If the boys in the class seem likely to find it difficult to identify with a female protagonist, suggest that they imagine a twin brother accompanying her on her journey. Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery), (You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.). In a poignant essay entitled Why Couldnt Snow White Be Chinese? Lin discusses her sense of otherness and states that as a child, she found her dual identity to be a burden. Through their cunning, they trick Green Tiger into falling down a well. Ba explains that the mountain will remain fruitless until Jade Dragon is reunited with one of her children. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. Which characters in the book prove to be true friends? The two unlikely allies travel together in search of the Old Man, coming upon many different places along the way. The second part of the lesson has students return to the book to explore how the folktales enhance Minlis story. Still, real life faces everyone with difficult challenges that require courage and ingenuity. Ba smiles and says that Minlis return is the best fortune of all. Under house have students brainstorm as many words as they can for house: mansion, shack, apartment, rancher, hut, etc. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Create a character map for the major characters. Dragon realizes that this must be the borrowed line, so he tells them about Minli. More books than SparkNotes. What is a true friend? resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. Illustrate this character3. The blooms of the flowering trees also provide the antidote to the Green Tiger's poison, which saved Dragon. After her mother ridicules what she believes to be a foolish purchase, Minli sets out to find the Old Man of the Moon, who, it is told, may impart the true secret to good fortune. What words do you think make the description colorful? Minli is a strong and lovable hero that boys will enjoy as much as girls. She can either ask him to fix her familys fortune, or she can ask him to help Dragon fly. In the book Where the Mountain meets the Moon, How did Magistrate Tiger plan on making his wish come true. Note: When citing an online source, it is important to include all necessary dates. Ask them to tell the groups how they felt after dealing with this challenge. All storyboards are private and secure to the portal using enterprise-class file security hosted by Microsoft Azure. When they reach their destination, Minli and Dragon are devastated to discover they cannot climb it. The depth of Minlis affection for Dragon is put to the test, as is her loyalty to her family. The boy laughs and refuses to accept it. It turns out he is not a beggar at all, but the king in disguise. After each assignment, review the journal questions in a class discussion or individual reading group discussions. will review the submission and either publish your submission or providefeedback. Minli remains silent, absorbing this new information. [4] It has been translated into Chinese, French, Hebrew, Romanian, Korean and Slovene.[5]. Think back on some of your favorite characters from past novels you have Her grief at losing her children made Fruitless Mountain barren of growth. See Preparation and Resources.)]. No one else can view anything. Students plan and then write a personal narrative about a challenge they have overcome using vivid descriptions of persons and places. When students have finished reading the book, hold a Socratic seminar or other type of discussion. Give students time to reread and analyze their stories and fill in the results on Worksheet 2 as you circulate to answer questions and give assistance. Then photocopy the sheet to have students keep in their binders. However, at the last moment, the Old Man of the Moon transported the family magically to a new home, where they continue to livepoor but contenttoday. Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Man of the Moon The angry magistrate tore a page from the Old Man of the Moon's book, which was the paper with the secret of happiness. Each figure tied to the next with the fine red thread of fate. Grace Lin introduces Minli, the main character well, as a girl who wants to change their fortune when her mom repeatedly talks about how poor they are. The next day, the family works hard in the rice paddies as always. 2020 GRACE LIn, all rights reserved. Draw a Dragon (that could come to life) During her journey, she comes across many challenges. Suggested techniques: If students are interested in folktales in general, the. However, when a few people complained that they preferred sunshine, Jade Dragon grew angry. Bitter and resentful, Minlis mother complains when her husband fills Minlis imagination with enchanting tales of Never-Ending Mountain and the Old Man of the Moon. Activity 2, Key Scenes: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, follow the directions at the beginning of Day 2. Minli's mother, Ma, instead despises the stories that Ba tells, feeling that they are simply "nonsense." Less than half of the information of the notes is correct and relevant. Distribute copies of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Minli is restless and never content with her lot in life. The elder of the family gave up the secret readily. Is your story really a narrative? All storyboards and images are private and secure. After some collaboration, they realize they can use their lines (the line of text and the line of destiny) to form a kite and fly up to the moon. After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. A fantasy crossed with Chinese folklore, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a timeless story reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz and Kelly Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon. Before students begin their draft remind them in the real world it is not a good idea for children to leave home to confront evil and danger. The side characters are Gold fish man, Old Man of the Moon, and Dafu and Afu. This time, it says, You only lose what you cling to. After thinking this over, the king decides that giving the paper to Minli is the only way to avoid losing it. Comment on the use of imagery in "Games at Twilight.". When they have finished, have them compare the results with a partner to see what different effects they get when they use vivid language. 