Lucy Aumaqpaq 悟 · 4th Grade · 2026–2027
English Language Arts
A full-year novel study anchored in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin, read alongside its Chinese translation 月夜仙踪.
About the Anchor Text
Minli (敏俐) lives with her parents in a poor village at the base of Fruitless Mountain (无果山). Her father's stories are rich and encouraging. When he tells her about the Old Man of the Moon, who can change a family's fortune, Minli sets out to find him. Along the way she meets a dragon who cannot fly, and they become friends. Facing selfish monkeys, a poisonous Green Tiger, and the City of Bright Moonlight, Minli must discover what true fortune really means.
- Pages
- 278
- Chapters
- 48 short chapters
- Lexile
- 810L
- Length
- 36 weeks / 2 semesters
Three-Eyed Seeing in ELA
First Eye
Inupiaq Epistemology
Sila, oral tradition, relationship with land, subsistence lifeways
Second Eye
Chinese Philosophy
天人合一 harmony, 候 waiting, 孝 filial piety, destiny, gratitude
Third Eye
Western Method
Literacy skills, scientific method, art criticism and history
Semester 1 · Weeks 1–18
In-depth novel study: bilingual reading, embedded folktales, grammar, and narrative writing.
| Week | Reading (EN & 中文) | Writing Focus | Grammar Focus | Three-Eyed Connection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pre-reading; Ch. 1-3 | "What is fortune?" freewrite | Complete sentences vs. fragments | Title meaning: 月夜仙踪 |
| 2 | Ch. 4-5; Fruitless Mountain | Topic sentences; paragraphs | Subjects and predicates | 天人合一 — harmony with nature |
| 3 | Ch. 6-7; Old Man of the Moon | Character description | Proper nouns; alphabetical order | Quest stories in oral tradition |
| 4 | Ch. 8-10; The Dragon | Narrative: a time I wanted something badly | Adjectives and adverbs | 天命 (destiny) |
| 5 | Ch. 11-12; The Goldfish Man | Opinion: brave or foolish? | Compound sentences | Giving away something precious |
| 6 | Ch. 13-15; Secret of Happiness | Letter writing | Commas and quotation marks | 感恩 (gratitude) |
| 7 | Ch. 16-17; Dragon Gate Waterfall | Summarizing fiction | Verb tenses | 道 — Minli's journey |
| 8 | Ch. 18-19; Buffalo Boy's Friend | Narrative: my own folktale | Comparative adjectives | Oral tradition comparison |
| 9 | Ch. 20-22; Unknown Part of the Story | Evidence to support claims | Relative pronouns | 缘 (connection, fate) |
| 10 | Ch. 23-25; String of Destiny | Opinion: what would you ask? | Subject-verb agreement | Elders on asking for fortune |
| 11 | Ch. 26-27; The Girl and the Green Tiger | Character analysis | Pronouns for cohesion | Sila — breath of the universe |
| 12 | Ch. 28-29 | Paragraph structure | Editing and revising | 无为 — sometimes the best action is to wait |
| 13 | Ch. 30; Village of Moon Rain | Summary writing | Complex sentences | 仁 (benevolence) |
| 14 | Ch. 31-32 | Describing setting | Adjective order | Indigenous healing traditions |
| 15 | Ch. 33-35; Green Tiger & Healing Tea | Writing: what is true fortune? | Dialogue punctuation | 孝 (filial piety) |
| 16 | Ch. 36-37; Da-A-Fu's Ancestors | Research: Chinese folklore | Modal auxiliaries | Ancestral stories |
| 17 | Ch. 38-40; The Dragon's Pearl | Culminating project prep | Grammar review | 自性 (Self-Nature) |
| 18 | Ch. 41-48; The Story of Wu Kang | Project & final presentation | Final assessment | How does this story meet your heritage? |
Semester 2 · Weeks 19–36
Extended literary analysis and writing: character journeys, thematic essays, research, and creative projects.
