Susan H Kim
Teaching of Reading
A&HE 4058
Pat Zumhagen
17 December 2012
American Born Chinese Unit Plan
Part I:
Unit Objective: Students will be able to identify how perspective can shape the
interwoven characters’ narratives in Gene Luen Yang’s American Born Chinese. The
students will also be able to learn how different points of view can form and then develop
identity, relating the characters’ situations to their own lives. The connection will be
made between the characters’ narratives and their struggle to find their identity.
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About the Classroom:
o Private school located on Upper East Side
o 7th grade
o 24 students
o ELA class (MTWRF) 10:30-11:15 am
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Ideas/Themes: Students will be able to identify, discuss, and write about:
o Character growth and development: How does Jin Wang change
throughout the book and what influences cause him to make the
decisions he makes? To what degree does the Monkey King change
(and do you think that change is positive or negative?)
o Personal identity: How do the characters in the book define
themselves? Do they feel bound by their given identities?
o Perspective: How do the different perspectives of the book reveal to
the reader something about the character? How does that add to the
character’s identity?
o Stereotypes: What stereotypes are examined in this book? What
stereotypes do we face today and what can be done about it?
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Style: Students should already be familiar with:
o narrative situation
o themes/motifs
o point of view
o characterization
Students will be identify, discuss, and write about:
o Point of view and how the characters’ point of view influences their
decisions
o The theme of identity and the portrayal of its struggle within the
context of the book
o The concept of assimilation
o The development of narrative situation in relation to the character’s
growth
o The concept of double-consciousness
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Related Facts/Background That Enable Students to Meet Objectives:
o The history of Chinese immigration into the U.S. (including the
First transcontinental railroad, the Anti-Chinese Movement, and
Exclusion Era)
o Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics piece and how
comics/graphics enhance narrative structure
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Final Assessment: Character development analysis paper. Choose one of the
statements below to write a three-paged analysis on how a character’s point of
view influences the character to shape his/her identity is a certain way.
Support your argument with textual evidence from the book and the
discussions we have had in class.
o If you want something, it is okay to change yourself to get it.
o Conforming has its benefits.
o We should follow traditions, even when they make us unhappy.
o Cultural assimilation is inevitable in the U.S.
o We should always defend friends and family members, even when
they embarrass us.
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How my unit plan will succeed in addressing and meeting my objectives:
Although addressing the book’s main theme about stereotypes is
important, this unit pushes the students’ thinking to think deeper and consider
the rationale for what makes a character act in a certain way, specifically
leading to their character development and identity. The ways in which the
character’s point of view influences their thinking and actions provide insight
into the issues that this book covers about cultural biases and identity crises.
Each lesson has been designed to explore a specific aspect about how to
read into the different characters’ point of view and their growth. The daily
activities build upon each other as the students delve into the questions I’ve
listed in the Ideas/Themes section above. The students will be able to make
connections with this book to historical concepts such as doubleconsciousness and Chinese exclusion, and then relate them back to their own
lives today.
By the end of this unit, the students will have had thorough practice
extending their thinking beyond what the book explicitly states; they will use
inference to hypothesize and form ideas using evidence from the text to
support their statements. They will do individual along with group activities,
and discussions will be a large component of their learning for this unit. My
goal is to have the students become better at going beyond the stated text to
find the reasoning for how characters in a book form their identities.
Part II:
Background: Students will already be familiar with these specific areas
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From my English class and previous English classes:
o Types of writing: literary analysis, argumentative writing, character
analyses
o Types of activities: journal entries, tableaus, fishbowl discussions,
jigsaw discussions
o Elements of style: theme analysis, point of view
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From their history class:
o History of Chinese immigration into the U.S.
Daily Plans (including two full lesson plans):
Lesson #1
Note: Students will have read pages 7-20 for homework the night before
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Objective: Students will be able to
o Identify the causes for the Monkey King’s conflicted identity
o Consider the implications for the Monkey King’s feelings about his
identity
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Activities:
o Journal Entry: Relate the scene where the Monkey King is denied
entry because he is not wearing shoes to another event in history
that it reminds you of.
