Teaching Ideas and Units - Teaching Units

The River

Libby Hathorn

Julie Browett, Lecturer in Language & Literacy Education - University of Tasmania at Launceston at Launceston Julie.Browett@utas.edu.au
Jan Kiernan, State Advisor, Asia Education Foundation - The Office for Curriculum, Leadership and Learning
jan.kiernan@education.tas.gov.au

This interesting picture novel is set in China and relates the story of Xian, who undertakes a long and hazardous journey to reach the village of her grandparents after her mother has died. Modern-day Hong, the girl reading the story given to her by Ming (a woman who has worked as a cleaner in Hong's parents' shop), is transported back in time by the adventures of Xian. Hong is enthralled by the story and sees it as an important telling of where you belong. She lives in comfortable circumstances but from the reading of the precious story given to her, she decides to create a story of her own family - a treasure of her own. The story is multi-layered and intergenerational with interesting adventures and concepts. It is complex enough to be enjoyed by upper primary students.

Some teaching and learning ideas….

BEFORE READING — ideas to access prior knowledge and to stimulate predictions

Look at the pictures and symbols on the cover of the book along with its title and author. What other books do you know that have the same author?

Do you think The River is a story (fiction) or a factual (non-fiction) book? Why do you think that?

What assumptions do you make about the setting of the book? What cues support your opinion?

Read the blurb on the back of the book. Create a mindmap about what you already know about China. Use urban / rural and past / present to help organise your ideas.

Use a map to locate the major rivers in China. Use the following questions as the basis of predictions about the river mentioned in the book title:

• Trace one of the rivers from its source to its finish. How would the river itself change? How would the land along the banks of the river be different?
• What uses would people make of the river itself?
• What human activity would you expect to see along the sides of the river?
• Compare rivers from two different regions of China. What differences / similarities would there be between the two?

DURING / AFTER READING - Read the book for the first time uninterrupted. The activities that follow are designed to focus on both the visual and written text, and to investigate ideas beyond the text.

Examine the pictures in the book:

• How are differences between the past and present shown? (Consider especially page layout; use of colour; inclusion of objects.)
• How far in the past do you assume Xian’s story takes place? What visual cues lead you to this opinion?
• Read the information on the back of the book about Stanley Wong, the illustrator. How have his early life experiences influenced his illustrations?
• How would it affect the story if the watercolour illustrations were replaced by another medium, e.g. photography or lino prints?
• Look carefully at the signs depicted in the story. Try calligraphy yourself - maybe use numbers or other well -known characters to try brush work.

Make an illustrated frieze of a journey down a nearby river. Write an accompanying ‘travelogue’.

As you read the story, note the activities taking place on the river and beside the river. Compare these with your prediction.

Discuss changes that may have occurred along the river since Xian's journey.

Use information from The River to add to your mindmap about China.

Draw a map of Xian’s journey. Label the major features on the map.

Put yourself in Xian’s place. Complete a chart that shows the relationship between the plot of her story and her feelings:

Imagine you are Xian. Tell the story of your journey to your Grandparents.

Conduct mock interviews with Hong, Ming or Xian.

What does the book say about the importance of family? How does the book portray Hong’s family and their lifestyle? Where else could you look for more information about family life in modern, urban China? Discuss family roles and Confucius’ 5 rules of behaviour. After you have investigated further, decide what Hong could include in her ‘Family Treasure’.

Interview older family or community members to hear their stories. Write a ‘treasure’ that includes their experiences. This could be written onto a handmade paper scroll.

Explore aspects of the book that may have caught your interest, e.g.

• Find out more about Buddha and Buddhism,
• Draw up a roster and conduct a table tennis competition.
• Take a virtual trip to parts of China by visiting Shanghai After Dark and associated links, and/or Access Asia-China

Download a Word copy of this document - 92k