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Freak the
Mighty
By
Rodman Philbrick
Literature Guide Developed by Kathleen Woken-Rowley
for Secondary Solutions®
ISBN 13: 978-0-9772295-5-0
ISBN 10: 0-9772295-5-6
© 2006 Secondary Solutions. All rights reserved.
A classroom teacher who has purchased this Guide may photocopy the materials in this publication
for his/her classroom use only. Use or reproduction by a part of or an entire school or school system,
by for-profit tutoring centers and like institutions, or for commercial sale, is strictly prohibited. No
part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, translated or stored without the express
written permission of the publisher. Created and printed in the United States of America.
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Solutions
®
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Freak the Mighty Literature Guide
Table of Contents
About This Literature Guide ................................................................................................. 4
How to Use Our Literature Guides ....................................................................................... 5
Pre-Reading Preparation ..................................................................................................... 6
Author Biography: Rodman Philbrick .................................................................................... 6
Standards Focus: Exploring Expository Writing ...................................................................... 7
Anticipation/Reaction Guide—Before Reading......................................................................... 8
Anticipation/Reaction Guide Reflection .................................................................................. 9
Vocabulary List ................................................................................................................ 10
Chapters One – Five .......................................................................................................... 11
Comprehension Check ...................................................................................................... 11
Standards Focus: Note-taking and Summarizing .................................................................. 12
Standards Focus: Figurative Language................................................................................ 13
Assessment Preparation: Vocabulary Extension ................................................................... 15
Chapters Six – Ten ............................................................................................................ 17
Comprehension Check ...................................................................................................... 17
Standards Focus: Note-taking and Summarizing .................................................................. 19
Standards Focus: Character Development ........................................................................... 20
Assessment Preparation: Word Origins—Etymology .............................................................. 22
Chapters Eleven – Fifteen .................................................................................................. 24
Comprehension Check ...................................................................................................... 24
Standards Focus: Note-taking and Summarizing .................................................................. 26
Standards Focus: Setting and Mood ................................................................................... 27
Assessment Preparation: Synonyms ................................................................................... 28
Life Skills—Improving Your Character ................................................................................. 30
Chapters Sixteen – Twenty ................................................................................................ 31
Comprehension Check ...................................................................................................... 31
Standards Focus: Note-taking and Summarizing .................................................................. 33
Standards Focus: Elements of Style ................................................................................... 34
Standards Focus: Editing Written Work ............................................................................... 36
Assessment Preparation: Analogies .................................................................................... 37
Chapters Twenty-One – Twenty-Five ................................................................................. 39
Comprehension Check ...................................................................................................... 39
Standards Focus: Note-taking and Summarizing .................................................................. 41
Standards Focus: Elements of Plot and Conflict ................................................................... 42
Standards Focus: Comprehension and Analysis .................................................................... 44
Assessment Preparation: Vocabulary in Context ................................................................... 45
Anticipation/Reaction Guide Post-Reading ........................................................................ 46
Just For Fun! ..................................................................................................................... 47
Vocabulary Crossword Chapters 1-5 ................................................................................... 47
Vocabulary Crossword Chapters 6-10 ................................................................................. 48
Vocabulary Crossword Chapters 11-25 ............................................................................... 49
Final Test Review Crossword ............................................................................................. 50
Quiz: Chapters 1-5 ............................................................................................................ 51
Chapters 1-5 Vocabulary Quiz ........................................................................................... 52
Quiz: Chapters 6-10........................................................................................................... 53
Chapters 6-10 Vocabulary Quiz ......................................................................................... 54
Quiz: Chapters 11-15......................................................................................................... 55
Quiz: Chapters 16-20......................................................................................................... 56
Chapters 16-20 Vocabulary Quiz ....................................................................................... 57
Quiz: Chapters 21-25......................................................................................................... 58
Chapters 21-25 Vocabulary Quiz ....................................................................................... 59
Final Exam ......................................................................................................................... 60
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Freak the Mighty
Final Exam: Multiple Choice Version .................................................................................. 63
Teacher Guide—Novel Summary ........................................................................................ 66
Teacher Guide ................................................................................................................... 70
Notes for the Teacher from the Author of this Literature Guide............................................... 70
Vocabulary with Definitions ............................................................................................... 71
Pre-Reading Ideas and Activities ........................................................................................ 72
Post-Reading Ideas and Alternative Assessment .................................................................. 73
Essay/Writing Ideas ......................................................................................................... 74
Sample Project Rubric ...................................................................................................... 75
Sample Response to Literature Rubric ................................................................................ 76
Answer Key .................................................................................................................... 78
Notes, Ideas, and Inspiration ............................................................................................ 87
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty
About This Literature Guide
Secondary Solutions® is the endeavor of a high school English teacher who could not
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©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty
How to Use Our Literature Guides
Our Literature Guides are based upon the National Council of Teachers of English and the
International Readers Association’s national English/Language Arts Curriculum and Content Area
Standards. The materials we offer allow you to teach the love and full enjoyment of literature, while
still addressing the concepts upon which your students are assessed.
