Part 1. When her parents find out, Ma is angry. Ma sits down at Bas feet and says that it is not his fault Minli left, but hers. In the book, what were many suggestions about the word that was written on the paper the Magistrate wantedthe secret of happiness. Read more 2009 Grace Lin (P)2020 Hachette Audio Listening Length 4 hours and 58 minutes Author [1] [2] The novel received a 2010 Newbery Honor [3] and the 2010 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature. Symbols & Motifs. To her surprise, the fish speaks and says that it has swum every river of the world except the Jade Riverthe one Minli has brought her to now. 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. Stop believing stories and stop wasting your time. The goldfish man asks a child in the street to direct him to Minlis house. 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 went down to the cellar the other day. It is not as adventurous as I thought it would be. 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. Personification is a literary device that give human traits to nonhuman objects. Let students investigate online resources for folktales from China. Soup of the Day at Jama Rattigans Alphabet Soup, Book of Color Pick of the Day at Galley Cat. *, Can u describe the character 'talking goldfish'. 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. Students plan and then write a personal narrative about a challenge they have overcome using vivid descriptions of persons and places. View all Lesson Plans available from BookRags. Minli is restless and never content with her lot in life. Relive your favorite parts, test your memory and pretend to be on the journey yourself! If you read Where The Mountain Meets The Moon, you wouldn't be disappointed because it is an incredible book. Minli is a strong-willed, young Chinese girl who lives in the Village of Fruitless Mountain. 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. What are three things you can do to make your narrative even better? I loved Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. When she does so, the goldfish tells her directions to Never-Ending Mountain, where a wise immortal known as the Old Man of the Moon lives. What challenges does this character face? Part 2. Have students read with the method and at the pace you find best for your class. The "rock" turns out to be the coveted Dragon's Pearl, which brings enormous wealth to her village. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. Resources for Socratic seminars for elementary school students can be found online. The twins befriend Minli and want to help her. That is, does it have a beginning, a middle, and an end? 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. She does so, and immediately Dragon can fly. When students have finished reading the book, hold a Socratic seminar or other type of discussion. Have students explain how they grew or changed because of this experience. (From a Christian perspective, it also had a surprising theme of providence in it.) physical and character traits of both major and minor characters. All at once, Minli realizes that she can live wither fortune; it is not that bad. (for grades 3-6), 2010 Newbery Honor NY Times Bestseller (Feb 4th, March 14th 2010) IndieBound Bestseller 2010 Bank Street College of Education Josette Frank Award 2010 Indies Choice Book Awards Finalist For Middle Reader Book of the Year Al Rokers TODAY Show Kids Book Club Pick, December 2009 2010 Mythopeic Fantasy Award for Childrens Literature Starred Kirkus Review Starred School & Library Journal Review Starred Booklist Review Booklist Top 10 SF/Fantasy for Youth:2009 2009 Parents Choice Gold Winner 2010 CCBC Choices List 2010 EB White Read-Aloud Honor Book 2010 Massachusetts Book Award for Childrens/Young Adult Literature, I dont think that, in the fourteen years I have worked as a childrens bookseller and the 16 years I have been a mother buying books for her children, I have ever seen such a magnificently illustrated, beautiful gem of a book hit the shelves. Tanya from Books4yourkids.com, This is a flawless little gem of a book, written in a straightforward, warm tone that always has a hint of a smile in itThere is a lovely sense of satisfaction as one link after another is connected, until the entire shape of the book is revealed like a Chinese knot seemingly complicated yet pleasing and harmonious. Eva from Evas Book Addiction, Booklist*Starred Review* In this enchanted and enchanting adventure, Minli, whose name means quick thinking, lives with her desperately poor parents at the confluence of Fruitless Mountain and the Jade River. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. The meaning of that gift can only be revealed by reading the book. 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. Far away from here introduces the suggestion of an exotic location and/or time; The Jade River suggest China, which is known for jade. Minli upsets her parents, who are frightened about what will happen to her. After each assignment, review the journal questions in a class discussion or individual reading group discussions. How can students use Where the Mountain Meets the Moon as a mentor text to write a personal narrative with vivid language? For number 4, you could even ask students to walk across the classroom to act out the sentence as they rewrote it. [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. Why did Ma change from being envious of other peoples wealth to being content? A set of twins from the village manage to trick the Green Tiger down an abandoned well and the next day take Minli and Dragon to Never-Ending Mountain, which turns out to be only a day's journey from the village. Meanwhile, Minli sleeps for the night in the forest, only to wake up to find a trapped dragon, which she saves. Grades 3-6. In the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. He is tied up with some ropes, so Minli cuts him free. Plus, there is barely enough rice to feed the people there, causing Minli to develop a wish for good fortune. 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. publication in traditional print. Minli's brave, clever, kind, and earnest character is utterly endearing. This beautiful book is bound to become a classic. In the book Where the Mountain meets the Moon, How did Magistrate Tiger plan on making his wish come true. Eventually she decides to run off on a quest to change her family's fortune. Explain to students that they have been working mostly with the story of Minli and her quest, and that now they are going to look at the other stories that are woven into the main story. Tell students that before they write the story, they are going to practice the skill of using vivid language. Think About Your Own Answers (with a reading guide) What is the setting of "Games at Twilight"? 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. They become friends, and Dragon offers to be her steed for the journey, despite the fact that he cannot fly, unlike other dragons. This first activity introduces the book and requires students to read it and keep a journal. It was written and illustrated by Grace Lin and published in 2009. 