Suggested Classroom Exercises
* Ask your students whether they have any friends or relatives who have autism. Is their physical appearance the same or different from other children? Do they act differently than other children?
* Autism causes Ethan's comprehension of sensory data to be exaggerated. For an autistic person like Ethan, a noisy shopping mall could seem as loud as a airport landing strip. Ask your students for examples of times when they were exposed to sound or light that was so strong that it was scary. Finish this part of the discussion by mentioning that autistic people live in that type of environment all day, every day.
* As a result of Ethan's fear of loud noises, he often prefers to stay inside. Ask your students, if they were afraid to go outside, what fun activities would they miss out on?
* Ethan feels that he has to be in bed at exactly 8:29 every night, and always watches the same television shows every night. Question your students about whether they have any daily rituals. Do your students feel stressed or scared when they fail to perform these daily rituals?
* Because of autism, Ethan acts very differently than most other children. How does his sister, Phoebe, treat him? Does she tease him or call him names? Is it okay to tease people with disabilities, or to call them names? Lead a discussion of how to treat friends, family members or neighbors who have disabilities, stressing acceptance and inclusiveness. Note: due to their hyper-sensitivity, autistic people sometimes do not react well to physical contact, such as hugging.
Educators seeking an adult-level explanation of autism, its symptoms and causes are should visit the website of the Autism Society of America:
www.autism-society.org
The Autism Society Delaware has a website with a very good explanation of autism for children:
www.delautism.org