The+Rules+of+Survival+by+Nancy+Werlin

=//The Rules of Survival// by Nancy Werlin=

Hello period 6! As __a class__ you have decided to read //The Rules of Survival// independently, and then utilize class sessions to discuss this text. Here are some important dates to keep in mind:

You have 2 weeks to read this novel. You may use in-class time, as well as at-home time to __complete__ your reading. DUE DATE FOR COMPLETION- Wednesday, December 14, 2011.

Each of you is responsible for creating a set of 3-5 questions for an assigned section of the text. These should be questions that require critical thinking, lead to thoughtful discussion/interaction with your peers, and can not be answered with a simple yes or no. Here are some question starters that stimulate higher level thinking, and elicit more complex discussions. Try to use these terms __in your__ discussion questions: infer; cause/effect; predict; summarize; assess; draw conclusions; critique; analyze; hypothesize; and develop a logical argument.

You are required to put your set of questions on THIS __WIKI__ PAGE, under you name (see below), by Tuesday, December 13, 2011. The question set is worth 25 __classwork__ points, and __will be__ checked at 2:35 12/13/11. BE CAREFUL>>>everyone's work will be on the same page!

We will use class sessions 12/14, 20, and 21 to discuss each individual's question set. Questions will be displayed from __WIKI__ Page onto active board to facilitate discussion.

You will have from 12/21 until Tuesday, 1/10/12 to respond ON THIS PAGE to any 4 questions of your choice. You MAY respond to your own question(s) if you wish. These responses will be checked at 2:35 on 1/10/12, and are worth 40 project points. Please see me if you have any questions or concerns...and happy reading! // "So Emmy. Little sister. You're never going to read this, are you? I'm never going to give it to you. I didn't write it for you. I wrote it for me. I wrote it to work my way through the story of what formed me. I wrote it to examine the past and figure out who Murdoch was, so that I could figure out who I was. I wrote it to understand who I am, and how I ought to act in the world. //// I think I have made a beginning." //// Matt // **Lauren: chapter 1 through 9 (done)** -What do you think caused Murdoch to react the way he did to the father at Cumberland Farms in the first chapter? -Emily: I think seeing the father mistreat his son in the Cumberland Farms store brought back memories to Murdoch of his childhood, and it made him angry. Since he couldn't change his childhood, he decided to step up and try to help this child, the way he wished someone else would have helped him. -Why do you think Matt was so determined to have Murdoch in thier lives if he knew there was a chance that he would be gone quickly, like all the other men Nikki has dated? Katie: i think matt needed some kind of hope to hold on too. He also probably doesn't see many people stand up to other adults like that, so it gave him an idea that murdoch could stand up to their mother. -What was ironic about the movie documenting a prisoner of war that Callie, Matt, Emmy, and Nikki watched as a family? -The movie was ironic because Matt Callie and Emmy spent much of their lives as prisoners of Nikkis "world" always watching out for what would set her off and sometimes even being locked in their room like a cage and trapped in the house like the man was trapped in the cage. -What you think was Nikki's reason for hanging Emmy upside down over the water, and ruining a perfectly nice day at the beach with Murdoch and her kids? Was she just trying to have fun? Or do you think she was trying to prove something to Murdoch? Kristina- I think Nikki felt that Murdoch and the kids weren't paying enough attention to her, and that her kids were starting to like Murdoch more than her. I also think that she feels that she always has to be in control, and when she isn't in control, she does whatever it takes to feel in control again. Jamine:I think nikki saw that Murdch was brcoming more interested with the children. So she decided to do something theat would put the attention back on her. - Lauren: I think that Nikki saw her children enjoying themselves with someone other than herself, and she was annoyed. By hanging Emmy upside down, Nikki was attempting to show her control over her children and the situation to Murdoch.

**Mel: chapter 10 through16 (done)** Why do you think Callie and Matt became so attached to Murdoch? Kristina- I think the kids felt safer when he was around, and felt that he could hopefully bring change to their problems in their family. -Sara: with Murdoch around their life became almost normal. They felt like an actual family, and were not scared of Nikki with him around. What happens after Murdoch breaks up with Nikki and how does this incident effect Matt? Why does Nikki feel the need to accuse Murdoch of hurting Matt? -Emily: I think Nikki accused Murdoch of hurting Matt because her original attempts at getting his attention (being super happy, then being in a slump) didn't work, and she thought this would get his attention. I think she also did it because she was angry with Murdoch and knew this would really upset him, as well as Matt, who she was also angry with.

