Students will provide detailed information regarding how the characters interact with the main characters, as well as challenges the characters face. This set of Lesson Plans consists of approximately 132pages of tests, essay questions, lessons, and other teaching materials. 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. 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. Minli feels guilty when her father gives up some of his food for her fish. Minli and her parents live in the shadow of Fruitless Mountain, where they toil endlessly. It is late at night when Minli tiptoes into her familys hut and crawls into bed. Jennifer Rothschild from School Library Journal stated in her review: "The author's writing is elegant, and her full-color illustrations are stunning. Ask students to write one final paragraph in which they compare themselves with Minli. During her journey, she comes across many challenges. When the magistrate heard about this, he decided that the family must have been trying to trick him. 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. She realizes that she cannot ask Dragons questionunless she chooses not to ask her own. 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. The Question and Answer section for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a great 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. Most of the sections of the character map were at least attempted and work is presentable. I definitely recommend this book! Choose a scene or background that makes sense for the character. 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. 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. This book will be a highlight of your life, so go and check out Where The Mountain Meets The Moon, and you wont regret listening to me! They will also appear in Google search results. Slides or photos of challenges for Activity 1. Write The house was on the hill on the board. I loved the way it was told through a lot of fairy tales. 2. 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 life's questions. A stage adaptation based on Lin's book was performed at Wheelock Family Theater in Boston, in April 2014. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2009. . Frame Stories in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. The last date is today's The next day, the family works hard in the rice paddies as always. The author can choose to leave the storyboard public or mark it as Unlisted. She said there will be a movie released on 11/21/2020, however the movie was never made. Read more than you ever thought you wanted to know about the backstory of the book! The Old Man instructs Minli to remove a rock on Dragons head it has been keeping Dragon from flight. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. She spent all her time wondering why she did not have more money and better food and prettier clothes. (Teacher Resource: Plot Outline can serve as suggested answers. Then do the same for high ground: mountain, hill, crag, and slope. For years, she and her siblings were the only Asian American children in her school and she was the only one in her class. will review the submission and either publish your submission or providefeedback. In order to find the Old Man, the pair must find the Never-Ending Mountain. Suggested techniques: If students are interested in folktales in general, the. If there are three dates, the first date is the date of the original They rush to make her breakfast, and then Ba sees the bump from Dragons head, which Minli has brought home with her. If not by then, the film will probably not be made at all. The CharactersThe Characters Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is filled with rich and varied characters: Minli, whose name means quick-thinking; Dragon, her companion on the . However, what she especially enjoys are her father Ba's stories, which are often told at the dinner table. You may wish to use these tales for additional literature or composition study. This book has many pages, yet it is the perfect amount for me. The child of immigrants from Taiwan, Grace Lin was born in the United States in 1974 and grew up in New York State. Have students pay close attention to the 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. . Part 2. Order our Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Lesson Plans, teaching or studying Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Did they show the same qualities that she did in her quest, or did they use different qualities to meet the challenge? What is the setting of "Games at Twilight"? Think about how important the telling of stories was to Minli and Ba. Create a character map of the characters in the story. Both Minli and Dragon have unique character traits and well-thought character development. We walked down the hall and into the classroom. Another main theme idea of this story is friendship. Dragon also reveals that he was born from a painting and came to life when his eyes were painted. StoryboardThat is a trademark of Clever Prototypes, LLC, and Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The boy laughs and refuses to accept it. Reunited with her son, Jade Dragon transforms Fruitless Mountain into Fruitful Mountain, allowing it to grow again. Near a mountain region. [11], Renee Greenfield and Jennifer Rabold. 