No Talking

Chapters 1-5

Reading Check

1. India (Chapter 1)

2. Lynsey (Chapter 1)

3. A sweater (Chapter 2)

4. Wipes his hand on his pants (Chapter 3)

Short Answer

1. Dave and Lynsey do not have an amicable relationship. When they are assigned as partners, they split the task to avoid interacting with one another. Dave demonstrates his opinion of Lynsey by criticizing her for always talking. He further asserts that girls talk more than boys, offending Lynsey. (Chapters 1-5)

2. Dave is inspired by Gandhi because he uses words and ideas to liberate India rather than weapons. He is further inspired by Gandhi’s vow of silence for one day each week and attempts to practice that for himself. (Chapter 2)

3. Dave claims that boys do not talk as often as girls do. Lynsey, offended by Dave’s words, demands an apology from him, but Dave refuses to apologize. Instead, Dave makes a bet with Lynsey that the boys in his class will speak less often than the girls. (Chapter 5)

Chapters 6-10

Reading Check

1. The “Unshushables” (Chapter 7)

2. The boys (Chapter 9)

3. Mrs. Marlow (Chapter 10)

Short Answer

1. The boys are skeptical when Dave attempts to convince them to participate in their vow of silence, but they agree when he informs them they can communicate through nonverbal gestures and writing. They are particularly motivated to compete against the girls. (Chapter 6)

2. The students in the fifth-grade class have a reputation for talking incessantly and have been dubbed the “Unshushables” by the school staff. The staff is described as often redirecting students in school by scolding those who are loud in the hall, lecturing students at assemblies, and using bullhorns in the lunchroom. (Chapter 7)

3. The principal and staff are simultaneously pleased and suspicious of the lack of noise coming from the normally noisy fifth-grade class. Principal Hiatt closely observes Dave and Lynsey trying to determine what the students are up to. Mrs. Marlow decides to conduct an experiment because of the silence in her afternoon class. (Chapters 6-10)

Chapters 11-14

Reading Check

1. Mrs. Marlow (Chapter 11)

2. Mrs. Akers (Chapter 12)

3. A research paper (Chapter 13)

Short Answer

1. Mrs. Marlow realizes the students are keeping a secret when they answer with only three words; she also notices their hidden smiles as she tries to generate responses from them. Mrs. Marlow’s suspicions are confirmed when Lynsey accuses Dave of speaking four words instead of three in a note she confiscates. (Chapter 11)

2. The music teacher, Mrs. Akers, realizes the students are only singing three-word bits of ”This Land Is Your Land” and believes they are protesting something; she allows the students to hum and clap instead of sing. Mrs. Henley, the gym teacher, notices the gestures the students make while playing dodgeball and adopts some of the signs for her own instruction. Mr. Burton adapts by allowing the students to read three words at a time from their books and creates a writing project writing only three words at a time. (Chapters 12-13)

3. Dave and Lynsey describe the effect the silence has on their thinking. They believe that because they are silent longer, they are able to think clearer. (Chapter 13)

4. Dave and Lynsey are both still competitive and call each other names, but they share a rare moment of comradery when they are able to reflect on the value of silence during the school day. (Chapters 11-15)

Chapters 15-20

Reading Check

1. Mrs. Hiatt calls an assembly to speak to the students. (Chapter 16)

2. Dave (Chapter 18)

3. Grade levels (Chapter 20)

Short Answer

1. Some of the teachers acknowledge that the silence contest is beneficial to the learning environment while others argue it is a distraction. For example, Mrs. Akers, the music teacher, identifies it as a detriment to her classroom because of the students’ inability to sing. (Chapter 15)

2. Mr. Burton and Mrs. Hiatt, like the students, identify their own personal biases against specific genders. Mr. Burton thinks it is typical of women to keep secrets while Mrs. Hiatt thinks it is typical of men to be negative. Mrs. Hiatt and Mr. Burton attempt to correct their thinking by chastising themselves for their unkind thoughts. (Chapter 15)

3. The teachers begin to identify the value of less talking when it means more involved thinking. For example, Mrs. Escobar and Mrs. Overby realize that the students are engaged and focused on their lesson; Mrs. Marlow thinks the new way of speaking is ten times better than the former. (Chapter 17)

4. The contest unites the teachers and students in a common goal allowing them to build better relationships. For example, Mrs. Hiatt begins to participate in the three-word talking rule with the students, creating unity. (Chapters 16-20)