Having students choose a favorite quote or scene from the book allows them to express which parts of the story resonated with them on a personal level. In this way, students are making a text-to-self connection that demonstrates their understanding of the characters and their development or the themes of the novel. Students can share their storyboards afterwards and have a short discussion about what the quotes mean to them.
Some students may end up choosing the same quote, but have different perspectives. This is always interesting for students to see and can open up a discussion as to how not everyone can read the same lines in the same way based on their own perspectives and personal experiences.
"I can't make my brothers go live elsewhere, but I can hide their sandals."
"Mother smells of lavender and warmth; she’s so beautiful even if her cheeks are too hollow, her mouth too dark with worries."
"I will not risk fleeing with my children on a rickety boat." "Would a navy ship meet your approval?" "As if the navy would abandon its country?" "There won't be a South Vietnam left to abandon."
"Until you children master English, you must think, do, wish for nothing else. Not your father, not our old home, not your old friends, not our future."
"At the port we find out there’s no such thing as a secret among the Vietnamese."
"Whoever invented English should have learned to spell."
"Oh, my daughter, at times you have to fight, but preferably not with your fists."
"Not the same, but not bad at all."
"I can’t think of anything but can’t let my brothers best me, so I blurt out, What if Father is really gone?"
“Mother says, People share when they know they have escaped hunger. Shouldn't people share because there is hunger?”
“This year I hope I truly learn to fly-kick not to kick anyone so much as to fly.”
“People living on others' goodwill cannot afford political opinions.”
“Mother tells me, They tease you because they adore you.”
“How can we scramble away like rats, without honor, without dignity, when everyone must help rebuild the country?”
“Our lives will twist and twist, intermingling the old and the new until it doesn't matter which is which.”
“Why no s for two deer, but an s for two monkeys? Brother Quang says no one knows. So much for rules! Whoever invented English should be bitten by a snake.”
“I step back, hating pity, having learned from Mother that the pity giver feels better, never the pity receiver.”
“Black seeds spill like clusters of eyes, wet and crying.”
“We glide and I feel as if I'm floating.”
“Mostly, I wish I were still smart.”
“I’m practicing to be seen.”
“I need the lessons. I’m hiding in class by staring at my shoes. I’m hiding during lunch in the bathroom, eating hard rolls saved from dinner. I’m hiding during outside time in the same bathroom. I’m hiding after school until Brother Khôi rides up to our secret corner. With Vu Lee I squat in weight on legs, back straight arms at my sides, fingers relaxed, eyes everywhere at once I’m practicing to be seen.”
“Mostly I wish I were still smart.”
“People share when they know they have escaped hunger. Shouldn’t people share because there is hunger?”
“...every language has annoyances and illogical rules, as well as sensible beauty.”
“I wish our cowboy could be persuaded to buy a horse, that I could be invisible until I can talk back”
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard that identifies your favorite quote or scene in Inside Out and Back Again. Illustrate your quote and write what it means to you.
Student Instructions:
Requirements: Quote or Scene, Illustration, 1-2 sentences about what it means to you.
Encourage students to share their chosen quotes aloud and explain their personal meanings. Guide respectful listening and ask follow-up questions to highlight how perspective and experience shape understanding. This builds empathy and deeper comprehension.
Remind the class to focus on the speaker, make eye contact, and refrain from interrupting. Active listening helps create a safe environment where every student's viewpoint is valued.
Use prompts like, “Why do you think this quote stood out to you?” or “How might someone else read this line differently?” Open-ended questions invite richer discussion and reflection.
After several students have shared, summarize recurring themes and unique insights. Pointing out overlaps and differences helps students see the value of diverse perspectives.
Guide students to relate personal interpretations back to the novel’s main ideas, such as identity, resilience, or family. This reinforces text-to-self and text-to-world connections.
Encourage students to reflect on quotes or scenes that personally resonate with them. Guide them to consider moments that evoke strong emotions, highlight character growth, or connect to the book’s themes such as identity, family, or resilience.
Choosing a favorite scene or quote helps students make text-to-self connections, deepening their understanding of the story and encouraging personal engagement with the book’s characters and themes.
Examples include: “Whoever invented English should have learned to spell,” and “Mother says, People share when they know they have escaped hunger. Shouldn’t people share because there is hunger?” These lines reflect the book’s humor, struggles, and cultural insights.
Students can create a storyboard illustrating their chosen quote or scene and write a short explanation of its meaning. Afterward, they can share their work and discuss how each quote resonates differently based on personal experiences.
Students’ personal backgrounds and experiences influence how they interpret literature. The same quote can spark different emotions or ideas, leading to diverse perspectives and rich class discussions.