Grandfather's+Story+Cloth+Reinforcing+Activity

Upon reading this book, discuss the hardships that refugees faced during the Vietnam War, and connect it to other historical events such as World War II. This book can be used in a unit about Vietnam or about immigration. I will find and share examples of hardships refugees faced during the Vietnam War so they have a primary source to connect with.

Possible questions for discussion: 1.) Why do you think Chersheng’s grandfather made the story quilt? 2.) Do Americans have any customs like the story cloth? 3.) What new information do you know about the Hmong culture? 4.) If you were to go through something as traumatic as Chersheng’s grandfather, how would you document your story?

After students talk about this, have them make their own story cloth out of construction paper to tell about a significant event in their life, and share it with the class. After we do the story cloth for their own life they can create one that is of a fictional alternate point in their life and compare the two. This will show the students how they could have two very different time points in their life as the Grandfather did in the story with a vietnam refugee life and his life in America. These can be displayed in a classroom to add color and to reward students for a job well done.