About This Lesson
Jean Fritz’s classic autobiographical novel recounts the story of the author’s sojourn in the Chinese city of Hankow (modern-day Wuhan) as a young girl in the 1920s.
Add depth to your students’ understanding of the novel Homesick: My Own Story (860L) by using this hand-dandy lesson plan replete with reading comprehension and discussion questions (as well as a suggested lesson plan).
F&P Level: X
Classroom Grade Levels: 5 - 7
N.B: Suitable text for middle and high school English Language Learners
Published: 1982
Lexile Level: 860L
Award(s): Newbery Honor Book
What's Included:
- Pre-Reading Activity (with a worksheet for students)
- 1 Color Visual Poster and Activity of a Chinese junk ship
- 1 simplified black and white version
- Word List for Chapter One (including character names, geography, phrases and idioms, and vocabulary lists)
- 26 Text-Based Questions for Reading Comprehension (includes a rubric for scoring and grading)
- 10 Discussion Questions (for the whole class and group discussion)
- Includes Self-Checking Google Form Assessment
- Has Answer Key and Model Answers
- 1 Suggested Lesson Plan
- Bibliography
- Standards Alignment Chart (Common Core, TEKS, VA SOL)
Students will enjoy reading this story, especially for its time-honored theme of belonging. As a teacher, I have taught this novel to English Language Learners. It is perfect for Mandarin and Cantonese EFL-speaking students.
Other Uses for this Resource:
- Fourth Graders Going into Fifth Grade - Summer Reading
- Middle School Language Arts Curriculum (5th and 6th Grades)
- Suitable Text for Middle and High School English Language Learners
Social Studies and Humanities Tie-In: Since the novel is based on a true story, Humanities teachers will find this resource valuable, as it aligns well with modern Chinese history, colonialism, and the Communist rebellion that shook the young Republic of China.