| Week | Unit Focus | Writing / Literacy | Grammar & Language | Three-Eyed Connection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Introduction to Character Journeys | Character development review | Progressive verb tenses | Journeys mirroring family journeys |
| 20 | Minli's Journey | How Minli changes; key events | Modal auxiliaries | 自性 — discovering her own nature |
| 21 | Dragon's Journey | Dragon's development vs. Minli | Relative pronouns | What the dragon teaches about friendship |
| 22 | Supporting Characters | Ma, Ba, and others | Subject-verb agreement | 孝 — honoring family |
| 23 | Theme: Fortune | What does fortune mean? | Adjective order | 缘 — connection, fate |
| 24 | Theme: Gratitude | Gratitude in the story | Punctuation review | 感恩 (gratitude) |
| 25 | Theme: Family Identity | How family shapes identity | Compound sentences | Family in community |
| 26 | Thematic Essay | Write a theme essay | Editing and revising | Values important in your family |
| 27 | Introduction to Folktales | Embedded folktales review | Fronted adverbials | 天人合一 in folktales |
| 28 | Folktale Analysis | Compare two folktales | Pronouns for cohesion | Comparing oral traditions |
| 29 | Creative Folktale Writing | Write an original folktale | Vivid language; similes | What lesson does it teach? |
| 30 | Personal Narrative | A challenge you overcame | Dialogue and quotations | 千里之行，始於足下 |
| 31 | Research: China | Geography and culture | Formal writing | 候 — waiting, observing |
| 32 | Research: Grace Lin | The author's background | Citing sources | How artists carry culture |
| 33 | Research: Folklore | Chinese folklore traditions | Summarizing | How stories are passed down |
| 34 | Multi-Genre Project | Combine genres | Grammar review | What your project says about heritage |
| 35 | Portfolio Completion | Compile writing pieces | Final grammar review | Reflection on the year |
| 36 | Celebration | Share work with family | Final assessment | How has your understanding grown? |
Embedded Folktales
Grace Lin weaves fifteen folk stories into the main narrative — ideal for close reading and Three-Eyed Seeing analysis.
| Chapter | Folktale | Themes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Story of Fruitless Mountain | 天人合一, relationship with land |
| 3 | The Story of the Old Man of the Moon | Destiny, fate |
| 11 | The Story of the Dragon | Identity, belonging |
| 12 | The Story of the Goldfish Man | Giving, generosity |
| 15 | The Story of the Secret of Happiness | Contentment, gratitude |
| 16 | The Story of the Dragon Gate Waterfall | Courage, transformation |
| 18 | The Story of the Buffalo Boy's Friend | Friendship, connection |
| 23 | The Unknown Part of the Old Man's Story | Fate, choices |
| 24 | The Story of the String of Destiny | Connection, 缘 |
| 30 | The Story the Girl Told the Green Tiger | Compassion, 仁 |
| 34 | The Story of the Village of the Moon Rain | Community, belonging |
| 36 | The Story of the Green Tiger and the Healing Tea | Healing, forgiveness |
| 38 | The Story of Da-A-Fu's Ancestors | Ancestry, 孝 |
| 40 | The Story of the Dragon's Pearl | Treasure, wisdom |
| 42 | The Story of Wu Kang | Perseverance, sacrifice |
Culminating Project Options
Weeks 17–18 and Week 34.
Journey Map
A visual map of Minli's journey with key events and character connections.
Sequencing, summarizing, visual representation
Character Analysis
How one character changes throughout the story, using text evidence.
Close reading, text evidence, analysis
Values Essay
Three values in the novel and how they appear in the embedded folktales.
Thematic analysis, text evidence
Personal Narrative
A challenge you overcame, inspired by Minli.
Narrative writing, self-reflection
Original Folktale
Write and illustrate your own folktale.
Creative writing, genre study
Multi-Genre Project
Combine writing, research, and visual art.
Integrated learning, presentation
Family Learning Connections
Cultural Studies
Chinese folklore, Inupiaq storytelling, 天人合一, Sila
Philosophy
天命 destiny, 自性 Self-Nature, 无为 non-action
Art
Illustrating scenes; Chinese brush painting
Science
24 Solar Terms and seasonal observation