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 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. Together, they live in a small stick hut in a bleak, dry farming village at the intersection of the . This book, a celebration of the importance of imagination and story, introduces upper elementary students to Chinese culture and tradition. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. He is tied up with some ropes, so Minli cuts him free. Use vivid language to construct their own personal narrative. Themes. Espaol (prximamente) - volver al inicio, Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More, Common Sense Selections for family entertainment, Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More, Growing Up Queer: Thoughtful Books About LGBTQ+ Youth, Check out new Common Sense Selections for games, Teachers: Find the best edtech tools for your classroom with in-depth expert reviews. It must have at least one character, a setting, and a plot or series of events that occur. Put the character's name in the title boxes and choose a character and scene to represent each one. There are several forest and rivers and a peach grove. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Dragon cannot fly. *(This Will Start a 2-Week Free Trial - No Credit Card Needed), This Activity is Part of Many Teacher Guides. It turns out the goldfish can talk when people want to hear it. She decides to let it go because of how bitter it made Ma. Minli is restless and never content with her lot in life. Minli is restless and never content with her lot in life. Minli's restlessness is her central conflicted character trait. An editor With nothing else to occupy them in the evenings, Minlis father spins tales of the Old Man in the Moon and the Jade Dragon. A battle between the Green Tiger and Dragon ensues, and Dragon is mortally wounded. Read More Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Characters Visual Vocabulary Theme Answer the Prompt Figurative Language Text Structure Create a Storyboard If preparing a "Gallery" for the Optional Day 2. Still, real life faces everyone with difficult challenges that require courage and ingenuity. They keep journals to record the challenges Minli faced, and how she met the challenges. The main character of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is Minli, a young girl who lived in China many years ago. The Jade Dragon reunites with one of her children, Dragon, and transforms Fruitless Mountain to Fruitful Mountain. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Summary. The objective of her quest is to find the Old Man of the Moon who possesses the power to change a persons fortune. In the first part of the lesson, students read each of the embedded folktales as they cover the main narrative. 2023 . I think it has a good message for readers and Minli is a good role model. In the book "Games at Twilight", what details do you notice that show this story is not taking place in the United States? 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 first column of Teacher Resource: Plot Outline provides a summary for the suggested answers. A-Fu and Da-Fu, twins who are a bit younger than Minli, explain that a vicious magistrate once planned to kill the whole family out of jealousy over their happiness. The blooms of the flowering trees also provide the antidote to the Green Tiger's poison, which saved Dragon. The Question and Answer section for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a great Ma and Ba say that Minli is too little to do such a thing. Tell them the novel Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is like the picture frame, with one main frame story holding many other stories within it. Make two copies for each pair of students to use in analyzing the embedded stories. She grows up on tales of magical people and places from Ba, her father. Then ask what they think of when they see each of these words and phrases: crowded; faded brown; coax the rice; tramping and stooping; dried mud. All storyboards and images are private and secure. My mom and I first read it as part of my Sonlight curriculum and we loved it. The second is the date of Powerful Stories About Martin Luther King Jr. Neither is sure which line is the one they need, so they decide this is another question for the Old Man of the Moon. The kite magically transforms itself into a rope bridge, but it is too thin to carry Dragon. [Ripping a page from the Book of Fortune will not change one's fate.] A variety of online maps of China can be found in. The old man instructs her to remove a rock from Dragon's head, which has been preventing him from flying. While Lin tells the tale of the courageous Minli, she also imbeds other story vignettes that weave together and connect in complicated ways. The two unlikely allies travel together in search of the Old Man, coming upon many different places along the way. Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates. He warns her that he only has time to answer one question. I LOVED it! The author of where the Mountain Meets the moon is Grace Lin. Ma and Ba. The second date is today's They travel onward, and after an encounter with a vicious tiger, they meet the family that used to be famous for its perfect happiness. Then I dropped something and it made a loud noise. She says they make Minli dream instead of focusing on the reality of the familys poor fortune. It was written and illustrated by Grace Lin and published in 2009. 