THEME: Celebrating the Spirit … the Spirit of HOSPITALITY
LESSON: Stone Soup
Retold and Illustrated By: Jon J. Muth
ISBN: 9780439339094
GRADE LEVEL: Junior
TEACHER INFORMATION:
Jon J. Muth has reworked a classic tale of Stone Soup with wonderful results. The setting is China and the goal of the "tricksters" (three monks) is to learn about and spread happiness instead of deception for personal gain.
Hok, Lok and Siew are three monks traveling along a mountain road. The youngest monk, Hok, asks the question, "What makes one happy?” and finds an answer in a little village filled with people who have lost faith and trust in each other. Villagers kept to themselves and would not greet the three traveling strangers. Siew, the older and wiser monk, decides it is time to make "stone soup”. This odd idea piques the villagers' curiosity and it isn't long before the monks' modest suggestions for additions to the soup (e.g.salt and pepper, carrots, etc) stimulate a whole village to share in the making of the soup and enjoy a feast after the rich soup is made. And so it came to be that "as each person opened their heart to give, the next person gave even more.” Celebrating the spirit of hospitality is evident by the conclusion of the story.
MATERIALS: Stone Soup,
chart paper, markers,
computer(s) with internet connection,
ingredients for “Stone Soup”
TIME FRAME: 1 x 45 minute lesson with extended lesson options
MINISTRY CURRICULA LINKS
Reading:OE 1.5-1.6, 1.8
Writing:OE 1.2, 2.1, 2.5
Media Literacy:OE 1.2-1.3
Visual Arts:D1.4, D3, D1.2
Hospitality
“Hospitality is about making people, especially strangers, feel at home and welcome.” / CATHOLIC CONNECTIONS
Catholic Social Justice Teachings: Dignity of the Human Person, Respect for Human Life, Rights and Responsibilities, Common Good
Scripture Connections: Matthew 15:32-38; Luke 19:1-10;
Luke 1:39-45; John 2:1-11
Religious Education Program: Grade 4: Units 8 and 10
Grade 5: Units 3, 5, and 8
Grade 6: Units 7 and 9
Fully Alive Program: Theme 1 – Created and Loved By God
Theme 2 – Living in Relationship
Catholic Graduate Expectations: 1(d); 2(c); 3(a); 4(a), (c)
DISCUSSION POINTS
Create an anchor chart on chartpaper or in Notebook™ software.
Elements of Design in Visual Arts
Colour – monochromatic colour scheme; colour emphasis through variation in intensity (e.g. subdued colours next to bright, intense colours); advancing colours.
See Author’s Note at the back of the book. In the illustrations, Jon Muth has embedded many symbols from the Eastern Culture.
Points of Consideration with the Illustrations:
- illustrations become brighter as the soup thickens
- grays and blues of the misty mountains at the beginning of the story
- colours become more vibrant and defined when the villagers come together for dinner; “glow of the red lanterns”; the light of the Spirit of Hospitality
- young girl is depicted in yellow, which in the Chinese culture, means royalty.
Humility and Hospitality:
Luke 14.7-14
The Wedding in Cana:
John 2.1-12
Jesus and Zacchaeus:
Luke 19.1-10
Source:
Break Through: The Bible for Young Catholics.
Good News Translation: Catholic Edition (2006)
Winona, MN: St. Mary’s Press.
p. 1513
- What makes one happy?
Firefox™ has Download Helper which can be downloaded onto browser:
Other books by Jon J. Muth:
The Three Questions
Zen Shorts
Suggested Copyright Free sites:
- Flickr
- Open Photo
- Free Foto
/ Before Reading:
- In partners/triads, have students reflect on the title of the book. How many have read a different story entitled “Stone Soup”? Students share their responses. (Share any additional stories from your library.)
- There are many versions of this fable. This story is a wonderful example of how a village learns to celebrate the spirit of hospitality. Introduce Anchor Chart: Hospitality
- Show both sides of the book as well as the inside front cover and back cover.
- Each grouping will respond to: From the illustrations, where do you think the story takes place? How does the illustrator create the setting?
