Janine Sherman

15 February 2016
Dr. Rybakova
Demographic: 21 students, 5 IEPs. IEPs include three written and two LEP students.
10th Grade Language Arts

Reading Strategies Mini-Lesson: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
Plot Development and Character Study Graphic Organizer
*Lesson Plan based on a 15 minute bell-ringer
Purpose/Rationale:
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime is an account of a murder investigation of a dog
told through the narrator Christopher Boone who is on the spectrum of Autism/Aspergers. This
novel is a national bestseller and exhibits a unique writing style, point of view, and also delivers
a powerful message. The lexile of this novel is on grade level for tenth grade. Although the novel
contains few instances of inappropriate language, the content is not unsuitable for tenth grade.
This novel is an excellent book to practice character analysis because the narrator, Christopher
Boone, offers a very unique point of view because he is on the spectrum of Autism/Aspergers.
The narrator informs the reader that the book is a murder mystery novel, but in the eyes of
Christopher Boone, the reader learns much more than who killed Wellington the dog. Through
the character analysis of Christopher Boone students will identify some characteristics/behaviors
of people who have Autism/Aspergers. This book will be taught in a unit about overcoming
adversity and looking at different perspectives. The students have already read an excerpt from
Helen Kellers Story of My Life in which the students learned about the inspirational and also
challenging perspective of a person who was both blind and deaf. Earlier this week, students
have researched as a class the characteristics of Autism/Aspergers and will apply their
knowledge to character analysis of Christopher Boone in the novel. This unit will help students
develop understanding and empathy for people who live with Autism/Aspergers; understanding
different points of view can foster a growth in open-mindedness amongst students that can apply
to the real world. For example, learning the reasons behind the behaviors exhibited with autism
can prevent bullying amongst peers. This books inspiring message about overcoming challenges
and being brave is an uplifting break from the often depressing themes of the canonical texts that
were read earlier in the year, such as The Things They Carried. Also, this books straightforward
writing style and murder mystery genre exposes students to a unique form of writing that can
enrich their experience as diverse writers themselves. For the graphic organizer activity, students
will be connecting elements of plot to character description of the protagonist. This mini-lesson
serves as a post-reading strategy because having students explicitly make these connections
through an organized and clear visual aid, students can more easily make meaningful
connections about the novel. This graphic organizer will further help students come to their own

conclusions and understandings about Christophers traits/behaviors. By breaking the novel

down into its plot development, students have a more explicit and straightforward aid in which to
analyze character, rather than being expected to summary the complex character as a whole.
Through group work, students will practice sharing their own ideas, as well as providing
meaningful feedback to their peers. Through this group work activity students will make
powerful connections between character and plot.

Standards:
LAFS.910.RL.1.3 Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting
motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the
plot or develop the theme. Cognitive Complexity: Level 3: Strategic Thinking & Complex
Reasoning
LAFS.910.RI.1.3 Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events,
including the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and
the connections that are drawn between them. Cognitive Complexity: Level 3: Strategic
Thinking & Complex Reasoning

Objectives:
Students will be able to:

Using a graphic organizer, infer characteristics of Christopher Boone from features of the
plot development in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.
In groups, analyze and discuss the connection between plot development and character
development.
Recognize characteristics of the protagonist, Christopher Boone, who is on the
Aspergers/Autism spectrum in order to understand unique point of view.

Materials:

White Board/Dry erase Marker

Computer/Projector
Graphic Organizer handouts
Writing Utensil

Anticipatory Set:
This mini-lesson is at the end of the days lesson. They have finished just finished reading the
novel and have discussed the ending in small groups.

Teaching Strategy:
Time
3 minutes

What student is doing

Student is listening to instruction and
asking any questions if necessary

What teacher is doing

Teacher is giving instructions for the
graphic organizer activity. Teacher
will explain that through the novel
Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Nighttime the class will be analyzing
plot development and character. The
novel begins as a murder mystery, the
right side of the graphic organizer
accounts each part of the plot that
reveals a clue in Christophers
investigation. On the right hand side
the student will write what each stage
of the plot has revealed about
Christopher as a character. The teacher
will complete the first one together
with the class for example: When
Christopher finds Wellington dead in
the backyard he reveals that he likes
dogs because their personalities are
faithful and truthful- in turn he is
commenting that he has trouble
understanding complex human
emotions. Another acceptable answer
would be that Christopher did not
know how to defend himself when
Mrs. Shears was yelling at him for
hugging the dog- Christopher cannot
argue or participate in conflict without
getting severe anxiety. Students will
be put into groups of 3 by teacher
counting-off for this activity. They
will be given for 7 minutes, and then
will share/exchange ideas with another
group afterwards. Teacher will explain
why this activity is being done: by
connecting specific moments in plot to
certain behaviors/characteristics of

