Student Assessment Sheet - Wikispaces · Web viewStudent Assessment Sheet 2 Questions to help with Venn diagram 3 Venn diagram 4 Focus on vocabulary: words in context 5 - 6 Reading

Resources

forChinese

Cinderella

Kylie GraingerVUT Student Teacher

2006

Table of ContentsTitle Page Number

Student Assessment Sheet 2Questions to help with Venn diagram

3

Venn diagram 4Focus on vocabulary: words in context

5 - 6

Reading Log 7 – 12The Yen family tree 13 - 14Answers – The Yen family tree 15Questions for Chapters 1 – 4 16 – 21Mind Map – Analysing Characters 22Chapters 5 & 6 – Focus on vocabulary

23 – 25

Reading guide for Chapter 7 26Close study questions – Chapters 7 – 9

27

Creating character through 281

implicationClose study questions – Chapters 13 – 15

35

Adjectives – teachers resource 36Adjectives – Activity 37Verbs – Activity 38Verb / Adverb match up – Activity 39Language Techniques 40Sequencing Strips – True / False 41Sequencing Strips 42Hot Seat Questions 43 – 44Themes – teaching resource 45Themes 46Assessment Task 47Rubrics for Assessment A & B 48 – 49Sample lesson plans 50 - 59

Student Assessment SheetChinese Cinderella

In this unit you will have the opportunity to read the unforgettable life story of a child growing up in China.

Activities in the unit will involve you learning more about: different types of family relationships the nature of autobiographies (fact, opinion, perspective) the use and effects of descriptive and figurative language in story telling

You will have the opportunity to: contribute to group and whole class activities as you explore the story explore the themes, characters and events depicted in the story Chinese Cinderella keep a reading log documenting your thoughts about characters as you met them,

events as they happen in the story and the meaning of new and interesting words

2

The unit aims to develop your skills in: listening to:

o readings from the storyo speeches given by your classmateso ideas and opinions about the book from other members of the class

talking in formal and informal ways reading and responding to a personal, true life story using descriptive and figurative language in your own writing writing personal and reflective diary entries contributing information and ideas in group tasks and class discussion comparing your ideas and opinions with others evaluating your speaking and writing skills and those of others in the class

Assessment for learningThe unit involves an assessment to help you make further progress in English. This is based on knowledge about the characters, themes and events in Chinese Cinderella and writing skills that will be developed in the unit. It will be marked by the teacher according to guidelines that you will receive with the task.

Questions to help with your Venn diagram

Thinking about the traditional story of Cinderella, give a description of what each characters role was within the story:

Family members: _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

What has happened to her mother and father? ___________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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Friends: ________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Magic person: ____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Special clothes: __________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

How her stepmother feels about her: __________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

What happens to her slippers?_______________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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Chinese Cinderella

and Cinderella

Problem

Resolution

Main Characters Main Characters

Setting

Resolution

Setting

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Focus on vocabulary: words in context

When you read a new text, you may find words that you do not understand.It can be very tiring and time-consuming trying to understand the text, especially if you stop to look up all of the new words in the dictionary. Below are some helpful strategies and exercises to help you to deal with new words while reading the novel.

Possible Strategies:1. Ignore the word

This is a good strategy if you can still understand most of the meaning of the sentence.

2. Guess the meaning of the wordThis is a good strategy to use all the time to improve your reading skills and expand your vocabulary.

3. Ask a friend what the word meansThis is a good strategy if you don’t have much time and think your friend will know.

4. Look up the new word in the dictionaryThis is a good strategy for important words that you must know. You can also use the dictionary if you want to check if your guess was correct.

A closer look at strategy 2. Guessing the meaningYou can guess the meanings of words by looking at the following features:

1. The context of the word in the sentence or paragraph that you read or hear it in. The ideas in the paragraph or sentence can give you clues about what the word means. Example sentence:

Cats are fastidious animals that can often be seen cleaning their coats with their tongues.

The word ‘fastidious’ is written in the context of a sentence about cats. The other information that we learn from the sentence is that fastidious cats clean themselves a lot.

2. We can also guess the meaning of words by considering the form of the word.Example sentence:Cats are fastidious animals that can often be seen cleaning their hairy coats with their tongues.

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The word ‘fastidious’ ends in ‘ious’ like the words ‘delicious’ or ‘suspicious’ so it is probably the same kind of word as these words. We know that ‘fastidious’ describes the noun ‘animals’. From this we know that ‘fastidious’ is a describing word or adjective. From the context we know that it describes something that cleans itself a lot.

So what does the word ‘fastidious’ mean?

Dictionary definition: possessing or displaying careful, meticulous attention to detail; difficult to please; exacting

3. Sometimes you can guess a word because you know the meaning of part of the word.

Example sentence:It was an eventful day.

The word eventful contains the root word ‘event’ which is something that happens, such as a party or a meeting. Therefore an eventful day is probably a day when several important or interesting things happen.

A closer look at strategy 4. Looking the words up in the dictionaryGo to the section of your dictionary with words starting with ‘f’. Find ‘fateful’ in the entries.

