Eager for adventure, Minli sets out alone seeking advice from the Old Man of the Moon. Optional Activity Grade Level Standard. She says they make Minli dream instead of focusing on the reality of the familys poor fortune. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a juvenile fiction novel by Grace Lin, author of The Year of the Dog. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.5: Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes. It was written and illustrated by Grace Lin and published in 2009. She does not like for Ba to tell the stories to Minli because she thinks he is filling her head with ideas. When she arrives to find the Old Man of the Moon, he offers her what seems to be a Spartan gift: she can only ask him a single question. This set of Lesson Plans consists of approximately 132pages of tests, essay questions, lessons, and other teaching materials. Because of Minli's sacrifice to help a friend, she and her family receive everything they could ever have hoped for. Tell students that they are going to use their three sentences as a basis for writing a kind of story called a personal narrative. 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. He is tied up with some ropes, so Minli cuts him free. Activity 2. He resolved to kill them for this impertinence, but when he and his army arrived at their house, they had mysteriously disappeared. Frame Stories in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. An editor Dragon also reveals that he was born from a painting and came to life when his eyes were painted. Eventually she decides to run off on a quest to change her family's fortune. publication in traditional print. After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. 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. While folktales often include recognizable character types, and certainly we can identify some stock traits here (clever, wise, whiny, kind and poor, greedy, etc.) When they reach their destination, Minli and Dragon are devastated to discover they cannot climb it. The "rock" turns out to be the coveted Dragon's Pearl, which brings enormous wealth to her village. Minli's brave, clever, kind, and earnest character is utterly endearing. While her mother worries and complains about their lot, her father brightens their evenings with storytelling. With nothing else to occupy them in the evenings, Minlis father spins tales of the Old Man in the Moon and the Jade Dragon. This first activity introduces the book and requires students to read it and keep a journal. Through their cunning, they trick Green Tiger into falling down a well. (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. 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. 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. All at once, Minli realizes that she can live wither fortune; it is not that bad. Ed. Minli is a young girl, the only daughter of her mother, Ma, and father, Ba. Minli (her name means "quick thinking") is the main character. Symbols & Motifs. (From a Christian perspective, it also had a surprising theme of providence in it.) Themes. He wrote a single word on a sheet of paper, but the magistrates soldiers lost it on the way home. Powerful Stories About Martin Luther King Jr. 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. 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. Minli wishes to change her family's fortune but realizes over time that her discontent is the major factor causing her to lament her family's fortune. Give students a few minutes to survey the book and look at the pictures. Worksheet 2. More books than SparkNotes. Then I dropped something and it made a loud noise. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a Chinese fairy tale about an adventurous girl who searches for the Old Man of the Moon in hopes of changing the fortune of her poor family. GradeSaver, 25 April 2017 Web. Think back on some of your favorite characters from past novels you have 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. Dragon realizes that this must be the borrowed line, so he tells them about Minli. It is not too scary. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a juvenile fiction novel by Grace Lin, author of The Year of the Dog. Ba explains that the mountain will remain fruitless until Jade Dragon is reunited with one of her children. Ask students to think of and share other types of challenges they have seen or experienced. He tells her that she must hurry up and ask what she wants to know. Far away from here introduces the suggestion of an exotic location and/or time; The Jade River suggest China, which is known for jade. Curious, she follows it and finds a red dragon crying a river of tears. Lins own full-color drawings open each chapter. Create a character map for the major characters. It was written and illustrated by Grace Lin and published in 2009. Minli is restless and never content with her lot in life. She looks up to her father, the optimist, and clashes with her mother, the cynic. One exceptionally effective way of conducting a critical discussion is by the Socratic seminar method which is increasingly popular. They keep journals to record the challenges Minli faced, and how she met the challenges. Minli feels guilty when her father gives up some of his food for her fish. However, when a few people complained that they preferred sunshine, Jade Dragon grew angry. Order our Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Lesson Plans, teaching or studying Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Also, she is full of bitterness and resentment due to their poverty. Minli's restlessness is her central conflicted character trait. [1] [2] The novel received a 2010 Newbery Honor [3] and the 2010 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature. 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. A battle between the Green Tiger and Dragon ensues, and Dragon is mortally wounded. Making Fruitless Mountain bloom! 