Curious, she follows it and finds a red dragon crying a river of tears. WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON is a fantasy-fiction story where Chinese Folklore is engraved throughout the story. Minli remains silent, absorbing this new information. Use vivid language to construct their own personal narrative. I think it is good for many different ages, from 7-year-olds to 12-year-olds. 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* 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. She does not like for Ba to tell the stories to Minli because she thinks he is filling her head with ideas. Depending on the ability level of the class and the time available, teachers may assign the book for independent reading at home; have students read independently or in reading groups in class as you work with individuals; have students read it aloud in class; or use a combination of these methods. Then photocopy the sheet to have students keep in their binders. 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. Minlis determination to help her family, as well as the grief her parents feel at her absence, is compelling and thoroughly human. The performance starred Caroline Workman as Minli, Michael Tow as Storyteller/ Minli's Ba, and was directed by Jane Staab. The effort is enormous, and they grow barely enough to feed themselves. 2023 - Clever Prototypes, LLC - All rights reserved. Youre always wishing to do impossible things! [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. He in turn gives her a line of text written on a page that the Magistrate Tiger ripped out of the Old Man of the Moon's Book of Fortune. If you read Where The Mountain Meets The Moon, you wouldn't be disappointed because it is an incredible book. Optional Activity Grade Level Standard. Less than half of the information of the notes is correct and relevant. [7] Part 1. While Lin tells the tale of the courageous Minli, she also imbeds other story vignettes that weave together and connect in complicated ways. Jennifer Rothschild, Prince Georges County Memorial Library System, Oxon Hill, MD, Kirkus Reviews*Starred Review*To change her familys fortunes, a poor Chinese girl embarks on a fantastical quest to discover she already has everything she needs to be happy. My mom and I first read it as part of my Sonlight curriculum and we loved it. When he lands, he says that he feels like he is home. The rock that Minli removed from Dragons head turns out to be the coveted Dragon Pearl. The authors writing is elegant, and her full-color illustrations are stunning. As she debates what to do, she looks down at the Book of Fortune on the Old Mans lap and sees that he has added in the paper she received from the king. With the help of a buffalo boy, Minli tracks down the King. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Map Your Own Connections (with red threads) date the date you are citing the material. publication online or last modification online. This character was a cruel ruler of the land in which all the main landmarks (save the moon) were located over a century ago. They become friends, and Dragon offers to be her steed for the journey, despite the fact that he cannot fly, unlike other dragons. Then the twins, and their grandfather A-Gong, nurse Dragon and lead the travelers to Never-Ending Mountain. The next day she finds a stream, but it is salty. [4] 2020 GRACE LIn, all rights reserved. Last Updated on May 6, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. Using a classroom map, show students the location of China and ask them what they know about it. She describes a poor woman who was blessed with loving husband and a beautiful, happy daughter. There, he meets the first dragon he has ever seen, a female dragon with bright orange skin. 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. Minli realizes what is truly important in life and is thankful for her family. *, Can u describe the character 'talking goldfish'. Both Minli and Dragon have unique character traits and well-thought character development. You may use Worksheet 4: Narrative Rubric provided for both student self-assessment and your own final assessment. Here are some questions to extend students' understanding of the novel. View all Lesson Plans available from BookRags. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. Minli is a young ten-year-old girl with a fast and eager spirit, and is constantly ready for adventure. everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Imagine how much more those books would have meant to me, she wrote later, if they had been books of substance, if they had reflected my life with more accuracy and heart, addressed concerns and struggles and triumphs that really affected me. She also loved the books of Chinese folktales that her mother gave her, in spite of their being too simply told. Minli's mother, Ma, instead despises the stories that Ba tells, feeling that they are simply "nonsense." Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. He scoops some plain rice out of his bowl for the fish to eat. This talking creature helps the heroine and her friend along their way early in the story. Rewrite one of the following passages to make it more vivid, using specific language and concrete details. The main characters are Minli, Ba, Ma and Dragon. I think it has a good message for readers and Minli is a good role model. Created by wonderful reader, Emme (age 11), and perfect for Book Clubs or families that read the book together, this board game is delightful fun. I loved the way it was told through a lot of fairy tales. The line written there has changed again. Minli is a strong-willed, young Chinese girl who lives in the Village of Fruitless Mountain. 