Vocabulary

Suggested Vocabulary List

Dystopia: an imagined state or society in which there is great suffering or injustice, typically one that is totalitarian or post-apocalyptic

Social Justice: justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within society

Iridescent: varying in color when seen in different lights; play of colors

Tessera: a small square tile of stone or glass used in making mosaics

Entrails: internal organs collectively; inside parts

Utopia: ideally perfect state; ideal perfection, impractical

Vietnam War: a military conflict (1954-1975) between South Vietnam, supported by United States forces, and Communist North Vietnam

Famine: extreme scarcity of food

Theseus (greek mythology): a king of Athens who kills Procrustes and the Minotaur before defeating the Amazons and marrying their queen; Athens is forced to send seven boys and seven girls to Crete every nine years

Apothecary: a health professional trained in the art of preparing drugs; a doctor

Adversary: one’s opponent in a contest, conflict, or dispute

Banal: so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring

Insurmountable: too great to overcome

Skirmishes: a fight between small bodies of troops, especially advanced or outlying detachments of opposing armies.

Ruse: an action intended to deceive someone; a trick

Callous: showing or having an insensitive or cruel disregard for others

Insidious: proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects

Protagonist: the leading character or one of the major characters in a drama, novel, film, or other fictional text

Antagonist: a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary

Authentic Vocabulary in Context

With this unit, students will have an opportunity within the first week to showcase their understanding of the vocabulary words we will use within the lesson. The first quiz is not graded — however, there will be a second vocabulary quiz at the end of the unit where students will have an opportunity to showcase their knowledge on terms.

There will also be incentives throughout the unit for students who can utilize the vocabulary words in context, show photographic proof of seeing the words in a public domain, or if they see the words as they are reading independently. These incentives will tie into the classroom management protocols previously initiated in the semester.