to
find money–a penny on the sidewalk or whatever. So she dropped some now and then.

Chapters 22-25
1. Why was Leo surprised at Stargirl’s house, parents and room?
He expected them to be unusual, but they were just ordinary.
She had 20 pebbles. When something made her happy, she put a pebble in the wagon.
When she was unhappy, she took a pebble out.
He was Stargirl’s neighbor about whom Stargirl was keeping a scrapbook for his
future enjoyment.
He asked her if she was running for sainthood.
They said she was a self-centered spotlight hogger who thought she was better than
everyone else, that she wanted others to feel guilty for not being as good as herself.
They said she was a phony, and that she was the reason for the basketball team’s failure.
At first he wanted to drag the Spanish teacher to the window and say, “Look! She loves
me!” His second impulse was to run outside and rip the sign away. He ignored Stargirl
all day and got away from her as quickly as he could after school.
Leo’s crime was that he linked himself to an unpopular person.
8. What was Leo’s problem, and what did he do about it?
He wanted Stargirl and he wanted his friends at school, but he couldn’t have both. He
avoided Stargirl and hoped something would change so that he could have both.
He said she was too different and needed to change to fit into the group and that no one
liked her.

Chapters 26-29
She changed. Stargirl was gone and ordinary Susan took her place.
He said he had never been so happy and so proud in his life.

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Evelyn was a fictitious person Susan made up, a person who personified the ordinary
group. When buying something, Susan would ask Leo if Evelyn would like the item, so
she’d be sure the others at school would approve of the item.
No.
Only two stones were in her wagon.
6. Why did Susan’s vision and make her happy?
She had a vision that she would win the state oratorical championship and return to
school victorious, with a huge, cheering crowd to greet her, and she would be popular
again.
She thought Stargirl betrayed herself.
She was happy and animated, talking about the huge reception she would get at school
upon her victorious return.
contest?
She talked about the moa and the mockingbird.
“I Might Have Heard A Moa” was the title of her first speech.
It didn’t seem to be a speech at all.
Dori and two teachers were there to greet her.

Chapters 30 – More Than Stars
Stargirl returned.
The Ukee Dooks was the name of a ukelele group Stargirl started at school. Only Dori
signed up, though.
3. Describe Stargirl’s presence at the Ocotillo Ball.
Stargirl arrived in a bicycle side car decorated in flowers. Her physical appearance was
stunningly beautiful. She danced alone until Raymond danced with her. Then she led
the party in the bunny hop and became every bit as popular as she had been in December
prior to the basketball game. At the end of the evening, she left with as much grandeur
as she had arrived.
She disappeared. Her family moved away.
Stargirl’s secret office was in Archie’s tool shed.

23

Cards, paints, phone books, calendars, and files on various people were in the office.
7. What was the Sunflower Club?
Years after Stargirl left, the Sunflower Club was formed at school. The members have
to do “one nice thing per day for someone other than myself.”
8. After time passed, Stargirl’s mark was left on the school. What things showed this?
Several things were Stargirl’s legacy: the Sunflower Club was formed, there was a
ukelele in the marching band, and at every basketball game when the opposing team
scored their first basket, a small group of home team fans stood up and cheered.

24

MULTIPLE CHOICE STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS - Stargirl

Porcupine Necktie - Chapter 4
1. Who wasis Leo Borlock?
A. Léo was the host of Hot Seat.
B. Leo was the narrator.
C. Leo used to be Hillari Kimble’s boyfriend.
D. Leo was a boy at school who did nothing special but everyone noticed him because of
his good looks.
A. Leo’s present was a Bible.
B. Leo’s present was a shirt.
C. Leo’s present was a necktie.
D. Leo’s present was a cake.
A. It was a card.
B. It was a football.
C. It was a microphone.
D. It was a porcupine necktie.
4. Who was Kevin?
A. Kevin was Stargirl’s boyfriend.
B. Kevin was a boy at school who did nothing special but everyone noticed him because
of his good looks.
C. Kevin was the on-camera host of Hot Seat.
D. Kevin was the narrator.
A. Stargirl is Hillary’s cousin, a new girl at school.
B. Stargirl is a new girl at school who is quite different from everyone else.
C. Stargirl is the on camera host of Hot Seat.
D. Stargirl is Kevin’s girlfriend.
A. Hot Seat was the name of a show that Leo produced and directed.
B. Hot Seat was the name of Stargirl’s rat.
C. Hot Seat was a chair in the lunchroom where new people had to sit.
D. Hot Seat was a figure of speech for the position of a new kid at school.
A. She flirted with Kevin.
B. She played her ukelele, sang, and danced.
C. She fed her rat.
D. She gave Leo a necktie.

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Stargirl Multiple Choice Study Questions Chapters 1-4 Continued

A. She said Stargirl was planted by the faculty to increase school spirit.
B. She said Stargirl was lonely and did these things for attention.
C. She said Stargirl was just plain mean.
D. She said Stargirl was a joke.
9. What unusual thing did Stargirl do in the first weeks of school?
A. She was a guest on Hot Seat.
B. She won her first cross country meet.
C. She made friends with everyone.
D. She sang happy birthday to kids at school.
10. What rumors were going around school about Stargirl in those early weeks of the school
year?
A. She was Archie’s niece.
B. She lived in a ghost town in the desert.
C. She was pregnant.
D. She was a genius.
A. Kevin and Leo both who wanted to date Stargirl.
B. Leo wanted to be the on-camera man.
C. Kevin wanted Stargirl on Hot Seat, but Leo didn’t want to put her through that.
D. They were brothers; brothers always fight.
A. She left a porcupine necktie.
B. She left her pet rat.
C. She left a cake.
D. She left an unsigned congratulations card.
A. Wayne was the host of Hot Seat.
B. Wayne was Leo’s friend.
C. Wayne was nobody special but everyone noticed him because of his good looks.
D. Wayne was the star of the basketball team.

