A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park ($ 6.99 ) Grades 4-8 and beyond
CHAPTER 3 LITERATURE
( Lesson # 1 : Created by Jeff Poland , Campus Middle School , Cherry Creek Schools Greenwood Village , Colorado and updated by Mary Connor , Advisor , National Korean Studies Seminar )
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park Connections to Buddhism , Daoism , and Confucianism
Review : In this Newbery Medal-winning book set in 12 th century Korea , Tree-ear , a 13-year-old orphan , lives under a bridge in Ch ’ ulp ’ o , a potters ’ village famed for delicate celadon ware . He has become fascinated with the potter ’ s craft ; he wants nothing more than to watch master potter Min at work , and he dreams of making a pot of his own someday . When Min takes Tree-ear on as his helper , Tree-ear is elated � until he finds obstacles in his path : the backbreaking labor of digging and hauling clay , Min ’ s irascible temper , and his own ignorance . But Tree-ear is determined to prove himself — even if it means taking a long , solitary journey on foot to present Min ’ s work in the hope of a royal commission . . . . even if it means arriving at the royal court with nothing to show but a single celadon shard . ( Amazon . com )
Background information for the lesson : Buddhism : http :// :// www . koreanbuddhism . net /, , http http :// :// www . buddhanet . . net . net , /, http :// www . buddhanet . net / e-learning http / basic-guide :// www . buddhanet . htm . net / e-learning / basic-guide . htm
Daoism
: http :// :// afe .. easia . columbia . edu ( search : Daoism )) http :// daoiststudies http :// daoiststudies . org . org
Confucianism : Google : Korea and Confucianism , Mary Connor
The Lesson : Explain how the following quotations from the novel can be explained in terms of Buddhist , Confucian , or Daoist teachings and ideas .
1 . “ Why is it that pride and foolishness were so often close companions ”? ( p . 102 )
2 . “ His pride keeps him from a royal commission .” ( p . 89 ) Buddhist teachings warn against clinging to worldly concepts or objects as it is the cause of all human suffering . Worldly objects can also prevent one from achieving Nirvana .
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3 . “ Have you hungered well today ?” ( p . 3 ) In general , life on earth is suffering .
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