Exciting Writing - Scholastic

activity Author’s Craft

“Into the Dark Water” Name:____________________________________ Date:_____________
October 2013

Exciting Writing

What makes “Into the Dark Water” so thrilling to read? How does it grip your attention?
The author, Lauren Tarshis, uses many writing techniques to make the article exciting. In this

activity, you’ll take a close look at what they are.

We put some sentences from the article through our Drastically Dullifying Machine. Look what happened:

Before After

“The stars were shining so brightly that they reminded Jack Jack thought the stars were very bright.
of diamonds.” (p. 4)
Their large cabins were really fancy.
“Their large first-class cabins were as fancy as rooms in the
finest hotels.” (p. 5) Jack became scared when he saw the look on Andrews’s face.

“Andrews’s grave expression sent a stab of fear through
Jack’s heart.” (p. 6)

1. H ow do the sentences on the left help you imagine what it was like to be on the Titanic? How do they differ from the
sentences on the right?

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Here are more parts of the article that went through the machine:

Before After

“Everywhere Jack looked, he saw signs of a fast-changing Jack saw progress all around him.
world—a world made brighter by new electric lights, made
faster by motorcars and powerful steam engines, made safer by
breakthroughs in science.” (p. 4)

“The Titanic was 800 miles from New York. The tempera- When the Titanic began to sink, people faced great danger.
ture of the ocean was 28° Fahrenheit. Immersed in water that If they couldn’t escape by lifeboat, they had almost no hope
cold, a human body goes into shock almost immediately. The of survival.
heart slows. The skin begins to freeze. Death comes within 80
minutes.”

“For those who couldn’t escape by lifeboat, there was almost
no hope of survival.” (p. 7)

2. What do the passages on the left include that the passages on the right do not?
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3. How does this make the passages on the left more interesting?
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Continued on next page >

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activity Author’s Craft

“Into the Dark Water” Name:____________________________________ Date:_____________
October 2013

Exciting Writing, p. 2

Personification is a tool authors sometimes use to enhance their writing. Personification is when an author

describes or talks about a nonhuman object or animal as if it were human. We put the article through the
Personification Identification Machine. This is what it found:

“They all wanted to see the object that had dared interrupt the voyage of the great Titanic.” (p. 6)
“The iceberg’s jagged fingers had clawed through the steel hull.” (p. 6)
4. W hat object is being personified, or given human qualities, in these sentences? How does this object seem human in
each sentence?
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Suspense is an anxious or uncertain feeling caused by not knowing what will happen. We know what will happen

to the Titanic from the very first sentence—and from history. But as the tragedy unfolds, Jack doesn’t know what
will happen to the ship, his family, or himself. Lauren tells the story in a way that makes us feel Jack’s uncertainty.
Look at these sentences that our Suspense Detection Machine found:

“The engines stopped, and for a moment, there was a quiet that was ‘startling and disturbing.’ ” (p. 6)
“ ‘The Titanic will sink,’ Andrews said. ‘We have one hour.’ ” (p. 6)
“Jack and Milton were on their own.” (p. 7)

5. Find two more sentences that create suspense. Write them below, along with their page numbers.
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Your turn! Use at least two of the writing techniques you examined here to write an exciting paragraph about one of these topics:
• the most unusual or scariest thing that ever happened to you during recess
• a time you were lost someplace
• an encounter with an animal
• an exciting topic of your choice

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activity Vo c a b u l a r y

“Into the Dark Water” Name:____________________________________ Date:_____________
October 2013

Vocabulary in Context

Directions: Read the following definitions and example sentences.

1. a gonizing (AG-uh-nahy-zing): causing great suffering

example: Superfan Dorothy waited an agonizing 10 months for the One Direction concert.

2. bolster (BOHL-ster): to support or strengthen something
example: When at last she went to the concert, she wore three sweatshirts and her dad’s high school football
pads to bolster her confidence as she faced the other enthusiastic fans.

3. dapper (DAP-er): having a stylish and neat appearance

example: Dorothy combed her hair, put on a pair of patent leather shoes, and wore a bow tie hoping to look
dapper, despite all the protective padding.

4. desperately (DESS-per-it-ly): with great, pressing need

example: Dorothy felt she had to meet the band before the concert, so she desperately fought her way
through the crowd of lovesick girls.

5. e tched (ECHT): engraved or drawn on metal

example: She took a deep breath, kissed her lucky necklace etched with the initials of Harry Styles, and
tackled a security guard protecting the backstage entrance.

6. grandeur (GRAN-jer): greatness, impressiveness

example: As the guard struggled beneath her weight, Dorothy imagined Harry watching her in football pads
and bow tie, impressed with her elegance, strength, determination, and grandeur.

7. immersed (ih-MERST): completely covered in

example: Dorothy was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn’t notice a young man exit a nearby limo
and look down at her curiously.

8. urgency (UR-juhn-see): need for immediate attention

example: When Dorothy realized that Harry Styles was hovering over her, she scrambled to her feet, grabbed
his shoulders, and screamed, “MARRY, ME HARRY! WE BELONG TOGETHER!” with great urgency.

