Rules of the Road

How do Mrs. Gladstone and Jenna develop coping strategies for their difficult family connections? What lesson can be learned from Jenna and Mrs. Gladstone’s experiences and how they confront their family members?

Teaching Suggestion: Students may benefit from having access to the novel to analyze the influence of Jenna’s father and Elden on Mrs. Gladstone and Jenna’s journey. Students may find it helpful to analyze the plot chronologically to draw conclusions about character influence and how the characters develop coping mechanisms to address difficult problems.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students who require additional assistance with analysis, such as learners with organizational or different learning issues, may find it beneficial to work in small groups to answer the prompt before discussing it as a whole group. Students may want to consider limiting the prompt to Jenna’s experience in the novel.