They keep journals to record the challenges Minli faced, and how she met the challenges. Two destinies at stake. 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. Characters included in the character map are: (These instructions are completely customizable. No one else can view anything. While Minli has this adventure, Dragon waits outside the city. Encourage students to consider why Grace Lin chose those particular words to describe the mountain. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a fantasy-adventure children's novel inspired by Chinese folklore. publication in traditional print. Mountain Meets the Moon . In the morning, her parents are overjoyed that she is home. Also there are many villages. 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". The second part of the lesson has students return to the book to explore how the folktales enhance Minlis story. Important Quotes. "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Summary". Use your hands and roll the dough into small balls (about 1 tsp. Reunited with her son, Jade Dragon transforms Fruitless Mountain into Fruitful Mountain, allowing it to grow again. Work on the first sentence together. Choose a character to represent each of the literary characters. How Do I Protect My Young Child from Cyberbullying? It is late at night when Minli tiptoes into her familys hut and crawls into bed. The Old Man instructs Minli to remove a rock on Dragons head it has been keeping Dragon from flight. Frame Stories in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Website design by Mira T. Lee of MIRA T. CREATIVE. This outline can serve as a reference for the teacher for the entire lesson.). 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. 3. Explain your design ideaswhat Minli realizes she has to go on alone, but before she leaves, she promises to ask Dragons question for him. Minli is a strong-willed, young Chinese girl who lives in the Village of Fruitless Mountain. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. This is a good book but it is kinda slow. You can help us out by revising, improving and updating Have you added vivid details about how you met the challenge? Outside the city, Dragon also obtains a red string of destiny that is used to tie people destined to meet and marry together, which he believes is the borrowed line. But her ingenuity helps her to survive as she meets and befriends a dragon, sees through the tricks of the King of the City of Bright Moonlight, finds a cure for Dragon's poison, and figures out how to communicate with the Old Man of the Moon. Draw a Dragon (that could come to life) . 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. Minli (her name means "quick thinking") is the main character. Essay Topics. A difficult choice faces the girl. Minli's restlessness is her central conflicted character trait. 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. Write The house was on the hill on the board. For years, she and her siblings were the only Asian American children in her school and she was the only one in her class. Finally, see if students can come up with a vivid verb to replace was: sat, clung, perched, etc. Written by people who wish to remainanonymous. The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. An editor 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. size). He says they bring good fortune, so Minli buys one using one of only two copper coins she owns. En route she befriends a dragon who joins her quest. Be sure to use evidence from the story to support your ideas. 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. eNotes.com, Inc. Sift (A) into a mixing bowl. They travel onward, and after an encounter with a vicious tiger, they meet the family that used to be famous for its perfect happiness. My teacher said she was really surprised and she told me how she felt about my pet. Many of the notes have correct information, but some are incorrect or missing. well as challenges the characters face. The blooms of the flowering trees also provide the antidote to the Green Tiger's poison, which saved Dragon. He indulges Minli with numerous Chinese folktales including stories about the Old Man of the Moon and the Never Ending Mountain. This is quite a minor character. Also, she is full of bitterness and resentment due to their poverty. Each figure tied to the next with the fine red thread of fate. Andrew Medlar, School Library Journal*Starred Review* Gr 3-6 Living in the shadow of the Fruitless Mountain, Minli and her parents spend their days working in the rice fields, barely growing enough to feed themselves. In the morning, she sneaks out of the house and releases the fish into the river. Have students read with the method and at the pace you find best for your class. She says she is sorry. [11], Renee Greenfield and Jennifer Rabold. They stop at the City of the Bright Moonlight to meet the King. Most of the sections of the character map were at least attempted and work is presentable. What words bring it to life? Wishes to find Old Man of the Moon in order to change her family's fortune.Has to choose which question to ask Old Man in 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. Minli's brave, clever, kind, and earnest character is utterly endearing. However, what she especially enjoys are her father Ba's stories, which are often told at the dinner table. WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON is a fantasy-fiction story where Chinese Folklore is engraved throughout the story. Then ask them to share their best sentence with the class. Then the twins, and their grandfather A-Gong, nurse Dragon and lead the travelers to Never-Ending Mountain. 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. When students have finished reading the book, hold a Socratic seminar or other type of discussion. She looks up to her father, the optimist, and clashes with her mother, the cynic. Activity 2, Key Scenes: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, follow the directions at the beginning of Day 2. When he arrives, he is amazed to be greeted as an old friend. Then do the same for high ground: mountain, hill, crag, and slope. 