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. It turns out the goldfish can talk when people want to hear it. She can either ask him to fix her familys fortune, or she can ask him to help Dragon fly. Thus she spent much of her childhood trying to ignore her Asian heritage in order to fit in better with her peers. After high school, Lin attended the Rhode Island School of Design, where she earned a BFA in illustration. 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. Have a Feast (recipes to enjoy with the book). . Most of the sections of the character map were at least attempted and work is presentable. When she explains that she needs something called the borrowed line, the king shows her a magical sheet of paper his family has owned for generations. The second part of the lesson has students return to the book to explore how the folktales enhance Minlis story. This strong-willed, young Chinese girl lives in the Village of Fruitless Mountain and decides to run off on a quest to change her family's fortune. Explain your design ideaswhat Every day, the family works in. Design a costume for the character. After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. Readers of the book get to relive the story of Minli's journey, readers She's dutiful, empathetic, curious, and resourceful. Minli realizes what is truly important in life and is thankful for her family. Read More Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Characters Visual Vocabulary Theme Answer the Prompt Figurative Language Text Structure Create a Storyboard Have students explain how they grew or changed because of this experience. All storyboards are public and can be viewed and copied by anyone. date the date you are citing the material. Part 2. These characters are the parents of the heroine. As they search, they come upon the goldfish man, who listens to their troubles and tells them his story. When students have finished reading the book, hold a Socratic seminar or other type of discussion. Youre always wishing to do impossible things! Then, my mind suddenly shouted, How about that book from the library? I bolted to get the book and started to read. By a bare mountain, where the Jade River runs through, lies a poor, mud-covered village known as the Village of Fruitless Mountain, where the protagonist, Minli lives. Rewrite one of the following passages to make it more vivid, using specific language and concrete details. 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 Students plan and then write a personal narrative about a challenge they have overcome using vivid descriptions of persons and places. https://www.storyboardthat.com/lesson-plans/where-the-mountain-meets-the-moon-by-grace-lin/characters, This Storyboard That activity is part of the lesson plans for. Note: When citing an online source, it is important to include all necessary dates. Common Sense Media. She notices that he is wearing a piece of golden dragon jewelry, and she follows him. In the book, what were many suggestions about the word that was written on the paper the Magistrate wantedthe secret of happiness. What is the setting of "Games at Twilight"? [4] It has been translated into Chinese, French, Hebrew, Romanian, Korean and Slovene.[5]. Stories, drawn from a rich history of Chinese folktales, weave throughout her narrative, deepening the sense of both the characters and the setting and smoothly furthering the plot. date the date you are citing the material. Tell students about Grace Lin, using information from the Background section. 2023 - Clever Prototypes, LLC - All rights reserved. Ask them to tell the groups how they felt after dealing with this challenge. 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. Minli watches him go, feeling puzzled that he is so happy. Day 2. The boy finds out that the king is supposed to appear in the Market of Green Abundance. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. It says the word thankfulness over and overand nothing else. I think it is good for many different ages, from 7-year-olds to 12-year-olds. You can help us out by revising, improving and updating Here are some questions to extend students' understanding of the novel. 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. The goal of this activity is to have students engage with the text through a series of focused questions listed by chapter and page in Worksheet 1. As they work, hold writing conferences with individual students in need of assistance. 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 clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.). What are three things you can do to make your narrative even better? (If the class has already studied the concept, teachers may want to point out that this is an excellent example of a. Most of the information of the notes is correct. In this activity, students return to the novel to analyze the folktale embedded within it. The old man instructs her to remove a rock from Dragon's head, which has been preventing him from flying. When he lands, he says that he feels like he is home. 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. This character visits the Village of the Fruitless Mountain early in the book and at the very end. The main characters are Minli, Ba, Ma and Dragon. The twins explain that their village's name is due to raining seeds that fall from the moon every night, allowing flowering trees to bloom there. Her grief at losing her children made Fruitless Mountain barren of growth. Comment on the use of imagery in "Games at Twilight.". thissection. Spurrier, Leslie. "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" Grace Lin CHARACTER TRAITS WORKSHEET by Northeast Education $1.50 PDF CHOOSE A CHARACTER1. their work. Where The Mountain Meets The Moon Chapters 1-4 Summary & Analysis. The next day, the family works hard in the rice paddies as always. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin is a middle grade fantasy fiction novel that takes inspiration from Chinese folklore and details the journey of a young girl, Minli, as she embarks on a hero's quest to improve her family's circumstances. 