Mandarin 1 is an introductory course offering opportunities for student interaction and practice in listening to, speaking, reading, and writing basic Mandarin in meaningful contexts. Authentic materials relating to sports, customs, holidays, cuisine, music, art, history, and cultural influence are studied.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• What is the purpose of language?
• How is the structure of a language related to its function?
• What kinds of beauty does language create?
• How do we express our values and beliefs through language?
• How do culture and language interact?
• How does language influence who I am?
• How does language influence perception and understanding of diverse cultures?
• How does competency in language empower us in decision-making?
• How does language influence the development and interaction of civilizations?

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• What are the basic knowledge of China and Chinese language?
• How can we recognize the PINYIN phonetic system?
• How do we introduce ourselves, greet people, say good-bye and ask where someone lives?
• What is the significance of names, especially the last names in Mandarin Chinese society?
• How to understand the classroom expressions in Chinese?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• understand the basic structure of the Chinese language.
• label big cities of China from the map.
• list all Mandarin Chinese speaking countries and their capitals.
• introduce yourself to a fellow classmate or teacher.
• use the subject pronouns nǐ 你, wǒ 我 and tā 他/她/它 correctly.
• ask simple information questions.
• state their name and introduce themselves to someone.
• use the respect form of greeting.
• understand Chinese character’s stroke order.
• write and identify 20 Chinese characters.
• list similarities and differences culture between US and Chinese schools.
• understand classroom expressions in Chinese.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• summarize the information regarding a country in the Mandarin Chinese-speaking world and present it to the class.
• decide the gender of listed nouns.
• state the Chinese equivalent of their name in Chinese.
• translate Chinese subject pronouns into English, such as wǒ 我is I, nǐ 你is you, etc.
• explain the usage of Family in China.
• identify the significance of names in China society.
• extend their comparisons of Chinese and US school system.
• compare and contrast a typical examination / extra-curricular activities between the U.S. and China.
• make a plan of the school schedule.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• extend this comparison to include relationship between classmates and friends in the two cultures.
• categorize the Mandarin Chinese speaking countries by similarities and differences.
• contrast the information obtained on Mandarin Chinese speaking countries to the U.S.
• compare the information obtained on the Mandarin Chinese speaking countries to the U.S.
• compare and Contrast greeting and farewell in Chinese-speaking countries.
• use subject personal pronouns in sentences.
• personalize the reading selection and act out a scene from their experiences.

TAKING A CRITICAL STANCE The student will . . .

• evaluate the difference in school examinations between China and the U.S.

SKILLS

READING COMPREHENSION The student will . . .

• read in Chinese information regarding greetings and sentences of an introductory level.
• read and understand dialogue in Chinese characters and pinyin that use the vocabulary of this unit.
• understand text relating to the topics of this unit.

WRITING The student will . . .

• write thirty Chinese characters.
• spell vocabulary words correctly.
• write short dialogues involving vocabulary from this unit.
• use appropriate vocabulary in conversation.
• students will describe themselves or a classmate using words learned in this topic in simple sentences.

ORAL PRESENTATION The student will . . .

• ask and answer questions relating to objects in a classroom and commands.
• ask and answer questions relating to whom, what and where.
• recites short conversations both from the text and original.
• use appropriate forms in speaking to friends and teachers.
• use correct pronunciation and intonation in all oral work.

MAP SKILLS The student will . . .

• know and locate Mandarin Chinese-speaking countries and their capital cities.
• identify China's neighboring countries.
• draw an outline of china with its borders and color the borders.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How does one share information about oneself and others?
• How do you congratulate someone?
• How do you describe your friend?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• offer and accept gifts.
• state his/her birthday - months, days and zodiac.
• ask/tell someone's age.
• give more information about their likes and dislikes.
• ask/tell what someone does or doesn't, did or didn't do.
• state where someone lives and their nationality.
• make New Year's card or birthday card.
• write and identify 40 Chinese characters.
• describe their friends, classmates and school activities.
• state who is their best friend and why.
• learn place words and directional complement - zài 在.
• learn potential complement.
• read and understand paragraphs despite not having all the vocabulary.
• define new vocabulary based on context of written text.
• use that/his/which in question and statement.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• classify characteristics of festivals.
• describe the relationship of Chinese festivals and the culture.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• plan a birthday party for a friend.
• imagine that they would get any present they would like. Indicate what it is and the reason for the preference.
• prioritize the steps to create a birthday photo album.

