With the beginning of the Chinese New Year underway, countless people worldwide are celebrating the Year of the Tiger. Each day of the festivities has a special event and is an exciting holiday to share with your students. Do your students want to learn more about where this holiday came from? Here are 5 cross-curricular lesson ideas from our Units on Asia, Ancient China, the Great Wall of China, and even Butterflies! Share with your class to ring in the new lunar year or the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics.
Geography
Have students use a map to determine the latitude and longitude of various Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Hunan, Shanghai, Xian, and so on. Many of the cities are mentioned in our China and Mongolia Topic from our new Asia Unit. You should note that the spelling of city names varies, so help students locate the cities to avoid confusion. Ask students to find North American cities that are on the same latitude as each Chinese city.
Science
Students learn that wearing silk was the ultimate status symbol in How the Rich and the Poor Lived from our Ancient China Unit. Silk is made from the cocoons of caterpillars. Have students investigate, write about, and illustrate the process of how a caterpillar develops a cocoon and then becomes a butterfly. Our Topic dedicated to The Silk Moth from Butterflies & Moths is a great place to start.
Language Arts
Have students choose a dynasty identified on The Nomads of the North Topic from the Great Wall of China to create a report on. Encourage students to illustrate their reports with maps, drawings, and diagrams.
Art
Students can read about the 8,000 clay soldiers that were discovered in the tomb of the emperor Shi Huangdi of the Qin Dynasty in our China’s Empires Unit. It has been noted that no two faces are alike. Have students draw at least ten faces, each one showing a different expression.
Literature
Children’s stories often have slightly different versions in different countries. The Chinese version of “Little Red-Riding Hood” is an example. In 1990, Ed Young won the Caldecott Medal for his book Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China. The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually for outstanding illustration in children’s books. Students may enjoy reading this version of the children’s classic and comparing it to the version they know best.