24 142-49 Dragon meets the stone lions, who What is a true friend? While Lin tells the tale of the courageous Minli, she also imbeds other story vignettes that weave together and connect in complicated ways. 8-12), Reading level: Ages 8-12Pages: 288 pagesPublisher: Little, Brown Young ReadersLanguage: English ISBN: 0316114278, 978-0316114271. The goldfish man asks a child in the street to direct him to Minlis house. . While waiting in the Market of Green Abundance, Minli spends her coin buying a peach for a beggar. Read more 2009 Grace Lin (P)2020 Hachette Audio Listening Length 4 hours and 58 minutes Author From the beautiful design and the breathtaking full-color illustrations throughout, to the gentle humor and touching prose, this book is truly a gem. Ba tells the first such story. If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance Using a classroom map, show students the location of China and ask them what they know about it. What an engaging book! Jade Dragons four children took pity on the people and transformed their bodies into great rivers to nourish the land. Meanwhile, as Dragon waits outside of the city, he receives a string of destiny from one of the Guardians of the City. On the journey, Dragon tries to protect Minli from a poisonous Green Tiger but gets injured in the process and would have died had Minli not sought help from a nearby village of Moon Rain. Along the way she makes new friends including a flightless dragon and an orphan and proves her resourcefulness when she tricks a group of greedy monkeys and gets help from a king. I read it when I was around 7, and I thought it is AWESOME! Then the twins, and their grandfather A-Gong, nurse Dragon and lead the travelers to Never-Ending Mountain. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Summary, Read the Study Guide for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, View Wikipedia Entries for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. The performance starred Caroline Workman as Minli, Michael Tow as Storyteller/ Minli's Ba, and was directed by Jane Staab. She is supposed to find the citys Guardian and ask for something called the borrowed line. She assumes that the Guardian is the king, so she leaves Dragon in the forest outside the city and goes in alone. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. 2020 GRACE LIn, all rights reserved. He alone recognizes it as a dragons pearl, a treasure worth as much as the Emperors fortune. Trying to come to terms with her own identity, she searched for and treasured books that featured Asian American characters, even when their portrayal was oversimplified or stereotyped. She returns to Dragon and, following the Old Mans instructions, helps him pull a big, heavy bump off the top of his head. (The first column of Teacher Resource: Plot Outline provides a summary for the suggested answers. 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. Each figure tied to the next with the fine red thread of fate. 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. One day I thought I would surprise my friends. It will take more than a goldfish to bring fortune to our house, she says. Already a member? 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. The second date is today's Determine the Age of the Dragon (using peach math) Once again, she has created a charming, engaging book for young listeners. Teachers can view all of their students storyboards, but students can only view their own. Lin deftly incorporates elements from Chinese folk- and fairy tales to create stories within the main story and provide context for Minlis quest. Map Your Own Connections (with red threads) The questions focus exclusively on the frame story of Minlis travels, giving students first-hand experience with frame story analysis. Ma blames Ba, saying that his stories put foolish ideas in Minlis head. 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. It is late at night when Minli tiptoes into her familys hut and crawls into bed. As the Get Where the Mountain Meets the Moon from Amazon.com. The following day, Minli then sets out, freeing the goldfish so as not to burden her parents further, and leaves the village to find "the old man of the moon". Many of the characters and scenes match the book's characters. What do you think is the secret of happiness? I went down to the cellar the other day. There are numerous other minor characters in the book: You can help us out by revising, improving and updating I enjoyed every moment if this book and could not put it down!! I was glad to see a few things from when I was younger and I started to play with them. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. That is, does it have a beginning, a middle, and an end? When Minlis parents discover that she is missing, they run after her. This talking creature helps the heroine and her friend along their way early in the story. Her mother, Ma, complains that these stories are foolish and harmful. Summary. Then ask them to share their best sentence with the class. Ma and Ba say that Minli is too little to do such a thing. The dragon explains that he does not know how to fly and wants to learn, so Minli invites him to come with her to see the Old Man of the Moon, the only person who might be able to tell him how. Another main theme idea of this story is friendship. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. This Study Guide consists of approximately 29pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - The people and the houses look happy and prosperous. Minlis determination to help her family, as well as the grief her parents feel at her absence, is compelling and thoroughly human. Not understanding that she was rich in love, the womanwho is clearly Ma herselfonly felt bitter about her poverty. Fruitless Mountain Village. They become friends, and Dragon offers to be her steed for the journey, despite the fact that he cannot fly, unlike other dragons. When he was a teenager, he learned that he was going to die young. Under house have students brainstorm as many words as they can for house: mansion, shack, apartment, rancher, hut, etc. Before each set of chapters, distribute the questions that students should answer and make sure that they understand what they are looking for. 