"No toys in the fish tank"

Rules by Cynthia Lord, is about a girl named Catherine and her brother David who is autistic. Catherine knows from a sibling’s point of view how hard it can be to have a disability; she sees the stares and people pick on him. Although David doesn’t always pick up on it himself it hurts her. She is always giving David rules on how to behave such as not opening the bathroom door without knocking or not putting toys in the fish tank. One day when Catherine is at David’s therapy appointment she meets a boy named Jason who is in a wheel chair and cannot talk verbally but communicates using a book with words, that he points to. They slowly become friends when she starts to make new words for his communication book. Through her friendship with Jason she learns that just because people may judge you, doesn’t mean it is okay to be embarrassed of your friends.  Between her brother and Jason, Catherine grows and learns immensely.

 I love this book and think not only is it a great book to teach students about Autism but about acceptance for all people who may look different than what you look like. This book also teaches us that just because someone looks different does not mean they do not have feelings and they are not intelligent or fun to be around.

Web resources for teachers:

•  This discussion guide has more questions in addition to the questions I already asked.
• In this article there are many ways to incorporate Rules into your lesson. Not only is the book Rules on this site but there are other books as well.
• This is the main Autism website which you can use to teach yourself more about Autism so you can teach your students more about it.

Vocabulary:

Section 1- Autism, collection, consider, independent, dependent, occupational therapy, Section 2- vinyl, clinic, egrets, corridor, musty, receptionist, Down Syndrome, fidgets, Section 3- reflection, initiating, clients, professional, announcer, glances, fierce, Section 4- grimaces, adjusting, Section5- anthropological, exclamation, compact, irritates, kelp, Section 6- linoleum, grit, pickets, cringe, wearily, Section 7- wince, accommodate, tourists, pellets, anxious, Section 8- sarcastic, billowing, portrait, imitation, radiates, relieved, section 9- sponsoring, peril, jostle,  section 10- gingerly, scowls, Section 11- gesturing, overacting, Section 12- perspective, weightless, quarreling, Section 13-frilly, Section 14- hesitates, batik, distortion, Section 15- pilings, preen, Section 17- broaches, Section 19- unfocused, unsatisfactory, unbelievable, Section 21- twines, detour. 

Before reading: I would ask students to fold a paper vertically in half and make a list of what makes every person different from one another on one side of the paper and on the other what makes people the same. Then I would have the students share their lists with a small group of 3-5 during this time I would ask them to make 2 new lists as a group of what they agree on. Finally, I would have them share their lists. When they are done, I would discuss how there are actually more similarities than differences. The major difference is that we may look different, but we all have goals, feelings, likes and dislikes, are in school, are good at something, we all want to be liked, and so on.

During reading: Section by Section Questions:

Section 1- How is David different, why and what?

Section 2- How would you feel if you only had a few hours to spend with your mom that was solely devoted to you, when all the rest of her time she concentrated more on your brother or sister?

Section 3- David is upset when his father is late and Catherine reminds him that late does not mean not coming, even though you understand this, can you relate to being upset when someone is late? How/why/why not?

Section 4- stop at page 46-47, What words do you think Caterine should add to Jason’s book and what?

Section 5- What are some of David’s rules? How does David get around the rules?

Section 6- Why does Catherine seem embarrassed about her brother?

What happened when Catherine went to ask the neighbors over for dinner?

Section 8- What happens when Catherine’s neighbor Kristi come over for the first time?

Section 9- How does Catherine act different around Jason and Kristi?

Section 10- How was Catherine’s visit with Jason?

Section 11- What happened when Catherine, David and their mom got home from David’s Occupational therapy? How would you have felt?

Section 12- Write about what you think it would be like not to be able to speak, run or even walk?

Section 14—Why do you think Kristi invited Catherine to the dance?

Section 15- Why was Catherine so concerned with making sure Kristi did not see her when she was by the ocean with Jason?

Section 17- Why was Jason so upset about the together card for his communication book that Catherine made him. Why do you think she made it that way? Do you think she should have made it the way Jason wanted it?

Section 19- Why do you think Catherine decided to go to the dance?

After reading: I would have my students talk in groups about what they think it would be like to be the sibling of someone who is Autistic. Then I would have them write a list of their own rules that they think might be important for someone who is Autistic. The should have at least 5 unique rules.