9. veer (veer): to change direction

example: Harry Styles politely smiled at the odd girl, nervously patted her hand, and quickly veered away
from her into the concert hall.

Continued on next page >

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activity Vo c a b u l a r y

“Into the Dark Water” Name: ____________________________________ Date: _____________
October 2013

Vocabulary in Context, p.2

Practice using the key vocabulary words from this issue’s nonfiction article “Into the Dark Water.”

Directions: Fill in each of the blanks in the sentences below with a word from the Word Bank.

agonizing bolster WORD BANK desperately etched
grandeur immersed veer
dapper
urgency

1. Last night, Nadine dreamed she was _____________________________ in a pool full of Jell-O.
2. When he realized we were going to wrong way, he _____________________________ to the left to get back on

the highway.
3. I gave myself a pep talk to _____________________________ my courage and walked out onstage.
4. A fter the baseball game, Fatima had to put up with an ____________________________ wait for the bathrooms.
5. Dimitri _____________________________ needed to get home so he could finish his homework before the

neighborhood’s flashlight tag tournament.
6. I can’t believe there’s a treasure map _____________________________ into the bottom of Tatiana’s tap shoes!
7. After combing gel through his hair, Miguel admired his reflection in the mirror and thought he looked

_____________________________.
8. Mohammed grabbed his baby brother with great _____________________________ and swam away from the

circling shark.
9. When Andrea entered the 300-year-old Russian palace, she was struck by its _____________________________.

Your Turn! On a separate piece of paper, write two sentences of your own, using at least two words from the
Word Bank in each sentence.

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activity Critical Thinking

Video: “Storyworks Behind the Name: ___________________________________ Date: ____________
Scenes: Into the Dark Water”
October 2013

Video Discussion Questions

Watch the video “Storyworks Behind the Scenes: Into the Dark Water.”
Then answer the questions below.

1. Lauren Tarshis says she wanted to tell the story of the Titanic in a new way. In what way
did she decide to tell it? Why might she have chosen this way?

2. W hat mood did Lauren want to create in her article? Why do you think she wanted to
create that mood?

3. What is a “hook” in a story? Why is it important?

4. W hat is the second writer’s trick that Lauren discusses? What words can you add to the
list she gives?

5. Why do you think it’s important to learn about the tricks—or techniques—that writers use
in their work?

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activity Core Skills Workout:
N o n f i c t i o n Te x t F e a t u r e s
October 2013
“Into the Dark Water” Name:____________________________________ Date:_____________

Exploring the Features

Nonfiction articles are more interesting when you notice the pictures, captions,
and other text features. In this activity, you will study these parts of the article

“Into the Dark Water” in the October 2013 issue of Storyworks.

A. Before Reading
1. Read the headline and sentences above it on pages 4 and 5. What do you predict the article will
mainly be about? ___________________________________________________________________________________
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2. L ook at the pictures and read the captions that appear with the article. What do they tell you about
the Titanic? ________________________________________________________________________________________
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B. During Reading
3. Look at the image of the poster on page 4. What does it tell you about how people viewed the
Titanic at the time it was built? _____________________________________________________________________
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4. R ead the labels on the picture on page 7. Can you find those words in the story? How does this
feature help readers understand the article? ________________________________________________________
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c. After Reading
5. L ook at the images on page 6 and compare the two dining hall photos. What do these four images

and their captions tell you about the different treatment given to various passengers on the Titanic?
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6. W hat additional photograph, map, or other visual you would like to see in this article? Why do you
think it would be helpful? __________________________________________________________________________
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activity Comprehension

October 2013 Name: Date:

Teacher e-mail (optional):

“Into the Dark Water” Quiz

Directions: Read the article “Into the Dark Water” on page 4 of the October 2013 issue
of Storyworks. Then select the best answer for each question.

1. The tone of the article’s first two sentences 5. When the author writes “The iceberg’s
could best be described as _____. jagged fingers had clawed through the steel
hull,” what literary device is she using?
A humorous C frustrated

B dark D optimistic A irony C alliteration

B simile D personification

2. Jack is quoted as saying that the ship

veered to the left “as though she had 6. Which of the following was NOT a cause of
the deaths in this story?
been gently pushed.” Which word below
A the ship’s steam engines
is a synonym for veered? B an iceberg
C the number of lifeboats on board
A swerved C flipped D the temperature of the sea © 2013 Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.

B stepped D jerked 7. H ow much time passed between Jack’s
jumping into the water and the Carpathia’s
3. From Jack’s quote “I sincerely pitied arrival?
myself, but we did not give up hope,” A one hour
you can infer that he _____. B two hours and 15 minutes
C six-and-a-half hours
A fully expected to die D 24 hours

B knew he would survive 8. Which of the following statements is NOT
supported by the text?
C was trying to be brave A Jack’s mother survived the sinking of
D had always disliked traveling the Titanic.
B Milton Long did not survive the disaster.
4. When does Jack first realize that the ship C The Titanic would not have sunk if there had
is in serious trouble? been more lifeboats on board.
D Jack wrote a memoir about the sinking of
A when it veers to the left the Titanic.

