Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Create a postcard picture of Ji Li’s classroom. Include as many details as you can from today’s reading to depict the culture, norms, and beliefs that are being taught there. On the back, pretend you are Ji Li and write a statement or two about how you feel about Chairman Mao and his New China.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 1

1. Who is the main character in this memoir?
2. What do you know about her so far?
3. Based on what you have read so far, what can you tell about the society that Ji Li is living in?
4. What if you lived in a society that suggested you believe that “father and mother are dear, but still dearer is our president of the United States?”
5. What do you think the family’s political problem will turn out to be?
6. Do you think the family will be able to keep it a secret or do you think it will be discovered? Why?
7. If the secret was discovered, what do you think will happen to the family?
8. Why was Ji Li asked to go to the gym?
9. Why do you think the principal wants Ji Li to audition for the Central Liberation Army Academy?
10. Why do you think Ji Li is excited about this opportunity?
11. Predict what will happen next.

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Create a new sign for the Great Prosperity Market- one that is revolutionary in its message.

Another possible activity:

KWL Chart:  What You Know, Want to Know, and Learn about Communist China.

Step One: Read the chapter or segment you wish to analyze

Step Two:  Fill out the K [know] column: what do you know?

Step Three: Fill out the W [want] column: what do you want to know?

Step Four: Fill out the L [learned] column: what have you learned?

Variations of the KWL Chart

1. You can do this chart for any topic you are trying to learn about.
2. This can be done on worksheets, or written on a big piece of paper, like chart paper or butcher paper. This can also be written on a white board or black board; the shape of the chart is easy to copy.
3. When you are analyzing a story, you can copy a KWL chart on a piece of paper and quickly take the story apart. This can be a helpful strategy on a test.  This can use the same strategy for a nonfiction topic, a problem or a case study.
4. You can do this individually, in pairs, in a small group, or as part of a large group.
5. Write a paragraph from any of the 3 columns, K, W or L, of the chart.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 2

1. Why has Ji-li withdrawn at school?
2. How has not being allowed to audition for the dance academy changed her outlook on life?
3. How does Ji-li feel about her family?
4. Do you think her feelings will change?
5. Explain how the sign “Great Prosperity Market” could be interpreted as counter-revolutionary and therefore in need of destruction.
6. How is Ji-li feeling on her way home?
7. Do you think this feeling will last? What do you think will change?
8. Why were the The Great Prosperity Market signs destroyed?
9. What is the “Four Olds”?
10. Predict what will happen next.

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Create a four-column list. Title your list “The Four Olds.” Label each column with one of the four olds: Old Ideas, Old Culture, Old Customs, and Old Habits. Place each of the four olds described so far under the correct category. You will continue to add to this list daily.

AND

Create a three-panel cartoon that depicts Ji-li’s three most important experiences during today’s reading that broadened her understanding of the cultural revolution.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 3

1. What does the destruction of the four-old sign at Great Prosperity Market symbolize?
2. Why do you think the changing of the signs concerns Ji-li’s parents and her grandmother?
3. Do you think empowering students to criticize and regulate thought and behavior is productive? Why or why not?
4. Describe what the young inspectors were doing on the streets.
5. Explain why the inspector criticized the young man.
6. What did Ji-li and her sister argue about with two other boys from school?
7. What is capitalist exploitation? Describe 2-3 examples.
8. Why was Ji-li’s family accused of capitalist exploitation?
9. Provide an example of justice or injustice from today’s reading.
10. Predict what will happen next.

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Create an Open Mind Portrait of Ji-li standing in front of the da-zi-bao written about her. Use thought bubbles to show how this has changed her thinking about the four-olds campaign.

AND/OR

Pretend you are writing a biography about Ji-li Jiang. Write down five interview questions you might ask her having to do with today’s reading.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 4

1. In your own words, explain what the newspapers say schools have been doing wrong.
2. What do you think about the things that students wrote about their school and their teachers?
3. Do you think that a teacher failed Yin Lan-lan to prevent her from becoming a young pioneer?
4. Do you think a teacher purposely ruined a student’s eyesight by making him read too much in order to prevent him from joining the liberation army?
5. How did students turn on community members?
6. Why do you think the adults are going along with this?
7. Why didn’t aunt Xi-wen or Grandpa Hong stand up to these kids?
8. What do you think Ji-li realized when student da-zi-baos began to include her?
9. How did the students humiliate one another?
10. How did the other students attack Ji-li?