**Emily: chapter 17 through 24 (done)** Matt says that he never told teachers/adults about his home life situation for fear of foster care separating him from his sisters. Do you think that's a reasonable way to think, or do you think getting out of Nikki's house was worth risking being separated for? Kristina- I do, in a way, understand what Matt's saying. Although their situation at home is bad, going into foster care and being separated from his two sisters could be worse. He could go into a home with a worse environment, and he could be put in the position where he can no longer protect Emmy and Callie. In Chapter 18, Callie questions whether or not she and Matt should feel responsible for __always__ protecting Emmy from Nikki. If you were them, would you always defend Emmy or would you let her __learn__ to fear Nikki the way they (Matt and Callie) did? -Lauren: If I were Matt or Callie I would continue to protect Emmy. It is their responsibility as her older brother and sister to protect her from situations that may hurt her physically and emotionally. Emmy should not have to go through what Matt and Callie had to endure if it is not necessary. If you were Matt and Callie, would you have left Emmy alone with Nikki, or would you have stayed behind to watch her? Why do you think they left her behind/do you think that it would even be worth arguing with Nikki about it? Kristina- i think they left Emmy because they knew that arguing with Nikki about it wasn't going to make the situation any better. They knew Nikki had been waiting for the time to get Emmy back for what she said about Murdoch, and if they even could get Emmy out of this situation, another one (maybe worse than this) would be sure to come. Katie: I think theta they should have never left her behind. I also think it was worth the argument with Nikki. Maybe they could have left her alone a month or two ago before Murdoch, nut not when they knew that the situation had changed and it Nikki had been acting crazier then usual. Do you think any of the men Nikki ever brought home with her, like Rob, ever questioned how she treated her children? Why do you think none of them (before Murdoch) ever tried to get involved? If you were them, would you try to help the children or ignore the situation? -Melanie: I think that the men who came home with Nikki were more focused on getting what they wanted and spent most of their time at the house pretending the kids weren't there. They didn't question her treatment of the kids because that was not their ultimate end goal. **Kristina: chapter 25 through 30 (done)** Why do you think, at first, Murdoch was so hesitant to believe Matt and try to help them? Jamine: I think Murdoch was hesitant mainly because of his past,Having this situaution bring up old feelings of his past. I also feel like stepped back ito keep from getting the childrens hopes up and them lettting them down. What do you think finally made Matt snap, and stick up to Nikki before she kicked them out? -Sara: I think Matt might have had enough of putting up with Nikki. He felt she was ruining everything good in his life. Why do you think Nikki stayed home from work for so long, telling the kids she was "thinking"? -I think Nikki was trying to show the kids that she still had control and that if she wanted to stay home from work and make them nervious she could and that she would throw their lives into turmoil to assert her control. She used this time at home as a form of mind control. **Katie: chapter 31 through 34 (start here...1/3/12)** After hearing Bobbie's story, do you think she is a strong person or still a scared weak person? -Lauren: I feel that Bobbie is a strong person it simply took her a while to realize it. She had to live her life under the control of Nikki for so long that she did not know how to defend herself or the kids. However, after her, Murdoch and Ben joined together she tried her hardest to help them get out from under Nikki's control, and worked to make up for all the time she missed out on. Do you think Murdoch blames the kids for whatever happens to Julie? -Emily: I think Murdoch tries not to blame them, and knows that it's really not their fault, it's their mothers. But I think deep down he might resent their whole family a little bit, not purposely, but just as natural instinct to be upset with the whole situation. Why do you think Callie gave up hope, when Matt could see salvation? -Sara: I think Callie had enough disappointment of pass failed plans. Matt held on to hope because he personally saw and heard Murdoch, Ben, and Aunt Bobbie plan together. Jamine: chapter 35 through 43 Were you surprised at Nikki's reaction to aunt Bobbie's Christmas dinner ? -Lauren: I was not surprised by her reaction to Christmas dinner because Nikki is not able to take the fact that her children have the ability to be happy without her. Again, Nikki wanted to show her control over her children, and put down Bobbie like she has been doing her whole life. How do you think Julie Lindemann felt about the Walsh kids(Matt, Callie and Emmy ) after the crash ? -Emily: I think Julie was surprised with the whole situation, and with how dangerous Nikki turned out to be. I think she wished she had never gotten involved in the situation because then she wouldn't be hurt. I don't think she hated the kids, because it wasn't their fault, but I think she probably wanted nothing to do with their family after the crash occurred. How do you think Murdoch felt about the situation with Julie? -Sara: I think Murdoch felt guilty that Julie can't walk anymore because of his problem with Nikki. May be he felt that he didn't explain the danger enough. -Why does Emmy give Ben and Matt a hard time by throwing tantrums? Jamine: I think Emmy is confused but more so angry. She is upset that she had to move away from what was familiar to her  -Does Matt care a little or have some positive feelings for Nikki, or is it all hate? Katie: I think that all his feeling are negative toward Nikki, he might have some happy memories, but that's all the good she will ever have. I think this because when you seriously consider killing someone, you must REALLY not like them  -Explain why Emmy went along with Nikki in her car after school. Jamine : I belive that dispite everytrhing that happened living with Nikki, Emmy missed her old life , liveing with both her siblings.She gets in the car because her mother is the closest thing to her old life   -Why is Nikki so focused on Murdock and not on Matt and Emmy leaving? **Mrs. Jack: chapter 53-end of text** In the voice, of Matt defend his decision to not reread the letter he wrote to Emmy. (P. 215 "I will never reread it. I know that now.") What can be inferred from Matt's description of Nikki? (p. 253 "But once she was all-powerful in our lives. She was the queen bee and we served her. Now she's dangerous like a mosquito...") Katie: matt still remebers all the stuff he went through with his mother and probabaly still feels the pain, but he can move on now without thinking too much about his mother, therefore she is only a small fly in his life Analyze how Murdoch's past experieinces with an abusive parent affected his indecisivenes when he first encountered the Walsh kids in the Cumberland Farms store.
 * Sara: chapter 44 through 52**

assignment checked DLJ 1/15/12, reviewed again 1/20/12
Mel: chapter 9 through 15

Kristina: chapter 16 through 23

Jamine: chapter 24 through 29

Emily: chapter 30 through 37

Sara: chapter 38 through 46

Katie: chapter 47 through end of text

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