Numerous collections of Chinese folktales can also be accessed through the library. This allows him to fly, and he takes Minli back to Fruitless Mountain. ), If you wish, divide students into pairs. publication online or last modification online. 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. What are three things you can do to make your narrative even better? Try to elicit the feelings about the life of Minlis village that these words convey. She can either ask him to fix her familys fortune, or she can ask him to help Dragon fly. When he was a teenager, he learned that he was going to die young. Minli is a strong character and a positive role model. 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. 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. My mom and I first read it as part of my Sonlight curriculum and we loved it. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a fantasy - adventure children's novel inspired by Chinese folklore. Grades 3-6. At the onset of the quest, she meets Dragon. Lead a class discussion about the differences between the sentence on the board and the sentence in the novel. Ma sits down at Bas feet and says that it is not his fault Minli left, but hers. Common Sense Media. 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. 3. 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. Important Quotes. No one else can view anything. These characters are the parents of the heroine. Ask students to choose a page at random and read aloud the most vivid sentence they can find to the class. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a fantasy-adventure children's novel inspired by Chinese folklore. Be sure to include evidence from the text in their answers. There, he meets the first dragon he has ever seen, a female dragon with bright orange skin. Be sure to use evidence from the story to support your ideas. Her mother, Ma, complains that these stories are foolish and harmful. 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. She spent all her time wondering why she did not have more money and better food and prettier clothes. This book, a celebration of the importance of imagination and story, introduces upper elementary students to Chinese culture and tradition. Under house have students brainstorm as many words as they can for house: mansion, shack, apartment, rancher, hut, etc. Stop believing stories and stop wasting your time. (Teacher Resource: Plot Outline can serve as suggested answers. He planned on doing whatever he could to marry his son to a member of the Imperial Family. 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. Jade Dragons four children took pity on the people and transformed their bodies into great rivers to nourish the land. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2.d:Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. If you read Where The Mountain Meets The Moon, you wouldn't be disappointed because it is an incredible book. 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. Minli and her parents live in the shadow of Fruitless Mountain, where they toil endlessly. Consider the traits of that particular character. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. GradeSaver, 25 April 2017 Web. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer.This is a wonderous novel with an epic journey and memorable characters in the tradition of The Wizard of Oz. The boy laughs and refuses to accept it. Have you described the setting, the place where the events of the story occur, in clear and specific language? Give them time to legibly recopy (and edit!) eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. The elder of the family gave up the secret readily. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Ba tells the first such story. by Grace Lin Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Character List These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. When Dragon and Minli reunite, each is surprised to learn that the other has found a borrowed line. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.2:Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text. Minli is a strong and lovable hero that boys will enjoy as much as girls. I think it has a good message for readers and Minli is a good role model. 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. will review the submission and either publish your submission or providefeedback. Tell students that they are going to use their three sentences as a basis for writing a kind of story called a personal narrative. Work on the first sentence together. "[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. Think about how important the telling of stories was to Minli and Ba. What details do you notice that show that this story is not taking place in the United States? Readers of the book get to relive the story of Minli's journey, readers Minlis parents desperately hope she can change the familys fortune. You may value money, friends, family or ideals like honesty, generosity, and faith. I bolted to get the book and started to read. 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 grandfather, A-Gong, gives Dragon medicine that doubles as tea. It was written and illustrated by Grace Lin and published in 2009. She's dutiful, empathetic, curious, and resourceful. Give each student a complete copy of worksheet 1 at the beginning. She decides to let it go because of how bitter it made Ma. Knead the dough a few times so that the vanilla extract can distribute evenly. The Old Man instructs Minli to remove a rock on Dragons head it has been keeping Dragon from flight. thissection. He speaks to a stone statue of a lion, who explains that he is the Guardian of the city. This book is great, I recommend if you want great light reading. When he lands, he says that he feels like he is home. It turns out the goldfish can talk when people want to hear it. Explain your design ideaswhat She walks deep into the forest and travels all through the night, stopping to sleep at first light. Go over the worksheet to be sure that students understand it. She refused to let it rain anymore, thus leaving the people of the earth to suffer and starve. Collect the second worksheets for assessment purposes when they have finished. She realizes that her family cannot afford to feed a pet. 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. 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. After learning about the concept of the frame story, pairs of students take one of the folktales to analyze and then illustrate a key scene from it. All rights reserved. This Study Guide consists of approximately 29pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - Have students complete the worksheet. Dragon realizes that this must be the borrowed line, so he tells them about Minli. As they search, they come upon the goldfish man, who listens to their troubles and tells them his story. [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. This character came to life from the magic ink by which it was painted and flew away. Give students a few minutes to survey the book and look at the pictures. The Jade Dragon reunites with one of her children, Dragon, and transforms Fruitless Mountain to Fruitful Mountain. 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? Write The house was on the hill on the board. Last Updated on May 6, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. 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. After high school, Lin attended the Rhode Island School of Design, where she earned a BFA in illustration. Then ask them to share their best sentence with the class. At that point, the string turns into a bridge Minli uses to walk up to the moon and visit the Old Man. This brings enormous wealth to Minlis village which alters her familys fortune dramatically. Ba explains that the mountain will remain fruitless until Jade Dragon is reunited with one of her children. As the novel ends, the goldfish man glimpses Minli in a courtyard, looking up at the place where the Mountain meets the moon., "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Extended Summary" eNotes Publishing Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. If there are three dates, the first date is the date of the original Map Your Own Connections (with red threads) . I think it is good for many different ages, from 7-year-olds to 12-year-olds. What is the setting of "Games at Twilight" by Anita Desai? 