Fateful: adj. involving momentous consequences or decisively important.

You may notice that there are other similar words in the dictionary such as, ‘fated’ and ‘fate’. These are related words. Sometimes if you cannot find the word you are looking for, you need to look at the meaning of its root word instead. In the case of the word ‘fateful’, the root word is ‘fate’.

Discuss as a class some of the problems associated with using a dictionary and list them below?

Words listed in the dictionary are in alphabetical order, but if a person does not know how to spell a word, how can they look it up?

Time – it takes time to look up a word, especially if you are reading a novel and there are a lot of words that we are not sure of the meaning.

The conveying of the correct pronunciation of a word

Definitions - Words also often have more than one meaning. Run, for example, generally means "to move fast on foot". However, that is not what we mean when we say "the water is running." Run can also mean "to flow (said of liquids)".

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Reading LogAs you read the book:

Keep a record of the main events and characters you meet or learn about in each group of chapters

Record your comments and predictions about the plot, your response to characters’ thoughts and actions

Record new words you have learnt

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Chapters: 1 - 4

Key Events:

Characters: (include thoughts and feelings)

Your comments:

Interesting words and their meanings: (Write down at least 5 and record the page numbers)

As you read the book: Keep a record of the main events and characters you meet or learn about in

each group of chapters Record your comments and predictions about the plot, your response to

characters’ thoughts and actions Record new words you have learnt

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Chapters: 5 - 6

Key Events:


Your comments:





10

Chapters: 7 - 8

Key Events:


Your comments:





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Chapters: 9 - 13

Key Events:


Your comments:





12

Chapters: 14 - 17

Key Events:


Your comments:





13

Chapters: 18 - 22

Key Events:


Your comments:


The Yen family Tree1. After reading the Author’s Note (pages xi-xiii) in the front of the book and Chapter 2, complete the Yen Family Tree. Use their European names if you can find them.

2. What was the Chinese name that Adeline was given at birth?

__________________________________________________________________

3. Where is the surname written in a Chinese name?

__________________________________________________________________

4. What is the oldest daughter called at home?

__________________________________________________________________

5. What was Adeline called at home?

__________________________________________________________________

6. What did her younger brother and sister call her?

__________________________________________________________________

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Ye Ye

Baba Mama

Susan

7. The older generation called Adeline Wu Mei. What does this mean?

__________________________________________________________________

8. What do you think the word ‘di’ means?

__________________________________________________________________

9. What is the Chinese term for ‘mother’?

__________________________________________________________________

10. Using the method of naming a child in a Chinese home, work out what you would be called (hint: what is your order of birth in your family)

_____________________________________________________________________

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Answers…

The Yen family Tree1. After reading the Author’s Note (pages xi-xiii) in the front of the book and Chapter 2, complete the Yen Family Tree. Use their European names if you can find them.

2. What was the Chinese name that Adeline was given at birth? Jun Ling

3. Where is the surname written in a Chinese name? At the beginning

4. What is the oldest daughter called at home? Big Sister

5. What was Adeline called at home? Fifth Younger Sister (Wu Mei)

6. What did her younger brother and sister call her? Fifth Older Sister (Wu Jie)

7. The older generation called Adeline Wu Mei. What does this mean? Fifth Daughter

8. What do you think the word ‘di’ means? Either ‘brother’ or ‘son’

9. What is the Chinese term for ‘mother’? Niang

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Ye Ye

Baba Mama

Nai Nai

Father Niang

Big SisterLydia

Big Brother Gregory

Second Brother Edgar

Third Brother James

Fifth Daughter Adeline

Fourth Brother Franklin

Little SisterSusan

10. Using the method of naming a child in a Chinese home, work out what you would be called (hint: what is your order of birth in your family) – Various answers.

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18

19

20

21

22

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THE READER CAN FIND OUT ABOUT CHARACTERS IN

A TEXT FROM:

Their words:a) in dialogue

b) in reported speech

The way a character interacts with other

characters

What other characters say about them

Adjectives descrbing their appearance

Adverbs and descriptive verbs that tell us how a

character speaks or behaves

Figurative lanugage that describes them. Eg. similes

and metaphors

Their behaviour and actions in the novel,

especially in difficult or dangerous situations

A character's thoughts

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Focus on vocabulary: Words in context

There are nine sentences below from Chapters 5 and 6 of ‘Chinese Cinderella’. Work with a partner to try and guess the meaning of these words in bold. When you have guessed all ten words, sway your answers with another pair of students and check the meaning in the dictionary to see if the guesses were correct.

1. Since Third Brother was still recuperating from the measles, he would join us later with Little Sister, Ye Ye and Aunt Baba (page 25, paragraph 1).

Pair guess:

_______________________________________________________________________

Dictionary meaning:

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

2. I glanced at the large, brutish animal and its sharp teeth and pointed ears (page 26, paragraph 1)

Pair guess:

_______________________________________________________________________

Dictionary meaning:

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

3. “Here we are”, Father said, looking around proudly as we gawked in open-mouthed wonder at the burgundy red velvet curtains and think woolen carpet partially covering a teak parquet floor (page 26, paragraph 3).