These Guides are designed to be used in their sequential entirety, or may be divided into separate
parts. Not all activities must be used, but to achieve full comprehension and mastery of the skills
involved, it is recommended that you utilize everything each Guide has to offer. Most importantly,
you now have a variety of valuable materials to choose from, and you are not forced into extra work.
There are several distinct categories within each Literature Guide:
• Comprehension Check: Exploring Expository Writing—Worksheets designed to address
the exploration and analysis of functional and/or informational materials
 Author Biography
 Biographies of non-fiction characters
 Relevant news and magazine articles, etc.
• Comprehension Check—Similar to Exploring Expository Writing, but designed for
comprehension of narrative text—study questions designed to guide students as they read
the text. In other words, have they done the reading? Questions are intended to check
simple understanding and may be deliberately set at the lower-levels of questioning.
• Standards Focus—Worksheets and activities that directly address the content standards and
allow students extensive practice in literary skills and analysis. Standards Focus activities are
found within every chapter or section. These include higher-level questioning. Some
examples:
 Figurative Language
 Irony
 Flashback
Please note: While there is a specific focus for these Standards Focus activities, other
standards are addressed at the same time. Consult your state’s content standards often for
these specific correlations.
• Assessment Preparation—Vocabulary activities which emulate the types of
vocabulary/grammar proficiency on which students are tested in state and national
assessments. Assessment Preparation activities are found within every chapter or
section. Some examples:
 Context Clues
 Connotation/Denotation
 Word Roots
Please note: While there is a specific focus for these Standards Focus activities, other
standards are addressed at the same time. Consult your state’s content standards often for
these specific correlations.
• Quizzes and Tests—Quizzes are included for each chapter or designated section; final tests
as well as alternative assessment are available at the end of each Guide. These include:
 Multiple Choice
 Matching
 Short Response
• Pre-Reading, Post-Reading Activities, Essay/Writing Ideas plus Rubrics—Each Guide
also has its own unique pre-reading, post reading and essay/writing ideas and alternative
assessment activities.
We hope you can effectively utilize every aspect our Literature Guides have to offer—we want to
make things easier on you! If you need additional assistance, please email us at:
[email protected]. For specific information on how the Guides are directly correlated to
your state’s content standards, please write us an email, including the name of your state, and send
it to: [email protected]. Thank you for choosing Secondary Solutions—
The First Solution for the Secondary Teacher!®.
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Pre-Reading Preparation
Author Biography: Rodman Philbrick
Rodman Philbrick was born on January 22,
1951 in Boston, Massachusetts, the first of
four boys. He was raised in Rye Beach,
New Hampshire and attended Rye Schools.
He began to write for his own pleasure in
sixth grade, but felt that writing was “not
cool” like being good at sports or being in
the in-crowd so he kept it to himself.
At the age of sixteen, Philbrick completed
his first novel, a book-length series of
stories about two characters, similar to
Freak the Mighty.
The book was never
published. He graduated from Portsmouth
High school in 1969, and went on to attend
University of New Hampshire. He dropped
out in his sophomore year, began working
at
various
jobs
as
a
carpenter,
longshoreman, and boat builder, and even
started a couple of businesses that were
unsuccessful. He never gave up on his true
passion, however, and continued writing in his spare time.
Eleven years after that first attempt, he was still unpublished. Determined to become a
writer, he decided to write a genre novel, as suggested by one of the publishers he had
contacted. In a relatively short time, he was writing and publishing mysteries, detective
stories, thrillers—whatever he could sell. After a couple of years he was able to give up his
part-time jobs and settle into writing for a living. He learned a lot about writing while
working on the genre novels and actually liked it. Finally, he was making a living doing
something he enjoyed.
Before long he decided that he should try writing for kids. It was a break from the safety
of writing genre novels, but he had to do it, even though he felt it had no commercial
possibilities. He just couldn’t let the story go; the inspiration to write Freak the Mighty was
too strong. He found that it wasn’t work to him; it was fun! The most important novel in
his career was finished in just six weeks.
While continuing to write and publish adult thrillers under pen names William R. Dantz, W.R.
Philbrick, and Chris Jordan, he went on to write many books for teens, with Freak the
Mighty (1993), The Fire Pony (1996), Max the Mighty (1998), Last Book in the Universe
(2000), REM World (2000), The Journal of Douglas Allen Deeds (2002), The Young Man and
the Sea (2003), Lobster Boy (2005), and The Mighty (1998, a reissue of Freak the Mighty)
among them. He has also written several other books with his wife, Lynn Harnett. Freak
the Mighty won many honors, including the Judy Lopez Honor Book '93, ALA Best Books for
Young Adults, ALA Recommended Books for Reluctant Readers, California Young Readers
Medal Winner, and Arizona Young Readers Medal Winner.
Philbrick lives with his wife Lynn, whom he married in 1980, and they divide their time
between homes in Maine and the Florida Keys.