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. Through their cunning, they trick Green Tiger into falling down a well. I brought my pet into school. The elder of the family gave up the secret readily. The goldfish man says that Minli, too, may be able to change her fortune. There are several forest and rivers and a peach grove. The goldfish man asks a child in the street to direct him to Minlis house. As an optional activity, they may make a bulletin board or wall display that shows the embedded stories within the frame of the main narrative. As the Get Where the Mountain Meets the Moon from Amazon.com. A Newbery Honor book in 2010, this novel moves on from the ordinary lives of Asian Americans in her other books to a fantastical adventure in a timeless, traditional China. Because of what seemed like a personal sacrifice in favor of helping a friend, Minli and her family receive all they ever hoped for and more. Thus she spent much of her childhood trying to ignore her Asian heritage in order to fit in better with her peers. Most of the sections of the character map were at least attempted and work is presentable. This is the god character who knows the future and permits the heroine to ask him a single question. It must have at least one character, a setting, and a plot or series of events that occur. It says the word thankfulness over and overand nothing else. Have them copy each days assignment into their notebooks; Make a photocopy of Worksheet 1 for each student and cut off a strip for each daily assignment for students to paste at the top of the notebook page; Cut off each assignment strip and paste it onto a sheet of lined paper. She can either ask him to fix her familys fortune, or she can ask him to help Dragon fly. Let students investigate online resources for folktales from China. Since then, she has traveled to China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, learning more about her own heritage. Suddenly understanding what she needs to do, Minli asks the Old Man why Dragon cannot fly. The side characters are Gold fish man, Old Man of the Moon, and Dafu and Afu. How important are stories in your life? Try to elicit the feelings about the life of Minlis village that these words convey. Activity 2. Summarize this character Subjects: English Language Arts, Reading, Vocabulary Grades: Not Grade Specific Types: Resources for Socratic seminars for elementary school students can be found online. Interwoven with Minlis quest are tales told by her father and by those she meets on the way. 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. 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. What is the setting of "Games at Twilight" by Anita Desai? When the magistrate heard about this, he decided that the family must have been trying to trick him. Those eye-opening visits made the folk tales and fairy tales her mother had shared with her as a child seem more alive. 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. Students plan and then write a personal narrative about a challenge they have overcome using vivid descriptions of persons and places. This character came to life from the magic ink by which it was painted and flew away. It also suggests something valuable; The black mountain seems ominous and threatening; The fact that the mountain cut the sky like a jagged piece of rough metal suggests that it is harsh and perhaps dangerous. Comment on the use of imagery in "Games at Twilight.". She thinks it will be made from 2020 to 2025. Minli is a strong character and a positive role model. I LOVED it! This beautiful book is bound to become a classic. Chinese Lesson (write the Chinese characters for mountain and moon) The main character of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is Minli, a young girl who lived in China many years ago. 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. When he arrives, he is amazed to be greeted as an old friend. Emphasize that Minlis story is a fantasy; in the real world, it is dangerous for children to run away from home, and naturally it is impossible for them to scale a ladder to the moon. Seeing her mothers unhappiness, the daughter grew discontented and went away to try to change her familys fortune. What an engaging book! BildungsromanShelf ElfPaper TigersMotherReaderCharlottes LibraryWrite for a ReaderThe Mommy FilesThrifty Minnesota Mama Creative MadnessAbby the Librarian, And EVEN more!Review at BookpageCareer, Craft & Cheer on CynsationsSoup of the Day at Jama Rattigans Alphabet SoupSeven Impossible Things Before BreakfastBook of Color Pick of the Day at Galley Cat, Make a Compass (like Minli!) The cellar was dark and kind of creepy. You can find this storyboard in the following articles and resources: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon characters in a Character Map. While waiting in the Market of Green Abundance, Minli spends her coin buying a peach for a beggar. If not by then, the film will probably not be made at all. They keep journals to record the challenges Minli faced, and how she met the challenges. Have students pay close attention to the Distribute Worksheet 3 and go over the directions with the students. The child of immigrants from Taiwan, Grace Lin was born in the United States in 1974 and grew up in New York State. Give students a clean copy of Worksheet 2 and tell them that their classmates will be reading their work. Perhapsyou need to trust her, the goldfish man says. (Something that takes great physical or mental effort to do successfully) Show students photos of types of challenges (see Preparation and Resources) and discuss the types of challenges shown. En route she befriends a dragon who joins her quest. This talking creature helps the heroine and her friend along their way early in the story. