Description
Students will love the sweet and meaningful short story “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan, and this reading comprehension guide and lesson plan helps them analyze the text while developing empathy and cultural awareness. The lesson encourages students to appreciate different cultures, traditions, and identities through close reading, discussion, and reflection.
As students work through the story, they examine how Tan portrays the challenges of growing up between cultures and the desire to belong. The activities guide students to analyze character, theme, and author’s message while making personal connections to their own experiences.
This resource includes a before-reading journal prompt to activate thinking, academic vocabulary support, and during-reading questions that focus on both comprehension and literary analysis. After reading, students participate in discussion questions designed to foster personal reflection, complete a cultures and customs classroom activity that helps them learn more about one another, and engage in a textual evidence scavenger hunt to strengthen close reading skills. The lesson concludes with an objective summary activity to reinforce understanding. Answer keys are included for all components.
“Fish Cheeks” is especially powerful because it highlights the struggles many adolescents face when navigating multiple identities, making it relatable to any student who has ever felt out of place. The story also works particularly well around Christmas, as it features Chinese traditions and customs during Christmas Eve, offering a meaningful opportunity to discuss cultural differences and acceptance.
Perfect for middle school ELA, this lesson supports close reading, cultural understanding, and thoughtful discussion through one of Amy Tan’s most beloved short works.