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Stargirl Multiple Choice Study Questions Chapters 5-9

A. At the start of the second half she took the football from the tee, kicked it into the
stands, and left the stadium.
B. She ran onto the field to help an injured player for the opposing team.
C. She threw tomatoes at the opposing team.
D. She played her ukelele in the marching band.
A. The crowd booed, and Stargirl became unpopular.
B. She was expelled from school.
C. The crowd cheered, and Stargirl became more popular.
D. Leo lost interest in her.
her promise?
A. Yes, she stopped singing happy birthday to anyone.
B. No, she sang it to her anyway.
C. Yes technically. She sang it to Leo but used Hillari’s name at the end.
D. Yes, she didn’t sing it to Hillary; she only played it on her ukelele.
4. Identify Archie.
A. Archie was the name of the cactus in the desert.
B. Archie was the name of Stargirl’s rat.
C. Archie was Stargirl’s father.
D. Archie was the paleontologist and friend to the kids.
A. He was the paleontologist.
B. He was the principal.
C. He was a cactus in the desert.
D. He was Stargirl’s rat.
A. Archie school was at his home in the desert. Official classes were on Saturday
mornings.
B. Well, it wasn’t really Archie’s school. It was a regular public school, but because he
was such a tyrant the kids said it was his school.
C. Archie’s school wasn’t really a school at all. It was only an “enchanted place” in the
desert where Stargirl and Leo went.
D. The kids at school made such a fuss over Stargirl’s rat, Archie, that it seemed like he
owned the whole school.
A. She became popular by Halloween.
B. She became popular by December.
C. She became popular by Valentine’s Day.
D. She became popular by Homecoming.

27


A. She played her ukelele.
B. She was the most enthusiastic cheerleader and amazed the fans.
C. She spent most of her time selling refreshments.
D. She sat with Leo and Kevin and cheered from the stands.
A. Cinnamon was a cactus.
B. Cinnamon was Stargirl’s nickname.
C. Cinnamon was the name Stargirl gave her bicycle.
D. Cinnamon was Stargirl’s rat.
A. Dori was Hillari’s best friend.
B. Dori was Stargirl’s rat.
C. Dori was Stargirl’s true friend.
D. Dori was Kevin’s girlfriend.
A. Stargirl
B. Kevin
C. Leo
D. Dori
A. They fought with each other constantly.
B. They became individuals, accepted each other, and enjoyed life.
C. They had elections for new student government officers.
D. They got the Christmas spirit.

28


A. December 24 th, Christmas Eve
B. February 14th, Valentine’s Day
C. January 6
D. February 13
A. “I pledge allegiance to the United States of America.”
B. “I pledge allegiance to the United Turtles of America.”
C. “I pledge allegiance to the United States of Canada.”
D. “I pledge allegiance to no one.”
A. Senor Saguara B. Danny Pike C. Hillari D. Stargirl
A. He fell off his bike and broke his leg.
B. He won the oratorical contest.
C. He got lost in the desert.
D. Stargirl’s rat bit him.
A. It got stolen.
B. It got run over by a car.
C. It got put into the trash.
D. Kevin borrowed it and wrecked it.
A. She had an unusually high squeaky voice.
B. She cheered for everyone and everything wholeheartedly.
C. She made funny faces at people while she did it.
D. She cheered with her voice but didn’t move her body.
A. They would ignore her.
B. They would just look at her like she was crazy.
C. They laughed at her.
D. They were embarrassed at first, but then they felt great and went home smiling.
A. The team was winning.
B. The team was losing.
C. No one cared about it.
D. They didn’t have a team.
A. Her total disregard for what other people thought of her
B. Her tireless compassion and endless ability to give to others
C. The fact that bad things did not stick to her
D. Her physical appearance

29


A. She felt sorry for the Red Rock players and thought her cheering was only making
matters worse for them.
B. She was bored with the game.
C. She had made a grand exit and was embarrassed to go back in.
D. The cheerleaders were being mean to her.
A. They hid her pom-poms.
B. They dumped a cooler of water on her.
C. They taped her locker shut.
D. They sent her into the school, told the bus driver everyone was present, and left
her at Red Rock.
A. They were to be rude and confrontational.
B. They were to judge the success of the interview.
C. They were really only there to make polite applause at the appropriate times.
D. They were to ask embarrassing and nosy questions that would make the person being
interviewed squirm but not roast.
A. He was afraid it would turn ugly.
B. He was embarrassed to have her on the show.
C. He knew she would make Kevin look bad.
D. He had a bet with Kevin that no one would watch Stargirl.
A. Pocket Mouse, Mudpie, Hullygully
B. Susan, Ratgirl, Evelyn
C. Mudpie, Susan, Evelyn
D. Pocket Mouse, Mudpie, Stargazer
A. Her name was like art.
B. Her name was like the desert.
C. Her name was like a shirt.
D. Her name was like her enchanted place.
A. They were actually pretty nice to her considering what they could have done.
B. They gave her a thumbs down.
C. They asked her very personal questions hoping to embarrass her.
D. They attacked her. They told her they did not want her at their school.

30


A. The team’s coach
B. A Sun Valley cheerleader
C. Stargirl
D. Leo
A. Someone threw a ripe tomato at her.
B. A Sun Valley player missed a pass, and the ball hit Stargirl.
C. Her cheering had become so outrageous that everything stopped, and everyone in the
gymnasium stared at her.
D. She suddenly felt ill.
A. “To thine own self be true”
B. “Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved”
C. “A rose is a rose”
D. “I love you”
A. He immediately told Kevin.
B. He went immediately try to find her to tell her of his feelings for her.
C. He avoided her. He didn’t want to be associated with her because of her unpopularity,
but secretly he liked her a lot.
D. He wrote her a message back.
A. He told the boys about the championship game he had played and lost in high school.
B. He compared it to the extinction of a species.
C. He showed the boys Barney, the skull of the Paleocene rodent.
D. He showed the boys Mr. Bones and explain to them life itself is most important.
A. Leo the Lover
B. Tiger boy
C. Starboy
D. Cowardly Leo
A. He carried on a conversation with her from behind the car.
B. He followed her but never actually talked to her.
C. He never really talked to her – only to Cinnamon.
D. Stargirl forced him to come out from his hiding place to talk to her.
A. It was a beautiful and lush oasis.
B. The mica in the sand twinkled like pixie dust in the sunlight.
C. It was like a ghost town – windblown and a deserted.
D. It was very ordinary with some scrub plants and cacti in the desert.

