Charles by Shirley Jackson

Who is Charles?

• Laurie’s best friend.

• a boy in a different classroom

• a classmate who misbehaves

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.1.1

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

Charles’ behavior...

• inspires the other kids to be bad.

• might get him kicked out of school.

• makes him popular with the other kids.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

How does Laurie behave when he returns from school?

• He becomes violent with his family.

• He refuses to tell his family about his day.

• He causes trouble and is disrespectful.

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.1.1

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

What details show that Laurie admires Charles’s rude behavior?

• “Well, Charles was bad again today.” He said with a huge smile. The teacher told the class not to play with Charles, but they did anyway.

• “Charles yelled so in school they sent a boy in from first grade to tell the teacher she had to make Charles keep quiet and so Charles had to stay after school. And so all the children stayed to watch him.

• What happened to Charles?” my husband asked. "Nothing," Laurie said. "He was passing out the crayon."

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

What actions show that Charles’s behavior is having a negative effect on Laurie?

• “It was a man who came and made us do exercises, we had to touch our toes. Look"

• “Hi, Pop, y’old dust mop.”-calling his dad old, dusty like a mop

• “He gave the crayons around and he picked up the books afterward and the teacher said he was her helper."

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

How does Charles' behavior change throughout the story?

• Laurie describes Charles’ behavior as improving but having some setbacks.

• Laurie describes Charles’ behavior as getting better little by little throughout the story.

• Laurie focuses on how Charles is always misbehaving even if he’s not caught.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

Why doesn’t the teacher know about Charles?

• Laurie is actually Charles.

• Laurie is a worse student than Charles.

• Charles was already kicked out of school.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

Which sentence describes the main theme (lesson) of the story?

• Parent's often don't give their kids enough attention, and this causes them to act out.

• Children are strongly influenced by the bad behavior of other kids.

• Children sometimes act out when they’re trying to figure out who they are.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Which detail from the text supports the main theme of the story?

• “‘Do you think kindergarten is too disturbing for Laurie? All this toughness, and bad language, and this Charles boy sounds like such a bad influence.’”

• ‘We had a little trouble adjusting, the first week or so,’ she said , ‘but now he’s a fine little helper. With a little bit of misbehaving, of course."

• “my sweet-voiced nursery-school tot replaced by a long-trousered, swaggering character who forgot to stop at the corner and wave good-bye to me.”

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

Why do you think Laurie lies in the story? Have you ever been dishonest with someone? What made you do this? Your answer needs at least 4 sentences.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3