Tree-ear goes there? What does Tree-ear consider A Single ...

1 A Listening Library Study Guide I. PRE-TEACHING about the Rock of Fallen Flowers? what happens when Tree-ear goes there? what does Tree-ear consider A. These terms should be defined and discussed: doing after he loses the vases? what does he decide perusal, glean, hoisted, cumbersome, oblivious, rue- to do? How does Emissary Kim respond to what tree - A Single fully, foraging, garner, keen, emboldened, cowered, ear shows him? what has happened while Tree-ear is quashed, precariously, placid, wincing, diligent, inso- gone? How do Min and Ajima reward Tree-ear for his lence, curt, impudent, brandishing, fervently, terse, loyalty?

2 Pummeling, residue, incense, hues, incised, derision, shard vessels, meagerness, garb, vigilance, awl, emissary, B. For Discussion: impassive, stealth, impending, debris, surreptitiously, 1. Why is Tree-ear 's name a good one? Why is Crane- invective, suppressed, feigning, lugubrious, man's name fitting? Discuss the significance of tree - harangued, guffaw, trepidation, grimacing, pinioned, ear's new name, Hyun-pil. 2. what does Tree-ear learn as he chops wood for Min? by Linda Sue Park stance, subdued B. consider the following questions: How can this knowledge apply to other menial tasks we might have to do?

3 1. what do you know about the history of Korea? Why 3. As Tree-ear starts on his journey, Crane-man tells don't we learn Eastern history in school? Why is it im- him,' Your mind knows you are going to Songdo. Twelve-year-old orphan, Tree-ear , dreams of portant to know? But you must not tell your body. It must think one hill, becoming a master potter like Min, but even 2. Have you ever made anything in clay? what 's enjoyable one valley, one day at a time. Why is this a good phi- though Min takes him on as a helper, he won't about working with clay? what is challenging about it? losophy for starting any journey or any teach him to throw a pot because Tree-ear is not his 3.

4 Have you ever worked for someone who was difficult to difficult task? son. Nevertheless, Tree-ear selflessly takes on a get along with? what can you do to get along with dif- 4. Tree-ear is concerned about stealing Kang's idea for dangerous journey to bring Min's work to ficult people? the inlay. Is it true what Crane-man says, The idea belongs to the world ? At what point does Crane-man the attention of the royal emissary. II. PRESENTATION say it's all right to take an idea from someone else? Do you agree? Why or why not? A. Understanding the Story: 5. Hope is important to have in all situations.

5 There are THEMES 1. Begin with Chapters 1 - 4: How do Tree-ear and Crane- times in the novel where Tree-ear 's desire to learn pot- ceramic art, 12th century Korea, work ethic, honesty, man eat? Where do they live? How has Tree-ear come tery seems hopeless. Discuss what Crane-man means responsibility, courage, family to live with Crane-man? Why does Tree-ear like to when he says, "My friend, the same wind that blows watch the potter? what happens when Tree-ear han- one door shut often blows another open." what doors dles Min's boxes? How does he hope to repay Min for open for Tree-ear ? the damage?

6 what is Tree-ear 's task every day? Why does Tree-ear want to continue working for Min? what is his new job? How is the celadon color achieved? III. EXTENDING THE LESSON. what do the other potters and apprentices say about Give students the opportunity to work with partners, groups, Min? what is a royal commission? the whole class, or alone. 2. Advance to Chapters 5 - 8: Why does Tree-ear feel he should tell Min what he has seen at Kang's? INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS: what does Crane-man tell him? what does Tree-ear decide to do? what is remarkable about Kang's piec- A. Language Arts: es? Why does the Emissary want to see the 1.

7 Have students put together a character list featuring the same thing on Min's pots? what does Tree-ear offer different traits of the main characters. what adjectives to do? what worries Tree-ear about the journey? Why apply to Tree-ear ? To Crane-man? To Min? To Min's Young Listener Unabridged Audio won't Min teach Tree-ear to make a pot? wife? 3. Complete the story with Chapters 9 - 13: Why is tree - ear afraid when he sees the fox? what is the story 2. Min is upset with Tree-ear because he doesn't fol- low his instructions. Tree-ear is upset because Min's 4. Have students learn about Asian food, Korean in par- ticular.

8 Why is rice a staple of these countries? Theme Related instructions are not clear. Have students write a set 5. Throughout the story, Tree-ear learns the power of Reading and Listening: of instructions to do a simple task and have another meditation, from the way he feels chopping the wood student try to follow them without verbal help. what for Min, to watching Min create the prunus vase, to Listening Library offers additional titles that explore similar is difficult about writing instructions? About creating pottery of his own. Have students learn about themes and content areas. Use the information below to pur- following them?

9 Meditation in Eastern cultures. Why did it arise? How chase book and tape kits from our extensive list of award-win- 3. Have students write a haiku based on one of the does it help people deal with stress? Why do they think ning and popular titles to enhance the learning experience for scenes in the story. it is now becoming popular in Western culture? students in every classroom or library. 4. Have students collect Crane-man sayings, like D. Science and Math: Other titles students may enjoy: Scholars read the great words of the world. But you and I must learn to read the world itself or It is a 1.

10 The discovery of the celadon color for Korean worse foolishness to do something foolish and then ceramics is described as a happy accident. Have stu- The Cay by Theodore Taylor dents find out about other happy accidents, like Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan to be unable to laugh at it later. Have students Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos discuss what the sayings mean and apply them the discovery of penicillin, Post-it Notes, Titanium, Matilda Bone by Karen Cushman to their own lives. or Velcro. Monster by Walter Dean Myer 2. Tree-ear 's name refers to a kind of mushroom. Have Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D.