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Review the description on page 56 of the large poster of Chairman Mao and the slogan that now hung in Ji-li’s classroom. Create a revolutionary banner, flag, or poster of your own to be hung in your classroom. Whatever you create, it should communicate your understanding of the class issues and revolutionary fervor you have so far read about. Some possible themes you might choose from are: Class status, Revolutionary priorities, Love for your country and your leader, devotion to the communist party, destruction of the four-olds, etc.

Another possible activity:

Discussion Box

How does text relate to your life?

Life Questions

Life questions, problems, decisions – How are your life problems similar or different to Ji-li?

The world- What is China’s impression of capitalism?

Your world- In what way is the United States capitalist?

What do you think of this text?

Evaluate Questions

Impression- What is your impression of this novel?

Value Continuity Clarification Conflict- How might a change in the government affect the society? How would it affect children?

Culture- How does culture influence political changes?

Counter-culture- How does counter-culture influence this political change in China?

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 5

1. Why did ji-li stay away from school for so long?
2. What brought her back?
3. Why did Ji-li’s mood and outlook change with the rain? Did it last?
4. What did the rain symbolize?
5. What is a family’s class status based on?
6. Why is Ji-li’s class status considered bad?
7. Why in a communist state, might it be bad to have come from landlords?
8. If you were Ji-li’s father, what might you fear most about the way the cultural revolution is going?
9. Is it right to judge someone based on the actions of his or her parents or grandparents?
10. Is it right to blame someone for somebody else’s wrongdoings?
11. Predict what will happen next.

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Review the accusations Du Hai made 67-69. Then review Ji-li’s inner responses. Pretend you are Ji-li. You know you are a good person, despite what those of the Red Successors think. Create a positive da-zi-bao for yourself that you can hang on the mirror where you will see it every time you look at yourself. In it state all the things you do that make you a good revolutionary and a good person.

Another possible activity:

1g6Portrait: Create an Open Mind Portrait of Ji-li

You will add thought bubbles to his OMP every couple days.

You could use different colors for the beginning, middle and end of the story.  Remember in the beginning you are introduced to the setting, the characters and the problems they have.  In the middle you learn about the roadblocks to the characters solving their problems, and conflicts occur.  In the end of the story those conflicts reach a peak and then resolve with a resolution of the character’s problems.

Materials:

• large piece of stiff paper for each character, like 11x17 oak tag
• paper for bubbles with scissors and glue sticks
• markers, crayons, pens, pencils, or paint
• construction or tissue paper, scissors and glue sticks if desired

Step One:  create a large headshot of the character

1. Imagine what you think the character looks like from the descriptions in the text as well as your imagination. You can make a list of these details to help you draw the character, if you wish.
2. Decide how much of the character you wish to show: just the head and face? from the shoulders up? from the waist up? the whole person? You might want to include at least the shoulders to include some clothing details.  You might want to show the size differences between characters.
3. Draw the characters headshot including the face on the large piece of paper. You could also cut the paper to form the head. 
4. Illustrate your portrait with colors, construction paper or whatever will make the character colorful.

Step Two:  place cartoon bubbles of character thoughts around the portrait

1. Cut cartoon bubbles out.
2. Write things the character thinks, or says to himself, on each bubble.
3. Put the bubbles up around the portrait.

Step Three:  add bubbles as you learn new things about the character

1. Read the story further and identify new things you have learned about the character, or ways the character has changed.
2. Follow step 2 to create and place additional bubbles.

Variations of this Open Mind Portrait

1. You can use this process for any character in the story
2. You can use bubbles for what the character says, says to himself or herself, or does. You could make each of these different colors if you wish.
3. You could add bubbles for what the character learns, or ways the character changes, and use different colors for each.
4. You could use different colors for the beginning, middle and end of the story. Remember in the beginning you are introduced to the setting, the characters and the problems they have.  In the middle you learn about the roadblocks to the characters solving their problems, and conflicts occur.  In the end of the story those conflicts reach a peak and then resolve with a resolution of the character’s problems.
5. You could use different colors for the phases you see in a story or the development of a particular character.
6. Instead of using bubbles you could write the bubble contents on the back of the portrait. You could use any of the variations above with color or print, or create columns or boxes for different categories or phases.
7. You could literally open the head like a hinge and list the contents [as though they were escaping from the space] using any of these variations.
8. You could make an Open Mind Portrait of yourself using any of the above variations.