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. Tell students that before they write the story, they are going to practice the skill of using vivid language. Relive your favorite parts, test your memory and pretend to be on the journey yourself! Minli realizes she has to go on alone, but before she leaves, she promises to ask Dragons question for him. What benefits did they get from the stories? It blends an adventure narrative with a female hero, a collection of traditional and invented folktales, and an array of Chinese-style paintings and woodcuts into an appealing and challenging reading experience. Use your hands and roll the dough into small balls (about 1 tsp. This summer I finally able to purchase the book and re-read it a third time. The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child. Essay Topics. The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. Resources for Socratic seminars for elementary school students can be found online. It turns out he is not a beggar at all, but the king in disguise. 8-12), Reading level: Ages 8-12Pages: 288 pagesPublisher: Little, Brown Young ReadersLanguage: English ISBN: 0316114278, 978-0316114271. Summary. 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. Jade Dragons four children took pity on the people and transformed their bodies into great rivers to nourish the land. Ask them what qualities she showed as she overcame these challenges (for example: courage, cleverness, persistence). Lin deftly incorporates elements from Chinese folk- and fairy tales to create stories within the main story and provide context for Minlis quest. As they search, they come upon the goldfish man, who listens to their troubles and tells them his story. Day 2. 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. Read more 2009 Grace Lin (P)2020 Hachette Audio Listening Length 4 hours and 58 minutes Author The line written there has changed again. I cannot say enough good things about this book. Suddenly understanding what she needs to do, Minli asks the Old Man why Dragon cannot fly. 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. It is not as adventurous as I thought it would be. Have you explained how you felt when you had met the challenge? The effort is enormous, and they grow barely enough to feed themselves. She can either ask him to fix her familys fortune, or she can ask him to help Dragon fly. Frame Stories in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Classroom world map or map of Asia (It would be ideal to have a printed or projected map.) Even so, Minli is a happy and vibrant child who eagerly listens as her father, whom she calls Ba, tells stories every night. Because of Minli's sacrifice to help a friend, she and her family receive everything they could ever have hoped for. Explain what you mean by each value and show how it is illustrated in one of the embedded folk tales. Then, my mind suddenly shouted, How about that book from the library? I bolted to get the book and started to read. How important are stories in your life? In addition, any storyboard can be made sharable, where a private link to the storyboard can be shared externally. It is about Jade Dragon, who used to be beloved by the people of the earth because she controlled the rain that made crops grow. Her grief at losing her children made Fruitless Mountain barren of growth. Plus, there is barely enough rice to feed the people there, causing Minli to develop a wish for good fortune. My teacher said she was really surprised and she told me how she felt about my pet. Youre always wishing to do impossible things! their work. While her mother worries and complains about their lot, her father brightens their evenings with storytelling. This brings enormous wealth to Minlis village which alters her familys fortune dramatically. "Bringing fortune to our house! Activity 2. Encourage students to consider why Grace Lin chose those particular words to describe the mountain. Why did Minli also learn to be content? Determined to change her familys fortune, Minli sets out to find the Old Man of the Moon, urged on by a talking goldfish who gives her clues to complete her journey. She supported herself designing for a party company, two years contributing to the worlds landfills as she puts it, until her first book was published. This is a good book but it is kinda slow. Tell students about Grace Lin, using information from the Background section. date the date you are citing the material. The people and the houses look happy and prosperous. This talking creature helps the heroine and her friend along their way early in the story. Spurrier, Leslie. However, when a few people complained that they preferred sunshine, Jade Dragon grew angry. 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. Knead the dough a few times so that the vanilla extract can distribute evenly. She ultimately meets the king, and he willingly gives up the borrowed line, which is revealed to be a page from the Book of Fortune, a legendary book that tells of fates and can be read only by immortal folk. [1] [2] The novel received a 2010 Newbery Honor [3] and the 2010 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature. 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. En route she befriends a dragon who joins her quest. Comment on the use of imagery in "Games at Twilight.". What words do you think make the description colorful? Minli's mother, Ma, instead despises the stories that Ba tells, feeling that they are simply "nonsense." Her mother, Ma, complains that these stories are foolish and harmful. This character was a cruel ruler of the land in which all the main landmarks (save the moon) were located over a century ago. 