2023 - Clever Prototypes, LLC - All rights reserved. As she works, Minli wishes she could change her familys fortune. As they search, they come upon the goldfish man, who listens to their troubles and tells them his story. Distribute Worksheet 3 and go over the directions with the students. At the end of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and in her essays, Lin shares photos and drawings and discusses how she came to use and adapt elements of Chinese culture in her stories. Why did Minli also learn to be content? . These characters are the parents of the heroine. date the date you are citing the material. This book is great, I recommend if you want great light reading. Each version of Storyboard That has a different privacy and security model that is tailored for the expected usage. Give them copies of Worksheet 1 or assign questions from the worksheet as the class progresses. One year later, the goldfish man returns to the town at the base of Fruitless Mountain, and he cannot believe how much it has changed. The stone lion gives the thread to Dragon. This strikes Minli because The Old Man is what she thought, only a character from her father's stories. Write The house was on the hill on the board. Important Quotes. When this story is finished, Minli asks to hear another, but Ba refuses, not wanting to displease Ma. Then do the same for high ground: mountain, hill, crag, and slope. While some may say there are too many pages, I think the amount of pages doesn't matter anyways, although I like the amount, and reading more pages is a great challenge. Where The Mountain Meets The Moon Character Analysis Minli Minli is the protagonist and hero in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. 4 Mar. His fortune is even poorer than hers, but he does not seem discontent. One exceptionally effective way of conducting a critical discussion is by the Socratic seminar method which is increasingly popular. She describes a poor woman who was blessed with loving husband and a beautiful, happy daughter. As the novel ends, the goldfish man glimpses Minli in a courtyard, looking up at the place where the Mountain meets the moon., "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Extended Summary" eNotes Publishing Da-Fu and A-Fu lead Minli to Never-Ending Mountain, where the Old Man of the Moon is said to live. Those eye-opening visits made the folk tales and fairy tales her mother had shared with her as a child seem more alive. Think about how important the telling of stories was to Minli and Ba. Have students write a paragraph or more using the following prompt: Your values are your principles, the things that you hold to be important in life. Readers of the book get to relive the story of Minli's journey, readers She looks up to her father, the optimist, and clashes with her mother, the cynic. In moments, he disappeared from view into the shadow of Fruitless Mountain, and if it wasn't for the goldfish Minli had in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon study guide contains a biography of Grace Lin, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Minli is a young girl, the only daughter of her mother, Ma, and father, Ba. He takes Minli there, and she tries to give him the one copper coin she has left. Read More Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Characters Visual Vocabulary Theme Answer the Prompt Figurative Language Text Structure Create a Storyboard StoryboardThat is a trademark of Clever Prototypes, LLC, and Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Give students a clean copy of Worksheet 2 and tell them that their classmates will be reading their work. Chinese Lesson (write the Chinese characters for mountain and moon) My father came down the stairs and asked what I was doing down there. For years, she and her siblings were the only Asian American children in her school and she was the only one in her class. Write the definition of a frame story on the board (a main story which has other stories contained within it) and have them copy the definition in their notebooks. Lin's love of Chinese culture is evident in her creation of vivid new folktales that are built into the narrative in such a way that they become a seamless part of the story and their messages are thus relevant and meaningful. The "rock" turns out to be the coveted Dragon's Pearl, which brings enormous wealth to her village. After learning about the concept of the frame story, pairs of students take one of the folktales to analyze and then illustrate a key scene from it. He warns her that he only has time to answer one question. Why or why not? Along the way, they encounter selfish monkeys, whom Minli manages to trick into letting them pass, and together they enter the City of Bright Moonlight, where Minli leaves Dragon in a cave and takes refuge in a boy's home. Now the woman can see that she had fortune all along, but that she lost it when she lost her daughter. What challenges does this character face? The twins befriend Minli and want to help her. While folktales often include recognizable character types, and certainly we can identify some stock traits here (clever, wise, whiny, kind and poor, greedy, etc.) Together they encounter a talking goldfish, a boy with a buffalo, a king, a fierce green tiger and laughing twins before scaling Never-Ending Mountain. The main character, Minli, is a young Chinese girl scraping by with her poor parents in the village at the base of Fruitless Mountain. [Optional activity: Show them the first 1:40 minutes of Al Rokers interview with Grace Lin in which she covers much of the same material. Meanwhile, Minli sleeps for the night in the forest, only to wake up to find a trapped dragon, which she saves. 