bzVTeacher(s) Alisha Nangia Subject group and English Language and Literature

discipline
Unit title Non-Fiction- Chinese Cinderella MYP year two Unit duration 5
(hrs) weeks

Inquiry: Establishing the purpose of the unit

Key concept Related concept(s) Global context

Connections Character Personal and Cultural Expression
Theme
 Family and relationships
 Abandonment and Loneliness
 Self-Esteem

Statement of inquiry

Literary connections are made from a personal and cultural expression, to traditional characters and themes.

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Inquiry questions
Factual—What is Non-Fiction?

Conceptual- How are cultural and personal expression reflected through non-fiction writing?
Debatable— To what extent is non fiction factual?

Objectives Summative assessment

Outline of summative assessment task(s)
including assessment criteria:
- Goal:
- Informal Letter Writing
Students will write a letter from an elder
Adeline to her past self- a younger Adeline-
giving her hope to hold on as she finally ends
up being successful in the end.
Relationship between summative assessment
task(s) and statement of inquiry:
Establishes the connection between a visual
and literary text and brings out the thematic
links.

Question:
Imagine you are Adeline, a successful novelist
residing in America, writing a letter to her past
self, consoling her younger self when PLT dies
and asking her not to give up. Organise your

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 thoughts in an informal letter. (350-400 words)

-Students are expected to follow the

conventions of a letter. (paragraphs, format)
-The content must be original.
- The letter must be interesting and creative.

Role:. An Adult Adeline

Audience: Younger Adeline
Product:. An informal letter
Success criteria
Must follow the conventions of an Informal
Letter (Format, Paragraphs, Organisation)
Must be original and creative
Must show a clear understanding of the
character of Adeline and the events leading up
to PLT’s death.
Must hint at the underlying Themes of the
Novel eg. Abandonment, Self esteem and
Loneliness.
Must be grammatically correct to not hinder
communication.

Approaches to learning (ATL)

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Media Literacy Skills :
Interacting with media to use and create ideas and information
 Locate, organize, analyse, evaluate, synthesize and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media (including digital social
media and online networks)
 Demonstrate awareness of media interpretaqtions of events and ideas (including digital social media)
 Make informed choices about personal viewing experiences
 Understand the impact of media representations and modes of presentation
 Seek a range of perspectives from multiple and varied sources
 Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
 Compare, contrast and draw connections among (multi)media resources

Critical Thinking Skills:

 Gather and organize relevant information to formulate an argument
 Recognize unstated assumptions and bias.
 Revise understanding based on new information and evidence.

Formative 1: Diary Entry

Communication Skills
-Use appropriate forms of writing for different purposes and audiences
- Make inferences and draw conclusions
- Write for different purposes
- Organize and depict information logically
•-Structure information in summaries, essays and reports

Creative thinking skills

Generating novel ideas and considering new perspectives
• Make unexpected or unusual connections between objects and/or ideas.
• Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products or processes
• Create original works and ideas; use existing works and ideas in new ways
• Practise flexible thinking—develop multiple opposing, contradictory and complementary arguments

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• Practise visible thinking strategies and techniques
• Generate metaphors and analogies

Critical thinking skills

Make unexpected or unusual connections between objects and/or ideas
Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products or processes

Formative 2- Informal Letter (Individual)

Creative thinking Skills

Generating novel ideas and considering new perspectives
• Make unexpected or unusual connections between objects and/or ideas.
• Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products or processes
• Create original works and ideas; use existing works and ideas in new ways
• Practise flexible thinking—develop multiple opposing, contradictory and complementary arguments
• Practise visible thinking strategies and techniques
• Generate metaphors and analogies.
Communication Skills
Use appropriate forms of writing for different purposes and audiences
- Make inferences and draw conclusions
- Write for different purposes
- Organize and depict information logically
•-Structure information in summaries, essays and reports

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Content Learning process

Learning experiences and teaching strategies

Day 1: Initial Research

AIM: Students to identify the difference between fiction and non-fiction and autobiography and biography.
To research on Non-Fiction and bring out the difference between a Memoir and an Autobiography.
Teachers give out Worksheet 1 which the students research and fill in. (checking 1)

Day 2-3-4: Extensive Research-

Group Presentations
Research and Make Connections

The students are divided into 7 groups and are given a topic the following topics on which they have to make oral
presentations, (Worksheet 2) They are not allowed to simply read out their points and effort must be made in honing their
speaking skills.
This is collaborative / group work. Each group is given an individual topic and they have to tell the focus areas and site their
sources clearly so that there are no overlaps. They need to present each

