Rules

Title: Rules

Author: Cynthia Lord

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.

Copyright: 2006

Reading Level: Lexile 780

Summary:

Catherine is a twelve-year old girl who only wishes to have a normal life, but is it almost impossible since she has an autistic brother and a family that revolves around his disability. To help control David’s embarrassing behaviors, Catherine spends years teaching him basic and complex rules, such as “no toys in the fish tank” and “some people think they know who you are, when really they don’t.” Unfortunately, Catherine’s negative behavior towards Jason, a boy who is also disabled and Kristi, the next-door friend she always wished for, forces her to think twice about what normal really is.

Suggested Delivery:

To deliver this book, use supported sustained silent reading (SSSR). Have a class discussion to finalize the book.

Electronic Resources:

1- Cynthia Lord- The author's website is a useful tool for teachers and students to utilize before or after the reading. It contains information about the author, the books she wrote, quotes and other helpful resources for young authors.

2- Learning About Autism- This website includes important information about autism that can be use by students, teachers and parents. It is a great resource for students to use before the reading to familiarize themselves with the disability.

Teaching Suggestions:

1. Vocabulary- Autism, billowing, blotchy, normal, disability, rules.

2. Reading Strategies-

Before Reading: Ask students to make predictions about the book based on the front and back cover, what can they say about the book? what do they think the book will be about? Next, introduce the vocabulary. Ask students questions about each word until the whole class comes up with one definition for each word (make sure to write the definitions down). Ask students about the word "rules." Ask students what are some rules they have at home? In school? With friends?

During Reading: As a journal entry, provide students with the following questions:

1-   What is Catherine’s main problem? Have you encounter anything like it? Is so, how did you react to it?

2-   What is David’s condition? How does it affect Catherine? What is the relationship between David and Catherine?

3-   Why does Catherine hide David from Kristi? What would you have done in her situation?

4-   Do you agree or disagree with Catherine’s rules? If so, which ones and why?

After Reading: Have students extend the end of the story. Ask them to answer the following questions and have them answer them based on the reading.

1-    What is going to happen to Catherine and Kristi? Catherine and Jason?

2-    Will Catherine keep hiding her brother David from future friends?

3-    Did Catherine learn a valuable lesson? If so, what did she learned?

3. Writing activity- Have students work in groups to create one rule. They must explain the following:
      1- Why they created that rule?
      2- Who should follow that rule?
      3- What is the punishment if anybody violates the rule?
      4- How does it affect you? your classmates? teachers? family?