Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Text Structure

Activity Overview

Understanding text structure can improve students’ comprehension of the text. Examples of informational text structures include compare/contrast, chronological, cause/effect, and problem/solution. Although Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a fictional novel, it has a very unique structure. The frame story includes the adventures of Minli, her parents, and Dragon. The embedded stories give background information of characters like Dragon, Goldfish Man, and Wu Kang.

Students will select moments from the overarching story and identify the stories embedded into these moments. See the example grid storyboard below.

Frame Story

• After long days working in the rice fields, Minli listens intently to her father's stories.


• Ma and Ba meet the goldfish man while searching for Minli.


• Minli meets the white rabbit at Never­-Ending Mountain.

Embedded Stories

• "The Story of the Dragon"
• Dragon came alive through a painting made for Magistrate Tiger.


• "The Story of the Goldfish Man"
• The Goldfish Man's grandmother, Lao­ Lao, was a famous fortune­teller, who predicted his death, but advised him on how to change the Book of Fortune.


• "The Story of Wu Kang"
• Wu Kang was never satisfied or grateful for what he had and is now chopping a tree until he learns contentment and patience or until the end of time.

Template and Class Instructions

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