Characters and Mystery

Characters of Chasing Vermeer

100

One of our main characters. She is on the front of our text. 

Petra

200

One of our main characters. He enjoys playing with Pentominoes

Calder 

300

The weird teacher. She has the students doing crazy things and acts a little strange

Ms. Hussey 

400

He owns Powell's bookstore. We read about our main characters running in to him frequently.

Mr. Watch 

500

An older woman who helps Petra and Calder. Soon, her books will be useful to our protagonists 

Mrs. Sharpe 

Trait Vocabulary

100

The main character(s) of stories 

Protagonist 

200

The evil character(s) in stories. Usually, they don't get along with the main characters 

Antagonist 

300

This is when the author tells the reader exactly how the characters are described. 

Direct Characterization 

400

This is when the reader has to collect clues based on what they read about, to determine the proper character traits. 

We might say they are on a scavenger hunt

Indirect characterization

500

Our characters stay the same throughout the book so their traits don't really change throughout

Static character 

Name that Trait

100

When the character is unhappy 

sad 

200

When characters are nervous, like when taking a test, this trait is a synonym that starts with S

scared 

300

Instead of pretty that starts with p, we can describe a character with a synonym that starts with G

Gorgeous 

400

Rather than "funny" because that's boring and used, how about a longer word that has a suffix with amuse 

amusing 

500

Some might say teeny, small, or brittle, but this is a describing word that rhymes with skittle 

Little 

Mystery

100

Character traits can only be found in Mystery stories, true or false?

False 

200

What are some words to describe the mystery genre?

Answers will vary 

300

This literary element is a front runner in mystery stories. All of the other elements help us determine this one.

Theme 

400

List 3 literary elements that are present in mystery stories 

Setting, characters, plot, theme, etc 

Answers will vary 

500

If an author leaves the reader on the edge of their seat with a cliffhanger, what might that genre be? Often, it is combined with Mystery Stories

Suspense 

Mystery Vocabulary

100

A person that watches the crime happen 

Witness 

200

a person that commits a crime 

Perp (Perpetrator)

300

a person that was harmed or injured as the result of the crime 

Victim 

400

a person that is thought to be guilty of the crime, but not proven yet 

Suspect 

500

A crime that has not been solved. Police have gathered all of the information that they can but it remains unsolved leaving room for the possibility of more information. 

Cold Case