“Yunmi and Halmoni’s Trip” by Sook Nyul Choi

1. “Yunmi and Halmoni’s Trip”by Sook Nyul Choi Theme 5

2. Awards • None yet-would you give this story an award? What do you like best about it?

3. Genre: Realistic Fiction • A realistic fiction story is about realistic (could happen in real life, but they aren’t real) people, things, and events. • The plot-including events, problem, solution-is made up (fictional).

4. Summary During their trip to Korea, Yunmi sees how happy Halmoni is to see her relatives. She worries that Halmoni will not want to return to New York. When Halmoni reassures her, Yunmi learns how lucky she is to belong to two families.

5. Background Information • Most people who live in America have relatives who moved here at one time-even native Americans are believed to have “moved” here from Asia before the world was broken into 7 continents. People who move to a new country to live are called immigrants.

6. Key Concept visiting a foreign country

7. Key Vocabulary • bustling • custom • foreigners • passport • sightseeing • skyscrapers • vendor

8. bustling full of activity

9. custom a tradition; a way of doing something that many people follow

10. foreigners people who come from a different country or place

11. passport a government document that allows a person to travel in foreign countries

12. sightseeing visiting interesting places; touring

13. skyscrapers very tall buildings

14. vendor someone who sells something

15. Strategy Focus: Predict/Infer • When we predict, use the information we have to make a reasonable guess before weread the story about what might happen. • Use the title, pictures, and prior knowledge to help you guess: • who the main characters will be • what the problem might be • how the problem will be solved

16. Strategy Focus: Predict Let’s try it! What might happen when Yunmi meets her relatives in Korea? ~or~ Do you predict Halmoni will stay in Korea or return with Yunmi?

17. Comprehension Skill Focus: Predicting Outcomes • When you predict an outcome, you are using storyclues to make a reasonable guess about what might happen next. • These predictions are made after you read some of the story to help you make a more reasonable prediction about what might happen further on in the story.

18. Graphic Organizer Fill in the organizer with details from the story. I know: So this could happen: Yunmi loves her grandmother very much. Halmoni loves Yunmi and her family very much. Halmoni misses being in Korea with the rest of her family. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

19. Meet the Author From the days of her childhood, Sook Nyul Choi wanted to be a writer. The first stories, poems, and articles she wrote were in Korean, her first language. Later, after teaching for many years in New York City schools, she began to write in English. Sook Nyul Choi writes both for children and for young adults. Her own experiences in Korea help to shape her books. One of her main goals is to help young Americans learn about the culture and history of Korea. Today, Sook Nyul Choi is a full-time writer. She also visits schools to speak to students. Once, when a student wanted to know which of her books the author liked best, she said, "All of my books are very important to me. They are like fingers on a hand. I don't like one more than another." (from www.eduplace.com)

20. Link to Houghton Mifflin If you enjoyed reading “Yunmi and Halmoni’s Trip” and would like to check out some more information and activities, click below to go to www.eduplace.com, Houghton Mifflin’s web site. Click Here!