31


A. They treated her like a hero.
B. They gave her the silent treatment.
C. She was more popular than ever.
D. They were very mean to her.
A. He didn’t care; he was just happy that Stargirl loved him.
B. He didn’t like it, and it made him feel awkward to be around Stargirl.
C. He didn’t mind it because he knew none of those kids was as good of a person as
Stargirl was.
D. He didn’t even notice it.
A. She didn’t seem to notice it; she just kept talking to Leo.
B. She tried to be even more outgoing and cheerful so the other kids would feel guilty
for giving her the silent treatment.
C. She hated it. She went home and cried every night.
D. She said it made her feel special because, after all, not everyone gets the silent
treatment.
about Stargirl?
A. “Look into the desert for the answer.”
B. “Barney is to Cinnamon as Stargirl is to whom?”
C. “Whose affection do you value more -- hers or the others’?”
D. “Why don’t you ask Stargirl?”
A. To navigate in the desert, to be himself, and to be honest
B. To respect others, to laugh at himself, and to trust no one
C. To wonder, to revel, to laugh, and to see
D. To not be afraid, to love, and to enjoy surprises
A. It was too personal.
B. It was too public.
C. She didn’t take any credit for it.
D. She only gave to people who didn’t want it.
A. Kevin
B. His mother
C. Hillary
D. Stargirl

32


A. She asked them.
B. She asked other people about them.
C. She read the newspaper.
D. She guessed.
A. She wrote the names of classmates and neighbors on small cards and would choose
at random one person to be kind to each day.
B. She wrote the names of her classmates on the backs of a deck of cards. She put the
cards face down into stacks and drew one card from the top of each stack. The name
on the back of the higher card was the person she would be kind to that day.
C. She would follow someone for 15 minutes and try to figure out what kind of card
they needed to have sent to them.
D. She would go into a shop, choose a card from the rack, and then think of someone
for whom the card would be appropriate.
A. She was careless.
B. It was good luck.
C. She wanted to know if Leo would notice.
D. She knew that people like to find money.

33


1. Why was Leo’s surprised at Stargirl’s house, parents and room?
A. They were all very ordinary.
B. They were even more bizarre than what he had imagined.
C. The house was painted green, her parents were dressed in green, and her room was
painted green.
D. Cinnamon wasn’t the only pet. Stargirl’s parents had a house full of unusual pets,
and Stargirl’s room looked like the local pet shop.
A. When Stargirl was happy she curled up in her happy wagon to daydream.
B. When Stargirl was happy she put a pebble in her happy wagon.
C. She would wind it up to play a happy tune when she felt sad.
D. When she was feeling sad, she would put Cinnamon in her happy wagon and take
him into the desert to her enchanted place.
A. He was originally Mr. Bones.
B. He was the injured player from the Red Rock team Stargirl ran to help.
C. He was Stargirl’s father.
D. He was the neighbor boy Stargirl kept a scrapbook for.
A. He asked her if she was running for sainthood.
B. He thought the whole idea was silly.
C. He thought it was wrong of her to be spying on Peter.
D. He was jealous.
A. They said that she was a self-centered spotlight hogger.
B. They said she was secretly a witch.
C. They said she should be ashamed of herself.
D. They said she was an ungrateful troublemaker.
A. Leo was proud that she had put the banner up.
B. At first Leo was glad it was up, but then he wanted to run outside and rip it down.
C. Leo was angry when he saw the banner.
D. Leo didn’t really care about the banner. He thought, “If she wants to put a banner up,
that’s her business.”
A. Leo’s crime was that he had allowed Stargirl to be interviewed on Hot Seat.
B. Leo’s crime was that he didn’t stand up for Stargirl among the other students.
C. Leo’s crime was that he linked himself to an unpopular person.
D. Leo’s crime was that he shunned Stargirl too.

34


8. What was Leo’s problem?
A. Leo’s problem was that he didn’t have a date to the dance.
B. Leo’s problem was that he didn’t understand Stargirl.
C. Leo’s problem was that he wanted Stargirl and his friends at school but couldn’t
have both.
D. Leo’s problem was that he had to choose between Stargirl and Kevin for a best friend.
A. He told her he didn’t like her anymore.
B. He told her she was too different and needed to change to fit into the group.
C. He told her he wasn’t avoiding her.
D. Senor Siguaro told him to stay away from her.

35


A. She slapped him in the face.
B. She started crying.
C. She changed. Stargirl was gone and ordinary Susan took her place.
D. She refused to change and told him if he couldn’t like her the way she was, they
were finished.
A. He missed Stargirl.
B. Susan bored him.
C. He said he had never been so happy and so proud in all his life.
D. He thought Susan was a much better person than Stargirl, and he never regretted
the fact that she had changed.
A. Evelyn was another of Stargirl’s aliases.
B. Evelyn was a fictitious person that Stargirl made up.
C. Evelyn was another new kid at school who, like Stargirl, was very unusual.
D. Evelyn was another competitor at the oratorical contest.
A. Yes
B. No
A. 7
B. 15
C. 5
D. 2
6. Why did Susan’s vision make her happy?
A. It showed that she and Leo would live happily ever after together.
B. It showed that she would have much success in her life.
C. It showed that she would win the oratorical championship and would be popular
at school again.
D. It showed that her family would be reunited.
A. Dori was mad at Susan for going to the dance.
B. Dori was mad at Susan for having great expectations about the oratorical contest.
C. Dori was mad at Susan for betraying herself by giving up Stargirl.
D. Dori was mad at Susan for not inviting her into the ukulele club.