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Standards Focus: Exploring Expository Writing
Directions: Using the biographical information about Rodman Philbrick on page 6, answer
the following questions. Write the letter of the correct answer on the line.
1. ________ What is the author’s purpose in writing this biography of Rodman Philbrick?
a. To persuade the reader to read Philbrick’s books
b. To describe Philbrick’s life experiences
c. To inform the reader about Philbrick’s life and works
d. To entertain the reader before reading Philbrick’s novel
2. ________ Based on the information given in paragraph 2, the reader can assume that:
a. Philbrick wrote Freak the Mighty when he was sixteen
b. Philbrick never graduated from college
c. Philbrick really enjoyed writing
d. Philbrick was more suited to physical labor than to writing
3. ________ Philbrick wrote the genre novels because through them he knew he could
make a living. Why didn’t he just continue writing them exclusively?
a. It was boring writing the same type of story over and over
b. He felt he had a more important story to tell
c. He ran out of ideas for mysteries
d. Children were begging for more of his novels
4. ________ Where would be the best place in the biography to insert information about
Philbrick’s childhood?
a. In paragraph one
b. Between paragraphs one and two
c. Before paragraph one
d. After paragraph two
Directions: Answer the following questions using complete sentences.
5. The term genre novel is used in this biography. Using context clues from the
information given, what do you believe is the meaning of the term?
6. If you were given the opportunity to interview Rodman Philbrick for an article to be
published in your school newspaper, what three or four questions would you ask him?
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Freak the Mighty
Anticipation/Reaction Guide—Before Reading
Directions: For each of the following statements, compose one well-written sentence giving
your reaction to the statement in your response. An example has been done for you. (Be
prepared to read some of your responses aloud in class.)
Ex. Everyone in every situation should always be treated equally.
Sometimes people have different needs and treating everyone the same in every situation
might even be unfair under certain circumstances.
1. It is always best to speak the truth, no matter what the consequences.
2. A true friend is a friend for life—one who will always agree with everything you do and
back you up in any situation.
3. Virtually everybody agrees that bullying is a bad thing, and for that reason it can be
concluded that most people who bully others really don’t realize that they are doing it.
4. People are most comfortable spending time with others who are just like themselves.
5. Children who are raised by their natural parents have an unquestionably easier life than
those who are raised by someone who is not their natural parent.
6. Only smart people or those who work very hard will become truly successful in life.
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Freak the Mighty
Anticipation/Reaction Guide Reflection
Pre-Reading Individual Reflection
Directions: After several students have shared their responses with the entire class,
get into small groups and discuss your answers as well as your group members’
answers. Listen carefully to their responses, paying attention to their individual
opinions. After you have discussed your “Before Reading” responses, answer the
following questions below or on a separate piece of paper. Be sure to write in
complete sentences and number your answers.
1. Which statement triggered the most thought-provoking or interesting
discussion among your group members? Summarize the discussion/debate.
2. For any statements that you discussed, what were some of the strongest or
most important points made by your group members? How did those
statements affect your opinion?
3. When you found that a member of your group disagreed with the way you
feel about an issue, what was your reaction?
4. Why do you think there might be so many differing opinions about the
answers to even the simplest questions?
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Freak the Mighty
Vocabulary List
Use a dictionary or Kevin’s definition of the word to find the meanings of the following words from
Freak the Mighty. Your teacher will direct you to do this lesson either as you read each chapter, or
as a pre-reading activity. Whatever method your teacher chooses, be sure to keep this list and the
definitions to use in vocabulary activities and to study for quizzes and tests.
Chapters One - Five
1. unvanquished ((Page) 1)
2. microsecond (6)
3. mainstream (6)
4. fiend (6)
5. hunkering (8)
6. humanoid (10)
7. bulkhead (11)
8. ornithopter (13)
9. propulsion (13)
10. sobriquet (15)
11. demeanor (15)
12. postulated (16)
13. fair (17)
14. quest (17)
15. invincible (17)
16. ignorance (18)
17. sophisticated (18)
18. opiate (19)
19. massive (19)
20. hulking (22)
21. offended (23)
22. abide (25)
23. tenements (25)
24. spastic (25)
25. flinch (26)
26. depleted (26)
27. expel (27)
28. regurgitate (27)
Chapters Six - Ten
1. swilling (28)
2. strutting (30)
3. cretin (31)
4. deficiency (31)
5. perspective (34)
6. trajectory (34)
7. converging (34)
8. swaggering (36)
9. nanosecond (36)
10. evasive (43)
11. confrontation (43)
12. albino (44)
13. vegetate (44)
14. archetype (45)
15. microsurgery (46)
©2006 Secondary Solutions
16. artifact (49)
17. avarice (49)
18. sucrose (50)
19. incision (51)
20. divulged (51)
21. bionic (51)
22. modification (51)
23. optimum (56)
24. dungarees (56)
25. fealty (59)
26. retrieval (60)
27. grotty (61)
28. damsel (62)
29. distress (62)
Chapters Eleven - Fifteen
1. urgency (67)
2. hombre (70)
3. gruel (86)
4. toxic (93)
Chapters Sixteen - Twenty
1. furrowed (103)
2. dysfunctional (109)
3. kin (109)
4. injustice (112)
5. illiterate (118)
6. precaution (118)
7. trussed (119)
8. functional (121)
9. accommodations (124)
10. bloated (125)
11. godforsaken (126)
Chapters Twenty-One – Twenty-Five
1. violation (136)
2. abduction (136)
3. genetic (137)
4. aberration (137)
5. lofty (137)
6. dynamic (138)
7. prodigy (143)
8. seizure (146)
9. gyp (147)
10. tracheotomy (149)
11. facilitate (149)
12. stabilized (151)
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Chapters One – Five
Comprehension Check
As you read and take notes using the note-taking technique described on page 12, use the
Comprehension Check questions below to help guide your understanding of all aspects of
the novel. You may want to use these questions to help you take notes. After reading the
given chapters, answer the questions on a separate sheet of paper.