Variations for Writing

1. You could use the OMP to help write a character sketch, or to help decide what a character might do in a story.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 6

1. Is Ji-li responsible for her grandfather’s history as an exploitative landlord? Why or why not?
2. What did Ji-li call her friend, Deng Yi-yi? Why might that be insulting and interpreted as “looking down on working class people?”
3. Why is it ok for others to call Deng Yi-yi, Pauper, but not ok for Ji-li?
4. What reasoning does Yin Lan-lan use to demonstrate that she believes Ji-li is responsible for her grandfather’s activities as a landlord and a capitalist? Do you agree or disagree with this reasoning?
5. Do you think it is just to put a group of students in a position of authority over other students? Why or why not?
6. What might be the pitfalls of placing students in charge of other students?
7. What might be the positive outcomes?
8. What qualities would you want a peer to have that was given authority over you? Are those qualities different than you would want an adult in a position of authority to possess?
9. What reasons do you think the Communist Party Committee would give for abolishing the entrance exams and assigning students to school by neighborhood?
10. How do elite schools create social class? What do elite schools do to include students from low-income families?

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Create the front page for two newspapers- one a local Chinese Communist paper, the other a National American paper. Come up with a fitting name for each one. Then create a title for the front-page story on the searches being conducted by the Red Guard. Begin each story with a strongly worded, catchy introductory sentence. REMEMBER: The Communist party will write a news story that is supportive of the searches, while the American paper will surely disapprove of these actions and believe them to be an abuse of human rights.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 7

1. What did the gongs signify in Ji-li’s neighborhood?
2. Can you elaborate on the reason for taking Mrs. Rong’s valuables?
3. Do you believe it is okay to steel from the rich and give to the poor? Why or why not? Is this justice?
4. What do you think will happen to all the valuables that are being taken from Chinese families?
5. Do you think Song Po-po’s dismissal and the taking over of family chores by the children will save the Jiangs from being accused of being Four-Olds or from being searched by the Red Guards? Why or why not?
6. How would the Jiangs prove that they are not Four-Olds?
7. What do you think happened to Po-po? How do you think she will support herself? Do you think many people will be hiring housekeepers?
8. The campaign to eradicate the four-olds seems to be getting more and more intense? What will happen next? Where will the hysteria end?
9. Why do you think it was important for the author to note that her parents had the same capitalist bed as the Rong’s?
10. How do the Jiangs feel about riding in a pedi-cab?

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Create a propaganda poster for the propaganda wall with the caption, “All for one and one for all.”

Another possible activity:

 1g6 setting chart Fill out the Setting Chart

1. Describe the place where the story takes place in the where box on the chart. This includes the location, geography, scenery and other details about the place.
2. Describe the time period in which the story is taking place in the when box on the chart. Is this a contemporary story, or does it take place in the past or the future?  Give details about this past or future time if this is the case.
3. Describe the time of day or day of the week the story begins in the time box on the chart. This box is important if the story of the part you are analyzing takes place in a short period of time.
4. Describe the weather in the weather box of the chart. Is it sunny, stormy, snowing, all of the above, none of the above?  Sometimes the weather matters, sometimes not.  Sometimes it is critical.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 8

1. Why do you think Ji-li’s father is going to late night meetings at the theatre?
2. Predict what Ji-li’s father and Ji-li’s mother are talking about in whispers late at night after he returns?
3. Why is the family trying to disguise the trunks and their valuable silks?
4. Do you think a search of their house is inevitable? Why?
5. What do you think will happen to the family when the search does take place? Do you think they will pass the inspection?
6. In your own words, retell Jia Hong-yu’s story.
7. Why do you Ji-li was so inspired by Jia Hong-yu?
8. What is it importance for other provinces to communicate their revolutionary actions and ideas? How does this unite and strengthen their movement?
9. What would you say to Ji-li if she told you how much she still wanted to be a member of the Red Guard?
10. For a revolutionary like Jia Hong-yu, the revolution and dedication to New China must come before the needs of her own family. How do you prioritize the things of importance in your life?

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Create an Open Mind Portrait for Ji-li as the Red Guard discovers her stamp collection. Use thought bubbles and speech bubbles to show what she might be thinking and saying.

