Setting Out

Eight words to pack before the ship leaves the dock.

Meet each word one at a time, then take the quiz to lock them in.

1. 1 voyage noun
2. 2 harbor noun
3. 3 depart verb
4. 4 scramble verb
5. 5 spirited adjective
6. 6 sluggish adjective
7. 7 eagerly adverb
8. 8 boldly adverb

Nelson's word

noun

Voyage. A noun. I file it under a long journey, and most often a journey by sea. Not a quick trip to the store; a voyage takes days, sometimes weeks, over open water. Sailors pack food and maps before a voyage begins. When you read that a ship set out on a voyage, picture the dock shrinking behind it. State it precisely: a voyage is a long trip, usually across the sea.

The ship began a long voyage across the wide ocean.

Nelson's word

noun

Harbor. A noun. I file it under a safe place along the shore where boats rest. The wind and the big waves stay outside; inside the harbor, the water is calm. Boats tie up in the harbor when the day of sailing is done. When a storm comes, every ship hurries back to the harbor. State it precisely: a harbor is where boats stay safe.

The little boats rest safely inside the calm harbor.

Vinny's word

verb

Depart! To LEAVE, to go, to pull away from where you stand! When the sailors depart at dawn, they turn their backs on the harbor and head for the open sea. That is the verb, and it is mine, and it takes a brave heart to depart for somewhere new. Trains depart, ships depart, heroes depart on a quest. Say it and you can almost feel the deck move under your feet.

The sailors depart at dawn while the town still sleeps.

Vinny's word

verb

Scramble! To climb, to grab, to move FAST with both your hands and your feet! When the sailors scramble up the mast, they use everything they have got to reach the top in a hurry. That is the verb, and it is mine. But watch out, this word has a secret identity. Say a mad scramble, and suddenly it is a noun, a wild rush where everyone moves at once. Same word, different job. We sort those hats in Practice.

The sailors scramble up the mast to fix the sail.

Jake's word

adjective

Spirited. Oh, this is a bright one, and it is mine. As an adjective, spirited describes a person who is keen and full of energy: a spirited crew, a spirited puppy, a spirited reader. You can almost see them leaning forward, ready to go. Its Frown is unwilling, the one who does not want to at all. Could we be more specific than saying a sailor was happy to sail? We could say she was spirited, and the reader feels how much she wanted it.

The spirited crew waited by the dock before sunrise.

Jake's word

adjective

Sluggish. An adjective, and mine, describing a person who is worn out and slow-moving, dragging along one heavy step at a time. A sluggish sailor, a sluggish traveler, a sluggish dog after a long day of running. Its Frown is lively, the one who is quick and full of energy. Could we be more specific than saying the crew was tired? We could say they were sluggish, and the reader feels the long day slowing them down. Magnifique.

The sluggish sailors slept the moment they reached the harbor.

Benny's word

adverb

Eagerly. That is my kind of word, an adverb, and here is the play. Take eager, which wants something very much, and add my little tail, the letters l and y, and now it tells HOW someone does a thing. The crew eagerly climbed aboard, meaning they climbed in a way that showed how badly they wanted to sail. See what the ly did? It turned a describing word into an action helper. Nice work. Learn that trick once, and you can build a hundred more.

The crew eagerly climbed aboard the ship.

Benny's word

adverb

Boldly. Another adverb, and a brave one. Take bold, which means brave and sure, and add my tail, l and y, and now it tells HOW someone acts. The captain boldly steered into the storm, meaning she steered in a brave, confident way. Its Frown is timidly, the way you act when you are scared and unsure. Could we make it sharper than saying she steered the ship? We could say she steered boldly, and the reader feels her courage. You can do better, and now you know how.

The captain boldly steered the ship into the storm.