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? Ask students: Suppose Grace Lin had just written Their village was dirty and their work was hard. How is this paragraph different? 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. 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. 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. The principal told me that was not a good idea. "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" Grace Lin CHARACTER TRAITS WORKSHEET by Northeast Education $1.50 PDF CHOOSE A CHARACTER1. Perfect for Moon Festival celebrations or Mother-Daughter Book Clubs, this kit provides an invite, posters and instructions for the journey-like game. Frightened for her new-found friend, Minli goes for help and finds two twins: A-Fu and Da-Fu. Even though you can determine the scene in your head, Grace Lin adds sharp details making the scene more vivid. 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* 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. Still, real life faces everyone with difficult challenges that require courage and ingenuity. Have you explained how you felt when you had met the challenge? 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. As you read, take notes on the characters by answering the questions. I was glad to see a few things from when I was younger and I started to play with them. The next day, the family works hard in the rice paddies as always. Find Symbols in the Story (learn about Chinese symbolism) She realizes that she cannot ask Dragons questionunless she chooses not to ask her own. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. Put the character's name in the title boxes and choose a character and scene to represent each one. The author of where the Mountain Meets the moon is Grace Lin. Minli realizes what is truly important in life and is thankful for her family. Ba smiles and says that Minlis return is the best fortune of all. They will also appear in Google search results. I absolutely loved this book, beautifully written. Through their cunning, they trick Green Tiger into falling down a well. Using a classroom map, show students the location of China and ask them what they know about it. Unable to believe her luck, Minli accepts the paper from him. Eventually she decides to run off on a quest to change her family's fortune. What words do you think make the description colorful? 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. Students will provide 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. Collect the second worksheets for assessment purposes when they have finished. When they have finished, have them compare the results with a partner to see what different effects they get when they use vivid language. Day 2. This first activity introduces the book and requires students to read it and keep a journal. This strikes Minli because The Old Man is what she thought, only a character from her father's stories. The effort is enormous, and they grow barely enough to feed themselves. It turns out he is not a beggar at all, but the king in disguise. Consider the traits of that particular character. Together, the two fly back to Minlis village, so she can return to her parents. (p19) In the book Where the Mountain meets the Moon, What is contained in the old man in the moon's book of Fortune? Minli and her parents live in the shadow of Fruitless Mountain, where they toil endlessly. 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. Tell students about Grace Lin, using information from the Background section. A couple years after we sold that curriculum, I borrowed it from our local library and read it again. 2020 GRACE LIn, all rights reserved. JOIN GRACES MAILING LISTYoull receive her Author Newsletter in your email inbox! The game is an age-appropriate series of puzzles; kids are rewarded at Personification is a literary device that give human traits to nonhuman objects. Think about how important the telling of stories was to Minli and Ba. Youre always wishing to do impossible things! 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. Choose a scene or background that makes sense for the character. Meanwhile, as Dragon waits outside of the city, he receives a string of destiny from one of the Guardians of the City. Now the woman can see that she had fortune all along, but that she lost it when she lost her daughter. Plus, there is barely enough rice to feed the people there, causing Minli to develop a wish for good fortune. The Question and Answer section for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a great Remind them that to be a narrative, a story must have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Where The Mountain Meets The Moon Character Analysis Minli Minli is the protagonist and hero in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. The journal topics generally cover a group of chapters; teachers may assign them all at the beginning or assign individual topics as appropriate. 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. At that point, the string turns into a bridge Minli uses to walk up to the moon and visit the Old Man. Symbols & Motifs. Ma and Ba. Go over the worksheet to be sure that students understand it. ", Grace Lin, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. The stone lion gives the thread to Dragon. Both Minli and Dragon have unique character traits and well-thought character development. Get Where the Mountain Meets the Moon from Amazon.com. Minli is a young ten-year-old girl with a fast and eager spirit, and is constantly ready for adventure. 