China Rationale

This unit, titled Explore China, is designed for kindergarten. The unit will integrate different academic areas: Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, and Fine Arts while teaching students about the many different facets and history of China. The areas of China that will be covered are: where China is located, The Great Wall of China, Chinese inventions, the cuisine of China, pandas, and Chinese New Year. Students will complete a variety of activities throughout the unit to enhance their learning. First, the students will be given a brief introduction on the history of China to set the stage for the rest of the unit. The students will receive an overview on where China is located, some traditional Chinese decorations, the Great Wall of China, and Chinese inventions. This will be done through the use of childrens literature, web-based videos, and a whole-class created KWL chart. Then, the students will learn about the Great Wall of China through the use of PowerPoint presentations, web-based videos, and by completing a Great Wall of Friendship writing activity. Next, the students will learn about important Chinese inventions through the use of photographs, childrens literature, and the students will then complete a writing activity about what their favorite Chinese invention is and why. Then, students will learn about typical Chinese cuisine through the use of childrens literature, and the students will participate in a food tasting of a typical Chinese Fried Rice dish. Next, students will learn about an important animal in China, known as the panda. This will be done through the use of childrens literature and the creation of a panda craft. The students will also be able to view real live pandas via the San Diego Zoo Giant Panda Cam. Lastly, the students will learn about the Chinese New Year. This will be done by using childrens literature and by the creation of a paper lantern craft project. According to the following Pennsylvania Department of Education Standards:

8.4.K.A: Explain how cultures celebrate. 8.4.1.B: Explain the importance of world landmarks. 8.3.2.A: Identify groups and organizations and their contributions to the United States. 7.3.2.A: Identify the effect of local geography on the residents of the region (food, clothing, industry, trade, types of shelter, etc.). 3.1.K.A5: Observe and describe structures and behaviors of a variety of common animals. CC.1.4.K.B: Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to focus on one specific topic. The students will be producing craft projects, listening and contributing to class discussions, and applying knowledge, which enables students to become independent learners. There will be many opportunities for group discussions, individual work, and hands-on activities. Social studies will be incorporated into the unit through the studies of the history of China: including Chinese inventions, the Great Wall of China, Chinese cuisine, and Chinese New Year. Science will be incorporated into the lessons through the study of pandas. Language arts will be incorporated into the unit through the use of various writing activities, focused on the Great Wall of China and Chinese Inventions. Lastly, the fine arts will be utilized in the unit through the use of various drawing and craft activities. When the unit is complete, the students will be able to describe different facets of the Chinese culture, such as their cuisine and pandas. The students will also be able to identify important contributions from the history of China such as Chinese Inventions, the Chinese New Year, and the Great Wall of China. This content is key in a students ability to gain a greater understanding of the world that is around them and how other parts of the world directly contribute to the culture of the United States of America.