The topics are-

 Chinese Myths & Superstitions – eg. Foot binding

 Chinese Folk legends and traditions
 Chinese language and it’s nomenclature - Calligraphy and Pictograms

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  Imperialism in China (Chinese Wars -Opium War, Japanese Invasion, Civil War in China
 Chinese food
 Social events in China eg. weddings and funerals
 Role of women in China -Then and Now

Day 5-6-7-8: Introduction to Literary Terms (Prose) -SCASI ELEMENTS

The teacher will introduce the students to the Scasi Elements. She will give examples from Chapter 1 and 2 of the
text. (Resource Sheet 3)

Details of topics to be taught:

 Setting – Different types of setting
 Characterisation
They must be introduced to such terms as :
 Foil
 Stock Character
 Flat and Round character
 Action: Important plot details and Conflict – Types of Conflict (eg. Man-Man, Man-Nature)
 Style: Narrative Voice and Perspective Students watch a short video on Narrative Voice and Perspective and take
notes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOVMM60Sm2c
The students can then research on the following topics and find suitable examples of writing that use:
 First Person Narrator
 Second Person Narrator
 Third Person Narrator
 Objective Point of View
 Omniscient Point of View

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  Limited Omniscient Point of View
The class will identify the Narrative Voice in ‘Chinese Cinderella’ and discuss in pairs about the advantages and
disadvantages of First Person Perspective
 Ideas: What could be the message/ theme of the memoir? Are there any symbols in the book?

Day 10-11: Diary Entry

After the next 5 chapters are read (chapter 3-7), they are given the format of a Diary Entry.
https://ais10eng09.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/diary-entry-chinese-cinderella/
http://www.thinkib.net/englishb/page/15028/text-type-conventions-#blog
Students must answer the questions related to events described in the chapters that they have read and create a diary entry
for any 3 incidents in a stipulated time. Care is taken to enhance the Concision and Precision skills. The final goal is to reach
a minimum of writing 350 words in 15 minutes, to help them for their e-assessment. (checking 2)
They are asked to read the next 5 chapters (chapter 8-12) over the weekend.
Day 12: Formative 1- Diary Entry -
Imagine you are ONE of the characters in Adeline Yen Mah’s Chinese Cinderella. Select THREE events in the novel and
write a diary entry for each event from the point of view of your chosen character. Choose your character carefully. You
need to:
 collect enough information to write about each event
 describe your feelings (as the character you have chosen) and comment on your relationship with the other
characters in the story
 include some quotes from the novel.

Criteria C and D
They are asked to read the last 5 chapters (chapter 18-22) over the weekend.

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 Day 13-14-
Teaching the conventions of an informal Letter and giving one sample question as classroom practise.
http://sanjukta.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Formal-and-Informal-Letters.pdf
Sample Question: Write a letter from Ye-Ye to Adeline, asking her to pay more attention to her Chinese culture,
heritage and language.

Day 15: Formative 2

Formative 2: Informal Letter
Informal Letter
Imagine that you are Adeline Yen Mah replying to a Letter by Aunt Baba at the end of the memoir. You are describing life
in England and how it is vastly different from the life you had undergone when you were in China.
(checking 5)
Day 16-17: Revisiting Theme and Title:
Students work individually on this activity. They have to pick any 2 events/quotes that show Adeline’s feelings or views
on:
 Family
 Abandonment
 Loneliness
 Self-Esteem
 Extra Activity: Students will brainstorm about the title of the book and give justifications whether it is a suitable one.

Day 18, 19
Summative

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 Students will write a letter from an elder Adeline to her past self- a younger Adeline- giving her hope to hold on as she
finally ends up being successful in the end. (350-400 words)
Criteria B,C,D
(checking 7)

***

List of Formative Assessments

Formative 1
Diary Entry

Formative 2
Informal Letter

Question:
(300-400 words)

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 Differentiation
For Strategies-
Visual learners given more graphic organisers and videos
Slow learners get more time for writing
Gifted learners get additional tasks that are research based to keep them interested.

Resources
Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yeh Mah
Toshack-Writing Unseen Commentaries
Literary Terms related to prose
Youtube Video on the Chinese Cinderella Fairytale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEvB6h6lOw4

Action: Teaching and learning through inquiry

Reflection: Considering the planning, process and impact of the inquiry

Prior to teaching the unit During teaching After teaching the unit

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