I.  Rationale 
The World and Its People I is designed to provide an understanding and appreciation of the world’s people through analysis, readings, and discussions regarding social, political, religious, economic, cultural, and historical forces.  Perhaps the most relevant and significant way to do this is by examining how individual lives have been influenced by such factors.  To begin this process, students entering high school will select and read one of the following memoirs, which are autobiographical accounts of a meaningful portion of an individual’s life.  Using the memoir, all students will complete several associated requirements due on the first day of school. 

II.    Book Selection 
All grade 9 students are required to select one of the following memoirs: 

China’s Son (by Da Chen)China’s Son is an accessible and engaging tale of a boy’s coming of age in China during the turbulent times of the 1960s and ‘70s.  Da Chen was born in 1962 into a family of wealthy landlords.  When the teachings of Mao Tse-tung become the law of the land, his father is sent to labor camps, and his elder brother and two sisters are forced to toil in the fields.  Da, the youngest, has to beg for an education.  With some help along the way, Da excels in his early years, both as a student and a musician.(adapted from http://www.asianreviewofbooks.com/arb/article.php?article=69)  

Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter (by Adeline Yen Mah)Chinese Cinderella is a story written by a woman in her fifties about her own childhood.  The story is set against a background of life in Japanese-occupied China and during the civil war between the communists and nationalists which followed Japan's defeat at the end of the Second World War.  There are some fascinating snapshots of the old way of life, but this is mainly an account of Yen Jun-ling’s difficult childhood and how she coped with it. (adapted from http://www.readingmatters.co.uk/book.php?id=8)  

III. Requirements 

Each student is responsible for the following:

1. Written description and interpretation of the book 
   Students will provide a typed, double-spaced summary of the memoir, supported by several relevant examples from the book.  This will include the student’s overall impression of the book and an explanation of the reader’s personal reaction to the characters’ experiences and events in the story.  This should not exceed two typed pages.  Please refer to the rubric contained in this packet.
2. Quotations from the book 
   Students will select four passages and/or quotations from the book which describe major character or plot developments.  Students will provide the page number(s) of the quote, a brief analysis, and reasons for each selection.  This should not exceed more than one typed paragraph per selection.  Please refer to the rubric contained in this packet.
3. Examples of the historical and cultural context of the book 
   Students will select four examples of the cultural or historical context.  This may include customs, traditions, and other characteristics of culture, as well as historical developments mentioned by the author.  Students will provide the page number(s) of the example, a brief analysis, and reasons for each selection.  This should not exceed more than one typed paragraph per selection.  Please refer to the rubric contained in this packet.