Chapter One
1. What was Max’s nickname in daycare? Why was he called that?
2. What does Max mean by “…the year Gram and Grim took me over…”?
3. Who is Freak?
4. What does Grim mean when he says that Maxwell is “getting to look a lot like him”?
5. When does Freak move into the duplex down the street from Max?
Chapter Two
1. Where does Max live? Why?
2. How does Max describe himself?
3. What does Max mean by “…your basic chunk of chain-link heaven”?
4. Who is “the Fair Gwen”? Describe her as Max would.
5. What is Kevin doing as the movers are moving them in to their new home?
Chapter Three
1. Why is Kevin waving his crutch up at the tree and trying to jump up and down?
2. What does Max do to help? What do they end up doing?
3. Why do you think Kevin isn’t embarrassed to have Max pulling him in the wagon?
Chapter Four
1. Why does Kevin refer to his mom as “the Fair Gwen of Air”?
2. Describe Kevin’s fascination with knights.
3. Describe the relationship Kevin makes between King Arthur’s men and today’s robots.
4. According to Kevin, what is robotics and how is it used?
5. When comparing TV to books, Kevin says, “Books are like truth serum—if you don’t read,
you can’t figure out what’s real.” What do you think he means by this?
6. Explain why Gwen is so worried about Kevin being with Max.
Chapter Five
1. Why does Gwen call to apologize?
2. Why do you think Max feels so uncomfortable about having dinner with Kevin and Gwen?
3. What does Freak mean when he says, “What she means is, you’re a spitting image of
your old man”?
4. Why does Max begin to cry as he lies down on his bed that night?
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Standards Focus: Note-taking and Summarizing
For some students, reading can be a difficult, tedious task. Part of the problem is that many
students do not have the tools they need to read for meaning, and lose interest because they cannot
follow the action, do not understand, or cannot relate to the events or the characters.
Below is a chart that you will be completing as you read Freak the Mighty. It is designed to help you
understand the action, conflict, and characters and to eventually appreciate the author’s reasons for
writing the book.
Directions: For Chapters 1-5, use the chart below to help you keep track of your reading.
Summarize the setting or settings, and then summarize each major event in the chapter. Try to
keep your summaries short—just a few words or phrases. Do not write in complete sentences!
Chapter 1 has been done as an example for you.
No real setting given;
he just flashes back to
telling how he met
Freak in daycare, but
doesn’t describe the
scene.
Action Summary (Plot) and
Characters Involved
Max flashes back to meeting Kevin in
daycare. Sees him again in a special bus
when he is in about 3rd grade, then he
moves into a duplex down the street the
summer before 8th grade.
Important to Remember
From This Chapter
Max had a temper—nicknamed
Kicker; Kevin (Freak) had leg
braces even then. Max is really
growing and Grim and Gram
notice that he is beginning to
look a lot like his father.
Chapter
5
Chapter
4
Chapter
3
Chapter
2
Chapter
1
Setting
Now that you have read and taken notes on Chapters 1-5, make a prediction (educated
guess) about what you believe will happen next in the novel.
My Prediction:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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_
Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Standards Focus: Figurative Language
One of the most captivating aspects of good literature is the use of figurative language, or
ideas communicated beyond their literal meaning to create an image in the reader’s or
audience’s mind. There are several types of figurative language, also called figures of speech.
In this exercise, you will use the following figures of speech:
• metaphor- a comparison made between two unlike objects: “The pillow was a cloud.”
• simile- a comparison made between two unlike objects, using the words “like” or “as” in
the comparison: “The pillow was like a marshmallow.”
• personification- giving human qualities or characteristics to non-human objects: “The
wind sang its sad song.”
• hyperbole- truth is exaggerated for humor or emphasis: “I died when the boy I like
finally talked to me.”
Directions: Read each quote from Chapters One through Five. Look at the underlined
figure of speech in the sentence, then decide what type of figure of speech it is. Finally
identify the comparison being made or the object being personified or exaggerated. An
example has been done for you.
Ex.
