Joy Luck Club Cultural Background
Bev Brenneise
Index
Standards 
Objectives
Activities
Assessment 
Resources
   Introduction                                


Introduction
This supplemental unit was developed as part of the California Technology Assistance Program (CTAP).

Disclaimer: The links here have been scrutinized for their grade and age appropriateness; however, contents of links on the web will change continuously.  Teachers should preview all links before introducing these lessons to students.

The purpose of this project is to allow students to research data about the Chinese cultural background from the Internet as they read the novel The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan.  This unit consists of four activities to be used with 10th grade English classes reading the novel.  The first three activities are to be used as an introduction to the novel or else at its very beginning.  The fourth activity is to be used after the novel has been completed, after the full story of Suyuan Woo's suffering during World War II has been revealed.  Students will research 

  • maps of China to learn some of its geography and about the areas where The Joy Luck Club characters lived
  • general information about China to appreciate its culture 
  • early California history from Gold Rush days and later, in order to appreciate the challenges Chinese immigrants faced in both the 1800's and in more modern times
  • information to show the treatment of China and its people during World War II 
Upon completion of the unit, students will be able to better understand and appreciate the cultural background of The Joy Luck Club and its characters. 

This unit . 
Subject: The Joy Luck Club
Topic: Cultural Understanding
Grade Level:  Grade 10
Student Lesson name and URL:

Roseville High School
Bev Brenneise
601 Tahoe Ave., Roseville, CA 95678
bbrenneise@rjuhsd.k12.ca.us
Last Revised: 05/07/2001