- Read aloud the story Stone Soup. Read the first page and stop after: “What makes one happy, Siew?”
- Elicit responses from this question in the large group. Record responses on chart paper, or Notebook™ software.
- Stop after the second page: “They had even become suspicious of their neighbours.”
- What message is the artist/illustrator conveying by using subdued monochromatic colours? How does the illustration support the text?
- Continue reading aloud. Stop after: “These people do not know happiness,” they all agreed. “But today,” said Siew, his face bright as the moon, “we will show them how to make stone soup.”
- What do you think will happen based on what the author has told you so far? What is the author suggesting “between the lines”?
Discussion options: think/pair/share; large group;
chart paper, graphic organizer,
reading response journals, Notebook™ software
- What conclusions can you draw from the story Stone Soup that support the spirit of hospitality?
- What do you think about the way this story ends?
- Looking back, how does the author use the opening lines to establish a framework for the story? What makes one happy?
- Gather other books based on the fable Stone Soup. How does the author’s focus on hospitality compare with other sources?
- In what ways can we celebrate the spirit of hospitality by helping, caring for and giving to others?
- Read Matthew 15:32-39 (Feeding the Four Thousand) to the students. While they are listening to the Scripture story ask: How does Matthew’s Gospel story of Jesus feeding the crowd compare to the story Stone Soup?
- Students choose another Scriptural passage and compare it to Feeding the Four Thousand and/or Stone Soup. How is the spirit of hospitality depicted in the texts?
Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I feel sorry for these people, because they have been with me for three days and now have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away without feeding them for they might faint on their way home.”
The disciples asked him, “Where will we find enough food in this desert to feed this crowd?”
“How much bread do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven loaves,” they answered, “and a few small fish.”
So Jesus ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground.
Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks to God, broke them and gave them to the disciples; and the disciples gave them to the people.
They all ate and had enough. Then the disciples took up seven baskets full of pieces left over. Those who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children.
Writing Extensions:
- Something magical began to happen among the villagers. They had not been together for a feast like this for as long as anyone could remember.You have shown us that sharing makes us all richer.
- Procedural Writing: soup recipes with a class compilation of a recipe book (see suggested link below)
- Creating Stone Soup: Living Fresh with Sara Snow
- Student Animation of Stone Soup
Visual Arts Composition:
- Using the illustrations from Jon J. Muth as one model, create a landscape painting (by exploring colour intensity and brightness).
- Use washable markers to create watercolour effect.
- With a wet, clean paintbrush, pull water across the washable marker lines. This allows the colours to bleed into each other.
Images of Celebrating the Spirit of Hospitality
- Students choose a quote from below and photograph/find an image of hospitality that corresponds to their quote.
- Double Entry Journal: Students choose a quote about hospitality and write a response, reaction and or/connection.
may You be visibly present in the way I move
through the world today.”
~ Chris Koellhoffer / “No act of kindness,
no matter how small,
is ever wasted.”
~ Aesop
“Our listening
creates a sanctuary
for the homeless parts
within another person.”
~ Rachel Naomi Remen / “Instead of looking for love, give it; constantly renew it
in yourself and you will always feel its presence within you.
It will always be there smiling at you, gazing on you kindly.”
~ Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov
“We may forget with whom we laughed, but not with whom we shared tears.”
~ Tanzanian proverb / “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions
of its members,
a heart of grace and a soul generated by love.”
~ Coretta Scott King
“Be hospitable to one another without complaining.”
~ 1 Peter 4:9 / “Contribute to the needs of the saints;
extend hospitality to strangers.”
~ Romans 12:13
ACCOMMODATIONS:
How will I change the lesson to meet the needs of individual students?
Peer Tutor/Partner Increase/Decrease Time Manipulatives
Oral Explanation Include Visuals Extend
ASSESSMENT:
How will I know when my students are successful?
Anecdotal Notes Peer/Self Assessment Checklist
Rubric Oral Reports Rating Scale
Interview/Conference Include Visuals Extend