“I never had a brain until Freak came along and let me borrow his for a while, and that’s
the truth, the whole truth.” (pg. 1)
Figure of Speech: hyperbole (or metaphor)
Analysis: Max wasn’t very smart until Freak came along and taught him how to learn.
1.
“Except I had a way of saying things with my fists and my feet even before we became
Freak the Mighty...” (1)
Figure of Speech:
Analysis:
2.
“And Gram right away shushes him and says don’t ever say that, because little pictures
have big ears, which makes me run to the mirror to see if it is my big ears made me look
like Him.” (4)
Figure of Speech:
Analysis:
3.
“…he’s exploding out of his shoes.” (4)
Figure of Speech:
Analysis:
4.
“I’m just this critter hiding out in the basement, drooling in my comic books or
whatever.” (6)
Figure of Speech:
Analysis:
5.
“At first she’s a glimpse, caught her going between the van and the front door, talking to
the beards.” (7)
Figure of Speech:
Analysis:
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
6.
“…she has this glow, a secret spotlight that follows her around and makes her eyes light
up.” (13)
Figure of Speech:
Analysis:
Directions: Now identify and underline the figure(s) of speech in the sentence, then decide
what type of figure of speech it is. Finally identify the comparison being made or the
object being personified or exaggerated.
7.
“…my feet are going wild that year and I keep tripping over everything. Cracks in the
sidewalk, ants on the sidewalk, shadows, anything.” (8)
Figure of Speech:
Analysis:
8.
“If you didn’t know, you would think he was like a kindergarten creeper who forgot how
to walk, he’s that small.” (11)
Figure of Speech:
Analysis:
9.
“I am amazed, because it does fly just like a little bird, flitting up and down and around,
higher than I can reach.” (13)
Figure of Speech:
Analysis:
10.
“It’s cool and dim in there and you float like a cloud – no, you are a cloud…” (21)
Figures of Speech: 1.
; 2.
Analysis:
Now, find two other examples of figures of speech from Chapters One through Five and
write them on the lines. Identify the type of figure of speech and write an analysis.
11.
Figure of Speech:
Analysis:
12.
Figure of Speech:
Analysis:
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Assessment Preparation: Vocabulary Extension
unvanquished
propulsion
invincible
tenements
microsecond
sobriquet
ignorance
flinch
mainstream
demeanor
sophisticated
depleted
fiend
quest
abide
expel
hunkering
postulated
hulking
regurgitate
Directions: Using the vocabulary words from Chapters One through Five, answer the
following questions or choose the word that best completes the sentence. Write your
answer on the line provided. Each word will be used only once.
1.
Which word could be used to describe a multipart, complicated machine?
Answer:
2.
You might give a very special person a very special name or
.
Answer:
3.
A chariot’s normal form of
is a horse or horses.
Answer:
4.
Despite Al-Qaida’s efforts of 9/11, our country is still
. We won’t be defeated.
Answer:
5.
It is quite common to include students with disabilities in classes with students who
have no obvious disabilities. To include these students in this way is to
them.
Answer:
6.
Decide upon a word that could be a synonym for “tolerate” or “put up with.”
Answer:
7.
It is sad that some people who are very poor are often forced to live in low-income
apartments that sometimes barely meet minimum standards. These homes are called:
Answer:
8.
Choose a vocabulary word that has the same meaning as throw up, vomit, or heave.
Answer:
9.
Superman is thought by his followers to be
because he can’t be beaten.
Answer:
10. This is a very tiny period of time, but not the smallest.
Answer:
11. If our world population became too large and all of the resources we have on the
earth were totally used up, our supply would be said to be
.
Answer:
12. Supply a synonym for “guessed” or “assumed without having any proof.”
Answer:
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
13. Sometimes, teens are accused of things they did not say or do, because of the
stereotype that some adults have about the
of teen-aged kids.
Answer:
14. Max admits that he is a very large and
young man.
Answer:
15. When a person is crouching down, trying not to be seen, it can also be said that he is:
Answer:
16. When many people come upon a spider, a snake, or some other creature that is
frightening to them, they will often:
Answer:
17. This word can be used as a synonym for “coughing up an object,” or “the end result of
getting into big trouble in school.”
Answer:
18. If you don’t know something, it doesn’t mean you are stupid. Usually, not having all
the answers is the result of:
Answer:
19. Provide a synonym for “addict” or “someone who is extremely addicted.”
Answer:
20. Going on an adventure or an expedition, such as when Columbus went exploring for
the Queen, could actually be called a:
Answer:
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Chapters Six – Ten
Comprehension Check
As you read and take notes using the note-taking technique described on page 12, use the
Comprehension Check questions below to help guide your understanding of all aspects of
the novel. You may want to use these questions to help you take notes. After reading the
given chapters, answer the questions on a separate sheet of paper.
Chapter Six
1. Explain why you think Max gets to go to the fireworks this year without Grim and
Gram for the first time.
2. “Hey you! Mutt and Jeff! Frankenstein and Igor! Don’t look around, I’m talkin’ to
you, boneheads. What is this, a freak show?”