Another possible activity:

4g6 character profile chart

Fill out the Character Profile Chart on Ji-li

1. Write the name of the character in the box in the middle of the chart.
2. Think of 4 characteristics, or traits, that the character has. Describe each with a key word or phrase and write it down one of the 4 boxes that surround the name.
3. For each trait, find 2 concrete examples of it in the story. Write each in one of the 2 boxes attached to each trait box.  Continue this until you have 2 examples for each of the 4 traits.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 10

1. What reason did the boys give for taking Ji-yong’s hat?
2. What do you think Ji-young’s hat symbolized?
3. Create a story that explains how Ji-young got his hat back.
4. Why did Ji-li’s father burn their family photos? How do you think he felt while burning these pictures? How would you feel if you had to delete all you pictures?
5. What prompted the Red Guard to search ji-li’s Fourth aunt’s apartment?
6. Why were Ji-yong, Ming-ming, and Xiao-cheng such close friends these days?
7. What did the Red Guard girl say to Ji-li when she took her stamp collection.
8. Do you think this experience will change Ji-li’s mind about the Cultural Revolution? Why or why not?
9. How is Ji-li’s house search similar and different to when the Nazis were searching houses during WWII?
10. What conclusion can be drawn from government driven house inspections?

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Make a list of all the people harmed by the zealotry of the Cultural Revolution in today’s reading.                    

Another possible activity:

 5g6 character interaction chart

Fill out the Character Interaction Chart for Ji-li, Ji-li’s father or sister, and the Red Guard.

1. Fill the name of each character in one of the 3 boxes.
2. Each character box has another character box on each side. On the side of the first character box near the second character box, write down what the first character thinks about the second character, and how the first character interacts or gets along with, the second character. 
3. Then do the same thing for how the second character thinks about and interacts with the first, in the second characters box.
4. Continue doing this until you have filled out each box: the second for the third, the third for the second, the third for the first and the first for the third.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 11

1. Why didn’t Ji-li return to school when her brother and sister did?
2. What do you think her teachers are doing in the countryside?
3. What might “establishing revolutionary ties” look like?
4. What reasons did the Red Guard have to target An Yi’s mother, Teacher Wei?
5. What would you do it you were An Yi and you saw your mother being paraded home with a sign around her neck, forced to shout that she was a “reactionary monster?”
6. How would you persuade the Red Guard to stop bullying people?
7. What do you think you would have done had you been Ji-li and seen Aunt Xi-wen fall?
8. Do you think the punishment of Du Hai’s mother signifies a change for the better like Ji-li does, or does it communicate something else?
9. How does mistreatment from the Red Guards foster hatred rather than support?
10. Where should people seek justice? From whom?

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Review the Key paragraph from page 153 below. Then create a five-frame comic strip that depicts each tragedy as Ji-li imagines it. Add one sentence at the bottom of each frame.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 12

1. What happened to Xiao-cheng’s father?
2. Why do you think Xiao-cheng hid his feelings? How do you think he really felt?
3.  Do you think Xiao-cheng’s father will return? Where do you think he is?
4. What do you think this means for Ji-li’s father?
5. What do you think would happen if the family packed up and tried to make a new start in a new village, town, or city?
6. How does Ji-li feel about her new school?
7. What do you imagine was the purpose of requiring Teacher Wei to climb a factory chimney? If you were a member of the Red Guard who was questioned about this action, what would you say was meant to be the lesson?
8. Why do you think the government prefers that students learn about agriculture rather than chemistry and physics?
9. Explain what the Cultural Revolution is doing to the society and the people around Ji-li?
10.  In your opinion, has it been successful in improving anything?

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Create a T-chart to help Ji-li’s father decide what to do in his current situation. Label one side “Confess.” Label the other, “Do not Confess.” Under each column list all the things that are likely to happen as a result.

Another possible activity:

6g6 Venn Diagram

Create a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the actions of the Chinese Red Guard with German Nazis during WWII.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 13

1. Why has Ji-li’s father been required to attend political study classes? How is this similar to brainwashing or indoctrination?
2. Do you think Ji-li’s father will turn out to be a counter-revolutionary or a rightist? Why?
3. Why doesn’t Ji-li want to be part of the Blackboard newspaper?
4. Why doesn’t Ji-li want to spend time with Bai Shan?
5. What does the party promise to those who confess?
6. Why do you think they make this promise? Do you think there is any truth to the promise?
7. Do you think that the committee has any real proof that Ji-li’s father has done something wrong?
8. What do you think he should do? If he confesses early to something he did not do, will he be any better off? What advice would you give to Ji-li’s father?
9. In your own words, describe what happened to Uncle Fran.
10. How has the Red Guard impact the daily choices of Ji-li and her family?

