Lesson Overview

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Day 1 - Feb. 6th
  • Focus or topic:
    • Introduction of unit
      • Parts to Whole
      • Chinese New Year
  • Universals: ALL

Guiding Questions in Classroom:

  1. What is culture? The cultural universals?
  2. What is a part? What is a whole?
  3. What is perception?
  4. What is the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year?

Class Activities & Discussion

  1. Introduce unit, pass out folders
  2. Read “The Longest New Year” and identify the cultural universals for China
  3. Use chart paper to record universals
  4. Sort students into large and small groups
  5. Choose Chinese province to research
  6. Create “Auspicious Couplets” for each door

Materials:

  • Book
  • 10 pcs. of chart paper
  • 10 large markers
  • puzzle pieces
  • student folders
  • 51 copies of couplets
  • 9 pcs of butcher paper
  • rulers, calligraphy, brushes, black paint, pencils

Items to put on Dragon:

  • Folding dragons
  • Practice AC

Day 2 - Feb. 7th
  • Focus or topic:
    • Area, Perimeter
    • Geography

Guiding Questions In Classroom:

  1. What is a province? What is a state? How are they similar?
  2. What are the perimeter, area and population of my province?
  3. How is this information different among the 31 provinces in China
  4. How are the universals defined in China?

Class Activities & Discussion:

  1. Complete the perimeter/area activity.
  2. Discuss data
  3. Begin researching your province in Media and computer.

Materials:

  • Perimeter/area
  • Activity wksht.
  • Pencils, rulers
  • Chart paper, markers
  • World Atlas’s Unit Folders for research

Items to put on Dragon:

  • Small puzzle pieces of provinces

Day 3 - Feb. 8th
  • Universals:
    • Food
    • Economy

Guiding Questions In Classroom:

  1. What vegetables are grown in China?
  2. How are they difference than in the U.S.?
  3. Are they the same in all provinces?
  4. What is economy?
  5. How do they relate to the market? To the economy & wealth of province?
  6. May I put as much as I want in my garden?
  7. What are the parts of a report?

Class Activities & Discussion:

  1. Building a Chinese garden activity.
  2. Chinese province scavenger hunt.
  3. Locate & record natural resources
  4. Begin setting up reports & researching
  5. Workshop: Read Chinese stories
  6. Make folding dragons

Materials:

  • World atlas’s, maps
  • Unit folders w/ activity’s inside.
  • Pencils, rulers, scissors
  • Computers
  • Instructions for dragons
  • Red & yellow construction paper cut into strips

Items to put on Dragon:

  • Items representing natural resources
  • Sample garden

Day 4 - Feb. 12th
  • Focus or topic:
    • Research
    • Geography
    • Clothing - Shelter
    • Transportation

Guiding Questions In Classroom:

  1. How are these universals defined for the Chinese culture?
  2. What do you think is interesting?

Class Activities & Discussion:

  1. Discovery Stations Rotation

Materials:

  • Computer
  • Books
  • Trip Video, website video clips, map

Items to put on Dragon:

  • population #’s
  • example of cultural universals

Day 5 - Feb. 13th
  • Focus or topic:
    • Research
    • Recreation
    • Arts & Architecture
    • Education

Guiding Questions In Classroom:

  1. How are these universals defined for the Chinese culture?
  2. What do you think is interesting?

Class Activities & Discussion:

  1. Discovery Stations Rotation

Materials:

  • Computer
  • Books
  • Trip Video, website video clips, map

Items to put on Dragon:

  • example of cultural universals

Day 6 -Feb. 14th
  • Focus or topic:
    • Research
    • Family & Kin
    • Technology
    • Government

Guiding Questions In Classroom:

  1. How are these universals defined for the Chinese culture?
  2. What do you think is interesting?

Class Activities & Discussion:

  1. Discovery Stations Rotation
  2. Create Collage
  3. Workshop: Valentine Origami & Party

Materials:

  • Computer
  • Books
  • Trip Video, website video clips, map
  • Craft supplies to do collage

Items to put on Dragon:

  • example of cultural universals
  • Valentine origami

Day 7 - Feb. 15th
  • Focus or topic:
    • Creating the whole picture
    • Universals: ALL

Guiding Questions In Classroom:

  1. What do you notice about your province?
  2. How would you explain your province to someone?
  3. How is life different there vs. here in Jacksonville?

Class Activities & Discussion:

  1. Finish research
  2. Final touches on collage
  3. Work on report

Materials:

  • Puzzle pieces
  • Glue
  • Paint

Day 8 -Feb. 16th
  • China Alive-Bringing it all together

Guiding Questions In Classroom:

  1. What do you notice about all 31 provinces?
    1. What are their similarities & differences?
  2. What would it be like to live there?
    1. Similar/different than here?
  3. Which province would you live in? Why?
  4. How does knowledge affect our perceptions?
  5. Has you perception of China changed since the beginning of this unit?

Class Activities & Discussion:

  1. Whole grade completion of China mural.
  2. Cooperative grouping to share province collages.
  3. Putting the pieces of the puzzle together.
    1. Discussion “what do you notice”?
  4. Rotate through 3 China Alive Stations
    1. Tea House
    2. China Market
    3. Chinese Games

Materials:

  • Completed collages.
  • Market materials
    • tables, lanterns, fans
    • items to sell, $ (Yuan)
  • Tea Room materials
    • tea sets, tea, pillows
    • Tables
  • Chinese games
    • Ti-Jianzi
    • Ropes
    • Dried beans, fabric

Items to put on Dragon:

  • Ti-Jianzi
  • Tea bags
  • Jump rope
  • Bean bag from Jacks
  • Pictures from market
  • Coins