Lin has fleshed out this . Another main theme idea of this story is friendship. It is not as adventurous as I thought it would be. The author of where the Mountain Meets the moon is Grace Lin. Minli's mother is very dissatisfied with the family's situation. Still following the goldfishs instructions, Minli sets out for the City of Bright Moonlight. The Old Man explains that, once every ninety-nine years, someone comes to ask him a question. 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. [11], Renee Greenfield and Jennifer Rabold. 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. Use your hands and roll the dough into small balls (about 1 tsp. Let students investigate online resources for folktales from China. 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". Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Wikipedia The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. Teachers can view all of their students storyboards, but students can only view their own. Give students a clean copy of Worksheet 2 and tell them that their classmates will be reading their work. All rights reserved. Consider the traits of that particular character. Mountain Meets the Moon . This character was a cruel ruler of the land in which all the main landmarks (save the moon) were located over a century ago. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin | Goodreads When Dragon and Minli reunite, each is surprised to learn that the other has found a borrowed line. While Lin tells the tale of the courageous Minli, she also imbeds other story vignettes that weave together and connect in complicated ways. well as challenges the characters face. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. There are numerous other minor characters in the book: You can help us out by revising, improving and updating 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. Finally, see if students can come up with a vivid verb to replace was: sat, clung, perched, etc. The performance starred Caroline Workman as Minli, Michael Tow as Storyteller/ Minli's Ba, and was directed by Jane Staab. Give them copies of Worksheet 1 or assign questions from the worksheet as the class progresses. 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. Why or why not? 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. 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. 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. The two unlikely allies travel together in search of the Old Man, coming upon many different places along the way. My teacher said she was really surprised and she told me how she felt about my pet. Minli befriends a dragon along the way. 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* When they have finished, have them compare the results with a partner to see what different effects they get when they use vivid language. *, Can u describe the character 'talking goldfish'. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a wonderfully crafted tale with great messages on gratefulness, contentedness, self-sacrifice, faith and love. All storyboards are public and can be viewed and copied by anyone. Summary. You may value money, friends, family or ideals like honesty, generosity, and faith. 2020 GRACE LIn, all rights reserved. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon | NEH-Edsitement When the students come to class, give them time to share their sentences from the pre-activity in small groups. 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. Here are some questions to extend students' understanding of the novel. I cannot say enough good things about this book. 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. Not understanding that she was rich in love, the womanwho is clearly Ma herselfonly felt bitter about her poverty. The line written there has changed again. Jennifer Rothschild, Prince Georges County Memorial Library System, Oxon Hill, MD, Kirkus Reviews*Starred Review*To change her familys fortunes, a poor Chinese girl embarks on a fantastical quest to discover she already has everything she needs to be happy. Minli remains silent, absorbing this new information. 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. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Characters - www.BookRags.com A variety of online maps of China can be found in. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. So Mini decides to leave and set off to find the Old Man of the Mountain. Still, real life faces everyone with difficult challenges that require courage and ingenuity. This book has many pages, yet it is the perfect amount for me. When Minlis parents discover that she is missing, they run after her. Most of the sections of the character map were at least attempted and work is presentable. I was glad to see a few things from when I was younger and I started to play with them. PDF Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Wheelock Family Theatre This book is great, I recommend if you want great light reading. Every day, the family works in the mud growing rice. The characters and scenes are both appropriate for the book's characters. The kite magically transforms itself into a rope bridge, but it is too thin to carry Dragon. 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. date the date you are citing the material. As an optional activity, they may make a bulletin board or wall display that shows the embedded stories within the frame of the main narrative. In the final activity and summative assessment, students plan and then write a personal narrative about a challenge they have overcome, using vivid descriptions of persons and places. She decides to let it go because of how bitter it made Ma. Even so, Minli is a happy and vibrant child who eagerly listens as her father, whom she calls Ba, tells stories every night. After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. Neither is sure which line is the one they need, so they decide this is another question for the Old Man of the Moon. 