Ruthie and the (Not So) Teeny Tiny Lie by Laura Rankin Teaching Tips

by Laura Rankin

Ruthie is a quiet, happy little girl that enjoys her teeny, tiny treasures. One day at school, she finds a teeny, tiny camera. Ruthie spends her recess enjoying her new find, until Martin, one of her classmates tells her that the camera is his. Ruthie panics; she loves this new camera and doesn't want to give it up, so she does the first thing that comes to her mind...she lies. She tells Martin that the camera is hers! Martin is so upset that he goes running in to tell the teacher, but Ruthie sticks to her story, that the camera is hers. As the day wears on she is finding it harder and harder to concentrate and by the time she gets home, she is feeling miserable and very unhappy. What will Ruthie do? Will she tell her parents what she did? Will she tell her teacher and Martin that she lied? Enjoy reading this story with your students and discovering if Ruthie will do the right thing.

Reading level: 2.0

Theme/subject: honesty, friendship, feelings

Genre: fiction

Suggested vocabulary/phrases: imaginable, dinky, barely there, twirling, teensy, startled, mumbled, barely

Reading skills and strategies:

Asking questions – these are just possible questions or wondering from either the student or teacher

Before –

I wonder what Ruthie’s lie is.
I wonder if she will get in trouble for lying.

During –

I wonder why Ruthie didn’t just give the camera back to Martin.
I wonder what the teacher will do.
I wonder if Ruthie will tell the truth.

After –

I wonder if Ruthie learned her lesson.
I wonder if Ruthie will get her own teeny tiny camera one day.

**Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.

Author's point of view – third person (she, her)
Author's purpose – entertain

Evidence

The story is a bunch of animals talking.
When Ruthie was not feeling so good she looked so sad.
All the characters are so cute!

Beginning, middle, end – the most important event from each

Beginning – Ruthie found a teeny tiny camera on the playground and told her teacher that it was hers.
Middle – Ruthie told her mom and dad that she lied about the camera.
End – Ruthie came to school and told Martin and her teacher the truth.

Cause and effect

Why did Ruthie have small toys? Because she loved tiny things.
How come Ruthie couldn’t believe her luck? Because she found a teeny tiny camera.
Why did Ruthie race back to class? Because Martin shouted at Ruthie that the camera was his.
Why did Martin say the camera was his? Because he got it for his birthday.
Why did Mrs. Olsen keep the camera in her desk drawer? Because she was going to keep it safe until they talked about it again tomorrow.
Why did Ruthie’s mom ask her what was wrong? Because Ruthie didn’t eat any dinner and was ready to cry.
Why did Mrs. Olsen give Ruthie a hug and a kiss on the top of her head? Because Ruthie told the truth about the camera.

Character analysis - describe Ruthie or Martin {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character, how others think/see the character}
Character changes –

In the beginning – Ruthie is happy and excited that she found a new camera.
In the middle – Ruthie feels really sick because she lied about the camera.
In the end – Ruthie is relieved and happy that Martina and Mrs. Olsen understood about her lying.

Compare & contrast

Ruthie and Martin
A lie you told and the lie Ruthie told

Connections

Text-to-self

Like to collect things like Ruthie
Like to collect teeny tiny things like Ruthie
Telling a lie and feeling horrible afterward
Telling a lie and then telling the truth

Text-to-text

Chrysanthemum – both books the characters are afraid to go back to school.
Wemberly Worried – both books the characters are worried about something.

Drawing conclusions & inferencing –

Why do you think Ruthie’s stomach started flip flopping and she wasn’t able to concentrate at school?

Text clues – Ruthie just got done telling her teacher and Martin a lie about the camera.
What I know – Sometimes when I tell a lie or do something wrong, I start to not feel good because I am afraid I am going to get into trouble. It is all I can think about.
My conclusion – I think Ruthie started to not feel good because all she could think about was getting in trouble because of the lie she told.

Why did Mrs. Olsen’s desk seem very far away when Ruthie went to school the next morning?

Text clues – Ruthie was afraid Mrs. Olsen would be mad at her and make her sit in the corner.
What I know – I know that when I have to do something I am nervous about, it just feels like it takes forever.
My conclusion – I think because Ruthie was afraid of getting into trouble the walk to Mrs. Olsen’s desk just felt like it took forever.

Fact & opinion – about or within the story

Fact

Ruthie loved teeny tiny things.
Ruthie found a teeny tiny camera on the playground.
Ruthie lied about the camera being hers.
Ruthie told Mrs. Olsen the truth about the camera.
Martin got the teeny tiny camera for his birthday.

Opinion

Ruthie was mean to Martin.
Mrs. Olsen wasn’t fair to Martin.
Ruthie should have gotten in trouble for lying.
Martin should have just taken the camera out of Ruthie’s hand.
Teeny tiny toys are the best kinds of toys.

Main idea & details

Main idea – the story is mostly about Ruthie having to deal with the lie she told Martin and her teacher.
Details

Ruthie felt couldn’t concentrate at school because of her lie.
Ruthie couldn’t eat he dinner because of her lie.
Ruthie was nervous about telling her teacher the truth.

Plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when Ruthie’s mom and dad tell Ruthie that she has to tell her teacher the truth and that both Martin and Mrs. Olsen would understand that she made a mistake.
Predict

What do you think the story is going to be about?
What do you think the lie is?
What do you think Mrs. Olsen will do?
What do you think will happen to Ruthie at home?
What do you think Mrs. Olsen will say to Ruthie?
What do you think Martin will say to Ruthie?

Problem & solution

Problem – Ruthie told a lie about the camera being hers and now she doesn’t feel good.
Solution – Ruthie tells her mom and dad about the lie and they tell her she must tell Martina and Mrs. Olsen the truth.

Sequencing

Ruthie finds a teeny tiny camera on the playground.
Martin tells Ruthie the camera is his.
Both Ruthie and Martin tell Mrs. Olsen they got the camera for their birthday.
Ruthie’s stomach starts to flip flop.
Ruthie tells her mom and dad about her lie.
Ruthie walks to Mrs. Olsen’s desk.
Ruthie tells Mrs. Olsen the truth.
Mrs. Olsen hugs and kisses Ruthie’s head.
Ruthie and Martin are friends again.

Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
Strong thought – someplace in the story that the reader has a strong reaction for example an “I knew it”, or “Don’t do it” type of moment while reading.

What would you tell Ruthie when she lies to Martin and Mrs. Olsen?
What would you say to Ruthie as she starts her walk to Mrs. Olsen’s desk?

Summarize

Someone – Martin
Wanted – wanted his camera back
But – but Ruthie told a lie about it
So – so Mrs. Olsen kept the camera in her desk.
Then – Then Ruthie told her mom and dad about the lie she told and she
Finally – finally told Mrs. Olsen and Martin the truth.

Theme – the lesson, message or moral of the story

It is better to tell the truth.
Lies can make you feel terrible.
It is a brave thing to admit your mistake.

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