Lesson 2: Artisans in Tree-ear's World

Turn and Talk

Say these Directions: Use the Turn and Talk routine to discuss the definition and examples of curiosity you recorded in your Journal for Lesson 1 homework.

Invite two to three students to share their responses before developing a class definition for curiosity.

• Ask: What are some characteristics of curious people?

  • asking a lot of questions, being interested in new topics, eagerness to explore new ideas, interest in other people or ideas

• Ask: What piques your curiosity?

  • Responses will vary

• Say: Work together to combine your responses into a single definition of curiosity.

  • Curiosity is wondering about something, asking questions, and being interested in something new.

• Say: In A Single Shard, one of the main characters is Tree-ear, and his curiosity plays an important role in the plot and in his own journey learning about the arts and traditions of Korean culture.

Display the words tradition and celadon. Discuss the definition of these words as a class, providing additional context and connection as it pertains to the unit.

• tradition: the beliefs and customs of a culture that are handed down from one generation to the next

  • Connection: Pottery is an important craft and tradition practiced in Tree-ear's village of Ch’ulp’o. Craftspeople pass down their knowledge of how to make pottery from one generation to the next.

• celadon: a type of pottery known for its smooth surface and pale green glaze

  • Connection: In the novel, Tree-ear becomes curious about how to make celadon pottery, which is specific to Korea’s Goryeo dynasty.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Today, you will watch a video about Korean pottery. As you watch the video, consider why Tree-ear might be curious about the craft and tradition of making pottery.

Part A: Introducing Korean Pottery (RI.6.7, L.6.6) (15 minutes)

Tell students that they will be watching a short video about the history and making of Goryeo celadon pottery. This video shows a variety of pottery tools, as well as “throwing,” or shaping, a clay object using a pottery wheel.

• Say: As you watch “Korean Pottery: A Story of a Thousand Years,” note what you notice, think, and wonder about the materials, shapes, tools, and how the potters work. Use specific action words from the video to describe the skills you observe.

Say these Directions: Record your observations about the pottery video using the I See, I Think, I Wonder graphic organizer.

Turn and Talk

Have students share their responses on the I Think, I See, I Wonder graphic organizer with a partner. Invite two to three partners to share their responses with the class. Then, have students engage in a turn and talk discussion to answer the prompt.

Say these Directions: Use the Turn and Talk routine to discuss the prompt:

• Ask: Based on the video, why might Tree-ear be curious about making pottery?

  • The pottery is very beautiful. It uses interesting tools and requires lots of skill.

Part B: Examining Goryeo Pottery (RI.6.7, L.6.6) (15 minutes)

Graffiti / Table Talk

Have students work in small groups to read and examine the images in the article “Korean Ceramics of the Goryeo Period”.

Say these Directions: Work with your group to read and examine each of the images in the article “Korean Ceramics of the Goryeo Period”.

• Say: As you examine each image, think about the shapes, designs, and colors of each object. Notice your first impressions as well as any questions or reactions that arise.

After students have studied the images, share the following prompt:

• Ask: What did you notice about the Goryeo pottery from the images in the text?

  • Many of the pieces of pottery were shades gray, or green. The pottery takes many different shapes, including familiar shapes (like bowls and teapots) and more unusual shapes (like vases). Some of the pottery has carvings or designs.

Have groups silently write their ideas on shared charts or digital boards for about two to three minutes.

• Ask: What patterns do you see across the responses? What new ideas resulted from reviewing your classmates' observations?

Prompt groups to summarize the patterns they notice and discuss how they might connect to the story before inviting them to share their responses with the class.

Class Discussion

Lead students in a brief discussion about the video and images. Encourage them to use specific action words as well as interpretive phrases (e.g., this shows . . . , this conveys . . .) to connect their ideas to supporting details from the video and photo gallery.

Say: Discuss the following questions with your classmates. Be sure to include details from the video and images to support your ideas. Use phrases such as this shows or this example highlights to link details to your ideas.

• Ask: Based on the ideas and images in the video and article, what do you think makes Goryeo celadon pottery unique? Support your response with specific details from the media (video and images).

  • The video explains that the craft is unique to Korea because of the type of clay and materials available to make it. This shows how Goryeo celadon pottery is distinct from Chinese celadon due to its color, designs, and techniques. The images in the article show how Goryeo celadon pottery uses traditional designs.

• Ask: What evidence from the video and article most conveys the skill, effort, and tradition behind this art form? Support your response with specific details from the media.

  • The video explains that the master potter has been working for decades to learn and perfect his craft, including spending as many as 10 years on one piece of pottery. The images in the article show how detailed the pottery is, including intricate designs, carvings, and shaping.

• Ask: How might the video and images connect to the story, A Single Shard?

  • The story might connect to Goryeo celadon pottery and highlight its importance in Korean culture. We can draw on this background knowledge as we read the story.

Quick Write

Have students use the Quick Write routine to respond to the prompts below:

• Ask: How do the articles, images, and video help develop your understanding of the significance of celadon pottery in Korea during the Goryeo period? After reviewing these sources, what sparks your curiosity? What questions do you have about A Single Shard, particularly about Tree-ear’s life and his community?

  • These sources show that celadon pottery was an important part of life in Korea during the Goryeo period. Korea’s geography and history helped shape these traditions. The video explains how potters used special techniques to make the blue-green glaze, and the images show how detailed and beautiful the pottery was. This helps me understand why pottery mattered to villages and to someone like Tree-ear. I’m curious about how he will learn these skills and what challenges he might face.

Students read their independent reading book for 20 minutes and complete a reading log entry.

Read your independent reading book for 20 minutes. In your reading log, record the date and pages you read, write 1–2 sentences about what happened or what you learned, and respond to this week’s prompt using evidence from the text.