Pair-share and then allow students to read their responses out loud
o Discussion of last night’s reading. Focus specifically on the
following quotes:

“Look. You may be a king- you may even be a deity- but
you are still a monkey.” Are there any situations in which
this kind of rule would be acceptable? If so, what makes it
acceptable and when is it not? How do we distinguish?

“When he entered his royal chamber, the thick smell of
monkey fur greeted him. He’d never noticed it before. He
stayed awake for the rest of the night thinking of ways to get
rid of it.” Why would he want to get rid of his fur? Do you
think that getting rid of his fur is worth being accepted into
the party?
o Groups do Point of View activity of the scene they had read. In
groups of three, students will create their own scene of an imagined
character that is denied entry to the dinner party due to
discrimination.
 The point of view should be in the imagined character
 The short plot should include a conflict and the character’s
thoughts and emotions regarding the conflict
 Include an explanation for the chosen conflict and what
larger problem it addresses
o Present Point of View activity to the class and write on the board
the various issues the imagined characters are dealing with, relating
it back to their identity
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Connections: There will always be a journal entry at the beginning of class to
help the students settle down and reflect back on what they had read the night
before. The discussion of quotes is to have the students find evidence of the
character’s conflict, and following lessons will build upon the conflict. The
Point of View activity is to introduce the students to begin to think from other
points of view and consider how situations can become altered depending on
how it is perceived.
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Homework: Read pages 23-40. Have students ask their parents or
grandparents about what struggles they had when they were young. Did they
have to move and make changes to their lives? What situations did they
encounter or have to adapt to?
Lesson #2
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Objective: Students will be able to
o See how the Chinese culture is part of Jin Wang’s life
o Begin to explore how Chinese stereotypes emerge by reviewing
Chinese immigration
o Discuss assimilation, in the context of school and life
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Activities:
o Journal Entry: Write what you learned about your parents or
grandparents when they were younger. Did they have any struggles
acclimating to a new place, job, etc? What new things did they
encounter/have to learn?
Pair-share and then discuss as a class. Introduce the subject of the
day: importance of culture in life and changes immigrants encounter
o Hand out individual packets with various excerpts about Chinese
immigrants to the U.S. Topics will cover the first transcontinental
railroad, the Anti-Chinese Movement, and Exclusion Era.
 Each student will have one of the three topics and take
notes about the topic
 After fifteen minutes, students jigsaw into groups and teach
the others in the group about their topic
 After all members in the group present, work together and,
thinking about current events, discuss whether Chinese
immigrants still have to struggle today. Relate discussion to
Jin Wang’s first day at school.
 Share discussion with the class
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Connections: Students are reviewing their knowledge and as they learn more
about the Chinese immigration into the U.S., can connect it to Jin Wang’s life.
Sharing insights in jigsaw groups will allow the students to see how there are
countless factors that contribute to Jin Wang’s situation. His identity is a
culmination of loaded history that cannot be ignored.
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Homework: Read pages 43-84.
Lesson #3:
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Objective: Student will be able to
o Create internal monologue for fictional characters
o Utilize drama in the classroom to present literary themes
o Connect Danny and the Monkey King’s point of view as
rationalization for certain behavior
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Activities:
o Journal Entry: Write about a situation where you acted in a negative
way. What made you act that way and did you feel it was justified?
No pair-sharing because the content may be sensitive to certain
students, but allow the option of having students volunteer to share
if they feel comfortable.
o In groups of three, have the students take pages 43-83 and choose
either the scene with Chin-Kee and Danny or the Monkey King and
Tze-Yo-Tzuh.
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Create internal dialogue for each of the characters and
reenact the scene, this time having the characters say what
they’re thinking and why.
Two students will be the two characters, and the third
student will be the narrator. Be creative.
Present the reenacted scene to the class
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Connections: The students will be making inferences and reasoning for the
characters’ actions. The internal monologue and enacting a scene allows
students to bring drama into the classroom, which connect well to a graphic
novel.