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon, who knows the answers to all of lifes questions. Dragon realizes that this must be the borrowed line, so he tells them about Minli. Also, she is full of bitterness and resentment due to their poverty. When Minli finds Dragon, it cant fly and is caught up in some ropes. She grows up on tales of magical people and places from Ba, her father. Think about how important the telling of stories was to Minli and Ba. Why did Ma change from being envious of other peoples wealth to being content? I cannot say enough good things about this book. Jennifer Rothschild from School Library Journal stated in her review: "The author's writing is elegant, and her full-color illustrations are stunning. This is a good time to show students how to use a print or online thesaurus, but remind them only to use words that they are comfortable with; a fancy word is not necessarily the best word. After contemplating her choices, Minli chooses to ask Dragon's question for him: Why can he not fly? Where the Mountain Meets the Moon characters in a Character Map Minli Wishes to find Old Man of the Moon in order to change her family's fortune.Has Where the Mountain Meets the Moon characters in a Character Map Minli Wishes to find Old Man of the Moon in order to change her family's fortune.Has Recursos Precios Crear un Guin Grfico eNotes.com An editor Meanwhile, as Dragon waits outside of the city, he receives a string of destiny from one of the Guardians of the City. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.). Writing the narrative of their own challenge gives students a chance to reflect on the themes (courage, persistence, imagination, resourcefulness) of the Lin novel from the first two lessons as they see them enacted in their own experience. Every day, the family works in. Meanwhile, at the Village of Fruitless Mountain, Ba and Ma have decided to return home and wait for Minli, and during this time, Ma feels remorse for having been so discontent when she already had her own precious treasure: her daughter. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make yourown. 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. The grandfather, A-Gong, gives Dragon medicine that doubles as tea. During her journey, she comes across many challenges. [10], According to Journal of Education, Grace Lin is the "best-selling author of The Year of the Dog and The Year of the Rat". The Old Man instructs Minli to remove a rock on Dragons head it has been keeping Dragon from flight. Spurrier, Leslie. While Lin tells the tale of the courageous Minli, she also imbeds other story vignettes that weave together and connect in complicated ways. Under house have students brainstorm as many words as they can for house: mansion, shack, apartment, rancher, hut, etc. 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. I read it when I was around 7, and I thought it is AWESOME! She's dutiful, empathetic, curious, and resourceful. Write the word challenge on the board and ask students to define it. 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. Encourage students to consider why Grace Lin chose those particular words to describe the mountain. I definitely recommend this book! Along the way, she finds excitement, danger, humor, magic, and wisdom, and she befriends a flightless dragon, a talking fish, and other companions and helpmates in her quest. The last date is today's She says she is sorry. 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. The kite magically transforms itself into a rope bridge, but it is too thin to carry Dragon. 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. What challenges does this character face? Have you described the setting, the place where the events of the story occur, in clear and specific language? Using the borrowed line of text and the line of destiny, the adventurers stitch a kite that stretches into a bridge, and Minli goes on alone to meet the Old Man of the Moon. As she works, Minli wishes she could change her familys fortune. Define a frame story and explain the complex way that subsidiary stories are embedded within the novel, Identify different types of challenges in the story. The two then meet and after relating their adventures, set off once again, puzzled as to which is the real borrowed line. Even so, Minli is a happy and vibrant child who eagerly listens as her father, whom she calls Ba, tells stories every night. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. He planned on doing whatever he could to marry his son to a member of the Imperial Family. Word Count: 2124.