7 minutes

5 minutes

Christopher the class can understand

more about how/why
autism/Aspergers affects
Christophers life. This activity can
lead to a better understanding of the
protagonists point of view. Instruction
and example will be projected on the
board. Students will be informed that
they will be turning in the graphic
organizer for a completion grade at the
end of the week.
Students will work in groups of 3 to list Teacher will monitor group work and
ideas for Christopher Boones character answer any questions if needed.
description based off of specific
moments in the plot (graphic organizer).
Student groups will find one other group Teacher will go around to groups and
to exchange ideas with, they will
ask for an example of completed
explain their answers and complete their answers they have done from the
graphic organizers.
graphic organizers, commenting or
helping the group with their ideas.

Summary/Closure:
The teacher will wrap of the class by reiterating that this graphic organizer will be used for the
lessons later this week and will be turned in on Friday, when they will write a final reflection on
the unit and activities.
Assessment: Students will be informally assessed through teachers monitoring of behavior in
group work.
Formal Assessment: Students will lose participation points for the day if they are not actively
involved or contributing ideas to the group graphic organizer. Students will use the graphic
organizer for the remainder of the week as they continue to work on the novel, but will be
expected to hand in the graphic organizer on Friday for a grade of 10 points.
Homework: None
Accommodations:
There are two English Language Learners in this class period. Students who are English
Language learners will be provided a dictionary to look up any unfamiliar words. The two ELL
students are in a group together and also with one other student who has consented to and is
comfortable helping the English Language Learning students during this mini-lesson during the
count off they will be strategically placed together). The teacher will also be available to make
clarifications and to help explain or elaborate on connections being made in the graphic

organizer. Students will be given extra time to complete graphic organizer for homework if
needed.
The student with Aspergers will be given preferential seating and the teacher will monitor
student in case they need any individual help. The student can be provided with lesson plan
material before-hand if they would like to prepare for the day so they know exactly what to
expect. The student may work individually on the graphic organizer activity if desired to do so.
They will be allowed to use their laptop in class. Student may be given extra time to complete
graphic organizer, they will turn it in at the end of the week.
The student with ADD and anxiety will be allowed to use their laptops in class if necessary. The
student receives preferential seating, somewhere away from distractions. The students can take a
short break in concentration if necessary during activity. The student can work individually if
they wish to do so. They may finish the graphic organizer for homework, they will turn it in at
the end of the week.
The student with ADHD will be allowed to use their laptops in class if necessary. The student
receives preferential seating, somewhere away from distractions. The students can take a short
break in concentration if needed. Student will be placed in group with all on-task students so that
there will be no easy distractions. Students will be given extra time to complete graphic
organizer, it will be turned in at the end of the week.

Appendix A:

Christopher Boones Clues for Character Description: Graphic Organizer

Clue 1

Christopher finds Wellington dead in

Mrs. Shears backyard

Clue 2

Christopher confronts and hits a police

officer

Clue 3

Christopher writes a journal account of

his investigation

Christopher finds out from Clue

neighbor that Mr. Shears had an
affair with Christophers mother

Christopher stumbles uponClue

letters from his supposedly dead
mother

Clue 6

Christopher decides to go to London

by train to find his mother

Clue 7

Christophers mother leaves Mrs.

Shears to get an apartment with
Christopher

Clue 8

Christophers father gets

Christopher a dog as a present to
regain his trust

Clue 9

Christopher passes his A-level

math exams

Plan B:
If students do not seem to be grasping the instruction for the task at hand, the teacher can guide
the activity working as a class to complete the graphic organizer. The teacher would scaffold the
activity by asking guiding questions and asking for volunteers. If none of the students seem to be
finishing on time they can complete the graphic organizer for homework. If the students finish
too early they will share ideas together as a class. If the technology doesnt work or handouts are
not available the teacher will use whiteboard and the students will use their notebooks.