36


A. She was happy and animated, talking about the huge reception she would get at
school upon her victorious return.
B. She was exceptionally quiet and reserved focusing entirely on the competition ahead.
C. She was brooding and unhappy because she had given up Stargirl.
D. She was angry at Leo for wanting her to change, and they argued all the way
to the competition.
contest?
A. finch and crow
B. moa and mockingbird
C. mockingbird and eagle
D. moa and road runner
A. “I might have been a Stargirl”
B. “I might have been a moa.”
C. “I might have been a mockingbird.”
D. “I might have been alone.”
A. It was much longer than the others.
B. It was shorter than the others.
C. It was not like a speech at all.
D. It was poetic.
A. Dori
B. Archie
C. Leo
D. the cheerleaders

37

Stargirl Multiple Choice Study Questions Chapters 30-end

A. Evelyn
B. Stargirl
C. Ukee Dooks
D. Leo
A. Stargirl’s ukelele group
B. A new girl at school
C. One of Archie’s relics
D. A snack cake with cream filling
3. Describes Stargirl’s presence at the Ocotillo Ball.
A. She went, but no one noticed her.
B. She went and was stunning, but had a big fight and show-down with Hillari.
C. She was stunning and the belle of the ball.
D. She and Leo were practically the king and queen of the event.
A. She was popular at school again.
B. She was shunned by Hillari and her friends.
C. She returned to Susan.
D. She disappeared.
A. at her enchanted place in the desert
B. in her bedroom
C. at Archie’s place
D. at the back of the school
A. Stargirl’s personal diary was in her office.
B. Stargirl’s office had the usual office items plus a variety of caged animals.
C. Stargirl’s office had cards, paints, phone books, calendars, and files on various people.
D. Stargirl’s office was empty.
7. What is the Sunflower Club?
A. The Sunflower Club was a gardening club started at the school in memory of Stargirl.
B. Members of the Sunflower Club had squares of cloth material with sunflowers on
them which they used as place mats on their school desks.
C. Members on the Sunflower Club cheered for the opposite team at sports events.
D. Members of the Sunflower Club took an oath to “do one nice thing per day for
someone other than myself.”

38

Stargirl Multiple Choice Study Questions Chapters 30-End Continued

8. After time passed, Stargirl’s mark was left on the school. What thing below did not
show this?
A. The Sunflower Club
B. The winner of the oratorical contest received the Stargirl Award.
C. There was always a ukelele in the marching band.
D. At every basketball game when the opposing team scored the first basket, a small
group of home team fans stood up and cheered.

39

ANSWER KEY - MULTIPLE CHOICE STUDY/QUIZ QUESTIONS
Stargirl

Ch. 1-4 Ch. 5-9 Ch. 10-13 Ch. 14-17 Ch. 18-21 Ch. 22-25 Ch 26-29 Ch 30-end

1. B 1. A 1. D 1. C 1. B 1. A 1. C 1. B
2. C 2. C 2. B 2. A 2. B 2. B 2. C 2. A
3. D 3. C 3. D 3. D 3. A 3. D 3. B 3. C
4. C 4. D 4. A 4. C 4. C 4. A 4. B 4. D
5. B 5. C 5. C 5. B 5. C 5. A 5. D 5. C
6. A 6. A 6. B 6. C 6. C 6. B 6. C 6. C
7. B 7. B 7. D 7. A 7. D 7. C 7. C 7. D
8. A 8. B 8. A 8. D 8. C 8. C 8. A 8. B
9.D 9. D 9. C 9. C 9. B 9. B
10.B 10. C 10. A 10. D 10. B
11. C 11. A 11. D 11. C
12. D 12. B 12. D 12. A
13. C 13. A
14. A
15. C
16. D

40

Stargirl Vocabulary Chapters Necktie-4

Part I: Using contextual clues and prior knowledge, write what you think the underlined word
means.

1. I inspected the box, the tag, the paper. Nowhere could I find the giver’s name. . . . at the
time I simply considered the episode a mystery.

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. The girl was picking up her ukelele. And now she was strumming it. And now she was
singing!

_____________________________________________________________________________

3. Kevin held up his hands and framed a marquee in the air. “Hot Seat! Coming Attraction –
Stargirl!”

_____________________________________________________________________________

4. Someone called out, “Who’s scamming us?”
“The administration. The principal. Who else? Who cares?” Hillary wagged her head at the
absurdity of the question.

_____________________________________________________________________________

5. “We could use the show to expose her. Can’t you see it?” He did the marquee thing with
his hands: “Hot Seat Uncovers Faculty Hoax!”

_____________________________________________________________________________

6. Mica Area High School – MAHS– was not exactly a hot bed of nonconformity. There were
individual variants here and there, of course, but within pretty narrow limits. . . .

_____________________________________________________________________________

7. Every few days in the lunchroom she serenaded someone new with “Happy Birthday.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

8. She made up a song about isosceles triangles. She sang it to her Plane Geometry class. It
was called “Three Sides Have I, But Only Two Are Equal.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

43

Stargirl Vocabulary Worksheet Chapters Necktie-4 Page 2

9. And each night in bed I thought of her as the moon came through my window. I could have
lowered my shade to make it darker and easier to sleep, but I never did. In that moonlit hour,
I acquired a sense of the otherness of things. I liked the feeling the moonlight gave me, as
if it wasn’t the opposite of day, but its underside, its private side, when the fabulous purred
my snow- white sheet like some dark cat come in from the desert.