Pair guess:

_______________________________________________________________________

Dictionary meaning:

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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4. The kitchen, garage and servants’ quarters are at the back (page 27, paragraph 2).Pair guess:

_______________________________________________________________________

Dictionary meaning:

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

5. Her classes were scheduled to begin one hour later than mine (page 29, paragraph 2).Pair guess:

_______________________________________________________________________

Dictionary meaning:

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

6. The metal gate slowly clanged shut behind me as I watched my classmates disperse, each clutching her mother’s hand and eagerly recounting the adventures of her first day of school (page 30, paragraph 5).

Pair guess:

_______________________________________________________________________

Dictionary meaning:

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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7. Too embarrassed to knock or draw attention to myself, I walked out tentatively into the Shanghai streets (page 31, paragraph 1).

Pair guess:

_______________________________________________________________________

Dictionary meaning:

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

8. I turned and now the pavements seethed with people and noise and commotion.Pair guess:

_______________________________________________________________________

Dictionary meaning:

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

9. There was a young chef wielding his cleaver and deftly chopping a duck into bite-sized pieces on a wooden block (page 32, paragraph 3).

Pair guess:

_______________________________________________________________________

Dictionary meaning:

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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Reading guide for Chapter 7

Re-read Chapter 7, “Family Reunion” then complete this activity with a partner, discussing reasons for each decision you make. Alternatively, complete this activity on your own first and then compare your answers with a partner. You can then change your answers if you want, but you must be able to support each decision with a reason.

True of FalsePlace either a ‘T’ for True or an ‘F’ for False in each box next to each statement based on what Adeline tells us in this chapter.

1. Little Sister was six months old when she arrived with Ye Ye, Aunt Baba and Third Brother in Shanghai on the last Sunday in October.

2. Adeline thought Little Sister’s accent was adorable.

3. Little Sister tipped all the candies in the bowl onto the carpet.

4. Aunt Baba warned Adeline just in time to keep quiet.

5. Little Sister’s older brothers and sisters were not interested in playing with her.

6. Now that Grandmother Nai Nai was dead it was Niange who was in charge.

7. Niang’s pearls were more precious to her than her daughter.

8. During little Sister’s beating the other children tried to pretend they were invisible.

Tick the boxes you think Adeline would agree with.

1. Abusing children either physically or verbally is wrong

2. “Beauty is only skin deep”.

3. “Children should be seen but not heard”.

4. Fathers should not interfere in the discipline of their children.

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Close study questions – Chapters 7 - 9

10. What does the incident with Niang and her baby tell us about her? Why was Adeline the only one who tried to stop Niang? (Chapter 7)

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

11. Was Adeline’s decision not to beg for the tram fare a wise one? Explain her reasons for refusing to comply with Niang’s wishes (Chapter 8).

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

12. How did Niang halt the children’s attempt to write an anonymous letter of complaint about her to their father? (Chapter 9)

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

13. In what way did Niang break up the unity of her step children to gain control of them?(Chapter 9)

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

14. How does Adeline cope with her stepmother’s cruelty? (Chapter 9)

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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_______________________________________________________________________

Creating character through implication

Much of the information the reader gains about Niang’s character and motivation is gained indirectly through her actions and words, rather than from Adeline’s explicit descriptions of her. The only explicit statement that Adeline gives about Niang is very brief and comes at the end of her account. This statement has been included below.

In the following exercise, sentences that have indirect or implied information have been listed. For each example, write down what characteristics of Niang are implied for each extract.

Implied examples Implied characteristicsNiang was dressed in a dark brown Parisian silk dress, with dangling pearl earrings and a string of large pearls around her neck.

Stylish Expensive taste Non – traditional

Surprised and hurt, Niang bent down to pick up her baby, who was wriggling and resisting with all her might. An unnatural hush fell upon the room.

“Keep still!” Niang screamed futilely, again and again, in a piercing voice.

This proved simply to much for Niang. Thoroughly exasperated, she gave a stinging slap across her baby’s face.

Deliberately and viciously, Niang now set about beating her daughter in earnest. Her blows landed indiscriminately on Little Sister’s ears, cheeks, neck and head.Niang glared at me. Her large, prominent eyes appeared to be popping out of their orbits with fury. “How dare you!” she hissed.Fuming with rage, Niang slowly extended her right arm and pointed her index finger at me.“Get out!” she snarled in a cold, distinctive voice. “I shall never forgive you! Never!

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Never! You’d better watch out from now on! You will pay for your arrogance!”

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32

33

34

35

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Close study questions – Chapters 13 - 15

15. Adeline’s actions in relation to Wu Chun-mei’s birthday party were sneaky and disobedient. Who do you blame for her behaviour? Explain. (Chapter 13)

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

16. List the things that Niang and her father accuses Adeline of when her friends come to visit her at home. (Chapter 14)

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

17. What reasons do her parents give Adeline for sending her away to school? (Chapter 14)

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

18. Why was Adeline in danger from them the communists? Explain how she is saved from them. (Chapter 15)

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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_______________________________________________________________________

AdjectivesAsk the students to close their eyes, listen while you read the following passage taken from the novel ‘Chinese Cinderella’ and visualize the scene as it is described. It has had the adjectives (and some adverbs) removed.

