Students in Mrs. Cerna’s 6th grade English classes have been reading the novel A Single Shard by author Linda Sue Park. Set in 12th- century Korea and the story focuses on the life of an orphan, Tree-ear, who lives under a bridge with a disabled man named, Crane-man. Tree-ear has a fascination with the potters in their town and goes through great efforts to be part of this tradition. Awarded the Newsbery Medal for excellence in children’s literature in 2002, Mrs. Cerna recognized the potential of the story and has developed an arts integration lesson to reinforce learning objectives for both language arts and the visual arts.
In addition to reading the novel, students took part in a pottery presentation and demonstration. The presentation showcased the type of pottery featured in the, Celadon. Revered for its elegant greenish-blue glaze the classes learned about the ancient and tedious process of making a single pot. Students also took part in a pottery demonstration to prepare them for a visit to the Community Creative Center in Fayetteville next Friday where they will create their own Celadon inspired vessel.
To learn more about the novel A Single Shard and author Linda Sue Park visit https://www.booksontape.com/teachers-guide/126977/a-single-shard/