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. Minli is a strong and lovable hero that boys will enjoy as much as girls. Select colors and a pose appropriate to story and character traits. After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. Every night, Minlis father tells her stories about the Jade Dragon that keeps the mountain bare, the greedy and mean Magistrate Tiger, and the Old Man of the Moon who holds everyones destiny. It was even better than I remembered! In this activity, students return to the novel to analyze the folktale embedded within it. In moments, he disappeared from view into the shadow of Fruitless Mountain, and if it wasn't for the goldfish Minli had in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon study guide contains a biography of Grace Lin, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Minli is a young girl, the only daughter of her mother, Ma, and father, Ba. They learn the new concept of a frame story and explore how the embedded stories enrich and amplify and reflect the main story. (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. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. See Preparation and Resources.)]. Ask them what qualities she showed as she overcame these challenges (for example: courage, cleverness, persistence). Under house have students brainstorm as many words as they can for house: mansion, shack, apartment, rancher, hut, etc. Identify (4) Traits for this character and supply evidence2. Why or why not? 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. Minli is restless and never content with her lot in life. After each assignment, review the journal questions in a class discussion or individual reading group discussions. I brought my pet into school. *, Can u describe the character 'talking goldfish'. Where The Mountain Meets The Moon Chapters 1-4 Summary & Analysis. 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. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2.d:Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. 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 . What is a true friend? The page had been treasured by the kings of the city for generations. Part 2. All at once, Minli realizes that she can live wither fortune; it is not that bad. An editor I LOVED it! Curious, she follows it and finds a red dragon crying a river of tears. It is not as adventurous as I thought it would be. You may wish to use these tales for additional literature or composition study. When he was a teenager, he learned that he was going to die young. At the end of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and in her essays, Lin shares photos and drawings and discusses how she came to use and adapt elements of Chinese culture in her stories. All storyboards and images are private and secure. Those eye-opening visits made the folk tales and fairy tales her mother had shared with her as a child seem more alive. 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. eNotes Editorial. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Summary. What an engaging book! Minli feels guilty when her father gives up some of his food for her fish. Ask students to think of and share other types of challenges they have seen or experienced. It is at this point she asks the Old Man in the Moon Dragons question. Explain what you mean by each value and show how it is illustrated in one of the embedded folk tales. I enjoyed every moment if this book and could not put it down!! 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. 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. He speaks to a stone statue of a lion, who explains that he is the Guardian of the city. Design a costume for the character. Be sure to include evidence from the text in their answers. They rush to make her breakfast, and then Ba sees the bump from Dragons head, which Minli has brought home with her. The boy finds out that the king is supposed to appear in the Market of Green Abundance. The Old Man explains that, once every ninety-nine years, someone comes to ask him a question. They identify the friends and mentors who helped her, and the character traits that led to her success. I bolted to get the book and started to read. This character was a cruel ruler of the land in which all the main landmarks (save the moon) were located over a century ago. Spurrier, Leslie. 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. She can either ask him to fix her familys fortune, or she can ask him to help Dragon fly. Meanwhile, Minli sleeps for the night in the forest, only to wake up to find a trapped dragon, which she saves. A battle between the Green Tiger and Dragon ensues, and Dragon is mortally wounded. 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. Unlisted storyboards can be shared via a link, but otherwise will remain hidden. She does not like for Ba to tell the stories to Minli because she thinks he is filling her head with ideas. will review the submission and either publish your submission or providefeedback. Minli's mother is very dissatisfied with the family's situation. Show students a collage picture frame with multiple photos or draw one on the board. He planned on doing whatever he could to marry his son to a member of the Imperial Family. 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. These characters are the parents of the heroine. The grandfather, A-Gong, gives Dragon medicine that doubles as tea. Do you like books with magical elements? When Minlis parents discover that she is missing, they run after her. 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. Rewrite one of the following passages to make it more vivid, using specific language and concrete details. Most of the information of the notes is correct. Map Your Own Connections (with red threads) Common Sense Media. 2. Give them copies of Worksheet 1 or assign questions from the worksheet as the class progresses. who have not yet read the book get excited and ALL have a great time! Part 1. (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.) Frame Stories in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. A variety of online maps of China can be found in. I think it has a good message for readers and Minli is a good role model. According to the goldfish, the wise man can answer Minli's question on how to bring good fortune to her family and the village.