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Homework:
o Write a page about today’s reenacting. Did you think seeing the
scene with the internal monologue added to your understanding of
the characters’ development? Relate the reenacting to how you are
reading this story through the graphic novel medium. How does it
differ from reading a traditional novel?
o Read pages 87-106
Lesson #4
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Objective: Students will be able to
o Compare/contrast Jin Wang, Wei-Chen
o Do character analysis through the lens of how he is perceived from
another perspective
o Analyze the characters’ actions (How/why Jin Wang acts in front of
his crush, Why Wei-Chen helps Jin Wang)
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Activities:
o Journal Entry: Write a supposed diary entry from any of the
characters that were in the reading from last night, recounting
thoughts and feelings about anything that happened from pages 87106.
Pair-Share and then share with the class.
o Discuss last night’s homework.
 How was it different to hear the internal monologue of the
characters?
 Were the characters’ developments more justifiable or easier
to connect with because of the monologue?
 Connect the reenacting to American Born Chinese. How
does the graphic novel add or detract to a traditional novel?
o Character charts from another character’s point of view
 In groups of four, use a sheet of giant poster paper to create
a character chart of either Jin Wang or Wei-Chen
 Character chart should include key words that describe the
character, quotes from the book as support
 Present posters to the entire class, focusing on the
differences of how Jin Wang and Wei-Chen are perceived
from the characters’ points of view
o Introduce the fishbowl activity the class will do tomorrow. Assign
each student to one the following topics: Character growth and
development, personal identity, perspective, stereotypes. Focus of
specific parts of the book that address the topic and why it is an
important aspect of this book to discuss.
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Connections: This visual representation allows students to see how a
secondary person views someone, and how that can shape what that person’s
identity is like from another’s eyes. The students will recognize that identity
and perceived identity may be different.
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Homework: Read pages 109-130. Have students take notes about their
assigned topic for tomorrow’s fishbowl.
Lesson #5: Full Lesson Plan
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Objective: Students will be able to
o Discuss connections between character growth and development,
personal identity, perspective, and stereotypes in the book
o Describe how the characters are affected differently and what
actions result as a consequence
o Analyze each other’s discussions and partake in informative
conversation to further their personal topic
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Materials: Writing notebooks, American Born Chinese books, desks arranged
in two circles (one smaller circle inside with eight desks)
- Activities:
(5 minutes)
o Journal entry: What was the most difficult part about preparing for
your fishbowl topic? What additional thoughts, questions, or
enlightened discoveries/revelations arose as you prepared?
No pair-share today as the students will share their thoughts at the
end of the fishbowl activity
o Fishbowl activity
(10 minutes)
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
Go over how fishbowl activity works with the class in case
someone does not remember
Allow students from each topic to jigsaw to share with each
other what they discovered last night
(35 minutes)
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Start with eight students in the center: two students
representing each of the four topics
Allow students to tap out at any time
Everyone has their American Born Chinese books and
notebooks with their notes to discuss and take notes as
others are talking
Everyone has to speak at least one time
Try to support discussion with specific evidence from text
(5 minutes)
o Introduce next week’s final writing project and hand out the
assignment sheet with instructions.
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Connections: Students will be able to analyze the text within the context of
their assigned topic. They also practice their speaking skills by participating in
a fishbowl discussion.
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Homework: Read pages 133-160
Lesson #6: Full Lesson Plan
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Objective: Students will be able to
o Identify how the character’s problems conflict with how they wish
their identity to be
o Relate the Monkey King and Jin Wang/Danny’s problems to their
own lives
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Materials: Writing journals, American Born Chinese books, 24 giant cut-outs
of shoes, calming music and stereo
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Activities:
(5 minutes)
o Journal entry: Why do you think the Monkey King saved the monk’s
life?
(5 minutes)
Pair-Share and discuss with the class
o Shoes activity
(5 minutes)

Discuss the quote “On this journey, we have no need for
shoes.” What do you feel are your “shoes” right now? Give
cut-outs of a picture of giant shoes

On one shoe, students write about something that they feel is
burdening their identity. They can be creative, writing in a
form of a poem, monologue, letter, etc.