What do you think Tony D. was trying
to prove by talking like this?
3. How does Max get the idea to carry Kevin around on his shoulders?
4. What is it about the fireworks that causes Kevin to start calling out the names of all
those chemical elements and compounds?
Chapter Seven
1. Why do you think Tony D. and his gang won’t let up on Kevin and Max?
2. What is Freak’s plan to get away from Tony D. and his gang?
3. How do Max and Kevin stop the gang from throwing rocks at them?
4. Why do the cops have to use ropes to get Max and Kevin out of the pond?
5. Where does the name for Kevin and Max, “Freak the Mighty,” come from?
Chapter Eight
1. Why does Max think Kevin rescued him, rather than the other way around?
2. When Gram says to Max, “Promise me you’ll keep away from that hoodlum boy…”
and Grim says, “He’s not running away. He’s taking evasive action. Avoiding a
confrontation,” what do you think they expect from him? What do you think they
want him to do? Why?
3. What do you think Kevin means by “a dragon isn’t really just a big slimy firebreathing monster, it’s a symbol of nature…”?
4. Explain Kevin’s connection to the dictionary.
5. “Dinosaurs had brains the size of peanuts and they ruled the earth for a hundred
million years.” How does this quote relate to Kevin and Max?
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Chapter Nine
Period ___
__
1. Kevin tells Max that the compass “is actually a rare and valuable artifact passed down
for generations. Lancelot used it, so did Sir Gawain, and for a time the Black Knight
kept it on a chain next to his heart.” What does this statement tell you about Kevin?
2. What does Freak tell Max the Medical Research building is?
How does the building
relate to him?
3. Max is worried about the pain. What is Freak’s response?
Chapter Ten
1. The treasure, hidden in the storm drain, “has been confirmed by visual observation.”
What is visual observation? Why doesn’t Kevin just say that in simple terms?
2. Why can’t Max sleep? Give the details.
3. How are they able to get away with nobody seeing them?
4. Why don’t they just pull the cover off the storm drain? What do they do instead?
5. Where does the chapter title come from?
6. How did the “treasure” get into the storm drain in the first place?
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Standards Focus: Note-taking and Summarizing
Directions: For Chapters 6-10, use the chart below to help you keep track of your reading.
Summarize the setting or settings, and then summarize each major event in the chapter. Try to
keep your summaries short—just a few words or phrases. Do not write in complete sentences!
Action Summary (Plot) and
Characters Involved
Important to Remember
From This Chapter
Chapter
10
Chapter
9
Chapter
8
Chapter
7
Chapter
6
Setting
Now that you have read and taken notes on Chapters 6-10, make a prediction about what
you believe will happen next in the novel.
My Prediction:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Standards Focus: Character Development
The characters in a novel or play may be revealed to the reader or audience in a variety of ways.
Your main impression of a character is formed through his/her speech or actions, physical
description, mannerisms, surroundings, other characters’ reactions to that character, or the writer’s
feelings about the character. A static character is one who changes very little or not at all
throughout the story. A dynamic character is one who changes or grows significantly as the
story unfolds.
Max and Kevin, the two most important characters in Freak the Mighty, can both be described as
dynamic characters. Each of them goes through major changes that are revealed through their
dialogue and actions, and by what the author says about them. Other characters’ reactions to them
also change throughout the story. These other characters could be static or dynamic characters.
Directions: Locate specific quotes or descriptions of the characters below to show examples of their
behavior or personalities from Chapters 1-10, using the clues above the box. Then find examples
that show some of the changes they have undergone in the story so far, if they have changed at all.
If the character has not changed, write “static character” in the box.
What he says about himself
Kevin
1. Jack
What someone else says about him
Example of his actions
2. Jack
Example showing how he has changed
3. Jack
What he says about himself
Max
What someone else says about him
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Example of his actions
Period ___
__
(Max)
4. Jack
Example showing how he has changed
5. Jack
What she says about herself
Gwen
What someone else says about him
What someone else says about her
Example of her actions
Example showing how she has changed
What she says about herself
Gram
What someone else says about her
Example of her actions
Example showing how she has changed
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Assessment Preparation: Word Origins—Etymology
English is the most widely spoken language in the world. If we consider the vast number of cultures
that are represented in the United States today, it is easy to see how over seventy percent of English
words have been taken from other languages. In addition, travel, war, even new technologies have
had a major influence on the formation of the English language.
An effective approach to figuring out the meaning of unfamiliar words is to break down the words
into smaller parts. To do this, you should be familiar with common prefixes, suffixes, root words and
base words. In addition, you can learn about word parts by using a dictionary. To find the correct
word to look up in the dictionary, you need to pay attention to the way the word is used in the
sentence. For the sample below, swilling, you would look up the base word, swill. In your dictionary,
you might find more than one entry. Choose the one that most closely matches the way the word is
used in context.