_____________________________________________________________________________

10. We both wanted to go into television. Kevin often said he wanted to be a sleazy talk show
host, and he wasn’t kidding. . . . We conceived Hot Seat together and convinced the faculty
to let us do it.

_____________________________________________________________________________

11. Her caught-in-headlights eyes gave her a look of perpetual astonishment, so that we found
ourselves turning and looking back over our shoulders, wondering what we were missing.

_____________________________________________________________________________

12. She was elusive. She was today. She was tomorrow. She was the faintest scent of a cactus
flower, the flitting shadow of an elf owl. We did not know what to make of her. In our
minds we tried to pin her to a corkboard like a butterfly, but the pin merely went through
and away she flew.

_____________________________________________________________________________

13. We were walking westward. . . .After a while she veered from the highway. I hesitated,
then followed.

_____________________________________________________________________________

44

Stargirl Vocabulary Worksheet Chapters Necktie-4 Page 3

Part II: Match the words to their dictionary definitions.

___ 1. Episode A. Having two sides
___ 2. Ukulele B. Signboard projecting over an entrance to a building
___ 3. Marquee C. Can’t be caught
___ 4. Absurdity D. Thought up; imagined
___ 5. Hoax E. Incident; event
___ 6. Nonconformity F. Caused to believe something
___ 7. Serenaded G. Deceitful prank
___ 8. Isosceles H. A small four-stringed guitar
___ 9. Acquired I. Lasting for eternity
___10. Conceived J. Gave a musical performance–especially one for a sweetheart
___11. Convinced K. Turned
___12. Perpetual L. Got
___13. Elusive M. Something that is ridiculous or unreasonable
___14. Veered N. Refusing to be bound by the accepted rules or practices of a
group

45

Stargirl Vocabulary Chapters 5-9

means.

1. She to did and an imaginary flute. She pogoed into the air and knocked her bare heels
together. The cheerleaders gaped from the sidelines. A few people in the stands whistled.
The rest – they barely outnumbered the band – sat there with What is this? on their faces.

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. She plucked [the football] off the tee and danced with it, spinning and hugging it and hoisting
it into the air. The players looked at their coaches. The coaches looked at the officials. The
officials blew their whistles and began converging on her.

_____________________________________________________________________________

3. They seemed to linger on the field, drawing out their notes, waiting. Finally, reluctantly,
they marched to the sideline.

_____________________________________________________________________________

4. We found ourselves looking forward to coming to school, to seeing what the bizarre and
take she’d be up to. She gave us the something to talk about. She was entertaining.

_____________________________________________________________________________

5. Stargirl finally came in. She went straight to the food line, blithely smiling as usual. Both
she and Hillari seemed unaware of each other.

_____________________________________________________________________________

6. We sat on rockers; the porch was full of them. “So, men,” he said, “business or pleasure?”
“Bafflement,” I said. “There’s a new girl in school.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

7. We were gathered in the auditorium for the annual oratorical contest. Sponsored by the
Arizona League of Women Voters, the event was open to any high school student who
cared to show his or her stuff as a public speaker.

_____________________________________________________________________________

46

Stargirl Vocabulary Chapters 5-9 Continued

8. Nor would you know that inches below your feet, frogs are sleeping, their heart beat
down to once or twice per minute. They lie dormant and waiting, these mud frogs, for
without water their lives are incomplete, they are not fully themselves.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Part II: Match the words and dictionary definitions.

___1. Gaped A. Extravagant act or gesture
___2. Converging B. Relating to public speaking
___3. Linger C. Stared at wonderingly as with the mouth wide open
___4. Bizarre D. Cheerfully; carefree
___5. Antic E. Tarry; wait around
___6. Blithely F. Frustrate; puzzle
___7. Baffle G. Approaching the same point from different directions
___8. Oratorical H. Asleep; not active
___9. Dormant I. Strikingly unconventional; odd

47


means.

1. Hand written across the bottom were the words: “This is how she says the Pledge of
Allegiance.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. We expected to lose. We were comfortable with losing. In fact, most of us were oblivious
to it, since we didn’t even attend the games.

_____________________________________________________________________________

3. One day we were bored, indifferent, satisfied losers; the next we were rabid fanatics,
stomping in the grandstand, painting our faces green and white, doing the wave as if
we had been perfecting it for years.

_____________________________________________________________________________

4. And right there in the middle of it all, in the midst of this perfect season mania, was
Stargirl, popping up whenever the ball went through the net, no matter which team scored.

_____________________________________________________________________________

5. By the start of the fourth quarter we were a head, 78 to 29. . . . she said she felt sorry for
the Red Rock players. She felt her cheerleading was only making the massacre worse.

_____________________________________________________________________________

6. [Becca] jabbed her finger at the Stage. “Who do you root for?” Stargirl hesitated. She
smiled, she threw out her arms. “I root for everybody!”

_____________________________________________________________________________

Part II: Match the words and the dictionary definitions.

___1. Allegiance A. Slaughter
___2. Oblivious B. Loyalty
___3. Fanatics C. Hold back in uncertainty
___4. Mania D. People obsessed by an excessive enthusiasm for something
___5. Massacre E. Unaware
___6. Hesitate F. Craze; excessively popular thing to do

48


means.

1. This was the start of the period that blurs as I try to recall it. Incidents seem to cascade
and merge. Events become feelings, feelings become events. Head and heart are contrary
historians.

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. Sun Valley’s lead had increased to 19 points midway through the second quarter. Our
once-raucous fans were stunned into silence, and that’s when it happened.

_____________________________________________________________________________

3. At that moment Kovac was running past, trying to avoid the divers, and his right foot
came down on a prone player’s sneaker – so it was told in the newspapers the next day.

_____________________________________________________________________________

4. She seemed subdued. She did not play her ukulele. She did not play with a rat. She just
ate and talked with the girls at her table.