After one shoe is completed, students will do a gallery walk
and stop by each pair of shoes. They will respond to the
student’s work on the other shoe in any way they feel pertinent
(picture, response, one word, etc)

Have a discussion about how they feel about the Monkey
King’s ending in the book at this time
(15 minutes)
(10 minutes)
(5 minutes)
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Connections: Students are able to relate the conflicts in the book to their own
lives. The shoes activity allows them to use creative writing as a method to
talk about their personal identity and the burdens associated with it. A gallery
walk also allows students to gain understanding about each other and promote
positive classroom environment.
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Homework: Read pages 163-198.
Lesson #7
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Objective: Students will be able to
o Explore the concept of double-consciousness and cultural assimilation
o Analyze the symbolic and physical transformation of Jin Wang into
Danny
o Discuss scholarly literary work that explores the topic of race and
relate it to American Born Chinese
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Activities:
o Journal Entry: Free write to the following: Now that Jin Wang
transformed into Danny…
Pair-share and discuss with the class. Talk about last night’s reading:
What do you think is Danny’s reasoning for confronting Jin Wang
about seeing Amelia? Why did Jin Wang kiss Suzy? What does WeiChen mean by “We’re brothers. We’re blood.” Why does Jin Wang
dismiss this?
o Hand out two packets with the following excerpts: W.E.B. Du Bois’
The Souls of Black Folk and two news articles about assimilation
(Assimilation Happens by San Francisco Chronicle and Immigrants
Shunning Idea of Assimilation by Washington Post)
 Have students fill out their packet with questions regarding
their reading
 This is an individual activity but students can ask neighbors on
help with questions
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Connections: Students will recognize that double-consciousness and
assimilation are two topics relevant to American Born Chinese and the current
state of the U.S.
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Homework: Read pages 201-233. Choose topic for Character development
analysis paper and three reasons supporting the topic. Write on a separate
piece of paper to hand in.
Lesson #8
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Objective: Students will be able to
o Recognize and analyze the story arc of each character from beginning
to end
o Discuss how personal identity developed and changed throughout the
book
o Form conclusions and infer about the message of the book
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Activities:
o Journal entry: What did you think about the ending of the book? How
or what would you have done differently than Gene Luen Yang?
Pair-Share and discuss with class. What lingering questions do the
students have? Do they feel like the conflict is resolved?
o Discuss what they have learned about stereotypes and how it affects
personal identity. Talk about ongoing stereotypes present in today’s
society and the effects it has on the community.
o Sharing of visual aids using digital media sources
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Youtube clips of Family Guy’s “Stewie Works at a Sweatshop
in China,” “Asian Woman Driver”, and “Oh My God, It’s
Jackie Chan.”
Clip of The Breakfast Club (to show high school stereotypes)
Discussion of stereotypes in media and sharing of its
prevalence today
o Turn in homework with topic and three supporting reasons
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Connections: Students can make summative conclusions about the themes that
were explored in American Born Chinese. The concept of character
development is clear and discussed in terms of how certain actions and
thoughts shape a person’s identity. The connection to today’s society and
influences that may affect children’s identity is explored through media
sources.
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Homework: none
Lesson #9
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Objective: Students will be able to
o Explore a debatable topic by beginning to write a three-page analysis
o Find evidence in the book and from other literary work from the past
two weeks to support argument
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Activities:
o Students will receive their paper they handed in the day before, with
comments on whether their topic and three supporting reasons are
approved
 Students have the choice of working alone or discussing with
their neighbors as they begin their writing in class
 They will have all class today and tomorrow to conference with
the teacher and students, and the first draft will be due
tomorrow at the end of class.
 The teacher will take the drafts home for the weekend and
provide comments by Monday
 There will be peer review in the middle of next week, and the
final draft will be due the Monday afterwards.
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Connections: Students are working in class with their fellow peers and the
teacher in order to extend their learning to a topic that needs to be supported
by evidence from the book and textual handouts from the previous two weeks.
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Homework: Work on character analysis essay
Lesson Plans: See above. Lesson #5 and #6 are fully fleshed out