1
swill \’swil\ vb [ME swilen, fr. OE swillan] vt (bef. 12c) 1 : WASH,
DRENCH 2 : to drink great drafts of : GUZZLE 3 : to feed (as a pig)
with swill ~ vi 1 : to drink or eat freely, greedily, or to excess 2 :
SWASH – swiller n
Look at the sample dictionary entry. The information in the brackets [ ] is the “etymology” of the
word. “ME” means that the word comes from Middle English, but “fr. OE” indicates that the word
originated from Old English. The entry “(bef. 12c)” tells you that the word has been in existence
since before the 12th century. Some examples of common word origins include:
ME = Middle English
OE = Old English
VL = Vulgar Latin
ML = Medieval Latin
Sp = Spanish
Chin = Chinese
(You can find more abbreviations in the front section of
L = Latin
Heb = Hebrew
ISV = International
your dictionary near
Gk = Greek
OF = Old French
Science Vocabulary
the pronunciation guide.)
Directions: Using a dictionary, look up the following vocabulary words from Chapters 6-10. For each
word, write the base word and its etymology, including its origin and the approximate time period in
which the word was introduced into the English language. Then write the correct definition for each
word on the line provided, followed by a sentence which reflects the meaning in context. An
example has been done for you.
swilling
Origin: Middle English; Old English
Base word:
swill
Date: before 12th century
Definition:
to drink great drafts of, guzzle; to drink or eat freely, greedily, or to excess
Sentence:
We sprinted past the filthy street people, who sat swilling their wine.
1. strutting
Origin:
Base Word:
Date:
Base Word:
Date:
Base Word:
Date:
Definition:
Sentence:
2. deficiency
Origin:
Definition:
Sentence:
3. converging
Origin:
Definition:
Sentence:
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
4. nanosecond
Origin:
Base Word:
Date:
Base Word:
Date:
Base Word:
Date:
Base Word:
Date:
Base Word:
Date:
Base Word:
Date:
Base Word:
Date:
Base Word:
Date:
Base Word:
Date:
Base Word:
Date:
Definition:
Sentence:
5. evasive
Origin:
Definition:
Sentence:
6. confrontation
Origin:
Definition:
Sentence:
7. artifact
Origin:
Definition:
Sentence:
8. avarice
Origin:
Definition:
Sentence:
9. sucrose
Origin:
Definition:
Sentence:
10. incision
Origin:
Definition:
Sentence:
11. modification
Origin:
Definition:
Sentence:
12. fealty
Origin:
Definition:
Sentence:
13. damsel
Origin:
Definition:
Sentence:
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Chapters Eleven – Fifteen
Comprehension Check
As you read and take notes using the note-taking technique described on page 12, use the
Comprehension Check questions below to help guide your understanding of all aspects of
the novel. You may want to use these questions to help you take notes. After reading the
given chapters, answer the questions on a separate sheet of paper.
Chapter Eleven
1. In your own words, describe the tenements.
2. When the boys have second thoughts about being there, why don’t they leave?
3. Write a brief but “colorful” description of Iggy and Loretta.
4. What happened to the money from Loretta’s wallet?
5. Max looks familiar to Iggy and Loretta. Why?
6. What does Iggy mean by, “Life ain’t life…”?
7. Loretta tells Kevin his father was a magician. Was that a good or a bad thing? Why?
Chapter Twelve
1. What do Max and Gram do to get him ready for school? How does Max feel about it?
2. Why do Max and Kevin get to be in all the same classes at school? Why is Gram
worried about it at first?
3. In Mrs. Donelli’s class, the kids begin to say some pretty cruel things. Then what
happens? Have you ever been in a similar situation? Explain.
4. “I’m standing there with Freak high above me and it feels right.” What is Max feeling?
5. What do you think might be happening to the kids in the class as they shout out,
“Freak the Mighty, Freak the Mighty”?
6. Why do you think Mrs. Addison falls for Freak’s story? Do you think they are
punished? Why or why not?
Chapter Thirteen
1. What kind of extra attention has Freak been giving Max that will probably help him to
do better in school?
2. Why do you think Max has trouble speaking in front of a class? How does he
compare reading to writing? So, why does he have trouble writing?
3. Why does Mrs. Addison call Max into her office?
4. What do you think Max is expressing when he repeats, “I don’t want to hear it! Don’t
want to hear it! Don’t want to hear it! Don’t! Don’t! Don’t!”?
5. Why does Kevin have to go to the hospital?
6. Why do you think Max believes it was Kevin who had the bad Friday the 13th and not
him? What does this say about his character?
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Chapter Fourteen
Period ___
__
1. What is Kevin’s explanation of what is physically wrong with him?
2. What is all the yelling about upstairs? What is unusual about yelling in the house?
3. Under what conditions is Max’s father being paroled?
4. If Grim does get a gun, he can’t tell Gram about it. Why is this important?
Chapter Fifteen
1. Why does Grim say, “I’m telling tales, my dear, not lies. Lies are mean things, and
tales are meant to entertain”? Do you agree or disagree with him? Explain.
2. As they open their presents, how are Grim and Gram like your grandparents, or the
grandparents you would like to have?