Father’s house was situated on Avenue Joffre, deep in the heart of the French Concession. It was a building, just like all the other houses within the same ‘long tang’, a cluster of houses surrounded by a wall. Father’s chauffeur drove us from the station through the lane of our ‘long tang’, turned left into an alley-way, and stopped in front of a gate. Father led us into a garden, with a lawn lined by bushes, a tree with blooms, and a wishing- well next to a dog house. A German shepherd rushed out, jumped excitedly at the sight of Father, but barked at us. I glanced briefly at the animal with its teeth and ears. Father noticed and said to me, ‘His name is Jackie. Don’t be afraid of him. He won’t dare bite you’. (pages 25&26).

Now ask students to describe the houses. What was the ally-way like? What type of gate was it? What was the garden like? Did the German shepherd look friendly?

Now reread the paragraph including the adjectives the author actually used:

Father’s Shanghai house was situated on Avenue Joffre, deep in the heart of the French Concession. It was a big, square, dark grey concrete building, just like all the other sixty-nine houses within the same ‘long tang’, a cluster of houses surrounded by a communal wall. Father’s chauffeur drove us from the station through the main lane of our ‘long tang’, turned left into a narrower alley-way, and stopped in front of a wrought iron gate. Father led us into a charming garden, with a small lawn lined by clipped camellia bushes, a magnolia tree with wonderfully fragrant blooms, and a wishing well next to a wooden dog house. A large, ferocious looking German shepherd rushed out, jumped excitedly at the sight of Father, but barked at us. I glanced briefly at the large, brutish animal with its sharp teeth and pointed ears. Father noticed and said to me, ‘His name is Jackie. Don’t be afraid of him. He won’t dare bite you’.

Ask the students whether the way they imaged the scene has changed.

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What words used in the second reading caused this change? Use the term adjectives in the discussion. Write it on the board. Define adjective through student contribution and/or use of dictionaries.

Class contributions may result in board notes like this:Adjectives are words that tell us more about nouns. They can describe what kind, what colour or how many. If bold adjectives are used your writing will produce vivid pictures in the readers mind.

Adjectives - ActivityUse the adjectives in the box to complete the following paragraph.

wrought iron wonderfully narrower dark greycamellia sharp magnolia sixty-nineShanghai clipped small ferocious lookingwooden big pointed mainconcrete large Communal brutishcharming large square fragrant

Father’s _______________ house was situated on Avenue Joffre, deep in the heart of the

French Concession. It was a __________, ___________, _____________,

_____________, building, just like all the other _______________ houses within the same ‘long tang’, a cluster

of houses surrounded by a ______________ wall. Father’s chauffeur drove us from the

station through the ___________ lane of our ‘long tang’, turned left into a

_____________ alleyway, and stopped in front of a ______________ gate. Father led us

into a _____________ garden, with a ___________ lawn lined by ___________,

_____________ bushes, a ________ tree with ____________ ______________ blooms,

and a wishing well next to a _______ dog house. A ____________ _____________

German Shepard rushed out, jumped excitedly at the sight of Father, but barked at us. I

glanced briefly at the ____________, _____________ animal with its ______________

teeth and ______________ ears. Father noticed and said to me, ‘His name is Jackie. Don’t be afraid of him. He won’t dare bite you’.

When you put a number of adjectives together there is an order in which they go:1) number 2) size 3) shape 4) colour 5) what it is made of

Example: One, big, square, dark grey concrete building.

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Write your own group of adjectives to describe a house.

_________________________________________________________________house.

Size – Example, large, brutish animal.Write your own group of adjectives to describe an animal. This is caused an adjectival phrase.

_________________________________________________________________animal.

Verbs - Activity

Verbs are action words. They are the engines of your sentences. Sentences without verbs sound incomplete.

Read the following example aloud from Chinese Cinderella (pages 20 – 21) and answer the questions underneath.

Examples: fifty of them in one sitting headache from all this commotion pan of hot water the filmy silk bindings she then went to take her bath

Questions:1. Do they sound complete?2. Circle or highlight the verbs - To find a verb in a sentence, ask yourself: Which is

the action word?3. If there are no verbs you can add verbs to make them sentences?

The verb ‘to be’Some verbs do not appear to perform an action at all.

It is getting late She was already too fat

Am, is, are, was, were will be, shall be, have and had are all verbs. They are all forms of the verb ‘to be’.

Write a sentence using each form of the verb ‘to be’. You can use the novel to help you find examples (only one verb per sentence).

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amisare waswerewill beshall behave had

Verb / Adverb match up - Activity

Match the adverbs in the box below to the appropriate verbs.