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. 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. 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". There were a lot of things down there. For example: Teachers may opt for their own method of discussion. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - amazon.com Making Fruitless Mountain bloom! I really think you should read it! Ma and Ba camp in the forest, and Ba tells the story of a greedy magistrate who tried to steal the secret of happiness from a poor but otherwise perfect family. "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" Grace Lin CHARACTER TRAITS WORKSHEET by Northeast Education $1.50 PDF CHOOSE A CHARACTER1. The stone lion gives the thread to Dragon. She realizes that her family cannot afford to feed a pet. 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. *(This Will Start a 2-Week Free Trial - No Credit Card Needed), This Activity is Part of Many Teacher Guides. 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 a brief discussion of types of challengesphysical, emotional, economic, etc.students read the entire book, focusing on the main narrative. 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. 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. I think this story was okay but it was lacking adventure and it was hard to follow along. After high school, Lin attended the Rhode Island School of Design, where she earned a BFA in illustration. 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. Distribute copies of Worksheet 2. What is the setting of "Games at Twilight"? 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. 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. He takes Minli there, and she tries to give him the one copper coin she has left. It turns out he is not a beggar at all, but the king in disguise. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a Chinese fairy tale about an adventurous girl who searches for the Old Man of the Moon in hopes of changing the fortune of her poor family. The art is absolutely beautiful. When her parents find out, Ma is angry. See Preparation and Resources.)]. All storyboards are private and secure to the portal using enterprise-class file security hosted by Microsoft Azure. She does so, and immediately Dragon can fly. It will take more than a goldfish to bring fortune to our house, she says. The boy finds out that the king is supposed to appear in the Market of Green Abundance. While her mother worries and complains about their lot, her father brightens their evenings with storytelling. 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. It says the word thankfulness over and overand nothing else. Personification is a literary device that give human traits to nonhuman objects. Give students a few minutes to survey the book and look at the pictures. Written by people who wish to remainanonymous. Then do the same for high ground: mountain, hill, crag, and slope. Read more 2009 Grace Lin (P)2020 Hachette Audio Listening Length 4 hours and 58 minutes Author How important are stories in your life? Use vivid language to construct their own personal narrative. Do you like books with magical elements? My mom and I first read it as part of my Sonlight curriculum and we loved it. A couple years after we sold that curriculum, I borrowed it from our local library and read it again. Children will embrace this accessible, timeless story about the evil of greed and the joy of gratitude. Minli is a strong-willed, young Chinese girl who lives in the Village of Fruitless Mountain. This is a good book but it is kinda slow. However, he informs her that she can ask only one question. "[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. Show students a collage picture frame with multiple photos or draw one on the board. Essay Topics. En route she befriends a dragon who joins her quest. 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. Minli is restless and never content with her lot in life. In the book Where the Mountain meets the Moon, How did Magistrate Tiger plan on making his wish come true. Use evidence from the text to argue who is the most generous character in the book. publication in traditional print. Have students read the second paragraph. This talking creature helps the heroine and her friend along their way early in the story. They travel all through the night, searching. 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. What is a true friend? 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. You can help us out by revising, improving and updating 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. partygraces - Where the Mountain Meets the Moon She describes a poor woman who was blessed with loving husband and a beautiful, happy daughter. Students plan and then write a personal narrative about a challenge they have overcome using vivid descriptions of persons and places. Mix well, a soft dough should form. 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. Which characters in the book prove to be true friends? A stage adaptation based on Lin's book was performed at Wheelock Family Theater in Boston, in April 2014. