I Ask My Mother to Sing

Open Ended

Imagine you could ask your family to sing a song about a place that is special to them. What place would you choose and why? How do you think their song would make you feel?

STEM: If I could ask my family to sing a song about a special place, I would choose _ because _. I think their song would make me feel _ because _.

Multiple Choice

What is one common reason people write poetry?

• To confuse people with difficult words and to make it difficult to understand.

• To express emotions and ideas in a creative way

• To replace history books with something more entertaining

• To write instructions for a task using AIpoetryp

Multiple Choice

What is the name of the poem we are about to read?

• I Ask My Mother to Sing

• Location and Places to Discover with Music

• For All the Right Reasons

• Culture and Poetry is Important

Multiple Choice

How is poetry different from regular writing?

• It always rhymes and has short lines

• It tells a story using dialogue

• It often uses rhythm, imagery, and emotions

• It only contains facts and information about a specific topic

Multiple Choice

What is one way music can connect people to their culture?

• It helps people remember facts for a test

• It is only used for entertainment

• It carries traditions, emotions, and stories from the past

• It has the same meaning for everyone and they all interpret it the exact same way

Open Ended

Based on the title, preface, and photo what do you believe the poem will be about?

STEM: I believe the poem will be about _, because _.

Multiple Choice

Read the preface with your partner and answer the MC question below.

What is the main reason Li-Young Lee’s family left Indonesia?

• They were fleeing anti-Chinese attitudes.

• They wanted to explore new opportunities in the United States.

• They wanted to reunite with relatives in China.

• They were invited by the U.S. government.

Multiple Choice

Read stanza 1 with your partner and answer the MC question.

What does the phrase “Mother and daughter sing like young girls” suggest?

• They are nervous about singing.

• The song makes them feel youthful and happy.

• They are teaching a song to a child.

• The song is difficult for them to remember.

Multiple Choice

She begins, and my grandmother joins her. 

Mother and daughter sing like young girls. 

If my father were alive, he would play 

his accordion and sway like a boat.

In line 4 of the poem, the word sway means -

• to change one’s opinion

• to have a strong influence

• to fall over suddenly

• to move back and forth

Open Ended

QSSSA Activity
What about the first stanza lets the reader know that the author feels a deep connection and appreciation for his culture, even though he has never experienced it firsthand?

STEM: The phrase "_" suggests that the mood of the poem is _.

Multiple Choice

How does the author’s use of language in lines 1-4 of “I Ask My Mother to Sing” contribute to the mood of the poem?

• By showing that the mother and grandmother enjoy singing.

• By creating a feeling of joy and nostalgia about family. 

• By highlighting a sense of confusion about the dad’s location.

• By suggesting that the speaker does not like hearing the song.

Multiple Choice

Read stanza 2 with your partner and answer the MC question below.

What does the speaker’s description of places he has never visited suggest?

• He has no interest in learning about his family's past since they were forced to leave.

• He feels disconnected from his heritage and does not care about it.

• He imagines these places vividly, showing his deep connection to his culture.

• He plans to visit these places soon to understand them better.

Multiple Choice

Peking in the story refers to what?

• Capital of China

• a vast palace in Beijing

• a large boat

• AI

Multiple Choice

Summer Palace in the story refers to what?

• Capital of China

• a vast palace in Beijing

• a large boat

• AI

Multiple Choice

Stone Boat in the story refers to what?

• Capital of China

• a vast palace in Beijing

• a large boat

• AI

Multiple Choice

What is this according to the story?

• Peking

• Summer Palace

• Stone Boat

• Indonesia

Multiple Choice

What does the break between lines 4 and 5 in the poem help the reader understand?

• A shift from positive reflections to a deep longing

• A move from hearing memories to traveling to new places

• A change from enjoying a song to being annoyed

• A shift from describing a real place to describing an imaginary one

Multiple Choice

Read stanza 3-4 independently and answer the MC question below.

What does the image of the waterlilies filling with rain and overturning symbolize?

• The weight of memories and emotions that overflow but continue.

• The unpredictability of the weather in China and how it forces people to move from their home.

• The difficulty of learning new songs.

• The way music sounds when it echoes over water.

Multiple Choice

How does the author’s use of language in the last stanza (lines 14-15) contribute to the mood in the poem?

• By creating a feeling of warmth and endearment about the speaker’s home country. 

• By showing the frustration of the women as they struggle to remember the song.

• By highlighting the women’s lighthearted finish to their song.

• By suggesting a sense of sorrow for leaving loved ones behind. 

Open Ended

How does the poem I Ask My Mother to Sing show the emotional impact of music and memories? Use evidence from the poem to support your answer.

STEMS:
The poem shows the emotional impact of music and memories by _.

The text states, "_."

This shows _.

Multiple Choice

What is the overall mood of the poem by the end?

• Frustration and anger

• Hopefulness and determination

• Nostalgia and bittersweet emotion

• Confusion and uncertainty about the future

Multiple Choice

What is a central theme of I Ask My Mother to Sing?

• The power of music to connect people to their culture

• The importance of traveling to one’s homeland after they've been gone

• The difficulty of learning about history

• The pain of forgetting family traditions