Adverbs:gently gruffly angrily wildly

broadly solemnly hesitantly immediatelypurposefully excitedly

Verb Adverbjabbedsmiledleavejumpednoddedmumbledstridestoodrubbeat

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Look at page 91 and find two more verb/ adverb pairs of your own and add them to the above table.

Write a sentence of your own using ONE of the verb/adverb pairs in the table. Note: Do not copy the sentence from the book.

Language Techniques

Adeline Yen Mah shapes our understanding of the world in which she grew up through her choice of language features, which help keep us interested in her story. As we have already seen, for example, her use of adjectives helps us to visualise the scenes and understand the characters she describes.

Other language features, which Adeline Yen Mah uses, include: first person narrative rhetorical questions direct speech similes

Each language feature has an effect on us. For example, use of first person narrative and rhetorical questions help the reader feel involved in the story as we feel that Adeline is talking directly to us, like she would be a special friend. Similes help create a visual image in our minds about what is being described and direct speech or dialogue gives us the exact information about conversations between the characters and helps us imagine them talking to each other.

First person narrativeIn first person narrative the story is told from the point of view or perspective of the main character. It is identified by the use of personal pronouns such as ‘I’, ‘my’ and ‘we’, e.g.:

‘As soon as I got home from school, Aunt Baba noticed he silver medal dangling from the left breast pocket of my uniform’. (page 1)

‘We had nothing to wear except our school uniforms’. (page 41)

First person narrative helps the reader feel as if they are being told the story directly from the lips of the author. In Chinese Cinderella it makes us fell as if Adeline is telling the story just to us. Find two other examples from the novel that show the story has been written from Adeline’s point of view.

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Example 1:

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Example 2:

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Sequencing Strips – True / False

SequencingYou will be given an envelope with 12 strips of paper. Written on each strip is one event that took place in Chinese Cinderella. Your job is to discuss the events with your partner, referring to the novel to help you, tan then place the events in the order they occur in the novel. Once you have sequenced your strips, check your order with another pair, and then copy the sentences into your English workbooks. Place all the strips back into the envelope and return them.

True / FalseIn pairs, read each of the statements below. Decide if each statement is true or false and support your answer (give a reason) with reference to a specific event or scene in the novel. Write your answer in the space provided: T for True, if you think the statement is true and F for False, if you think the statement is false.

Jun-ling is the name Adeline is known by outside her family – p. 76

The name of Adeline’s pet duckling is Jackie – p. 84

Ye Ye was a follower of the Hindu religion - see photo section

Grandmother Nai Nai had her feet bound according to an ancient custom – p. 7

Third brother (James) was Adeline’s favourite brother

Writing stories helped Adeline to forget she was unwanted and loney – p. 61

Informing the reader about China’s history and culture was one reason Adeline Yen Mah wrote her story – Author’s notes, p. xi

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Adeline’s classmates gave her the nickname ‘Genius’ – p. 188

The Communists lost eh Civil War in China – p. 232

Niang was half Chinese and half Italian – p. 4

Adeline kept her family’s treatment of her a secret from her school friends – p. 63

Adeline always wore the latest, fashionable clothes – p. 62-63, 188, 194

Aunt Baba loved Adeline very much and always believed in her and made her feel special – p. 60, 223

Adeline dedicated the play she wrote for the International competition to Ye Ye, because he believed in her – p. 208, 210

Father agreed to let Adeline study literature at university in England – p. 221

Sequencing Strips

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Adeline wins a medal for topping her kindergarten class.

Grandmother Nai Nai tells Adeline about the horrible custom of foot binding in China.

Adeline gets lost trying to find her way home after her first day at school.

Adeline, Big Sister, Big Brother and Second Brother join Father, Niang and Fourth Brother in Shanghai

PLT, Adeline’s best friend in the world dies.

Adeline’s happy day visiting her friend Wu Chun Mei ends in tragedy when she is caught by Niang and whipped by Father.

Adeline’s friends surprise her with a victory party in her house after she is elected President of the sixth grade and head girl of Sheng Xin Primary School.

One by one Adeline’s classmates flee the advancing Communists in Tianjin, where she is sent to boarding school as punishment.

Adeline becomes friends with her cousins Victor and Claudine on the boat journey to Hong Kong after she is rescued from Tianjin by her Aunt Raine who treats her just like she treats

her own children. Ye Ye teaches Adeline about the wisdom of magic of the Chinese characters.Eleanor Lui gives Adeline her Sunday morning egg, a boarding school tradition showing

someone at home loved you because Adeline had never received on herself.Adeline wins the 1951/1952 International Play Writing Competition.

Hot Seat QuestionsFor this activity one chair will be placed at the front of the classroom, facing the rest of the class. This chair is called the “Hot Seat”.

You will each take a turn in the “Hot Seat” representing a character from Chinese Cinderella. Your classmates will ask you questions to find out more about your character’s life. Questions might include:

Where do you live? What do you enjoy doing? How do you feel when….? What do you think of ….? (another character from the novel)

You may need to invent or make up some of the information in order to answer the questions but you cannot say anything that is inconsistent with the story or what has been learned from other “hot seaters”.

