Description
Life on the Yangtze River
Students will discover the Yangtze River, the longest river in China and Asia. They will learn fascinating details, such as, as one of the most important waterways in China, over one third of the country's population lives near its banks.
Students will also learn about the unique fishing technique used: Cormorant fishing!
We don't want boring history lessons. That is why we focus on fascinating historical tidbits that help students understand and appreciate the story.
Marjorie Flack — an artist with a gift for storytelling
Students will learn about Marjorie Flack, an artist and writer who wrote multiple beloved series and books. They will also learn how Marjorie's legacy continues even today by those inspired by her.
Making words make sense — learn by doing, not memorizing
Vocabulary in this Progeny Press' language arts guide engages students with a selection of activities designed to build real word retention and growth. We don't bury students with rote memorization that they regurgitate for a test and then forget. Students actually engage with the book and build the kind of rich vocabulary that improves their reading comprehension and their own writing.
- Use synonyms to stretch and strengthen your vocabulary
- use contextual clues to identify the meaning of unfamiliar words
- Complete a word search, which helps pattern recognition, spelling, and vocabulary retention in a fun activity
Read like a writer — How memorable stories are told
This language arts guide goes past surface comprehension and teaches students how memorable writing works. Through carefully designed activities, students explore the literary techniques in The Story About Ping, including:
- Synonyms — Students identify words with similar meanings, adding variety and interest to writing
- Homonyms — Words that sound and are spelled the same
- Context — Using the surrounding text to better understand words and events
- Repetition — Authors will use rhythm and repetition to emphasize and make something extra memorable
- Paraphrase — Restating or repeating something in your own words
We introduce language arts skills that build the literary appreciation children carry into more advanced study.
Faith-centered literature study — lesson by lesson
Every page of Ping's journey offers opportunity for character study and personal growth. This literature guide draws out the moral and spiritual dimensions of the story, exploring themes such as:
Each theme is tied directly to Scripture, so faith and literature grow together — not separately.
Learning that brings ELA to life
Families love how Progeny Press guides bring books to life — and The Story About Ping is absolutely full of fun learning opportunities. This guide includes a variety of hands-on, cross-curricular activities, including:
- Arts and Crafts — Craft your own fishing boat model, paint landscapes, make papert lanterns, and other tactile fun
- Discussion — Talk about Creation, how animals came to be, and the fascinating history of cormorant fishing
- Field Trips — Take water safety classes and feed ducks
- Included Coloring Pages — Have fun completing the activity pages, solve a maze, and fill in the coloring pages
These aren't just filler activities. Each one is intentionally connected to the story, the historical setting, or the biblical themes — making learning feel like an adventure, not a checklist.
Keep reading, even after the final page
Progeny's study guide includes a curated reading list to engage and keep students reading, long after they finish the first book. Featuring additional works by Marjorie Flack, including other authors that share themes, setting, and writing style of The Story About Ping. Develop a complete, themed homeschool reading curriculum for your entire year.
Open-and-go — on your schedule, your way
- Download instantly — no shipping, no waiting
- Works on Mac, PC, and most tablets
- Fillable PDF fields for on-screen use or easy printing
- Print the full guide, individual lessons, or multiple classroom copies
- Compatibility focused for every device:
- Fully interactive copy with Javascript enabled with embedded Audio included
- Simple form enabled for most PDF viewers included
- Full, formatted Answer key included