_____________________________________________________________________________

5. Archie spent the whole session that way, nodding and smiling and raising his eyebrows.
We dumped our disappointment on him, the devastation of the loss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

6. For a person so different, her house was surprisingly ordinary . . . . Not a blade of grass in
the small front yard, but rather barrel and prickly pear cacti and clusters of stones.

_____________________________________________________________________________

7. To the person who expects every desert to be barren sand dunes, the Sonoran must come
as a surprise. Not only are there no dunes, there’s no sand.

_____________________________________________________________________________

8. We sat side-by-side, lotus style, facing west.

_____________________________________________________________________________

49


9. We put on our shoes. We headed for the highway. I expected her to interrogate me, but
she did not. . . . We walked across the desert hand in hand, saying nothing.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Part II: Match the words and dictionary definitions.

___1. Merge A. Destruction
___2. Raucous B. Noisy; boisterous
___3. Prone C. Without vegetation
___4. Subdued D. Join together
___5. Devastation E. Sitting cross-legged with the feet above the thighs
___6. Cacti F. Lying face down
___7. Barren G. Question
___8. Lotus H. Plural of cactus
___9. Interrogate I. Calmed; quieted

50


means.

1. For the rest of the day, and the next and the next, I grew increasingly paranoid. Walking
with her in and around the school, I was intensely aware that the nature of our aloneness
had changed. It was no longer a cozy, tunnel-of-love sweetness, but a chilling isolation.

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. “The Amish in Pennsylvania have a word for it.”
“What’s that?” I said.
“Shunning.”
. . . “The shunee, so to speak, has gotten himself in Dutch with the church, so he’s
excommunicated. The whole community is in on it. Unless he repents, nobody speaks
to him for the rest of his life.

_____________________________________________________________________________

3. The question that came to mind then sounded silly, but it’s persisted

_____________________________________________________________________________

4. We listened in rapture, and so, I half believed, did the Tumbleweed and cacti, the desert,
the mountains, while listening to the girl in the long, falling skirt.

_____________________________________________________________________________

5. She taught me to revel. She taught me to wonder. She taught me to laugh. My sense of
humor had always measured up to everyone else’s; but timid, introverted me, I showed it
sparingly: I was a smiler. In her presence I threw back my head and laughed out loud for
the first time in my life.

_____________________________________________________________________________

6. “. . . Do you know how many bulletin boards there are in town?”
“Sure,” I said facetiously, “I count them every day.”
“So do I,” she said, not kidding.

_____________________________________________________________________________

51


Part II: Match the words to the dictionary definitions.

___1. Paranoid A. To take great pleasure or delight
___2. Shun B. In fun; as a joke
___3. Persisted C. Ecstacy; the state of being transported by a lofty emotion
___4. Rapture D. To avoid deliberately and consistently
___5. Revel E. Showing unreasonable distrust or suspicion
___6. Facetiously F. Held firmly to some purpose or undertaking despite obstacles
or setbacks

52


means.

1. My inspection yielded two curious items. One was a wooden bowl half filled with
sand-colored hair.

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. I’ll do it for a few more years, then I’ll give it to his parents to give to him when he’s older
and ready to appreciate it.

_____________________________________________________________________________

3. On his back porch, we talked of a thousand things and laughed and swooned in pipe smoke
and ate pizza.

_____________________________________________________________________________

4. My first impulse was to drag at the Spanish teacher to the window and say, “Look! She
loves me!” My second impulse was to run outside and rip the sign away.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Part II: Match the words with the definitions.

___1. Curious A. Eager to acquire knowledge
___2. Appreciate B. Faint
___3. Swoon C. Urge
___4. Impulse D. To be thankful or show gratitude for

53


means.

1. She was beginning to look vaguely familiar. Tentatively I whispered, “Stargirl?”

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. The laughing stopped, and from that moment on she did a perfect imitation of a sullen,
pout-lipped teenager.

_____________________________________________________________________________

3. In my mind’s eye, I pictured her aiming her incredible zeal and energy exclusively at the
Electrons. We could have won games on her cheering alone.

_____________________________________________________________________________

4. This sort of silliness went on until we rounded the mesa and saw the brown mist on the
horizon that announced our approach to the city of Phoenix.

_____________________________________________________________________________

5. Accustomed to seeing stiff, mortified contestants, the audience responded with uncertain
titters. They didn’t know what to make of this unconventional teenager anymore than we had
on the first day of school.

_____________________________________________________________________________

6. We swung around back to the parking lot and – yes– there was a car, and another car. . . .
[Dori] stood apart from the teachers, alone in the black shimmery sea of asphalt.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Part II: Match the words with the definitions.

___1. Tentatively A. Out of the ordinary; unusual
___2. Sullen B. Pavement
___3. Zeal C. Brooding; gloomy
___4. Mesa D. Uncertainly; experimentally
___5. Unconventional E. Enthusiasm
___6. Asphalt F. Flat-topped elevation with one or more clifflike sides

54

Stargirl Vocabulary Chapters 30-End

means.

1. Susan seemed in a trance. She sat beside me, staring vacantly at the sign through the
windshield.

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. Classrooms, hallways, courtyard, lunchroom – everywhere I went I heard her disparaged,
mocked, slurred. Her attempt to become popular, to be more like them, had been a total
failure.

_____________________________________________________________________________

3. And I knew what I should do. I should go out there and stand in front of them and applaud.
I should show’s Stargirl and the world that I wasn’t like them, that I appreciated her, that I
celebrated her and her insistence on being herself.

_____________________________________________________________________________

4. Her hair is incredible. . . . It fluffs like a meringue high upon her head.

_____________________________________________________________________________

5. Every action echoed down the line behind her. The three hops of the bunny became three
struts of a vaudeville vamp.

_____________________________________________________________________________

6. The words seem to fit her, though I could not grasp of their meaning. He saw the vacant
look on my face and laughed.

_____________________________________________________________________________

7. Tacked to one wall was a municipal map of Mica.

_____________________________________________________________________________

8. He said these things with a sly grin, knowing they would confound me as I mulled them
until our next meeting.

_____________________________________________________________________________

55

Stargirl Vocabulary Chapters 30-End Continued

Part II: Match the words to the dictionary definitions.