In preparations for this activity choose 5 characters from the novel. Prepare 3 questions to ask each character. Try to vary your questions for each character, consisting what you have learned about them from the novel.

Character ________________________________________

Question 1: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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Question 2: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Question 3: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Character ________________________________________

Question 1: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________Question 2: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________Question 3: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Character ________________________________________Question 1: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Question 2: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Question 3: ________________________________________________________________________

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Question 2: ________________________________________________________________________

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Question 3: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________


________________________________________________________________________

Question 2: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Question 3: ________________________________________________________________________

Themes – teaching resource

Family and relationshipsAdeline is not so much disliked by her family as ignored. She is blamed for the death of her mother and therefore her siblings feel their family situation is her fault. Adeline has no close friends or confidents. She has a close relationship with her Aunt Baba, but not with her school friends. Adeline holds herself apart from them in an effort to project the false impression that she has a happy family life. Adeline’s relationship with her father exists only through her school performances or her misbehaviors. At other times, Adeline is barely acknowledged and rarely appreciated.

Abandonment and lonelinessAdeline has a close relationship only with Aunt Baba. Even then their contact is limited when she is abruptly sent to boarding school in Tianjin. Adeline is almost forgotten by her family and left in an increasingly hostile Tianjin. Her circumstances change only when her stop aunt collects her from the convent and takes her to Hong Kong. Adeline often feels left out of things with her siblings and, instead of attaining their approval for school effort, she receives their scorn. Her friendship with her pet duck, PLT, best illustrates Adeline’s feelings of isolation and loneliness - ‘It comforted me to know I was needed’, p. 84.

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The loneliness Adeline felt at home was also felt at school, despite her pursuit of academic glory, as friendships she had at school were still empty of the truth as Adeline confided in no one about her family situation.

Self-esteemThere are many examples of poor self-esteem in the novel. Adeline is made to feel constantly on the outer by her family. She is rarely included in the family circle and when she is included she is overjoyed.

When Adeline is the focus of a cruel joke by her brothers, she is saddened by Third Brother’s involvement.

Adeline’s father only notices her when she has performed well in school. Attention from her father usually raises Adeline’s self-esteem, while the long stretches of time when Adeline is ignored by her father has the opposite effect.

Adeline is constantly insulted by Niang and even told, ‘you are nothing with your father’, p. 130.

ThemesThe themes of the story are: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Events that occur in the plot of a story may indicate its themes. In Chinese Cinderella, the main themes include:

Family and relationships Abandonment and loneliness Self-esteem

Use the story to find events that illustrate the themes and choose a quote to support your choice. You will find that some themes overlap.

Family & relationships Abandonment & loneliness Self-esteemExample: Adeline is unhappy with her family life, but does not tell anyone out of embarrassment. “They didn’t know that, in front of them, I was desperate to keep up the pretence that I

Example:Adeline wonders what her fate will be when she is punished for her friends visiting her. She is constantly afraid of being made an orphan. “What’s going to happen to me? Will I be sold? p. 131.

Example:Adeline is constantly reminded that the treatment of her and her siblings is her fault (despite that not really being true). “If you had not been born, mama

48

came from a normal, loving family’ p. 63.

would still be alive. She died because of you. You are bad luck” p. 3.

Assessment TaskContext: This is a writing assessment task. It has two parts to enable students to demonstrate their understanding of the story, Chinese Cinderella, it’s characters, themes and events and to employ some of the language features used by the composer in their own compositions. Students will demonstrate their knowledge of and skills in the writing of other types of texts explored in the unit.

Description of task:Part A – 20 MarksImagine you are ONE of the characters in Adeline Yen Mah’s Chinese Cinderella. Select THREE events in the novel and write a diary entry for each event from the point of view of your chosen character. Choose your character carefully. You need to:

Collect enough information to write about each event Describe your feelings (as the character you have chosen) and comment on your

relationship with the other characters in the story Include some quotes from the novel

This task may completed in electronic form or be a neat, handwritten copy. You MUST include a hand-written copy of your original draft. This draft will NOT be marked.

Part B – 20 MarksWrite a newspaper report about Adeline’s competition win. This task may completed in electronic form or be a neat, handwritten copy. You MUST include a hand-written copy of your original draft. This draft will NOT be marked.

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Assessment criteria:You will be marked on how well you:Show awareness of:

the purpose of your writing how to communicate effectively with your audience

Write from the point of view of: a character in the novel an imaginary newspaper reporter

Use the structure and language features of a diary entry, such as: appropriate layout first person past tense descriptive language (adjectives and adverbs)

Use the structure and language features of a newspaper report, such as: headline short introductory, body and concluding paragraphs photograph and caption factual writing news report jargon direct and indirect speech

Write with control of expression and check your work for spelling, punctuation and grammar.

50

51

L E S S O N P L A N

Topic/Theme ‘Chinese Cinderella, The Secret Story of un Unwanted Daughter’, written by Adeline Yen Mah.

