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Read Chapter 25 and “The Critics Raved”; Complete Student Packet Worksheets for Chapter 25 and “The Critics Raved”; Bring in a photograph of a family member or a friend (can be the same photo from Lesson 1).

Ask students to take out their photographs from Lesson 1 (Relationships). Have students think about their relationship with the person in the photograph and write a paragraph about how the relationship has changed over time. Note: If students prefer, they can write about another relationship that has changed, rather then the relationship that they have with the person in the photograph. Have students share their paragraphs.

After students have had a chance to share their paragraphs, explain that all relationships change over time. Even if the relationship doesn’t seem like it changes much (such as a parent/child relationship), it does change as the people in the relationship grow, experience new things, and go through various situations in life.

will explain that just like real people’s relationships change over the course of their lives, character relationships change over the course of the book. A change in relationship usually occurs because of significant events or because characters’ actions have impacted others. As readers of realistic fiction novels, it is important to look at changes in relationships to figure out how the changes impact the characters in the book. Good readers try to understand how a character changes for better or worse because of the relationship changes he or she goes through.

Now that I have read Dogs Don’t Tell Jokes, I can think about how a relationship has changed in the story, what impacted that change, and how this change in relationship also brought about change in a character. I am going to examine the relationship between Gary and his parents, and I’m going to answer the following questions to understand what drove the changes in their relationship and how these changes impacted the characters: 1) What did the relationship look like in the beginning of the book? 2) What does the relationship look like now? 3) What events or other characters caused the change in the relationship? 4) How did the relationship change impact the characters? Note: See Relationship Change Chart 1 for specific examples.

I will answer the first question on the Relationship Change Chart 1, “What was the relationship like in the beginning of the book?” To answer this question, I will think about Gary and his parents’ relationship. In order to refresh my memory about this relationship, I will review the Sample Relationship Chart (from Lesson 1),Plot Conflict Chart 1 (from Lesson 3), and Plot Conflict Chart 2 (from Lesson 3). I will also skim early chapters of the book to look for interactions between Gary and his parents. In Chapter 5, I see that Gary’s mother threatened to throw his “stupid joke books” in the garbage if he didn’t do his homework. Her reaction to his jokes shows that she doesn’t really care about Gary’s talent for telling jokes and she is not supportive of his comedy. Later in Chapter 8, Gary’s father tells him he doesn’t want to hear anymore of his jokes. He says, “Can I just go 15 minutes without having to listen to one of your idiotic jokes!” This leads me to believe that he, too, is not supportive of Gary’s ability to tell jokes and practice stand-up comedy. In this chapter, his parents bribe him with $100 if he doesn’t tell any jokes for three weeks. I will record this information under the column that contains the question, “What did the relationship look like in the beginning of the book?” on the Relationship Change Chart 1.

I will recall details I have read from Chapter 25 to answer the second question on the Relationship Change Chart 1, “What does the relationship look like now?” In the last chapter of the book, we see that Gary’s parents are now proud of him. They hug him, congratulate him, and even joke with him. Gary finds it hard to believe these are his parents. I will record this information under the column that contains the question, “What does the relationship look like now?” on the Relationship Change Chart 1.

Next, I will recall events or other characters that I think have caused these changes in Gary’s relationship with his parents. I think the talent show was the event that changed how Gary’s parents felt about his jokes and comedy act. When they saw how talented Gary was, they changed their opinion about him and decided to encourage his joke telling. I will record this information under the column that contains the question, “What events or other characters drove the change in the relationship?” on the Relationship Change Chart 1.

Finally, I will use the information I have written about Gary and his parents to answer the last question on my Relationship Change Chart 1, “How did the relationship change impact the characters?” I think Gary finally feels encouraged and believes in himself because his parents were pleased with his performance. I think his parents have become more encouraging and supportive of his joke telling. I will record this information under the column that contains the question, “How did the relationship change impact the characters?” on my Relationship Change Chart 1.