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. 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. If not by then, the film will probably not be made at all. Sift (A) into a mixing bowl. However, he informs her that she can ask only one question. Each figure tied to the next with the fine red thread of fate. The second is the date of The text of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is interspersed with many short legends. 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. 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. My mom and I first read it as part of my Sonlight curriculum and we loved it. Ma and Ba say that Minli is too little to do such a thing. Why or why not? Reunited with her son, Jade Dragon transforms Fruitless Mountain into Fruitful Mountain, allowing it to grow again. Ask students to think of and share other types of challenges they have seen or experienced. 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. 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. Goldfish Grace went on a blog tour for her book. She said there will be a movie released on 11/21/2020, however the movie was never made. This brings enormous wealth to Minlis village which alters her familys fortune dramatically. While Minli has this adventure, Dragon waits outside the city. One day I thought I would surprise my friends. Give them time to legibly recopy (and edit!) I read it when I was around 7, and I thought it is AWESOME! Character map is unfinished and/or disorganized. It was written and illustrated by Grace Lin and published in 2009. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Grace Lin 4.30 45,753 ratings5,600 reviews In the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. How does this character change over time? Create a character map of the characters in the story. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2009. . When they have finished, have them compare the results with a partner to see what different effects they get when they use vivid language. 24 142-49 Dragon meets the stone lions, who (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.) Get Where the Mountain Meets the Moon from Amazon.com. Then the twins, and their grandfather A-Gong, nurse Dragon and lead the travelers to Never-Ending Mountain. (Teachers do not have to assign all the stories.). 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. 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. It must have at least one character, a setting, and a plot or series of events that occur. Create a character map for the major characters. 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. who have not yet read the book get excited and ALL have a great time! 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. She does not like for Ba to tell the stories to Minli because she thinks he is filling her head with ideas. Traits - where the mountain meets the moon where the mountain meets the moon Minli is very nice Ma is stressed through out the story Pa is wise Dragon is loyal Green tiger/magistrate is foolish Jade Dragon is sad but becomes happy in the end Jade Dragons Kids are loyal Minli's Goldfish is wise and helpful The Goldfish man is wise We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. She has written over a dozen books, many of them using Asian American child characters, in an effort to help Asian American children appreciate their heritage and to create the kind of books she wished she had been able to read when she was growing up. What do you think is the secret of happiness? Because of Minli's sacrifice to help a friend, she and her family receive everything they could ever have hoped for. With her lively and impulsive spirit, Minli emerges a stalwart female role model who learns the importance of family, friendship and faith during her amazing journey. However, what she especially enjoys are her father Ba's stories, which are often told at the dinner table. Order our Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Study Guide, teaching or studying Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. All storyboards are public and can be viewed and copied by anyone. Frame Stories in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Have students complete the worksheet. Minli rescues Dragon and includes him in her quest to find the Old Man of the Moon. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). 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. So Mini decides to leave and set off to find the Old Man of the Mountain. In the first part of the lesson, students read each of the embedded folktales as they cover the main narrative. It turns out he is not a beggar at all, but the king in disguise. Minli is restless and never content with her lot in life. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make yourown. Minlis parents desperately hope she can change the familys fortune. Together, the two fly back to Minlis village, so she can return to her parents. Explain your design ideaswhat His fortune is even poorer than hers, but he does not seem discontent. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.). Get Started This set of Lesson Plans consists of approximately 132pages of tests, essay questions, lessons, and other teaching materials. . It says the word thankfulness over and overand nothing else. 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. Read more than you ever thought you wanted to know about the backstory of the book! Then ask them to share their best sentence with the class. It is late at night when Minli tiptoes into her familys hut and crawls into bed. The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child. Along the way, Minli meets a special friend. online is the same, and will be the first date in the citation. 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. Have students pay close attention to the Also there are many villages. Assign students the task of thinking of a time when they had a challenge to meet. "[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. Ma and Ba. An editor Students will provide detailed information regarding how the characters interact with the main characters, as well as challenges the characters face. My teacher said she was really surprised and she told me how she felt about my pet. The stone lion gives the thread to Dragon. Using a classroom map, show students the location of China and ask them what they know about it. Which characters in the book prove to be true friends? Once again, she has created a charming, engaging book for young listeners. According to the goldfish, the wise man can answer Minli's question on how to bring good fortune to her family and the village. Have students tell the story of their challenge and how they met it. When they reach their destination, Minli and Dragon are devastated to discover they cannot climb it. 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. Amazed, Ma observes that the fortunes of the family have changed. 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. Consider the traits of that particular character. 