Year Level VELS

Level5 Lesson: 1

Duration 48 mins No. Of Students

DATE

AIMMATERIALS REQUIRED /

RESOURCES

Have students develop an understanding of what constitutes a fairytale by critically exploring the context and culture influence.

‘Chinese Cinderella, The Secret Story

of an Unwanted Daughter’, written by

Adeline

Yen Mah

Class set of Venn diagrams

ASSESSMENT

Observation of student’s language use, participation in activity, end of lesson contributions.

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Class set of Yen family trees

Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS)

STRAN

D

DOMAI

N

DIMENSIO

N

STANDARD (Learning Objective)

Disciplin

e Based

Learning

English

Reading

Students read, view and discuss imaginative, informative and persuasive texts in a range of media text types. These include contemporary, classical and popular texts, current affairs and news articles.

They use literal, inferential and evaluative comprehension to compare texts relating to similar themes but set in different contexts.

Speaking &

Listening

At Level 5, students express creative and analytical responses to texts, themes and issues. They identify main issues in a topic and provide supporting detail and evidence for opinions.

When listening to others, students ask clarifying questions and build on the ideas of others. They identify key ideas and take notes.

Whole Explain that there are over 1,500 versions of Cinderella throughout the

world. Almost every country in Europe has a version of Cinderella. The oldest know version has been to come from China. For the next couple of weeks we will be looking at a version of the ‘Chinese Cinderella’ fairytale, written by Adeline Yen Mah. We will be comparing the traditional fairytale by looking at the similarities and differences of these versions.

Get students to look at the cover and title of the book and discuss what they think it might be about – write responses on the board in the form of a brainstorm.

Using the title of the book ask students to think about what Adeline Yen Mah’s childhood might have been like?

Brainstorm what characteristics fairytales usually contain, eg. A beginning which starts with ‘Once a upon a time….’, enchantment or magic, some form of royalty, a wicked character, a kind character, some form of goodness reward in the end, ending with ‘They lived happily ever after’.

Small – Activity Students to work individually and complete the Venn diagram (resource

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http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/blueprint/fs1/guidelines/progression_points/about_PP.asp

attached) on the traditional Cinderella fairytale.

In small groups students to share their responses with each other and discuss.

Whole Shared time

o Students to share answers used to complete the Venn diagram.

o Advise students to keep them in a safe place as we will be

revisiting them next week to compare ‘Chinese Cinderella’.

Activity ExtensionIf students finish early have them read the author’s notes at the beginning of the book, pg. xi to xiii. Once read, have them complete the Yen family tree (resource attached).

Notes

L E S S O N P L A N

Topic/Theme ‘Chinese Cinderella, The Secret Story of un Unwanted Daughter’, written by Adeline Yen Mah.

Year Level VELS

Level5 Lesson: 2


DATE


RESOURCES

To develop students analytical and reflection strategies.

To develop comprehension techniques

‘Chinese Cinderella, The Secret Story of

an Unwanted Daughter’, written by

Adeline Yen Mah

Class set of reading logs

Class set of The Yen Family Tree &

ASSESSMENT

Observation of student’s language use, reading logs, Yen Family Tree and end of

54

lesson contributions. Answers

Class set of ‘Vocabulary: words in

context’ worksheets


STRAN

D

DOMAI

N

DIMENSIO

N


Disciplin

e Based

Learning

English

Reading


They identify the ideas, themes and issues explored in these texts, and provide supporting evidence to justify their interpretations.

They produce personal responses, for example, interpretive pieces and character profiles.

They use comprehension strategies including comparing and evaluating the main and subordinate ideas and specialised vocabulary knowledge, evaluative questioning and creative visualisation.

Writing

They write arguments that state and justify a personal viewpoint; reports incorporating challenging themes and issues; personal reflections on, or evaluations of, texts presenting challenging themes and issues.

Speaking &

Listening



They compare ideas, provide opinions and develop conclusions on the themes and issues through discussions with peers.

Whole Hand out sheet on ‘Vocabulary: words in context’ (resource

attached). Read through and discuss with students.

Ask students to keep a reading log (resource attached) in which they briefly record key information. Reading logs include sections for the students to write about: key events, characters involved and their thoughts and feelings, students’ comments and any interesting words they come across and what they think their meanings might be. Advise the students that the reading logs will be assessed.

55


Have a student read the preface and authors notes aloud and explain any words that the students may not be familiar with, eg. permeate and fervent.

Small – Activity Have students complete the Yen Family Tree (resource attached) if not

started or completed in previously lesson.

Students to work individually, reading the authors notes and Chapters 1 – 4 while starting to fill in their reading logs.

Whole Shared time

o Students to share their thoughts in regards to the Chapters read

today.

Homework – Students to write in their diaries Students to complete the Yen Family Tree if ran out of time earlier in

the lesson.

Students to have read up to Chapter 7 and completed their reading logs

up to Chapter 4 by next lesson.

L E S S O N P L A N

Topic/Theme ‘Chinese Cinderella, The Secret Story of Unwanted Daughter’, written by Adeline Yen Mah.

