Last week we kicked off our giant thematic unit studying China. (If you would like to see how I introduced the unit, you can read this blog post!)
This week we will really dive deep into learning about the country and traditions found there. Each day we will read a different picture book and complete an activity to go along with the book. These picture books each showcase a different aspect of the Chinese culture that I will touch upon.
The first book that we will explore this week is “The Pet Dragon” by Chistoph Niemann. This is a great introduction to Chinese culture, stories, traditions and language!
On each page of the book, the illustrator carefully incorporates a Chinese character into every illustration. I am sure my students are going to love the story and especially love looking at the pictures. This will be a great way to introduce Chinese characters and a few aspects of Chinese culture to my students.
After we read the story and go over the story elements, my students will respond to the text by drawing a picture of what their pet dragon would look like if they had one! They will also write about what they would like to do with them.
Click here to get this recording sheet for FREE!
After this, we are going to complete a directed drawing of a dragon. I found a few resources online that you could use if you wanted to have your students draw a dragon.
I am using this drawing by Helen Doodle as my inspiration to teach my students how to draw a dragon. If you click on the picture, it will take you to her store!
I might also read my students this short book that I found online. If you click on the picture, it will take you to the book! It’s really short and very cute.
Another resource I found was this video on youtube that you could use:
Once their projects are complete, I will post them for you to see! My plan is to post them on my bulletin board along with their writing from this book.
In our word work center this week my students will be introduced to a Chinese Zen Garden. I bought black stones from AC Moore and wrote the pre-primer words on the stones using a silver Sharpie.
I also filled a glass mason jar with clear pebbles. My students will choose a black stone, read the word, and then use the stones to create the word in the sand.
After they create their word, the can use a fork to create intricate designs in the sand. I’m sure my students will LOVE this hands-on way to practice their sight words.
Come back soon to see more of what we are doing with these great picture books and other ways we are integrating China into our lessons!