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. She returns to Dragon and, following the Old Mans instructions, helps him pull a big, heavy bump off the top of his head. The two then meet and after relating their adventures, set off once again, puzzled as to which is the real borrowed line. Once again, she has created a charming, engaging book for young listeners. Already a member? 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. Numerous collections of Chinese folktales can also be accessed through the library. well as challenges the characters face. They have a line of red thread that was once given to them by the Old Man of the Moon, who told them to keep it until it was needed. Which gives the reader a better understanding of the village? After students have completed the first draft of their story, conduct a peer-editing session in your usual manner (or a self-editing session if you think any of the stories cover sensitive material that the students would be uncomfortable sharing). Teachers can view all of their students storyboards, but students can only view their own. He resolved to kill them for this impertinence, but when he and his army arrived at their house, they had mysteriously disappeared. Map Your Own Connections (with red threads) The twins befriend Minli and want to help her. Let students investigate online resources for folktales from China. Minli thus begins a traditional quest. [4] It has been translated into Chinese, French, Hebrew, Romanian, Korean and Slovene.[5]. The performance starred Caroline Workman as Minli, Michael Tow as Storyteller/ Minli's Ba, and was directed by Jane Staab. 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. The page had been treasured by the kings of the city for generations. In the morning, she sneaks out of the house and releases the fish into the river. Questions to ask during the editing process: EDSITEment is a project of theNational Endowment for the Humanities, Grace Lin: Sharing Asian Traditions with Young Readers, Member of Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team, Chinese Dragon: A Powerful Metaphor in Chinese Cultural History", Lions, Dragons, and Nian: Animals of the Chinese New Year, Why Couldnt Snow White Be Chinese? Inspired by her fathers stories and dedicated to her family, Minli decides to leave and seek a more prosperous future for them all. 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. The Old Man of the Moon. Minli's brave, clever, kind, and earnest character is utterly endearing. "[6], Andrew Medlar from Booklist said: "Lin creates a strong, memorable heroine & mystical land [] children will embrace this [] story"[6], A companion, titled Starry River of the Sky, was published on February 11, 2014. Many of the notes have correct information, but some are incorrect or missing. 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. He allows Minli to eat with him in his castle, and she tells him her story. 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. Still following the goldfishs instructions, Minli sets out for the City of Bright Moonlight. If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance thissection. I enjoyed every moment if this book and could not put it down!! CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.5:Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem. This first activity introduces the book and requires students to read it and keep a journal. Here are some questions to extend students' understanding of the novel. He tells her that she must hurry up and ask what she wants to know. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. Ba tells the first such story. I loved Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. The stone lion gives the thread to Dragon. 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. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make yourown. More books than SparkNotes. 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 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. Ask them to tell the groups how they felt after dealing with this challenge. Ask students to choose a page at random and read aloud the most vivid sentence they can find to the class. So Mini decides to leave and set off to find the Old Man of the Mountain. Interwoven with Minlis quest are tales told by her father and by those she meets on the way. When he arrives, he is amazed to be greeted as an old friend. The journal topics generally cover a group of chapters; teachers may assign them all at the beginning or assign individual topics as appropriate. He planned on doing whatever he could to marry his son to a member of the Imperial Family. This Study Guide consists of approximately 29pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - 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. Magistrate Tiger/Green Tiger. The side characters are Gold fish man, Old Man of the Moon, and Dafu and Afu. Identify (4) Traits for this character and supply evidence2. 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. Add (B) and use a fork to stir it. Minli is a young ten-year-old girl with a fast and eager spirit, and is constantly ready for adventure. Teachers may opt to lower the security if they want to allow sharing. Two destinies at stake. This outline can serve as a reference for the teacher for the entire lesson.).