Submitted By: cwcook89@comcast.net

Affiliate Group: Seacoast Area, 2006/2007

School District: Portsmouth, NH

Grade Level: Elementary

Intended Audience: Teachers

Standards Addressed:
Asia, culture, language, history, mapping

Curricular Connection:
Social Studies, Art, Music, Gym, Reading, Writing

Industry:
Travel,

Objectives:
To introduce students to another culture, history, and language and celebrate the Chinese New Year with a parade at the end.

Context:
To begin I have the students write what they know about China and write questions about things they want to know. I spend a little time each day learning or making something around China and its culture.
The students are introduced to China through stories that are read to them and to books in the classroom for them to read. Many books are found in the school and public libraries.
Maps are used to locate China and create a map key of a few places such as the city of Begiing, The Great Wall, and rivers.
Videos to learn the language are watched and we try and use what we can.
Food is cooked and eaten with chop sticks.
Writing couplets for fortune cookies is a fun activity and writing a travel log about the things that are studied.
The day before the Chinese New Year we have a pretend flight where we set the chairs up like a plane and act as flight attendants we serve tea and watch the movie Mulan. The return flight is another day for the second half of the movie.
The parade through the school is the culminating activity with dragon hats, noise makers, and paper lanterns.

Schedule:
Two weeks before the Chinese New Year, which is usually in January or February.

Vocabulary:
I chose sites in China.
The Great Wall
Bejing

Preparation:
Get books to have in the classroom from you school and local library. The Librarian is super helpful.

Background Information:
The children do not need any background information the expectation is they will gain this as they study. Web sites: There are plenty of web sites. Here are two.
http://chineseculture.about.com/library/name/blname.htm
http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/_chin-ny.html

Teaching Suggestions:
Enjoy learning about China yourself

Discussion Questions:
What did you find interesting about China? Where would you like to go and visit in China? How was it to speak the language?

Reinforcing Activities:
Use the language where ever possible, look for Chinese objects, and Compare other learning to what was learned about China.

Related Link(s):
Chinese Name- Take your students names and change them to chinese characters
Chinese New Year Crafts

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