Thank you for the life-changing work you do! I’m developing and gathering teaching guides, discussion questions, and other resources for using At Home in Her Tomb with students. I hope you find them helpful. Here’s what I have so far:
- I presented a 30-minute webinar, “A Time Capsule of Ancient China: Lady Dai and the Tombs of Mawangdui,” that introduces highlights of the tombs, points to further resources, and answers questions asked by the audience. It is archived at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/7876052851393793795.
- 10 Learning Activities for At Home in Her Tomb. This teaching guide includes the following activities: Time Line, Studying Artifacts, Imagined Scenes, Portable Library, Science of Death & Decomposition, Chapter 1 as a Mentor Text, More Mummies, Memorials, Analyzing Nonfiction Media, and Inquiry & Problem-Solving. View in browser or download pdf.
- Charlesbridge Publishing created a Discussion & Activity Guide for At Home in Her Tomb with things to discuss and write before and after reading the book.
- Book Links has a feature article, “Classroom Connections: Death and Burial across Cultures,” that includes At Home in Her Tomb as a recommended resource.
- Booksource offers a free online teacher resource for introducing students to At Home in Her Tomb with information about the book and ideas for lessons.
- Teacher John Zola developed three activities for At Home in Her Tomb that involve rank ordering, story boarding, and creating a “recipe.”
- Literacy consultant Sunday Cummins used an excerpt from At Home in Her Tomb to demonstrate close reading of nonfiction. She shows how to help students learn to analyze informational text for main ideas and supporting details — powerful skills for reading, writing, and thinking.
- Author and former school librarian Pat Miller described how At Home in Her Tomb and other nonfiction books use Back Matter features to enhance the main text.
- NOTE: Teachers can request an examination copy of At Home in Her Tomb: Lady Dai and the Ancient Chinese Treasures of Mawangdui to consider for use in their schools. Check the Random House for High School Teachers website.
If you are using At Home in Her Tomb with students, I’d love to hear about it! Please tell me about what you’re doing and how your students are responding.