Red Scarf Girl

1. Red Scarf Girl by Ji-Li Jiang

2. Journal Entries • All journal entries (10 total) must be in chronological order in the following format: Number & date Question or prompt 5 – 7 sentence paragraph (unless otherwise indicated) 2 blank lines between each entry. • Use front and back of paper.

3. RSG Journal #1 • #1: The seeds of change for the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution had been planted many years before the movement actually burst forth in 1966. Seventeen years earlier, in 1949, the popular and charismatic revolutionary, Mao Zedong, led the Communist Party to power as the new leader of China. Many Chinese were motivated by the belief that Chairman Mao would bring great changes to a nation weakened by centuries of corrupt government and foreign invasion. • Based upon your background knowledge and the content of the paragraph above, explain the meaning of the word “revolution,” and discuss the characteristics a revolutionary would be expected to possess (2-3 sentences)

4. RSG Journal #2 • #2 Describe and explain this propaganda poster from the Cultural Revolution. (The man is crushing Buddha, a crucifix, and some classical Chinese texts.)

5. RSG Journal #3 • #3: List ways in which your society is equal and ways in which it is unequal. (use a two-column organizer). Label the left column “equal” and the right column “unequal”

6. RSG Journal #4 • What is your opinion of the da-zi-bao and how it was used by the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution? (p.38-51) How do you think you would react if someone wrote a da-zi-bao about you?

7. RSG Journal #5 and #6 • #5 Imagine that you spent all weekend completing a project for school while most of your friends went to the movies and to a party. On Monday, when you turned the project in, the teacher said it was the best project of all. The teacher then told the class that everyone would get a 100 whether they did a project or not. How would that make you feel? Copy School Project Reflection as the heading for this journal entry. • #6 Discuss some of the internal and external conflicts Ji-Li has experienced thus far in the story. (p. 1-117)

8. RSG Journal #7 and #8 • #7 Compare the events of the Civil Rights Movement, Giver’s Community, Apartheid, and the Cultural Revolution in the graphic organizer provided. • #8 Write a character profile of Ji-Li Jiang. (physical, emotional, behavior characteristics; thoughts, feelings, actions; family, friends, home, school)

9. RSG Journal #9 and #10 • #9 What are some possible reasons to explain why millions of Chinese people supported Chairman Mao and the Cultural Revolution? • #10 Explain the meaning of the quote below and its relevance to Red Scarf Girl. COPY quote only “The strength of a nation begins in the home with love and respect of family.” ~Confucius

10. RSG Journal #11 • #11 Discuss Ji-Li’s transformation from a child at the beginning of the story to a young adult at the end. How and why did she change? Discuss specific examples from the book.

11. Scrapbook • Create a scrapbook that you think Ji-Li might have created as a remembrance of important events from her childhood during the Cultural Revolution. The scrapbook must contain a minimum of 10 pages and be a combination of photos / illustrations with detailed captions depicting people and events from the book.

12. Political Cartoon • Create a political cartoon related to the Cultural Revolution and one significant event from the book. The cartoon should be colored and must include dialogue and/or captions. It should be large enough to cover a plain, white, 8x11 sheet of paper. Sarcasm is often used to create humor in political cartoons.

13. Plot Diagram Poster • Complete a detailed plot diagram summarizing important events (in complete sentences) throughout the novel. Use the traditional ascending/descending format for the diagram. Add a space for theme in the center of the diagram. Include one, colored illustration depicting something significant from the book. You may use full-sized or half-sized poster paper.

14. Diorama • Create a visual representation of a scene from the climax of the story. The diorama must be three-dimensional, include a setting element, and be accompanied by a brief summary explaining the scene. A shoebox or something similar would be an appropriate container/base for the diorama.

15. Da-Zi-Bao • Take the position of a Chinese, counter-revolutionary capitalist during the Cultural Revolution, and create a reverseda-zi-bao poster about Mao Ze Dong. Read the examples in the book, and write a da-zi-bao about all the wrongs Chairman Mao committed toward the people of China. Use terminology such as Communist, Red Guards, Liberation Army, and Proletarian Dictatorship. Include a photo/illustration of Mao Ze Dong on the poster. You may use full-sized or half-sized poster paper.

16. Propaganda Poster • Create a propaganda poster for the purpose of promoting the Cultural Revolution and gaining support for Chairman Mao and the destruction of the fourolds. Your poster should be colored and include the following: • a title • a slogan/catchy phrase or rhyme • a photo/picture/illustration • a propaganda technique You may use full-sized or half-sized poster paper.

17. Museum Exhibit • Create a poster depicting 10 artifacts from the Cultural Revolution presented in chronological timeline format. Include a brief summary (3-5 sentences) with each artifact for the purpose of explaining its relevance to Communist China and the Cultural Revolution. You may use full-sized or half-sized poster paper. Add color to the poster where applicable.

18. Letter to Author • Write a letter (minimum 150 words in friendly letter format) to Ji-Li Jiang sharing your thoughts, feelings, and opinions about her story. Discuss specific events in the book and explain how they affected you (mood) as a reader. Feel free to include questions for the author in the letter as well.