B when he learns that the ship has hit an
iceberg

C when he sees the expression on Thomas
Andrews’s face

D when he watches from the lifeboat as the
ship disappears into the sea

Constructed Response
Directions: On a separate piece of paper, write your answer to each question in a well-organized paragraph.

Make sure you support your answers with information and details from the article.

9. W hat character traits does Jack display in this 10. In the poem on p. 9, the Titanic expresses
story? Use text evidence in your answer. feelings of failure. Which character in the

story would likely express the same feelings?

activity Poet’s Craft

“Titanic Remembers, Name:____________________________________ Date:_____________
April 16, 1912”
October 2013

History Comes Alive

In “Titanic Remembers, April 16, 1912,” on page 9, Irene Latham uses historical details
about the real shipwreck to craft a moving poem. In this activity, you’ll explore elements of her

poem—and get some tips for writing your own history poem!

1. W ho or what is telling the story of this poem? Why do you think the poet made that choice?
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2. Poets often give objects voices, let them have feelings, and give them other human qualities. This
is called personification. In “Titanic Remembers,” what object is personified? What human qualities
does it have?
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3. What facts about the sinking of the Titanic can you learn from this poem?
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4. P oets sometimes use graphic elements in poems: They choose to place the words on the page in
different ways to add to the meaning of the poem. At what points do you see this in “Titanic
Remembers”? What does this graphic element suggest?
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5. W hy does the ship feel it had to sink and hide?
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activity Poet’s Craft

“Titanic Remembers, Name:____________________________________ Date:_____________
April 16, 1912”
October 2013

History Comes Alive, p. 2

Let “Titanic Remembers, April 16, 1912” inspire you to enter our poetry contest!
Pick an exciting event from history and turn the story into a poem. Your poem must include

at least five factual details about the event. See page 2 of the Student Edition for details.
Below you’ll find some great tips to help you!

Tips for Writing a Great Historical Poem

Tip #1: Think of a historic event that intrigues you. It could be a battle; it could be the introduction

of a new invention or a scientific discovery; it could be the assassination of a leader; it could
be a triumph at the Olympics, an inspiring speech, a court case, or any important moment
in history that piques your interest. In our opinion, the best poems make you feel something,
so we suggest choosing a historic event that brings up an emotion.

Tip #2: Pick a point of view. Think about the facts of your event. Ask yourself: What do I want

the point of view to be? Is it a child my age experiencing the event? A personified object?
A modern-day person looking back on the event? What would be the most powerful way
to tell this story?

Tip #3: R emember that poetry uses line breaks. You can make choices about where to end one line

and start a new one. You can use line breaks to emphasize words or phrases that aren’t at the
beginning of a sentence.

Tip #4: M ake history come alive! Poets use all kinds of techniques to make their words come to

life. As you write, try some of these techniques to see what works in your poem. You can
use repetition (“unsinkable/unsinkable unsinkable”), similes (“I tipped like a top”), and
metaphors. (There aren’t any examples of metaphors in “Titanic Remembers,” but here are
a few: “Life is a roller coaster”; “He’s a volcano about to explode”; and “The night sky is
my blanket.”)

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“Into the Dark Water” activity C l o s e R e a d i n g & C r i t i c a l T h i n k i n g
October 2013
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ____________

Close-Reading Questions

An active reader always looks for ideas and details in a story. In this activity,
you’ll answer questions about the narrative-nonfiction article “Into the Dark Water.”

Directions: After reading the article “Into the Dark Water,”
go back and reread sections to answer the questions below.

1. What do you learn from the opening line of the article? Why do you think the author
starts this way?
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2. W hich details in the third paragraph help you understand what the evening of April 14,
1912, was like?
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3. W hat was Jack like? How do you know?
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Continued on next page >

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activity C l o s e R e a d i n g & C r i t i c a l T h i n k i n g

“Into the Dark Water” Name: ___________________________________ Date: ____________
October 2013

Close-Reading Questions, p. 2

4. W hat was Jack’s first reaction to the trouble aboard the Titanic? What made him change
his mind?
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5. In the section “Lost in the Crowd,” what made Jack decide to jump into the water? What
happened to Milton?
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6. In “A Wailing Chant,” what can you infer from the sentence “Little by little, the terrible
wailing faded”?
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7. Why was Jack’s reunion with his mother both joyful and shocking?
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8. Who narrates the poem “Titanic Remembers”? What emotions does the narrator show?
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Continued on next page >

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“Into the Dark Water” activity C l o s e R e a d i n g & C r i t i c a l T h i n k i n g
October 2013
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ____________

Critical-Thinking Question, p. 3

Directions: Answer the question below, using information and details
from the article to back up your ideas.

9. Q uotes from Jack Thayer, looking back on the tragedy, are woven throughout the article.
Find and reread these quotes. Why do you think the author included them?

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© 2013 Scholastic Inc. Teachers may make copies of this page to distribute to their students.