Ask: "How can I identify how a relationship in a work of realistic fiction changes, what drives that change, and how a relationship change impacts the characters?" Students should respond that you examine a relationship in the book and look at details about the relationship and how it has changed over time. Then, you identify which events in the book or other characters drove that change. You compare and contrast the character’s personality and actions from the beginning of the book to the end of the book, and draw a conclusion about how this relationship change impacted the character.

will examine the relationship between Gary and two of his bullies, Paul and Ryan Utt. We will answer the following questions and record the information on the Relationship Change Chart 2: 1) What did the relationship look like in the beginning of the book? 2) What does the relationship look like now? 3) What events or other characters drove this change in the relationship? 4) How did the relationship change impact the characters? Note: See Relationship Change Chart 2 for specific examples.

To think about how the relationship between Gary, Paul, and Ryan changed, we first need to think about what the relationship looked like in the beginning of the book. As we recall from most of the book, many students in school made fun of Gary and even tried to intimidate him or bully him. Paul and Ryan were the ones who came up with the practical joke to play on Gary at the talent show. They thought Gary was a goon and they often made fun of him. Gary tolerated their taunts and tried to laugh along with him, but he often wondered if they thought he was stupid. We can record this information under the column that contains the question, “What did the relationship look like in the beginning of the book?” on the Relationship Change Chart 2.

Next, we need to think about what the relationship between Gary, Paul, and Ryan looks like now. We can recall information from Chapters 24- 25 to think about what the relationship looks like now. In Chapter 24, we learned that Paul and Ryan hit Gary with a pie and doused him with seltzer during the talent show. They did this to embarrass him. But after Gary’s stand-up act was a hit, in Chapter 25, Paul said, “You’re all right, Goon.” It seems like Paul and Ryan are now acting friendly towards him. We will record this information under the column that contains the question,” What does the relationship look like now?” on the Relationship Change Chart 2.

To answer the next question on the Relationship Change Chart 2, “What events or other characters drove the change in the relationship?” we need to recall events in the book or other characters that helped change Paul and Ryan’s opinion of Gary. Just like the talent show changed how Gary’s parents felt about their son’s jokes, Gary’s success at the talent show changed how the students, including Paul and Ryan felt about Gary. Also, Joe’s opinion and treatment of Gary helped change how Paul and Ryan felt about him. Throughout the book, Joe treated Gary better than other students, and he often told bullies to leave him alone. We will record this information under the column that contains the question, “What events or other characters drove the change in the relationship?” on the Relationship Change Chart 2.

Finally, we will answer the question, “How did the relationship change impact the characters?” To answer this question, we need to think about the characters and their personalities. We also need to draw a conclusion about how the characters have been impacted by their changing relationship. We can conclude that Gary now feels happier that Paul and Ryan treat him more nicely, and he feels comfortable enough to joke around with Ryan. When Ryan says to Gary, “You really are bald,” Gary responds as Ryan always responds to things, “As bald as your butt.” This shows a level of comfort and friendship between the characters. I will record this information under the column that contains the question, “How did the relationship change impact the characters?” on my Relationship Change Chart 2.

will choose one of the following relationships to examine: Gary and his teacher, Mrs. Langley; Gary and Joe; or Gary and Fred Furst. You will fill in the columns of your Relationship Change Worksheet in your Student Packet (see page 31 in the Student Packet) by answering the following questions: 1) What did the relationship look like in the beginning of the book? 2) What does the relationship look like now? 3) What events or other characters drove this change in the relationship? 4) How did the relationship change impact the characters?

will share our answers to the relationship questions for the relationship between Gary and Mrs. Langley. We will engage in a class brainstorm. Have any other relationships changed from the beginning of the book to the end of the book? Record your students’ answers on chart paper or on the board. Answer the four relationship questions (outlined in Step 2 of the Independent Practice) to identify how the relationship change impacted the characters.

We will also discuss another changing relationship in the book: the relationship that Gary has with himself. Ask students to think about the following questions: How does Gary feel about himself at the beginning of the book, at the middle of the book, and at the very end of the book? How has Gary’s relationship with himself shifted and changed over time? What caused these changes? Is Gary is happier with himself and his life now, or was he happier at the beginning of the book?

Encourage your class to use text evidence to support their answers. Explain to students that even the relationship we have with our own self can change over time, and these changes are often brought about by conflicts or experiences in our lives. Ask students to discuss how the conflicts from Lesson 3 have been resolved.