2. Soup of the Day at Jama Rattigans Alphabet Soup, Book of Color Pick of the Day at Galley Cat. Lin deftly incorporates elements from Chinese folk- and fairy tales to create stories within the main story and provide context for Minlis quest. This talking creature helps the heroine and her friend along their way early in the story. Then ask them to share their best sentence with the class. As you read, take notes on the characters by answering the questions. He wrote a single word on a sheet of paper, but the magistrates soldiers lost it on the way home. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon begins with a description of a small girl, Minli, and her parents, who live in a poor village at the base of Fruitless Mountain. (authors note) (Fantasy. The Old Man explains that, once every ninety-nine years, someone comes to ask him a question. Symbols & Motifs. There were a lot of things down there. Also, she is full of bitterness and resentment due to their poverty. Assign students the task of thinking of a time when they had a challenge to meet. Click here for a PDF outlining an optional second activity. Part 2. Classroom world map or map of Asia (It would be ideal to have a printed or projected map.) The new book was published on October 4, 2016. Relive your favorite parts, test your memory and pretend to be on the journey yourself! She invites them to come with her to see the Old Man, but they laugh and say, Why would we want to change our fortune? Minli is left to ponder these words as she flies a kitemade of both the paper and the thread from the City of Bright Moonlightinto the sky. After contemplating her choices, Minli chooses to ask Dragon's question for him: Why can he not fly? After high school, Lin attended the Rhode Island School of Design, where she earned a BFA in illustration. Written by people who wish to remain anonymous Where the Mountain Meets the Moon tells of a classic journey with a young duo, Minli and Dragon, working to find their way to the mountain that leads to the moon. As their quest continues, Minli and Dragon face the vicious Green Tiger, who is the On their way towards the mountain, Dragon and Minli encounter the evil Green Tiger, the reawakened spirit of Magistrate Tiger. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2.d:Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. Magistrate Tiger/Green Tiger. Ba, however, seems glad that Minli is so hopeful. She does not like for Ba to tell the stories to Minli because she thinks he is filling her head with ideas. Remind them to include vivid language. Grace Lins website includes a number of essays that could meet nonfiction reading requirements while giving students more insight into her motivation, inspiration, and writing process. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. eNotes Editorial. Tell students that they are going to read the book and keep a reading journal; explain how you would like them to proceed, i.e., how many pages or chapters to read and which journal questions to answer. This is the god character who knows the future and permits the heroine to ask him a single question. In the morning, she sneaks out of the house and releases the fish into the river. The meaning of that gift can only be revealed by reading the book. The author can choose to leave the storyboard public or mark it as Unlisted. Ed. Consider the traits of that particular character. She notices that he is wearing a piece of golden dragon jewelry, and she follows him. Minli and her parents live in the shadow of Fruitless Mountain, where they toil endlessly. One day I thought I would surprise my friends. Themes. Characters included in the character map are: Minli Ma Ba Goldfish Man Dragon Buffalo Boy King Da-A-Fu A-Gong & Amah Green Tiger Rabbit Old Man of the Moon Copy Activity* Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). This first activity introduces the book and requires students to read it and keep a journal. detailed information regarding how the characters interact with the main characters, as How can the links between the frame story and the embedded Chinese folktales be represented to show how they reinforce the underlying themes of courage and generosity? Grace Lin, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Despite her mother's disapproval of stories and dreaming, Minli gathers her courage, her resourcefulness, and her openness to new people and places, to take a remarkable journey to accomplish the impossible. It says the word thankfulness over and overand nothing else. Students reading the book will not only share the adventure, but will learn much about traditional values in Chinese culture. Most of the information of the notes is correct. Not affiliated with Harvard College. In the story that the girl told the Great Green Tiger she stated that another tiger had taken her brother to be his slave for life. Dragon also reveals that he was born from a painting and came to life when his eyes were painted. The grandfather, A-Gong, gives Dragon medicine that doubles as tea. Sift (A) into a mixing bowl. Even though you can determine the scene in your head, Grace Lin adds sharp details making the scene more vivid. (Most students will say it is very big and has a huge population; a few may be able to bring up current events involving China.) Finding Identity through Childrens Books, Dont Judge a Book by Its Character (Even If It Is Chinese), The Extra Adjective: How I Came to Terms with Being a Multicultural Book Author, Folktales and Ecology: Animals and Humans in Cooperation and Conflict, Helpful Animals and Compassionate Humans in Folklore, "Cinderella" Folk Tales: Variations in Character. With each photo, ask students to identify what is happening in the picture, what kind of challenge is presented, and what kinds of skills or abilities the subjects need to be successful. It was even better than I remembered! Have them compare their experience with Minlis adventure. Give them time to legibly recopy (and edit!) Written by people who wish to remain anonymous Minli Minli (her name means "quick thinking") is the main character.
Past Kare 11 Meteorologists, Articles W