Year LevelVELS

Level5 Lesson: 3


DATE


RESOURCES



56

To develop comprehension techniques an Unwanted Daughter’, written by

Adeline Yen Mah

Butchers Paper or Handouts – 1 question

per page (resource attached)

Pens

ASSESSMENT

Observation of student’s language use, reading logs, and contributions to activity.


STRAN

D

DOMAI

N

DIMENSIO

N


Disciplin

e Based

Learning

English

Reading

Students read, view, discuss and analyse imaginative, informative and persuasive texts in a range of media text types. These include contemporary, classical and popular texts, features and editorials.


They use comprehension strategies including identification of key questions answered in texts, main and subordinate ideas, and integration of these into a summary.

Writing

Students write, in both print and electronic form, expressively about thoughts, feelings, opinions and ideas to explore different perspectives about current issues.

Their writing displays character development, a consistency of viewpoint, development of a resolution and attempts at cohesion.

Speaking &

Listening




Whole Check to see if students completed homework and complete assessment

checklist. Venn Diagram Yen Family Tree Reading of Chapters 1 – 5

Reiterate reading logs with students, have students complete Chapters 1 57


– 4. If students completed them at home have them read more of the book while other students complete their reading logs.

Small – Activity Group students into 4 groups and write the following questions on the

board (students to use butcher paper) or print resource (attached). The first and third group answer question 1–5. The second and fourth group answer question 6–10.1. Describe the relationships between Aunt Baba and the narrator of

the story, Adeline (Chapter 1).2. What do you learn about Adeline’s real mother, her connection with

Aunt Baba and her early death? (Chapter 1)3. Summarise your first impressions of Niang (Chapter 2)4. Do you thing that Tianjin was a pleasant place in which to live in

Adeline’s early years? Explain your answer. (Chapter 2)5. What was Nai Nai’s opinion of the custom of foot binding?

(Chapter 3)6. How did Adeline’s third and second brothers differ in their attitudes

towards her? Chapter 3)7. Describe the rivalry that existed between the various groups of

Father’s children (Chapter 3).8. Why was school a positive place for Adeline? (Chapter 4)9. What explanation can you provide for Father’s sudden

disappearance? (Chapter 4)10. Write down the simile that Aunt Baba used to express how Nai

Nai’s life ended (page 21, Chapter 4). Explain what it means. Describe its effect on the reader.

Whole Shared time

Students to present in groups responses to questions above.

L E S S O N P L A N


Year LevelVELS

Level5 Lesson: 4


DATE


RESOURCES



58

To develop comprehension techniques an Unwanted Daughter’, written by

Adeline Yen Mah

Focus on vocabulary: Words in context

ASSESSMENT



STRAN

D

DOMAI

N

DIMENSIO

N


Disciplin

e Based

Learning

English

Reading




Writing

Students write, in both print and electronic form, expressively about thoughts, feelings, opinions and ideas to explore different perspectives about current issues.

They write arguments that state and justify a personal viewpoint; reports incorporating challenging themes and issues; personal reflections on, or evaluations of, texts presenting challenging themes and issues.

Speaking &

Listening




Whole Briefly discuss characters and their attributes in the book.

Nai Nai (Nana) & Ye Ye (Grandpa) – kind, loving characterAunt Baba – kind Aunt who looks after her and cares about all her achievements by placing them in her safety deposit box.Father – too occupied with his work, second wife and children to worry about his other five children.

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Niang – wicked step mum who only cares about herself and children. Brothers & Sisters – blame her Adeline for her mother dying and bully her.

Write the following questions on the board and discuss.

11. What does Niang’s description of the living quarters in the Shanghai house tell you about her attitude towards her step children? (Chapter 5)

12. What is revealed about Adeline’s memory and her father’s attitude to his parental responsibilities in Chapter 6?

Small – Activity Students to complete ‘Focus on vocabulary: Words in context’

worksheet (resource attached) in regards to Chapter 5 and 6 of the book.

Whole Shared time

o Students to share answers from the focus on vocabulary: words

in context worksheet.

Homework Students to add any extra information to their reading logs that they

might have not previously thought about before completing the above

questions.

L E S S O N P L A N


Year LevelVELS

Level5 Lesson: 5


DATE


RESOURCES

To develop students analytical and

60

reflection strategies. To develop comprehension techniques


an Unwanted Daughter’, written by

Adeline Yen MahASSESSMENT



STRAN

D

DOMAI

N

DIMENSIO

N


Disciplin

e Based

Learning

English

Reading




Speaking &

Listening




Whole Advise students that their reading logs must be completed and

handed in from Chapters 1 - 6 by next class.

Small – Activity Advise students that they can either silent read (Chapter 6 – 8 and

beyond) or read aloud in a group.

Whole Remind students of homework in regards to reading logs.

Homework Reading logs – Chapter 1 – 6 completed.

61


Notes

62

Documents

Student Assessment Sheet - Wikispaces · Web viewStudent Assessment Sheet 2 Questions to help with Venn diagram 3 Venn diagram 4 Focus on vocabulary: words in context 5 - 6 Reading