CHAPTER 17“WE SHOP FOR WATERBEDS “

The Lightning ThiefRick Riordan

Vocabulary

retrieved- brought backhurtling- to rush forward with great speedcritical- very importantnuzzling- cuddling or snugglingrealm- kingdomfugitive- running from the lawresisted- fought againstexcess- more than necessaryinconsiderate- rude

Journal Topic

People are always looking for new ways to sell things. What’s the worst or most annoying commercial you’ve ever seen? What is the best or funniest? Quick Write. This is a one-minute timed writing. The idea is to get as many words

as possible onto the paper. Don’t worry about spelling or punctuation. You will get more words if you write in complete thoughts rather than making a list. The teacher will give you the subject. Once you hear it, you will have exactly one minute. You CANNOT STOP writing for any reason. If you can’t think of anything, write “I have nothing to say” until you think of something, but you can’t write “I have nothing to say” the entire time. The purpose of this is to become a more fluent writer.

Teachers: Make your first subject something simple, like “the color blue.” Then try something related to the chapter, such as “Los Angeles” or “California.” Students write whatever they can think of about that subject. At the end, have them count their words and put the number at the top. Compare with a show of hands. Who got the most words? Do one or two of these a day and you will be amazed how much faster the kids get at writing by the end of the year.

 

Myths in this Chapter

Theseus’ Journey to Athens (Procrustes the Stretcher)

Correct This Sentence

Did annabeth actualy say “lets visit santa monica peer while in los angeles?”

Did Annabeth actually say, “Let’s visit Santa Monica Pier while in Los Angeles”?

Setting

Places In taxi from Las Vegas to Los Angeles Santa Monica Peer The Pacific Ocean Hollywood “Crusty’s Water Bed Palace

Time June 20

Atmosphere Confusing; unsure

Characters

Taxi driverAnnabethGrover PercyMako sharkSea NereidSea horseStreet kidsCrustyBarbara WaltersSmelly GabeSugar

Method of Narration

Chronological order

Conflicts

Percy vs taxi driverPercy vs street kidsAll three vs Crusty

Point of View

First person

Symbols

Crusty’s water bedsCredit cards”The Silent One,” “The Rich One,” Percy’s dreamPacific OceanMako sharkNereid

Important quotes

“She held out her hand. Three white pearls flashed in her palm” (p. 272).

“At the river you said not to trust the gifts. What gifts” (p. 273)?

Study Questions

How does Annabeth pay for the trip to Los Angeles?Annabeth seems worried when they discuss the voice from

the pit. Percy thinks she has an idea what it might be. Do you have any guesses?

Who is the spirit in the sea? What does she give to Percy?Why is Annabeth uneasy about the gifts Percy received?According to Percy, how is L.A. different from New York?Why doesn’t Riptide work on the kids who jump Percy in the

alley?What does Crusty do to his customers?Why can’t Percy simply fight Crusty?How does Percy trick the giant?How does Percy find the address for the Underworld?

Write a Summary

Activities

• Quiz #4 (Ch. 14-17, pgs. 213-282)• Create an ad for Crusty’s Waterbed PalaceMake an Advertisement for Crusty’s Waterbed

Palace. Crusty has hired you to advertise his fabulous waterbeds. Make a magazine ad for him. How would you attract customers? What special deals would you promise? If you prefer, you can write a television commercial for the Waterbed Palace and either perform it live or videotape it.

  

Discussion Question

The Lotus Casino in Las Vegas is a modern-day version of the Land of the Lotus Eaters, which Odysseus visited on his way back from Troy. Read the original version from The Odyssey. How do the two accounts differ? Is the danger Odysseus faced similar to the danger faced by Percy and his friends? Is society today more dominated by “Lotus Eaters”?

Quiz # 4The Lightning Thief

Ch. 14-17 (pages 213-282)

  ____1. When Percy lands in the Mississippi River,

what does he NOT witness? A. Garbage was all over the place. B. Paper could burn underwater. C. He wasn’t wet. D. He could understand the fish.   ____2. What message does the woman in the water

give Percy? A. Use the gifts you have been given. B. Do not trust the gifts you’ve been given. C. Go to Denver, Colorado. D. Do not trust one of your friends.   ____3. Which sentence does NOT use quotations

correctly? A. “That’s old gossip, Percy.” Annabeth told him. B. Annabeth replied, “I’m not talking about phones.” C. “Give Percy the nozzle and come on ” Annabeth

ordered. D. “That’s true,” Luke said, looking troubled.   _____4. Which event best fits into the sequence

below? A. Ares asks for a favor. B. The group spends 5 days at the Lotus Casino. C. Grover and Annabeth get stretched in water beds. D. Percy finds the address for the Underworld.  

____5. Why doesn’t Grover smell any monsters at the Thrill Ride O’ Love?

A. There are no dangers there. B. The monsters are not alive. C. They are underground. D. His nose is clogged up due to allergies.   ____6. What item is NOT in the backpack Ares gives the kids? A. Double Stuff Oreos B. Twenty dollars C. a cell phone D. fresh clothes      ____7. What news does Ares give Percy? A. That the newspapers are writing stories about him. B. That his mother isn’t dead. C. That the solstice has been moved up one day. D. That his quest is bound to fail.   ____8. Why doesn’t Riptide work on the kids who jump Percy in the

alley? A. They are monsters. B. They are too fast. C. They are humans. D. They are not really there.   9. Why do you think Annabeth wants to leave as soon as Luke

appears in the mist?    10. Explain how Percy tricks Crusty, the giant.   Bonus: What is the exact name of Crusty’s place?

Bibliography Card

Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. New York:

Miramar Books, 2005.