___1. Trance A. City
___2. Disparaged B. Fluffy pastry topping made of beaten eggs
___3. Applaud C. Empty
___4. Meringue D. Belittled
___5. Vamp E. Consider mentally
___6. Vacant F. Express approval by clapping hands
___7. Municipal G. A state of detachment from one’s physical surroundings
___8. Confound H. To cause to become confused
___9. Mull I. Unscrupulously seductive woman

56

ANSWER KEY - VOCABULARY
Stargirl

1-4 5-9 10-13 14-17 18-21 22-25 26-29 30-end
1 E C B D E A D G
2 H G E B D D C D
3 B E D F F B F F
4 M I F I C C A B
5 G A A A A B I
6 N D C H B C
7 J F C A
8 A B E H
9 L H G E
10 D
11 F
12 I
13 C
14 K

57

LESSON ONE

Objectives
1. To introduce Stargirl unit
2. To distribute books, study guides and other related materials

NOTE: Prior to this lesson, have a local newspaper available for each of your students
for Activity #1.

Activity #1
If your students are not familiar with newspapers, show them how they are put
together–the various sections, the contents, the kinds of things included in the newspaper. Show
them major news articles, personal interest stories, sports, weddings, obituaries, police beat, etc.
Then, be sure to show them the filler portions–short pieces that fill out the columns, little bits of
news, etc. These are usually particularly interesting in small, local papers.

Transition: Tell students that the main character of the book they are about to read makes
it a point to read all those little filler parts and often sends people cards or does things for the
people who are mentioned in the fillers–just as her way of being nice.

Activity #2
Distribute the Project Assignment Sheet and discuss the directions in detail. Explain to
students that they are all now members of the Sunflower Club, a club of people who at least once
a day does something nice for someone else. They are to keep a log of the date and a short
explanation of the nice thing that they did. Later in the unit, they will share with the class some
of the more interesting things they did.

Activity #3
Distribute the materials students will use in this unit. Explain in detail how students are to
use these materials.

Study Guides Students should preview the study guide questions before each reading
assignment to get a feeling for what events and ideas are important in that section. After reading
the section, students will (as a class or individually) answer the questions to review the important
events and ideas from that section of the book. Students should keep the study guides as study
materials for the unit test.

Vocabulary Prior to reading a reading assignment, students will do vocabulary work
related to the section of the book they are about to read. Following the completion of the reading
of the book, there will be a vocabulary review of all the words used in the vocabulary
assignments. Students should keep their vocabulary work as study materials for the unit test.

61

Reading Assignment Sheet You need to fill in the reading assignment sheet to let
students know when their reading has to be completed. You can either write the assignment sheet
on a side blackboard or bulletin board and leave it there for students to see each day, or you can
"ditto" copies for each student to have. In either case, you should advise students to become very
familiar with the reading assignments so they know what is expected of them.

Extra Activities Center The Unit Resource Materials portion of this unit contains
suggestions for a library of related books and articles in your classroom as well as crossword and
word search puzzles. Make an extra activities center in your room where you will keep these
materials for students to use. (Bring the books and articles in from the library and keep several
copies of the puzzles on hand.) Explain to students that these materials are available for students
to use when they finish reading assignments or other class work early.

Nonfiction Assignment Sheet Explain to students that they each are to read at least one
non-fiction piece from the in-class library at some time during the unit. Students will fill out a
nonfiction assignment sheet after completing the reading to help you evaluate their reading
experiences and to help the students think about and evaluate their own reading experiences.

Books Each school has its own rules and regulations regarding student use of school
books. Advise students of the procedures that are normal for your school.

62

PROJECT ASSIGNMENT - Stargirl

Stargirl performs random acts of kindness every day. Whether it’s sending a card or a note
or singing Happy Birthday to someone, cheering for someone, helping someone in need, or a variety
of other things, she’s always thinking about other people and what might make them happier or feel
better–whether she really knows the person or not. At the end of the book, a Sunflower Club is
formed at school, and the members pledge to do something nice for someone else each day.

You are now a member of the Sunflower Club, and it is your duty to do something nice for
someone each day, whether you really know the person or not. As you read the book Stargirl, you’ll
start to get more and more ideas about things you can do. Meanwhile, here is a little list of
suggestions that will help you start to think of things you can do.

* Make a birthday card and give it to a classmate whose birthday it is.
* Wash dishes at home without anyone asking you to do so.
* Give someone a compliment about themselves–what they’re wearing, how their hair looks, etc.
* Let someone in front of you in the lunch line.
* Give someone your dessert from lunch or bring something extra from home to give to someone
who doesn’t have a very nice lunch.
* Carry someone’s books for them to the next class.
* Give someone some encouragement about something he/she is trying to do.
* Volunteer to do something you wouldn’t normally do.
* Instead of having a “why should I do it” attitude, adopt a “what else can I do” attitude.

Keep a list of all the things you do. On a sheet of paper, put the date on the left followed by a short
explanation of the thing you did. In about 2 weeks, you will be asked to share with the class some
of the more interesting nice things you did. Be creative, be thoughtful, be kind.

63

LESSON TWO

Objectives:
1. To preview the study questions and vocabulary for Porcupine Necktie - Chapter 4
1. To have students practice reading orally
2. To read chapters Porcupine Necktie - 4
3. To evaluate students' oral reading

Activity #1
Have students complete the prereading work for Porcupine Necktie through Chapter 4.
They should review the study questions and do the required vocabulary work.