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. Minli is restless and never content with her lot in life. This is the god character who knows the future and permits the heroine to ask him a single question. Students will provide For years, she and her siblings were the only Asian American children in her school and she was the only one in her class. I would recommend this book for children from age 9 to 99. Character map is unfinished and/or disorganized. She refused to let it rain anymore, thus leaving the people of the earth to suffer and starve. will review the submission and either publish your submission or providefeedback. The authors writing is elegant, and her full-color illustrations are stunning. But the stories that the dad told I did like and it added more fun to the book and made me want to finish it. This talking creature helps the heroine and her friend along their way early in the story. Go over the worksheet to be sure that students understand it. You may value money, friends, family or ideals like honesty, generosity, and faith. A couple years after we sold that curriculum, I borrowed it from our local library and read it again. 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. The effort is enormous, and they grow barely enough to feed themselves. "Where The Mountain Meets The Moon,", Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature, Newbery Medal and Honor Books, 1922-Present, Mythopoeic Awards: Acceptance Remarks 2010, "Wheelocks Mountain a vivid adaptation", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Where_the_Mountain_Meets_the_Moon&oldid=1135777303, This page was last edited on 26 January 2023, at 20:10. Ma sits down at Bas feet and says that it is not his fault Minli left, but hers. His fortune is even poorer than hers, but he does not seem discontent. The page had been treasured by the kings of the city for generations. 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 kite magically transforms itself into a rope bridge, but it is too thin to carry Dragon. Along the way, Minli meets a special friend. Distribute copies of Worksheet 2. Photo: Alan Bradley, courtesy ofgracelin.com. This talking creature helps the heroine and her friend along their way early in the story. It was even better than I remembered! Minli is a strong character and a positive role model. How important is magic in the story? Minlis parents desperately hope she can change the familys fortune. They rush to make her breakfast, and then Ba sees the bump from Dragons head, which Minli has brought home with her. Find Symbols in the Story (learn about Chinese symbolism) Personification is a literary device that give human traits to nonhuman objects. They will also appear in Google search results. StoryboardThat is a trademark of Clever Prototypes, LLC, and Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. All of the villagers, along with Minli's family, are also very poor, as farming is difficult in the hard and dry land due to Fruitless Mountain being the broken and lonely heart of the immortal Jade Dragon, a dragon that once brought rain to the Earth. [11], Renee Greenfield and Jennifer Rabold. In this activity, students will depict the characters of the story using a character map. eNotes Editorial. She endeavors on a journey to find the Old Man of the Moon who will answer her question of how to find her family's fortune. eNotes.com The game is an age-appropriate series of puzzles; kids are rewarded at Click here for a PDF outlining an optional second activity. Why did Ma change from being envious of other peoples wealth to being content? The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. Unable to believe her luck, Minli accepts the paper from him. Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery), (You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.). Chinese Lesson (write the Chinese characters for mountain and moon) Dragon cannot fly. How does this character change over time? Teachers may opt to lower the security if they want to allow sharing. 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. 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. 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. One day, after a goldfish salesman promises that his wares will bring good luck, Minli spends one of her only two coins in an effort to help her family. Show students a collage picture frame with multiple photos or draw one on the board. Then photocopy the sheet to have students keep in their binders. Both Minli and Dragon have unique character traits and well-thought character development. My father came down the stairs and asked what I was doing down there. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. However, he informs her that she can ask only one question. I loved Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. 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. Minli is a strong-willed, young Chinese girl who lives in the Village of Fruitless Mountain. In the morning, her parents are overjoyed that she is home. The boy is poor and has nothing but a buffalo but helps her find the king, who possesses a borrowed line of text, which is essential to finding the Old Man of the Moon. She thinks it will be made from 2020 to 2025. Richly hued illustrations reinforce the Chinese folk theme. When they first meet, he has been bound with ropes and she cuts them off of him. Are all your sentences complete and correctly written? young girlflowing black haircaringadventurousgenerous. Read more than you ever thought you wanted to know about the backstory of the book! The cellar was dark and kind of creepy. . online is the same, and will be the first date in the citation. He warns her that he only has time to answer one question. 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. However, she is still not sure if the film will be made or if it will not be made. Minli rescues Dragon and includes him in her quest to find the Old Man of the Moon. 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.