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. He spoke to the Old Man of the Moon, who changed the Book of Fortune to give him ninety-nine years of life instead of nineteen. Written by people who wish to remain anonymous Minli Minli (her name means "quick thinking") is the main character. When her parents find out she is gone, they try to look for her, but are stopped by the goldfish seller, who tells them to trust Minli. 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. The game is an age-appropriate series of puzzles; kids are rewarded at Think About Your Own Answers (with a reading guide) Minli realizes what is truly important in life and is thankful for her family. She accomplishes her tasks, undertaken with the help of a talking dragon, by showing generosity, courage and integrity. 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 All at once, Minli realizes that she can live wither fortune; it is not that bad. Website design by Mira T. Lee of MIRA T. CREATIVE. Make two copies for each pair of students to use in analyzing the embedded stories. With nothing else to occupy them in the evenings, Minlis father spins tales of the Old Man in the Moon and the Jade Dragon. I read it when I was around 7, and I thought it is AWESOME! For years, she and her siblings were the only Asian American children in her school and she was the only one in her class. 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. Read more 2009 Grace Lin (P)2020 Hachette Audio Listening Length 4 hours and 58 minutes Author Students will provide detailed information regarding how the characters interact with the main characters, as well as challenges the characters face. Minli's brave, clever, kind, and earnest character is utterly endearing. These characters are the parents of the heroine. In the book "Games at Twilight", what details do you notice that show this story is not taking place in the United States? The setting is somewhere in China. Where The Mountain Meets The Moon Character Analysis Minli Minli is the protagonist and hero in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. He indulges Minli with numerous Chinese folktales including stories about the Old Man of the Moon and the Never Ending Mountain. A variety of online maps of China can be found in. 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. More books than SparkNotes. You can find this storyboard in the following articles and resources: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon characters in a Character Map. 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. What words bring it to life? Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Put the following sentence on the board: There was a mountain near the village. Then have students turn to the first sentence of. Order our Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Lesson Plans, teaching or studying Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Have students read the second paragraph. It must have at least one character, a setting, and a plot or series of events that occur. Create a character map of the characters in the story. . She notices that he is wearing a piece of golden dragon jewelry, and she follows him. (p19) In the book Where the Mountain meets the Moon, What is contained in the old man in the moon's book of Fortune? Write the word challenge on the board and ask students to define it. This beautiful book is bound to become a classic. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon to ask him how she can change her familys fortune. 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. For number 4, you could even ask students to walk across the classroom to act out the sentence as they rewrote it. The people and the houses look happy and prosperous. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a wonderfully crafted tale with great messages on gratefulness, contentedness, self-sacrifice, faith and love. Personification is a literary device that give human traits to nonhuman objects. Minli's father is a storyteller. Minli befriends a dragon along the way. A stage adaptation based on Lin's book was performed at Wheelock Family Theater in Boston, in April 2014. publication in traditional print. All storyboards are public and can be viewed and copied by anyone. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. (Teachers do not have to assign all the stories.). The side characters are Gold fish man, Old Man of the Moon, and Dafu and Afu. Together, they live in a small stick hut in a bleak, dry farming village at the intersection of the . 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. thissection. 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. Find Symbols in the Story (learn about Chinese symbolism) 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. Plus, there is barely enough rice to feed the people there, causing Minli to develop a wish for good fortune. The line written there has changed again. [11], Renee Greenfield and Jennifer Rabold. 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. Read more than you ever thought you wanted to know about the backstory of the book! 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. It is not as adventurous as I thought it would be. Suggested techniques: If students are interested in folktales in general, the. Give students a clean copy of Worksheet 2 and tell them that their classmates will be reading their work. 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. 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. After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. Have students read with the method and at the pace you find best for your class. In August 2015, Lin revealed that the film rights for the book had been bought. We walked down the hall and into the classroom. Have you added vivid details about how you met the challenge? Jennifer Rothschild from School Library Journal stated in her review: "The author's writing is elegant, and her full-color illustrations are stunning. Minli upsets her parents, who are frightened about what will happen to her. Even though you can determine the scene in your head, Grace Lin adds sharp details making the scene more vivid. They become friends, and Dragon offers to be her steed for the journey, despite the fact that he cannot fly, unlike other dragons. The meaning of that gift can only be revealed by reading the book. Dragon also reveals that he was born from a painting and came to life when his eyes were painted. "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" Grace Lin CHARACTER TRAITS WORKSHEET by Northeast Education $1.50 PDF CHOOSE A CHARACTER1. Here are some questions to extend students' understanding of the novel. The stone lion gives the thread to Dragon. Interwoven with Minlis quest are tales told by her father and by those she meets on the way. Minli watches him go, feeling puzzled that he is so happy. Frightened for her new-found friend, Minli goes for help and finds two twins: A-Fu and Da-Fu. [1][2] The novel received a 2010 Newbery Honor[3] and the 2010 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature. Meanwhile, Minli sleeps for the night in the forest, only to wake up to find a trapped dragon, which she saves. They travel onward, and after an encounter with a vicious tiger, they meet the family that used to be famous for its perfect happiness. Most of the information of the notes is correct. He remembers a story he has recently heard about a family from the area giving a dragons pearl to the king of the City of Bright Moonlightwho responded by bestowing the familys whole town with generous gifts of seeds and equipment for farmers. 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. The author of where the Mountain Meets the moon is Grace Lin. They learn the new concept of a frame story and explore how the embedded stories enrich and amplify and reflect the main story. Using a classroom map, show students the location of China and ask them what they know about it.