Activity #2
Have students read Porcupine Necktie - Chapter 4of Stargirl out loud in class. You
probably know the best way to get readers within your class; pick students at random, ask for
volunteers, or use whatever method works best for your group. If you have not yet completed an
oral reading evaluation for your students this marking period, this would be a good opportunity
to do so. Continue oral reading in class over the next couple of days until everyone’s oral reading
has been evaluated. Then, students may read silently for in-class reading assignments. An oral
reading evaluation form is included with this unit for your convenience. If time runs out in class,
students should do this assignment as homework and have it completed prior to the next class
period.

64

ORAL READING EVALUATION Stargirl

Name Class Date

SKILL EXCELLENT GOOD AVERAGE FAIR POOR
Fluency 5 4 3 2 1

Clarity 5 4 3 2 1

Audibility 5 4 3 2 1

Pronunciation 5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1

5 4 3 2 1

Total Grade

Comments:

65

LESSON THREE

Objectives
1. To review the main ideas and events from the first reading assignment of Stargirl
2. To preview the study questions and vocabulary for chapters 5-9
3. To read chapters 5-9
4. To complete the oral reading evaluations if they have not yet been completed

Activity #1
Have students answer the study guide questions for Porcupine Necktie through chapter
4. Allow time for any necessary discussion. Write the correct answers on the board or overhead
projector so students can copy them down for study use.
Teacher's Note: Depending on the students' level, different students may write the
answers on the board or even ask the questions to lead the group discussion. Jump in as
necessary to guide the discussion. Use whatever techniques your particular group will handle
best.

Activity #2
Give students time to preview the study questions and do the vocabulary work
for chapters 5-9. Review the vocabulary worksheet answers or do the worksheet together as
a class orally.

Activity #3
Have students read chapters 5-9. If you have not yet completed the oral reading
evaluations, this is a good time to do so. If you have completed them, students may read
silently if you choose. This reading assignment should be completed prior to the next class
meeting.

66

LESSON FOUR

Objectives:
1. To review the main ideas and events from chapters 5-9
2. To pull the idea of Hot Seat from the novel and in a modified way apply it to class
3. To get students to learn some things about each other they may not have known
or appreciated

Activity #1
Orally discuss the answers to the study questions for chapters 5-9 as directed for the
first reading assignment.

Activity #2
Sometimes students can be in the same class with each other even for years but not
really know each other. This Hot Seat exercise is not to make anyone squirm and certainly not to
roast anyone; it’s only intended to get students to recognize some abilities or interests their
classmates might have that they had not recognized before.
Tell students to pretend that they are Hot Seat jurors. They are to come up with several
questions they would like to ask someone on the Hot Seat. You can either brainstorm this list
orally together or have students write down a list of questions on their own or in groups. Give
students guidelines about the questions: nothing too personal, nothing that would intentionally
embarrass the person being asked the question, etc.
When the question lists are completed, they can be used in one of a couple of different
ways. You can do this exercise as a group, with students taking turns being on the Hot Seat and
the class asking questions from the question list. (Not every question has to be asked to each
person.) Or students can pair up with a person and ask each other the questions on the list, and
you can call out to switch partners every few minutes, giving each student the chance to
interview and be interviewed by several classmates.
When the exercise is completed, have a short evaluation period. Ask students what they
learned that they didn’t know before.

67

LESSON FIVE

Objectives:
1. To preview the study questions and vocabulary for chapters 10-13

Activity #1
Give students time to preview the study questions and do the vocabulary work for chapters
10-13. Discuss the answers to the vocabulary worksheets.

Activity#2
Give students the remainder of the class period to read chapters 10-13. If this reading
assignment is not completed prior to the end of the class, it should be finished prior to the next
class meeting.

LESSON SIX

Objectives:
1. To review the main events and ideas from chapters 10-13
2. To practice writing a short, informative composition–a newspaper filler article
3. To preview the study questions and do the vocabulary work for chapters 14-17

Activity #1
Discuss the answers to the study questions for chapters 10-13 as directed previously.

Activity #2
Distribute Writing Assignment #1 and discuss the directions in detail. Give students time
to complete the writing assignment.

Activity #3
When students finish the writing assignment, they should preview the study questions and
do the vocabulary work for chapters 14-17, then they should read those chapters. If they
do not complete this assignment in class, they should do so prior to the next class meeting.

68

WRITING ASSIGNMENT #1 - Stargirl

PROMPT
Everyone has something going on in life that would make a good filler for the newspaper.
A birthday may be coming up, your parents or grandparents may be having a wedding
anniversary, you might be preparing for a special vacation, you may have an interesting hobby
or have received an award for something, something interesting may have happened to you or
someone you know–even something as common as slipping on ice on the way to school or
incurring a minor injury in some way. Your assignment is to write a newspaper filler. It can be
about yourself or someone you know, as long as you know enough details about the story to
accurately write it.

PREWRITING
Think about the thing that is your filler. Write down the answers to: Who? What? When?
Where? and Why? or How? and jot down some concluding statement. Stop and think for a few
minutes about what headline you might use, and jot down those ideas. Feel free to look back at
your newspaper fillers to get ideas about what kinds of details might need to be included.

DRAFTING
Choose your headline and write that at the top of the page. Then, in a paragraph, tell the
story you have chosen as your filler. At the end, write your concluding statement. Keep in mind
that this is a filler, not a lengthy feature story. A single, well-written paragraph is all you will
write.

PROMPT
After you have finished a rough draft of your filler article, revise it yourself until you are
happy with your work. Then, ask a student who sits near you to tell you what he/she likes best
about your work, and what things he/she thinks can be improved. Take another look at your ad
keeping in mind your critic's suggestions, and make the revisions you feel are necessary.

PROOFREADING
Do a final proofreading of your paper double-checking your grammar, spelling,
organization, and the clarity of your ideas.

DUE DATE _______________________

69

Stargirl lesson plan

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