The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

1. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Daily Activity Guide

2. Day 1: Wednesday, October 3rd Pages 1-23 Objective: Students will be able to: -Define autism as it refers to our future character -Describe first impressions of the book they will be reading

3. To Reach the Objectives • 1. Make predictions about the text based on the title and outside of the book • 2. Learning about Autism • 3. Introduce Character Guide • 4. Read aloud • 5. Discussion questions

4. Learning about Autism Powerpoint

5. Pages 1-23 Discussion Questions • Examine the footnote on p. 5 of the book. When does Christopher use footnotes? • Page 8 also has an example of numbered lists. • When does Christopher resort to such additions or "flourishes" in his storytelling? • What do these font changes, lists, and so on, tell us about this narrator?

6. Sharing your Thoughts • In a group of 4 or less, share your thoughts on the discussion questions. • Use this time to ask each other questions about the reading and discuss the characters you have met so far.

7. Have we reached the objective? • With your shoulder partner: • -One of you will tell the other 2 things you learned about autism today. • -The other partner will share 2 things they find interesting about the book so far.

8. Day 2

9. Day 2: Thursday, October 4th Pages 25-50 • Objective: • Students will be able to: • -Describe a real life scenario from the point of view of the lead fictional character in our text

10. To Reach the Objectives • 1. Discuss pages 24-50 • 2. Discussion questions • 3. Group activity about point of view.

11. Pages 24-50 Discussion Questions • Chapter 67 gives us a wonderful glimpse into the world of non-autistic persons, through the eyes of an autistic person. Examine, for example, the tee-shirt slogan that Christopher quotes on p. 36, and his comments on the idea of "chatting," on the top of p. 40. • When you see bits and pieces of your own world isolated and discussed, in the way that Christopher isolates and discusses them, how does your own world appear to you now? • Discuss other pieces of our non-autistic world that Christopher points out for us throughout the novel.

12. Think With a group, think of something in your daily life that may appear very differently to Christopher. Be prepared to share this example with the group.

13. Have we reached the objectives? • Self assess: • On our scale from 1-4, rank your ability to describe a real life situation from the point of view of Christopher. • 1 2 3 4 • I cannot I somewhat can I can I can do this very well

14. Day 3

15. Day 3: Friday, October 5th Pages 50-74 • Objective: • Students will be able to: • -Support a theme within the text using textual evidence.

16. To Reach the Objectives • 1. Discuss Pages 50-74 • 2. Discussion Questions • 3. Theme Activity

17. Pages 50-74Discussion Question • Christopher describes the "Monty Hall" math problem on pp. 64-65 and he provides us with a description of clouds on pp. 67-69. To what extent are these digressions unrelated to the story? • What do these digressions tell us about Christopher? Find other digressions that are interesting to you and/or that may be relevant to the rest of the story.

18. Theme Activity In groups, you will be given a theme below to discuss and provide examples from what we have read in the text so far. Find 4 quotes that support your theme. Be prepared to share with the class. Themes: • Truth Fear • Identity Order and Logic • Freedom and Confinement Isolation • Love Versions of Reality • Language and Lies and Deceit Communication

19. Reaching the Objectives • How difficult was it to defend this theme using textual evidence from Curious Incident? • Share your answer with the person directly behind you.

20. Day 4

21. Day 4: Monday, October 6th Pages 74-99 Objective:

22. Pages 74-99Discussion Question "My memory is like film," says Christopher (76). he continues to say that he never forgets anything, and from this he derives a great deal of confidence. What other tools does Christopher have to deal with problems, conflicts, uncertainty, and ambiguity?

23. Day 5: Tuesday, October 7th Pages 100-124 Objective:

24. Pages 100-124Discussion Question To what extent does Christopher develop new tools for being in the world, other than the ones he already has, in order to solve problems that his usual behavior doesn't permit him to solve? In other words, can you locate a passage or chapters that indicate that Christopher is changing in his own way to meet the demands of his life? "The mind is just a complicated machine," says Christopher (116). How does Christohper adjust to the complicated world around him by also adjusting the "complicated machine" of his mind?

25. Day 6: Wednesday, October 8th Pages 125-155 Objective:

26. Pages 125-155Discussion Question • Pages 129 to the end of the book chronicle Christopher's journey to see his mother in London. How does Christopher survive on this journey? • What characterizes this journey? Whom does he meet? How does he cope? • What does he learn? What skills does he use in order to arrive safely at his mother's?

27. Day 7: Thursday, October 9th Pages 173-191 Objective:

28. Pages 173-191Discussion Question • How would you describe Christopher's family, once he moves back to Swindon? What has changed for the better? How has the mother changed, and how has the father changed? • To what extent does the book conclude on a note that ties up all loose ends? Or are there some loose ends still dangling?

29. Theme Activity Last week, you identified quotes that explained one of the following themes in your groups. In your groups, write down 4 more additional themes that show how your theme has developed or changed as the book continued. Be prepared to share your findings with the class. Themes: • Truth Fear • Identity Order and Logic • Freedom and Confinement Isolation • Love Versions of Reality • Language and Lies and Deceit Communication