Save time and elevate your teaching with this comprehensive, no-prep novel study unit for Rules by Cynthia Lord. With over 120 pages of standards-based materials, this resource includes everything you need to teach the novel—pre-reading activities, comprehension questions, literary analysis, writing lessons, grammar practice, quizzes, assessments, and more. Carefully designed to balance rigor with accessibility, this unit helps students connect deeply with the text while mastering essential ELA skills.

Why Teachers Love It

• Over 120 pages of ready-to-use materials for a full novel study
• Covers comprehension, analysis, grammar, and writing in one unit
• Engages students with activities that connect themes to their own lives
• Saves planning time with ready-made worksheets, rubrics, and assessments
• Includes complete answer keys for all activities and assessments

What’s Included

Pre-Reading & Context Activities

• Pre-Reading Ideas and Activities List
• Pre-Reading Activity: Rules in Your Life
• Informational Text with Questions: Autism
• Vocabulary Lists (with and without definitions)
• Note-Taking Graphic Organizers

Literary Analysis Activities

• Story Structure
• Drawing Inferences
• All About Details
• Powerful Language
• Flat and Round Characters
• Determining Theme

Language & Writing Activities

• Figurative Language
• Using Precise Language
• Supporting Your Opinion
• Sensory Details
• Using Prepositional Phrases
• Using Dashes and Ellipses
• Quotation Marks

Comprehension & Assessments

• Comprehension/Study Guide Questions
• Mixed-Response Reading Quizzes
• Vocabulary Quizzes
• 40-Question Final Test (Multiple Choice & Short Response)
• 40-Question Multiple Choice Final Test
• Complete Answer Key

Post-Reading & Extras

• Post-Reading Ideas and Alternative Assessment Activities
• Essay Prompts and Creative Writing Ideas
• Teacher Notes
• Sample Teacher Agenda
• Spelling Lists
• Summary of the Novel
• Project and Writing Rubrics

Why It Works
This resource functions as a complete, stand-alone literature unit for Rules. With scaffolded pre-reading, comprehension, analysis, grammar, and writing, students engage with the novel on multiple levels while practicing skills that transfer across texts. Every activity, quiz, and rubric is designed for immediate classroom use, saving teachers hours of prep and ensuring students receive rigorous, meaningful instruction.

Teacher Feedback

*Please note that this product was moved from our Elementary TPT store - With a 4.9/5-Star Rating from 103 Ratings!*

I have read the book aloud for several reasons and just held class discussions. This year I wanted to step up the level of expectations and work with the book and do a thorough class novel study! This was an invaluable resource and made it easy for me. Many standards and skills are covered in easy ways to look at them and see how students are doing. - Amy B.

Worth. Every. Penny!!!!! I can't thank you enough for creating such a thorough resource! - Katie A.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!! So many ideas, wish I had time for everything!! - Holly N.

Amazing Product! I really love how it make my student step up their thinking a little bit and it helped with classroom discussion. I especially love the chapter organizers for character, setting, important problems and events as well as predictions or questions. Thank you! - Tara Maniace

This novel study was one of the best we did this year. My students were engaged and really enjoyed the novel. The only problem was they kept reading ahead to see what happens. The worksheets to accompany the novel were well set up and had everything we needed for the trimester grades. - Jessica R.

Fantastic resource. Very well made! - Mary C.