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Use a character profile chart (4g6) located in the Classroom Activities section of the CBL Sourcebook to analyze Ji-li’s father. Fill in the trait boxes with positive characteristics that would help to prove he is not a counterrevolutionary. Locate examples from the text that help to identify those traits.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 14

1. Where is Ji-li’s father? What do you think will become of him?
2. Do you think the Red Guard will come for anyone else in the family? Who would be most likely to be detained next?
3. What do Ji-li’s mother’s employers say to her when she arrives at work?
4. How are the Red Guards forcing people to admit to sins they haven’t committed? Is it just for an employer to cut a persons salary?
5. In your own words, describe how Ji-li’s mother is in a lose-lose situation.
6. What advice would you give her? What would you do?
7. Why does the foreman call Ji-li a child of Chairman Mao? What is the significance of this statement?
8. What do you think Ji-li will do? Will she remain loyal to her parents? Or will she choose a new parent in Chairman Mao?
9. Would it surprise you if Ji-li turned against her parents? Or broke ties with them? Why or why not?
10. Predict what Ji-li’s school meeting will be about.
11. Describe the bond between Yin-yin and Ji-li. How do their experiences bring them closer together?

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Create a propaganda poster for your classroom, complete with a slogan and symbolic imagery. Your poster should promote some piece of a positive school culture.

AND

Make a list of your five most important priorities in life. Put them in order from most important to least.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 15

1. What did Teacher Zhang say to Ji-li that convinced her to remain on this important committee?
2. What might the implications of his statements be for Ji-li’s parents and grandmother?
3. Can Ji-li be loyal to Chairman Mao and to her family at the same time?
4. Why do you think Chang Hong told Ji-li about her younger brother?
5. What do you think about the fact that the Chinese Communist Party places a higher priority on the revolution than they do on family?
6. Why was Ji-li’s father cleared of his radio charge?
7. Why do you think family members are turning on one another? Would you stay loyal to your family?
8. Where do you think Ji-li’s father is being taken now?
9. Do you think Ji-li will see him again?
10. Predict what will happen next.

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Create an Open Mind Portrait for Song Po-po and for Ji-li. Use thought bubbles and speech bubbles to record the things that each is saying and thinking about the Jiang Family.

Variations of this Open Mind Portrait

1. You can use this process for any character in the story
2. You can use bubbles for what the character says, says to himself or herself, or does. You could make each of these different colors if you wish.
3. You could add bubbles for what the character learns, or ways the character changes, and use different colors for each.
4. You could use different colors for the beginning, middle and end of the story. Remember in the beginning you are introduced to the setting, the characters and the problems they have.  In the middle you learn about the roadblocks to the characters solving their problems, and conflicts occur.  In the end of the story those conflicts reach a peak and then resolve with a resolution of the character’s problems.
5. You could use different colors for the phases you see in a story or the development of a particular character.
6. Instead of using bubbles you could write the bubble contents on the back of the portrait. You could use any of the variations above with color or print, or create columns or boxes for different categories or phases.
7. You could literally open the head like a hinge and list the contents [as though they were escaping from the space] using any of these variations.
8. You could make an Open Mind Portrait of yourself using any of the above variations.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 16

1. Do you think Ji-li’s father will ever come home again? Why or why not?
2. Why did two strangers question Ji-li’s mother?
3. Do you think Ji-li’s parents are hiding anything? Do you think they are related to the Jiang family that owned 3300 acres?
4. Can you explain Chairman Mao’s statement, “You can’t choose your class status, but you can choose your future?” How does this statement impact Ji-li?
5. What are the things in your life that you have to accept? What are the things that you have the power to change?
6. Why is no one speaking out against the harmful zealotry of the Cultural Revolution?
7. Would you have spoken out to the Cultural Revolution?  Why or why not?
8. What do you think Song Po-po helped Ji-li to realize in today’s reading?
9. In your own words, describe Ji-li’s presentation about an old landlord.
10. Prove that this presentation influenced other people’s perception of Ji-li.

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Laboring in the countryside alongside farmers was supposed to help remold ideologies. Create a postcard of Ji-li working in the rice field as described in today’s reading. On the back, pretend you are Ji-li and send a brief note home to your mother that states what you are learning.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 17

1. What do the people from Ji-li’s fathers work unit want her to do?
2. Predict what would likely happen to her if she does not do it?
3. What advice would you give Ji-li?
4. What do you think Bai Shan wanted to say to Ji-li that he was unable to?
5. Do you think Ji-li made the right decision in going to the countryside for the summer? Why or why not?
6. What do you think Ji-li will learn while she is there?
7. Do you think the work will have any affect on her class status when she returns?
8. How does the Chinese government economically benefit from the summer labor?
9. In your own words, describe the summer labor in the countryside.
10. How does the countryside labor compare to summer camp? How is it different?

