Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution: Chapters 11–16

by Sherri Winston
Lotus Bloom, a seventh-grade girl who loves the vintage style of the 1970s, learns to speak up and fight for the freedom of expression after facing a dress code violation at school.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–Chapter 4, Chapters 5–10, Chapters 11–16, Chapters 17–22
40 words 21 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. elaborate
    developed or executed with care and in minute detail
    “Can’t,” I say, distracted, already mentally listing out the elaborate array of pre-poo, deep conditioning, and twistups I’ll conduct when I get home, to make sure my hair is the best it ever looks at school tomorrow.
  2. petty
    preoccupied with unimportant matters in a spiteful way
    Also, I’m a little ashamed of how petty I’m feeling.
  3. unkempt
    not properly maintained or cared for
    Do they look at my hair—which I love—as something dirty and unkempt?
  4. refurbish
    improve the appearance or functionality of
    We’re all standing around in this back room at the center, which is clean and well stocked despite its shabbiness. The center could use a total refurbishment.
  5. ensemble
    a group of musicians playing or singing together
    The chorus will be on the stairs. Ensemble groups will be set up in different areas.
  6. troubadour
    a singer of folk songs
    We’ll be like a roving band of troubadours—medieval musicians—going from one area to the next depending on which song we are performing.
  7. seethe
    be in an agitated emotional state
    He is working hard to keep his anger in check. He’s not mad—he’s seething.
  8. sophisticated
    having worldly knowledge and refinement
    He continues, “Miss Lee is an eighth grader who began study of the violin at age five. She is a gifted and talented young lady with a sophisticated work ethic.”
  9. oblivious
    lacking conscious awareness of
    I feel like my insides are coming undone, and the people I should be able to count on are—what was that vocab word? Oblivious. They haven’t got a clue.
  10. falter
    speak haltingly
    “Is...”—his voice falters—“is Maestro aware of the situation?”
  11. squander
    spend thoughtlessly; throw away
    Concentrate on your art, your music. Lead with conviction and keep pushing yourself to do better than you did the day before. I would hate to see a talent as precious as yours squandered.
  12. endorsement
    formal and explicit approval
    When I tell Tati and Anabel, Tati says, “Well, duh? Who else would get his endorsement? You’re a natural.”
  13. flush
    turn red, as if in embarrassment or shame
    His cheeks flush bright pink, and his floppy brown hair is wild on his shoulders.
  14. gamely
    in a plucky or sporting manner
    She shrugs, her smirk trying gamely for innocence.
  15. full-fledged
    having gained complete status
    Is she a student of the art or a full-fledged professor?
  16. gingerly
    in a manner marked by extreme care or delicacy
    “I like your flower,” she says. I touch it gingerly.
  17. casual
    without or seeming to be without plan or method; offhand
    “You should come meet her, too,” I say to YaYa, casual as I can.
  18. dainty
    affectedly refined
    “No, not really. Now, lift your chin a little,” she directs, pausing to take a dainty bite of her sandwich before continuing to scratch lines and curves onto the page.
  19. unruly
    unable to be governed or controlled
    Our student dress code is clear—students must maintain a manner of dress and personal style that does not disrupt or engage other students. Lotus’s unruly hair has created a disturbance in the classroom and must be taken seriously.
  20. smug
    marked by excessive complacency or self-satisfaction
    I picture Adolpho’s smug grin.
  21. defiant
    boldly resisting authority or an opposing force
    “Mom, they want me to change my hair. My hair! That’s not right. Can’t you see that?” Even as I’m saying it, I hear the whine in my tone. I don’t sound strong. Defiant. More like I’m begging to be heard.
  22. contempt
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
    She eyes my afro with contempt.
  23. rehash
    discuss again; go back over
    It doesn’t take long before I can’t bear sitting at the table with Mom and Derrick any longer, if she’s just going to rehash my misery for dinnertime amusement.
  24. tenacious
    stubbornly unyielding
    “Closer to home,” the news lady is saying, “a tenacious group of students protest outside a special Thursday-night session of the Miami-Dade school board meeting...”
  25. snooty
    overly conceited or arrogant
    “Are you okay? I know when you get stressed out you start hurling. Tell me right now”—her voice rises into the tone she saves for frightening salesgirls or snooty waitstaff—“what is going on with you?”
  26. tirade
    a speech of violent denunciation
    My brain keeps bouncing from the sight of those boys’ angry faces as they drilled me with paper planes, to the recommendation from Maestro, to the awful letter from Mr. Mackie, to my mom’s rare tirade, and, finally, to Rebel’s righteous indignation.
  27. indignation
    a feeling of righteous anger
    My brain keeps bouncing from the sight of those boys’ angry faces as they drilled me with paper planes, to the recommendation from Maestro, to the awful letter from Mr. Mackie, to my mom’s rare tirade, and, finally, to Rebel’s righteous indignation.
  28. resolve
    the trait of being firm in purpose or belief
    The absence of his full support crashes like a cymbal, shattering my resolve.
  29. acclaim
    enthusiastic approval
    “It’s what I’ve always wanted for you, too. We both know how your mother feels. She couldn’t care less if you ever took the stage in a grand hall. Or gained international acclaim,” he says.
  30. compliant
    disposed to act in accordance with someone's wishes
    Her own finely relaxed hair is bone straight and plastered into a compliant bun.
  31. blasphemy
    the act of depriving something of its sacred character
    Miss a day of school? On purpose? Blasphemy!
  32. installment
    a single part of a television or movie serial
    One minute she was there, the next, exit stage right. The latest installment of the Rebel Show.
  33. squabble
    a quarrel about petty points
    Had he really thought that my being humiliated on a daily basis was a “petty squabble”?
  34. conspiratorial
    relating to or characteristic of a secret plot or agreement
    “It’s not just them,” I say, lowering my voice and looking around conspiratorially.
  35. stifle
    smother or suppress
    Normally, seeing her like that would automatically flick my protective switch, but instead I stifle a yawn.
  36. metronome
    clicking pendulum indicating the tempo of a piece of music
    My pulse beats in time with a metronome on Mr. Mackie’s desk.
  37. discreet
    not easily noticeable
    Meanwhile, Mr. Cortez fails at discreetly looking at the screen of his phone.
  38. immaculate
    completely neat and clean
    He slides his iPhone into a pocket in his immaculate doctor’s coat.
  39. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    In the back of my mind, I heard the ominous tones of F and F-sharp alternate. Jaws. Two notes that became a movie classic.
  40. volatile
    liable to lead to sudden change or violence
    These Black girls from where she’s from—MacArthur Park, right?—are volatile. What if she snaps during one of the performances and goes off on another unsuspecting student?
Created on Wed Nov 02 10:35:43 EDT 2022 (updated Fri Nov 18 17:44:05 EST 2022)

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