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Summary | GradeSaver Ask students to write one final paragraph in which they compare themselves with Minli. Where The Mountain Meets The Moon Character Analysis Minli Minli is the protagonist and hero in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. [10], According to Journal of Education, Grace Lin is the "best-selling author of The Year of the Dog and The Year of the Rat". Lins own full-color drawings open each chapter. You may use Worksheet 4: Narrative Rubric provided for both student self-assessment and your own final assessment. Suddenly understanding what she needs to do, Minli asks the Old Man why Dragon cannot fly. This is quite a minor character. 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. 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 These characters are the parents of the heroine. For years, she and her siblings were the only Asian American children in her school and she was the only one in her class. She says they make Minli dream instead of focusing on the reality of the familys poor fortune. Meanwhile, Minli sleeps for the night in the forest, only to wake up to find a trapped dragon, which she saves. An editor When this story is finished, Minli asks to hear another, but Ba refuses, not wanting to displease Ma. They identify the friends and mentors who helped her, and the character traits that led to her success. 3. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). In the book "Games at Twilight", what details do you notice that show this story is not taking place in the United States? (p19) In the book Where the Mountain meets the Moon, What is contained in the old man in the moon's book of Fortune? She does not like for Ba to tell the stories to Minli because she thinks he is filling her head with ideas. That afternoon, she meets a man who sells goldfish. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. I brought my pet into school. Minli realizes she has to go on alone, but before she leaves, she promises to ask Dragons question for him. He wrote a single word on a sheet of paper, but the magistrates soldiers lost it on the way home. If there are three dates, the first date is the date of the original 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. The journal topics generally cover a group of chapters; teachers may assign them all at the beginning or assign individual topics as appropriate. This is the god character who knows the future and permits the heroine to ask him a single question. While Minli has this adventure, Dragon waits outside the city. The main characters are Minli, Ba, Ma and Dragon. In returning to Fruitless Mountain, Dragon also meets his mother, Jade Dragon. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin | Puddle Reader 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. 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. Then photocopy the sheet to have students keep in their binders. Without even asking the Old Man of the Moon, Minli has come to understand why people like the buffalo boy and A-Fu and Da-Fu seemed so happy: they are thankful for what they have rather than bitter about what they do not. Think back on some of your favorite characters from past novels you have If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance Resources for Socratic seminars for elementary school students can be found online. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Common Sense Media Richly hued illustrations reinforce the Chinese folk theme. This talking creature helps the heroine and her friend along their way early in the story. Minli is a strong-willed, young Chinese girl who lives in the Village of Fruitless Mountain. Word Count: 2124. Which gives the reader a better understanding of the village? Common Sense Media. 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. The Old Man of the Moon. Keeping a Reading Journal. This character visits the Village of the Fruitless Mountain early in the book and at the very end. It was written and illustrated by Grace Lin and published in 2009. Remind them that to be a narrative, a story must have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Character map is unfinished and/or disorganized. Choose a character to represent each of the literary characters. Ba explains that the mountain will remain fruitless until Jade Dragon is reunited with one of her children. Illustrate this character3. Under house have students brainstorm as many words as they can for house: mansion, shack, apartment, rancher, hut, etc. Suggested techniques: If students are interested in folktales in general, the. Ma sits down at Bas feet and says that it is not his fault Minli left, but hers. She accomplishes her tasks, undertaken with the help of a talking dragon, by showing generosity, courage and integrity. 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. "Bringing fortune to our house! Minli feels guilty when her father gives up some of his food for her fish. Each version of Storyboard That has a different privacy and security model that is tailored for the expected usage. Activity 2, Key Scenes: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, follow the directions at the beginning of Day 2. Meanwhile, as Dragon waits outside of the city, he receives a string of destiny from one of the Guardians of the City. The Jade Dragon reunites with one of her children, Dragon, and transforms Fruitless Mountain to Fruitful Mountain. When he arrives, he is amazed to be greeted as an old friend. The author can choose to leave the storyboard public or mark it as Unlisted. He is tied up with some ropes, so Minli cuts him free. 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. Less than half of the information of the notes is correct and relevant. They keep journals to record the challenges Minli faced, and how she met the challenges. (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.) Students will provide detailed information regarding how the characters interact with the main characters, as well as challenges the characters face.