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Create a visual depiction of the dream Ji-li was having when she fainted in the country. On the back or below the visual, interpret the images in her dream.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions

1. In your own words, describe the working conditions in the rice fields.
2. How was the rice harvest beneficial to China’s economy?
3. Why didn’t Ji-li allow Bai Shan to help her?
4. What made Ji-li continue with the harvest even though she knew she was really sick?
5. Do you think that is what Chairman Mao would have had her do? Explain your answer.
6. Why was Ji-li called back to Shanghai? Did she have a choice? Why or why not?
7. Do you think Ji-li is strong enough to resist Thin-Face in the end? Or will she be forced to confess? Why or why not?
8. Why do you think the law changed outlawing unauthorized searches? Compare and contrast this law to the search laws in the U.S.
9. What do you think will happen to Ji-li’s family if the search committee finds the letter?
10. What do you think will happen if the letter arrives safely to the Planning Committee?

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Create a propaganda poster about Justice, Respect, and Restraint. Be sure to include an emotional visual and a strong slogan.               

Another possible activity:

2g6 beginning middle end chart

Fill out the Beginning-Middle-End Chart

1. Decide what the most important events in the story are. You may want to jot down a list.
2. Decide whether each event is part of the beginning, middle or end or the story. Then write a phrase describing each event in the correct column. Remember in the beginning you are introduced to the setting, the characters and the problems they have.  In the middle you learn about the roadblocks to the characters solving their problems, and conflicts occur.  In the end of the story those conflicts reach a peak and then resolve with a resolution of the character’s problems.
3. If the events in a column are not in the order they took place, number the items in the column.
4. If you analyzing a chapter or segment of a larger story, all of the events might be in 1 or 2 columns, understood as part of the larger story. Or it might work to analyze the beginning, middle and end of just this part.

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 19

1. Explain, using the definitions provided at the beginning of each daily lesson, how today’s search was unjust.
2. Ji-li had many opportunities during the Cultural Revolution to turn against her family. What do you think she knew deep down inside that stopped her from doing so?
3. How did the Theatre Rebels find the letter?
4. After finding the letter, how were Ji-li and her family reprimanded?
5. Why did the Theatre Rebels confiscate their possessions?
6. Why do you think they order Grandma to be an ally sweeper? How does this change Grandma’s life?
7. What do you think will come of Ji-li’s family in the days and months to come?
8. Do you think you could have stood up to all the pressure Ji-li was under and remain just in society that promoted injustice?
9. If you could talk to Ji-li Jiang today, what questions would you want to ask her?
10. Predict what will happen next to Ji-li and her family.

Activity

Explore the reading more deeply with a visual or oral language activity.

One possible activity:

Create an Open Mind Portrait of Ji-li Jiang as she watches the Halloween parade in Waikiki. Use thought bubbles to depict her realizations about freedom, rights, responsibilities, and justice as she watches.

Variations for Writing

1. You could use the OMP to help write a character sketch, or to help decide what a character might do in a story.                    

Another possible activity:

3g6 plot profile chart

Fill out the Plot Profile Chart

1. Decide on the 10 most important events in the story, chapter or segment you are analyzing. List them in order in the rows at the bottom of the chart.  If you go back the Beginning-Middle-End Chart, this will be easier to do.
2. Decide on a scale of 1 [low] to 10 [high] how intense you think this event is, and mark your score in the appropriate box.
3. Connect the marks in the boxes to form a graph.
4. This graph will help you to profile the plot. How it looks will depend on the story you are reading and whether you are plotting an entire story, or a chapter or segment. 

Discussion

Ask discussion questions of all 9 types (see Day 1).

Key Questions – Day 20

1. Why did Ji-li’s father’s status remain? How did this limit his opportunities?
2. After the Cultural Revolution, how were people punished for their unjust crimes?
3. How did the Cultural Revolution end?
4. Describe Ji-li’s life after the Cultural Revolution.
5. How is Ji-li living out a live of justice? Provide an example.
6. According to Ji-li, why did no one hate Chairman Mao during the Cultural Revolution?
7. Can you think of some examples from the book when Ji-li continued to be devoted to Chairman Mao despite the evidence in front of her? List at least two examples.
8. Do you think Ji-li has forgiven Thin-Face? Why or why not?
9. Do you agree with Ji-li’s statement that “without a sound legal system, a small group or even a single person can take control of an entire country?” Why or why not?
10. What affect has the reading of this book had on you?