Ties that bind, Ties that break novel study

I have chosen to submit a lesson plan for the novel Ties that Bind, Ties that break by Lensey Namioka. This novel explores the issue of foot binding.

Day One: Introduce what foot binding is by showing them pictures of women that have their feet bound. You can find them on Google under images on footbinding. I brought up images that were not super graphic, but conveyed the practice of foot binding. I also have a discussion about why they practiced footbinding and what it meant. The class distinction and the government at the time. Quick write for this day is : “ Would you be willing to give up opportunities to marry and lead a life like everyone else your age? Could you stand up for what you believed or wanted, even though everyone was against you?”

Day Two: Pass out study guides (see attached) and begin instructing the students as to how you want them filled out. Remind them that the test will be just like the study guide. Begin chapter one. You can choose to have them read or you can read. I like to play the novel on audiobook, and they have this book on Audible, Amazon’s sight. The lady reading it has a great voice and is easy to understand. I fill out the study guide with them after each chapter and discuss as we go. Quick Write: “ Why was footbinding first started and why do you think that more women didn’t protest the practice?”

Day three-? I continue on with the chapters reading and discussing and filling out the study guides.

Final days… I allow the students to work in groups to study and prepare for the test. I also take this opportunity for a rich discussion of the students feelings and thoughts on family influence, foot binding and any other topics they come up with. I also tie it back in with the original anchor unit of Conformity versus Individuality. I would then give the final test after study time. Attached are the study guide and test. They were not created by me but on teachers pay teachers by Angela Bihn.















Ties that Bind, Ties that Break Study Guide

Name________________________________ Date_____________________ Class_____________________

Prologue
1. In what year does this book begin?
2. Who does Ailin run into in the restaurant at the beginning of the story? How do they know each other?
3. What does Ailin’s husband do for a living?


Chapter One
4. Describe the house the Taos live in.
5. How did Ailin feel about her amah?
6. Why was Ailin’s presence requested by her Grandmother?
7. What was Mrs. Liu’s biggest concern with Ailin?
8. Describe Hanwei.
9. Describe the public school Hanwei attended.


Chapter Two
10. What reasons does Ailin’s mother give for binding her feet?
11. How does Second Sister try to prepare Ailin for foot binding?
12. Describe Big Uncle.
13. What doe Big Uncle and Father disagree on?
14. Describe Second Sister’s feet as she removes the cloth as Ailin watches.

Chapter Three
15. What is Ailin’s favorite part of her home schooling?
16. How does Ailin get out of having her feet bound?
17. Why was Second Sister punished?
18. What does Ailin’s mother mean when she says, “My poor little girl, you’re beautiful, and you’re clever. But you are too headstrong. Someday you will have to pay a price for that.”
19. How is Grandmother different toward Ailin when she is summoned once again? What effect does this have on Ailin?
20. How did Ailin get out of binding her feet this time? What were the immediate consequences for this?


Chapter Four
21. What announcement does Father make about Ailin? How do the other family members respond?
22. What must Ailin do before she is accepted into the school?
23. Why was Ailin so happy at the MacIntosh school?
24. Who is Xueyan? What is she like?
25. What is Ailin’s best subject?
26. Explain the importance of the following quote: “I personally like the colored cocoons,” said Second Sister, “but the silk weavers hate them because they spoil the uniformity. Whenever they see a colored one, they immediately take it out and burn it. Remember this.”
Chapter Five
27. What happened to Grandmother?
28. What does Mrs. Liu say to Ailin at the funeral?
29. What is wrong with Father?
30. What is Ailin’s name at school?
31. Who does Ailin run into on the way home one day?
32. Describe Ailin and Xueyan’s conversation about foot binding.


Chapter Six
33. What warning does Second Sister give Ailin?
34. What affect does Father’s death have on Ailin?
35. Do you think that Big Uncle is more harsh toward Ailin now that Father is dead? Why or why not?
36. What does Ms. Gilbertson offer to do in order to help Ailin?
Chapter Seven
37. What are the three options Big Uncle gives Ailin for her future?
38. Why does Ailin feel that her life would not be better had she bound her feet?
39. How does Ms. Gilbertson help Ailin?
Chapter Eight
40. What was Big Uncle’s reaction to the news that Ailin would be leaving?

41. How does the Warner’s house boy treat Ailin initially?
42. What were Ailin’s responsibilities at the Warners?
43. What challenges did Ailin face at the Warners?
44. Why was Ailin criticized by Mr. Warner?

Chapter Nine
45. How did Mr. and Mrs. Warner prove that they trusted her?
46. What happened to Billy? How did Ailin try to solve the problem?
47. How has the house boy’s opinion of Ailin changed?
48. What did Mr. Warner ask Ailin to do?
49. What were Ailin’s family members reactions to her news?
Chapter Ten
50. Who came to see Ailin off? What did she give Ailin?
51. Who is James Chew and how did Ailin meet him?
52. Why does James not want to work for his brother?
Chapter Eleven
53. How was life in San Francisco different for the Warners than life in China?
54. How does Ailin take over the cooking for the Warners?
55. Who does Ailin run into in Chinatown? What does she inspire him to do?
56. Why does Ailin stay in America?
Epilogue
57. Why did Hanwei say Ailin should have waited for him? Do you agree or disagree?

Name__________________________________________ Class____________________ Date______________

Directions: Complete the chart for each quote. Use complete sentences in the boxes.


Quote
Why it’s Important to the Text My Reaction


"I personally like the colored cocoons, but silk weavers hate them because they spoil the white uniformity. Whenever they see a colored one, they immediately take it out and burn it. Remember this."




“At school I was Eileen, speaking English and learning about galaxies and far away countries. at home I was Ailin, a naughty girl whose engagement had been broken.”