1. They travel all through the night, searching. The second part of the lesson has students return to the book to explore how the folktales enhance Minlis story. I really think you should read it! Minli is a young ten-year-old girl with a fast and eager spirit, and is constantly ready for adventure. She can either ask him to fix her familys fortune, or she can ask him to help Dragon fly. 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? Numerous collections of Chinese folktales can also be accessed through the library. Together, they live in a small stick hut in a bleak, dry farming village at the intersection of the . He allows Minli to eat with him in his castle, and she tells him her story. Word Count: 2124. Determine the Age of the Dragon (using peach math) Eventually she decides to run off on a quest to change her family's fortune. This book has many pages, yet it is the perfect amount for me. She meets an orphan boy who lives alone with only a water buffalo for company, and she tells him that she needs to see the king. Back in their hut by Fruitless Mountain, Ma tells Ba a story. There were a lot of things down there. Here are some questions to extend students' understanding of the novel. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon By Grace Lin Chapters 1-4 Before you read the chapters: The protagonist in most novels features the main character or "good guy". 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. Work on the first sentence together. Worksheet 2. 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. (Teacher Resource: Plot Outline can serve as suggested answers. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. I think it is good for many different ages, from 7-year-olds to 12-year-olds. [Ripping a page from the Book of Fortune will not change one's fate.] The principal told me that was not a good idea. Think back on some of your favorite characters from past novels you have He says they bring good fortune, so Minli buys one using one of only two copper coins she owns. The next day she finds a stream, but it is salty. Now the woman can see that she had fortune all along, but that she lost it when she lost her daughter. The Old Man of the Moon. 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. Her grief at losing her children made Fruitless Mountain barren of growth. Photo: Alan Bradley, courtesy ofgracelin.com. publication online or last modification online. They will also appear in Google search results. This talking creature helps the heroine and her friend along their way early in the story. A couple years after we sold that curriculum, I borrowed it from our local library and read it again. Not understanding that she was rich in love, the womanwho is clearly Ma herselfonly felt bitter about her poverty. Dragon also reveals that he was born from a painting and came to life when his eyes were painted. 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. This made Jade Dragon regret her selfishness. The blooms of the flowering trees also provide the antidote to the Green Tiger's poison, which saved Dragon. Perfect for Moon Festival celebrations or Mother-Daughter Book Clubs, this kit provides an invite, posters and instructions for the journey-like game. They identify the friends and mentors who helped her, and the character traits that led to her success. If you read Where The Mountain Meets The Moon, you wouldn't be disappointed because it is an incredible book. You may use Worksheet 4: Narrative Rubric provided for both student self-assessment and your own final assessment. She decides to let it go because of how bitter it made Ma. The main character of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is Minli, a young girl who lived in China many years ago. More than half of the characters and scenes do not match the characters in the book. by Grace Lin Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Character List These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. Under house have students brainstorm as many words as they can for house: mansion, shack, apartment, rancher, hut, etc. Seeing her mothers unhappiness, the daughter grew discontented and went away to try to change her familys fortune. It is at this point she asks the Old Man in the Moon Dragons question. How important is magic in the story? She notices that he is wearing a piece of golden dragon jewelry, and she follows him. You can find this storyboard in the following articles and resources: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon characters in a Character Map. After a brief discussion of types of challengesphysical, emotional, economic, etc.students read the entire book, focusing on the main narrative. 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. However, she is still not sure if the film will be made or if it will not be made. She spent all her time wondering why she did not have more money and better food and prettier clothes. Still following the goldfishs instructions, Minli sets out for the City of Bright Moonlight. 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!) Unlisted storyboards can be shared via a link, but otherwise will remain hidden. 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. [4] The protagonist Minli, like one of Joseph Campbells archetypal heroes, leaves her home, sets out on a quest, has to pass through many crucial tests to reach her goal, and returns to her village bringing back the aid that the villagers and her family need. This character was a cruel ruler of the land in which all the main landmarks (save the moon) were located over a century ago. While folktales often include recognizable character types, and certainly we can identify some stock traits here (clever, wise, whiny, kind and poor, greedy, etc.) [8][9]. How Do I Protect My Young Child from Cyberbullying? Tell students about Grace Lin, using information from the Background section. She's dutiful, empathetic, curious, and resourceful. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Keeping a Reading Journal. 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. Another main theme idea of this story is friendship. 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. A variety of online maps of China can be found in. This book, a celebration of the importance of imagination and story, introduces upper elementary students to Chinese culture and tradition. The art is absolutely beautiful. How important are stories in your life? 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? 2023 - Clever Prototypes, LLC - All rights reserved. Write The house was on the hill on the board. 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 grows up on tales of magical people and places from Ba, her father. Curious, she follows it and finds a red dragon crying a river of tears. When the students come to class, give them time to share their sentences from the pre-activity in small groups. The line written there has changed again. Dragon cannot fly. That afternoon, she meets a man who sells goldfish. In returning to Fruitless Mountain, Dragon also meets his mother, Jade Dragon.