Intermediate Guided Reading Lesson Plan
Title:
Genre:
Chinese Cinderella and the
Historical
Secret Dragon Society by
Fiction
Adeline Yen Mah.
Harper Trophy. ISBN 9780-06-056736-1
Note: also available through
Scholastic
Literacy Core Objective:
Comprehension. Students understand,
interpret, and analyze narrative and
informational grade level text.
Text Structure:
Narrative
Level:
Content Core Objective:
6th Grade Social Studies Standard IV,
Objective 1: Analyze how major world
events of the 20th century affect the world
today.
“I Can Statements” - Essential Questions:
Informational
V
Enduring Understanding: Purpose for reading
Adversity can help us understand and want to
improve the human condition
How have major world events of the 20th century
affected our world today
ELL Strategies:
Students reading at this level are likely to
be quite fluent speakers of English although
they may need more support with idioms,
expressions, vocabulary, and multiple
meaning words. This will affect their
ability to draw conclusions and infer from
the text. Encourage these students to use
sticky notes or a notebook to jot questions
they have while reading to be
discussed/clarified at the guided reading
table during the following session.
Other ELL strategies can be found at
http://coe.sdsu.edu/people/jmora/pages/4x4
activity.htm
and tailored to the individual needs of your
students.
Before Reading
Vocabulary:
Tier 2 Vocabulary Words: High frequency words that are found across a variety of domains.
Provide student-friendly explanations that tell what a word means in everyday connected
language. For more information, please see Bringing Words to Life by Beck & McKeyown.
internment
lithe
nonchalantly
bazaar
unjust
incessant
perseverance
Activate/Build Prior Knowledge:
 Read Historical Note beginning on page 225 and consult the maps in front of the cover page
to help students understand the historical and geographical context.
 There are lots of phrases in Chinese in this book. Help students understand how to deal with
them as they read. The phrases are almost always followed with the English translation.
Comprehension Strategy:
Visualizing
During Reading
Using appropriate Guided reading strategies, students will be reading at their own pace and
teachers will be listening to students read, monitoring, giving feedback, taking anecdotal notes
and running records.
Attend to Comprehension Within, Beyond, & About the text:
After Reading
Discussion questions:
 Are you surprised that there is a Cinderella story in China? (p. 6)
 What was your reaction to CC’s father picking her up by the uniform and throwing her out?
(p. 18)
 After reading Grandma Wu’s description of yuan fen, are there other people you have met
before that you have had that feeling with? (p. 25)
 Do you agree with Master Wu that “if you like what you do, there isn’t any difference
between work and play”? (p. 33)
 Is there an idiom that fits with Grandma Wu’s statement about cementing friendship with
food? Something about the way to a man’s heart? Why do you think that is? (p. 34)
 What is meant by, “brothers and sisters should be like shou zu, hands and feet on the same
body”? (p. 53)
 Are all your students aware of the reference to David and Goliath on page 54?
 Why can no one steal CC’s kung fu skills or her learning? (p. 65)
 Help students understand what it means that Ah Yee’s feet had been bound (p. 71).
 A good place to stop and make predictions is at the end of page 77.
 On page 83 CC says that she “secretly hoped that I was changing into someone worthy of my
father’s respect.” Do you think she was?
 What do students know and understand about the importance of Sam having to wear a Star of
David as described first on page 85?
 On page 90 David tells CC that he feels better having told her about his parents. Have you
had a similar experience where telling about something awful made things better instead of
worse?
 What is your response to Sam’s teacher’s comment on page 93?
 Talk about the tea ceremony between Grandma Wu and CC on pages 102-103. What is the
lesson that Grandma Wu is trying to teach?
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How is fate different than deciding one’s future? (p. 109)
CC comes face to face with the horrors of war on page 121. What are your thoughts?
At page 125, encourage students to refer back to the maps in the front of the book.
Discuss “injustice anywhere is a threat to equality and justice everywhere” (p. 136).
Talk about the children’s encounter with the Japanese scout. Do you think Marat passed gas
on purpose? (p. 145)
What is the number 11 express train and how do you think it got its name? (p. 165)
“The best cure for worry is to do something positive” according to Grandma Wu. Do you
agree? (p. 190)
At page 195 refer back to the maps at the front.
One of the rescued soldiers tells CC that “hate is not erased by hate” on page 208. Can you
think of books, movies, tv shows that have shown people consumed by hate? Do you think
the soldier is right?
What do you think happens to CC and the others next?
If you were the author, would have allowed Big Aunt to be killed by the Japanese?
Attend to Comprehension Within, Beyond, & About the text:
Content Core Integration:(Science, Soc. St., Math, etc.)
Assessment:
Activities:
Take on the voice of CC and write the letter
to her father that she refers to at the end of
the book. Include information about CC’s
thoughts on human rights and
responsibilities.
See the author’s website at
http://www.adelineyenmah.com/dragon_files/drag
onnotes.htm.
*Not all activities will be done in each lesson. Some lessons may take multiple days to complete.
However, all students should be reading each time you meet.