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**//Where the Mountain Meets the Moon//**

 * Lesson Overview**

Students will determine the qualities that make someone a hero and understand the stages of the traditional hero's journey. They will then use this knowledge to analyze how the journey of Minli, the main character in //Where the Mountain Meets the Moon//, fits into the archetype of the hero's journey. Specifically, students will focus on how the folktales or "stories within the story" that are interspersed throughout the novel shape and influence Minli's quest.

How do the folktales within the novel //Where the Mountain Meets the Moon// affect Minli’s heroic journey?
 * Inquiry Question**

English Language Arts 16.9 Identify conventions in epic tales. 8.23 Use knowledge of genre characteristics to analyze a text. 8.25 Interpret a character’s traits, emotions, or motivation and give supporting evidence from a text. 19.22 Write and justify a personal interpretation of literary, informational, or expository reading that includes a topic statement, supporting details from the literature, and a conclusion.
 * Alignment to Standards**

Technology Literacy 3.9: Use a variety of telecommunication tools (e.g., e-mail, discussion groups, Web pages, blogs, Web conferences) to collaborate and communicate with peers, experts, and other audiences (at district's discretion).


 * Materials and Resources**

- Individual student copies of //Where the Mountain Meets the Moon// - Computers with internet access (both in school and at home) - LCD projector - Access to Wallwisher online notice board maker - Access to Wiki or Moodle - Model text to teach stages of heroic journey ( e.g., //The Lion King//). - Diagram showing stages of heroic journey (see link below) - Copies of story mountain diagrams - EmPower writing program materials: sample brain frames and paragraph templates - Rubric to assess Wiki/Moodle posting - Rubric to assess final paragraph


 * Lesson Sequence***

Day 1 1. Model Wallwisher using teacher computer and LCD projector. Post 2-3 exemplars answering the question: Who do you consider a hero and why? 2. For homework, students answer the above question on Wallwisher (160 character limit). Technology Product: Sample student responses.

Day 2-3 3. Debrief: Class discussion reviewing student responses on Wallwisher and generate list of common qualities of heroes. 4. Introduce stages of the heroic journey with a read-aloud model text (//The Lion King// storybook). 5. For homework, students find their own examples of heroic journeys in a book or movie.
 * Focus on: unusual birth; call to adventure; mentor/supernatural aid; trials and tribulations; transformation; resolution.
 * Teacher will model and students will create a sequencing brain frame of the heroic journey.
 * Student choice: Create a sequencing brain frame or heroic journey diagram (see links above) showing stages of journey.

Day 4 6. Create a story mountain of //Where the Mountain Meets the Moon// (whole class: teacher models on board; students create individual copies).
 * Label stages of heroic journey on story mountain

Day 5-7 7. Groups analyze the folktales within the novel and post findings to a Wiki/Moodle. Postings include:
 * Brief summary of folktale.
 * Explanation of how it affects Minli’s heroic journey.
 * For homework, comment on at least 2 other groups’ findings (model comment etiquette in class). Comments can include posing a new question and making a new connection to another part of the novel or another folktale.

Day 8-10 8. Write a paragraph explaining how the stories within //Where the Mountain Meets the Moon// affect Minli’s heroic journey. Use evidence from more than one folktale.
 * Required pre-teaching: Introduce brain frame and paragraph template
 * Focus area: Strong topic sentence

//*Timeline is subject to change//

Understanding qualities of a hero: Wallwisher (Homework) Understanding stages of heroic journey: brain frame/diagram (Homework) Analysis of folktales and connection to Minli’s heroic journey:
 * Assessment**
 * Wiki/Moodle (rubric will measure accurate summary, clear connection to novel, and grammar/mechanics conventions)
 * Paragraph (rubric will measure focus, organization of ideas, sufficient detail, and grammar/mechanics conventions).