Dragonwings cover

 Dragonwings 

by Laurence Yep

 

 

Learner Outcomes

  • Students will draw inferences and/or conclusions and make generalizations.  

  • Students will confirm, refute, or make predictions and form new ideas.

  • Students will identify and explain main idea.

  • Students will examine web resources and will use software applications to record and share responses.

Preview/Predictions Activity

Step One

As you examine the documents and images from one of the topics below:  Publications, Occupations, or Culture/Community, try to develop a sense of the setting of the story.  Also think about how the author will portray the characters, those who are Chinese immigrants and those who are Californians.  Think about what the mood of the story will be.  Think about:

  • What story does the picture tell?
  • What feelings might the people of California have had toward the Chinese immigrants? 
  • How do you suppose the Chinese felt toward Americans? 
  • How might they have felt about being in a new place so far from home? 
  • What contributions to California do you think these immigrants may have made? 
  • What might have caused misunderstandings between the Americans and the Chinese?  What may have resulted from such misunderstandings?

Open MSWord,  MSFrontPage or Inspiration and brainstorm impressions, phrases and descriptive words that come to your mind when you examine the images and documents.  Save according to teacher directions.
Step Two

With a partner, share and explain the impressions you both recorded.  Next, write two predictions and two questions about events that you expect to take place in Dragonwings.  Insert an image from the web page, if desired. Save.  Share questions and predictions with partners.  You will revisit your predictions and questions after you have read the first half of the book.

 

Publications

baseball.1883.jpg (136883 bytes)     highbinder.jpg (317602 bytes)

Image Three

 Image Four Image Five

Occupations Photo Gallery

Culture/Community Gallery

       

After Reading the first half of the book:

Part Two.  Revisit your document to reflect on the earlier predictions and to answer your questions. Reflect on how your earlier perception of the Chinese immigrants and the Californians may have changed. Reflect on your earlier thoughts on mood and setting, 
and judge the accuracy of your first impressions. At this time, your teacher may choose to have you turn your notes and reflections into a presentation to share with the class.