Chapter 3

Pre-Reading Activity:

The most controversial rule or advice I give in this book is the 'No Kissing' rule in this chapter.  It is also a very important rule if girls really want to avoid dating jerks.  I have talked to a lot of girls and adults who had concerns about the rule, and I have given it a lot of thought, which led me to write a fairly lengthy blog entry on it, entitled Rule #1.  It is actually the basis for this activity, so I recommend following the link and reading it before doing this activity with your class.

Pose the following scenario to your students:

Pretend you have a very rich cousin named Sam.  He just started the 5th grade.  You've known Sam his whole life, and he trusts you.  One day at the family reunion, Sam confides in you that he doesn't have any real friends.  He breaks into tears as he explains that all of the kids want to hang out with him, but when he isn't around they talk bad about him and don't respect him.  Sam tells you that he is pretty sure the only reason people hang out with him and pretend to like him is so that they can take advantage of the fact he has money - they like his house, his pool, his toys, and his super awesome birthday parties. 

You know that Sam is a nice kid.  He's a genuinely sweet boy, but nobody can see that because all they see when they look at him is dollar signs.  The poor kid just wants to have a real friend his age.  What advice would you give him?

There is a variety of suggestions, but one that is probably going to be suggested my a majority of students is that Sam should quit using his money on other people and not spend it around his peers until he can find real friends.  Discuss the ramifications of that decision - what it means for Sam and how it would play out.  Hopefully, when students have already given the equivalent advice that is given in Chapter 3, they will not have such a hard time understanding the importance of Rule #1

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Pre-Reading Questions:
We primarily eat because we get hungry and need nourishment to survive.  But besides the fact it satisfies hunger, what else can we enjoy about food?
(Possible answers include taste, aroma, texture, cooking, shopping, learning about it)
Which of those things make you more hungry when you experience them?

Men are primarily interested in women because of their natural sexual drive.  But other than sex, what else could a man enjoy about a woman?
(Possible answers include looking, touching, kissing, talking, personality)
Which of those things are most likely to arouse sexual desire in a man?

Note: The purpose of these questions is to compare two physical desires that each have more depth than just satisfying a physical need.  The aim is to help students realize that while enjoyment can be multifaceted, it can also lead back to basic primeval needs.  If they can relate to that concept and identify triggers for that reaction before reading rules #1 and 2, then they should understand easier and be more receptive.

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Post-Reading Questions:

Which rule do you think is most important for girls to follow?

Which rule do you think is most difficult to follow?  Do you think that it is an important rule?