“Eileen, you’re the best student I’ve ever had in my English class. You have a very good ear, and your pronunciation is almost perfect. All you need is a bigger vocabulary. I know you won’t be able to return to school nest year, but I am willing to give you free tutoring at my home. I can’t bear to see this talent for languages being wasted.”




“I’ve decided to go and work as an amah for an American missionary family,” I announced baldly. “I will be living with them from now on.”





Ties that Bind, Ties that Break

Directions: for each of the following questions choose the best answer. Bubble the answer you choose in on your answer form. DO NOT WRITE ON THIS TEST.



1. In what decade does this book mostly take place?
a. 1910s
b. 1920s
c. 1930s
d. 1940s

2. Who does Ailin run into in the restaurant at the beginning of the story?
a. Hanwei
b. Xueyan
c. Second Sister
d. Big Uncle

3. What does Ailin’s husband do for a living?
a. Doctor
b. Store Manager
c. Chef
d. Restaurant Owner

4. What was Mrs. Liu’s biggest concern with Ailin?
a. Her untidy hair
b. Her aggressive manner
c. Her unbound feet
d. Her shy attitude

5. How does Second Sister try to prepare Ailin for foot binding?
a. She shows Ailin her own bound feet
b. She tells Ailin all of the steps in the process
c. She complains about the pain of having bound feet
d. She tells Ailin she doesn’t have a choice

6. Big Uncle is best described as:
a. Firm but kind leader
b. Aggressive and intimating
c. Generous and supportive
d. Weak and nervous

7. What do Big Uncle and Father disagree on?
a. Who Ailin should marry
b. China’s future
c. How the Tao household should be run
d. Whether they should hire a new tutor for their children

8. Which character does Ailin most closely relate to?
a. Mother
b. Amah
c. Big Uncle
d. Father

9. What is Ailin’s favorite part of her home schooling?
a. Reading
b. Math
c. Brush writing
d. Being with her cousins

10. How did Ailin get out of binding her feet?
a. Her grandmother came to her rescue
b. Her sister convinced her mother it was wrong
c. Her Father and Big Uncle decided that times were changing
d. Ailin broke free from the maids and ran away

11. Which of the following was ultimately not a negative consequence for having unbound feet?
a. Being teased at school
b. Loosing the respect of her family
c. Having to work outside of the home
d. The cancelation of engagement to Hanwei

12. How do Ailin’s family members respond to Father’s announcement that Ailin would be attending public school?
a. Happy and supportive
b. Angry and bitter
c. Jealous
d. Concerned

13. Why was Ailin so happy at the McIntosh school?
a. She loved learning
b. Highly respected for her English ability
c. Easier than being home
d. All of the above

14. Which of the following best describes Xueyan?
a. Friendly and shares Ailin’s beliefs
b. Stubborn and unlikable
c. Trouble maker
d. Courageous and adventurous

15. Which of the following best explains the importance of the following quote:
“I personally like the colored cocoons,” said Second Sister, “but the silk weavers hate them becasue they spoil the uniformity. Whenever they see a colored one, they immediately take it out and burn it. Remember this.”
a. The Taos rely on the silkworms for income
b. Silk worms are an important part of the lives of all Chinese
c. This statement is a metaphor Second Sister uses to warn Ailin
d. Second Sister enjoys talking with Ailin and their discussion included the opinions of bother characters about the silkworms

16. What does Mrs. Liu say to Ailin at her grandmother’s funeral?
a. She’s glad she broke off the engagement
b. She and Hanwei would never have gotten along
c. It was very difficult to break off the engagement
d. Ailin will suffer many more consequences because of her stubborn behavior

17. What is Ailin’s name at school?
a. Miss Tao
b. Ellen
c. Eileen
d. Alana

18. What affect does Father’s death have on Ailin?
a. Ailin’s life is now completely hopeless
b. Everyone at home now ignores her
c. She is forced to stay locked in her room and stay out of Big Uncle’s way
d. Big Uncle now tries harder to control Ailin and her life

19. What does Ms. Gilbertson offer to do to help Ailin?
a. Tutor Ailin
b. Get Ailin a job
c. Let Ailin live with her
d. Sneak Ailin into the school and pay her tuition

20. Which was not one of the options Big Uncle gave Ailin for her future?
a. Marry a farmer
b. Move to America
c. Become a nun
d. Become a concubine

21. Which is not part of Ailin’s responsibilities at the Warners?
a. Doing dishes
b. Taking care of the children
c. Teaching the children
d. Telling the children stories

22. Why was Ailin criticized by Mr. Warner?
a. Telling dangerous folktales
b. Ignoring her duties
c. Not seeing her familly
d. Teaching the children brush writing

23. What did Mr. Warner ask Ailin to do?
a. Take on more teaching responsibility
b. Go to America with them
c. To go visit her family
d. Become a missionary

24. Who came to see Ailin off? What did she give Ailin?
a. Hanwei and a letter from her mother
b. Big Uncle and some money
c. Xueyan and the money Ailin left with Big Uncle
d. Her mother and a locket

25. How was life in San Francisco different for the Warners?
a. They were much wealthier than they were in China
b. They were expected to work much harder in the states
c. They could no longer afford the luxuries they had in China
d. They were not respected in their American society because they were missionaries

26. Why does Ailin stay in America?
a. To marry Hanwei
b. To go to college
c. To marry James Chew
d. To work for another family



Essay: Answer the following questions using essay format- complete sentences, proper grammar, paragraphs, and supporting evidence from the text.

27. Explain how the setting has influenced the plot of the story. How would Ailin’s experiences have been different in a different time or place? Use details from the novel to support your beliefs.



28. Determine if Ailin made the right decision to not have her feet bound. Consider both the positive and negative consequences this had on her life. Use details from the story to support your answer.