3. What makes Kevin’s gift so special to Max?
4. What do you think is happening as the chapter ends?
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Standards Focus: Note-taking and Summarizing
Directions: For Chapters 11-15, use the chart below to help you keep track of your reading.
Summarize the setting or settings, and then summarize each major event in the chapter. Try to
keep your summaries short—just a few words or phrases. Do not write in complete sentences!
Action Summary (Plot) and
Characters Involved
Important to Remember
From This Chapter
Chapter
15
Chapter
14
Chapter
13
Chapter
12
Chapter
11
Setting
Now that you have read and taken notes on Chapters 11-15, make a prediction about what
you believe will happen next in the novel.
My Prediction:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Standards Focus: Setting and Mood
One of the most important aspects of a novel is its setting. Setting includes:
• Physical description: geography, weather, description of surroundings, etc.
• Time: historical time period, season, time of day, etc.
• Atmosphere: social, cultural, and political conditions
Mood is the atmosphere or emotional state created by a piece of literature. Mood is usually
described in expressions of feeling and emotions, such as fear, anger, hatred, contentment,
loneliness, confusion, happiness, excitement, or jealousy, to name a few.
In Freak the Mighty, even though most of the action takes place within Max’s bedroom, his
yard, the school, and the hospital, other elements contribute a lot to the setting. Setting
contributes a great deal to creating the mood of the novel.
Directions: For each section, find specific examples from Chapters 11-15 that describe the
setting. (You may go back and find examples from Chapters 1-15 if you prefer.) Then, tell
how the setting affects the mood. An example has been done for you.
Physical Description: Geography,
Weather, etc.
How Does the Setting Affect the Mood?
Time: Time Period, Season,
Time of Year, Day, etc.
Atmosphere: Social, Cultural,
and Political Climate
Tenements are falling apart; looks sad and
smells like fish and sour milk; bikes and toys
lying around, broken; kids are almost as
busted up as the toys.
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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This place makes me feel depressed and
sad, makes me feel sorry for people who
live there. I feel fearful of the tenements,
and imagine the people there are lonely.
Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Assessment Preparation: Synonyms
Directions: Using a thesaurus and/or a dictionary, fill in two synonyms for each of the
vocabulary words from Chapters 6-15. Then, write a sentence correctly using the given
vocabulary word.
1. cretin
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
Sentence:
2. deficiency
Sentence:
3. perspective
Sentence:
4. trajectory
Sentence:
5. swaggering
Sentence:
6. albino
Sentence:
7. vegetate
Sentence:
8. archetype
Sentence:
9. microsurgery
Sentence:
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
10. divulged
synonyms: 1.
Period ___
2.
__
Sentence:
11. bionic
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
synonyms: 1.
2.
Sentence:
12. optimum
Sentence:
13. dungarees
Sentence:
14. retrieval
Sentence:
15. grotty
Sentence:
16. urgency
Sentence:
17. hombre
Sentence:
18. abide
Sentence:
19. toxic
Sentence:
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty
Name ________________________________________ _
Period ___
__
Life Skills—Improving Your Character
We have all been in situations where we have not behaved toward someone as we should
have, or perhaps you may have been the victim of such treatment. Sometimes we behave
this way because our friends are doing it, or possibly because it makes us feel somehow
superior. But often, it is because we don’t know how to react to the person’s personality,
disability, or differences. In this activity, you will be practicing some techniques to help you
better understand how someone might feel if they were mistreated, and you will discover
some techniques for dealing with the “bully” type.
Directions: Read each quote, then write a positive reaction that could be used to deal with
the teasing. Try to use your sense of humor, which is one of the best ways to throw a
bully off guard. If joking won’t work in a particular situation, think of something you could
say to help the bully feel compassion and concern for their victims, instead of picking
on others. (You may be called on to demonstrate your answers in front of the class.)
(P. 7) “Hey you, Doofus! Yeah, you with the hairy face, take it easy with that box. That
box contains a computer, you know what a computer is?”
(P. 29) “Hey, you! Mutt and Jeff! Frankenstein and Igor! Don’t look around, I’m talkin’ to
you, boneheads. What is this, a freak show?”
(P. 35) “You! The freak! You and that giant retard, I’ll cut you down to size. Dice and slice,
baby! Freak show time!”
(P. 76) “Forget it, Mrs. Donelli, his brain is in his tail! Ask him to count, he can paw the
ground!”
(P. 81) “As you know, heh heh, my personal opinion has always been that you’re lazy and
stubborn and you didn’t want to learn.”
(P. 109) “Now your grandparents say you’re nothing but a dysfunctional retard, but no kin
of mine is a retard, and that’s a fact. So first thing, you’ve got to start acting smart. Use
your head. We’ve got a situation going here, boy, so the way to handle it, you just do
exactly what I say, no matter what. Understood?”
(P. 121) “You can’t trust a cripple, but I guess you know that now, don’t you?”
©2006 Secondary Solutions
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Freak the Mighty