TAKING A CRITICAL STANCE The student will . . .

• evaluate the difference celebration of holidays between China and U.S.

SKILLS

READING COMPREHENSION The student will . . .

• read and understand dialogue in Chinese characters and pinyin that use the vocabulary of this unit.
• understand text relating to the topics of this unit.

WRITING The student will . . .

• write forty Chinese characters.
• spell vocabulary words correctly.
• write short dialogues involving vocabulary from this unit.
• use appropriate vocabulary in conversation.
• write a short essay about his / her friend.
• students will describe themselves or a friend using words learned in this topic in simple sentences.

ORAL PRESENTATION The student will . . .

• ask and answer questions relating to objects in a classroom and commands.
• ask and answer questions relating to whom, what and where.
• recite short conversations both from the text and original.
• use appropriate forms in speaking to friends and teachers.
• use correct pronunciation and intonation in all oral work.
• describe their friends and classmates include body parts and appearance.
• use place words and directional complement - zài 在.
• interview a classmate on the topic of his/her birthday. Find out when the birthday is, what the present would like to receive, who will come to the party and where the party will take place.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• What does one count in Chinese using different counters?
• How does one talk about past activities and make future plans in Chinese?
• What is the importance of the family in Chinese society?
• What are the characteristics of Chinese manners that distinguish this culture from our own?
• How does one share information about oneself and others?
• What does the Chinese zodiac means for Chinese society?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• write and identify 40 Chinese characters.
• write and identify Chinese characters for family members
• identify relatives in Chinese.
• describe the composition of their own family.
• talk about other people's families.
• recognize common manners in Chinese culture.
• list words for family members, including grandparents, aunts, and uncles, older and younger siblings,etc.
• read several paragraphs of Chinese family descriptions.
• state someone's profession.
• identify measure words ge 个and wèi 位.
• identify adverbs yě 也.
• describe their pets and other people's pet.
• state what is their favorite animal.
• state what they have and what they do not have.
• read and understand paragraphs despite not having all the vocabulary.
• define new vocabulary based on context of written text.
• identify the characteristics and symbols of Chinese animal.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• construct a family tree.
• illustrate the various professions named in Chinese.
• compare family traditional Chinese family structure with the present day Chinese structure as well as US family structure.
• classify characteristics of animals.
• describe the relationship of Chinese calendar and traditional festivals.
• comparison of lunar and western calendars.
• use the appropriate measure for different animals.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• imagine that they would get any animal they would like. Indicate what it is and the reason for the preference.

TAKING A CRITICAL STANCE The student will . . .

• evaluate the difference calendar and traditional festivals between China and U.S.

SKILLS

READING COMPREHENSION The student will . . .

• understand text relating to the topics of this unit.
• read and understand dialogues in Chinese pinyin and characters that use the vocabulary of this unit.

WRITING The student will . . .

• write forty Chinese characters.
• write Chinese characters for family and members of the family.
• spell vocabulary words correctly.
• write short dialogues involving vocabulary from this unit.
• use appropriate measure words in sentence.

ORAL PRESENTATION The student will . . .

• prepare about five sentences about yourself and your family and present it to the class.
• with a partner create a dialogue about family members. Practice the dialogue for five minutes and present to the class.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• What does one count in Chinese using different counters?
• How does one talk about past activities and make future plans in Chinese?
• How does one talk about the weather in Chinese?
• How is nature and weather an integral part of Chinese culture?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• describe the weather.
• ask/tell the weather in the future using “jiang1”.
• ask why.
• give reasons.
• make plans to meet someone.
• list the Chinese seasons.
• show different climates on a map of China.
• list adjectives for temperatures.
• list several Chinese holidays or festivals that center on nature.
• ask/state the days of the week.
• compute simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems in Chinese.
• ask/tell the time.
• talk about daily plans.
• make suggestions for an activity to do with a friend.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• give evidence for the important of nature and weather in Chinese culture.
• explain how important time is in China.
• explain the image of luck associated with certain numbers
• compare house numbering systems in China with the U.S.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• make a plan for the family for dinner based on an Internet source of Chinese food.
• interpret a recipe for a food common to a particular region.
• discuss the relationship of food and culture.
• contrast the difference between Chinese meals and those in the U.S.
• explain how the upcoming weekend activities (or a planned vacation) will impact your shopping for clothing.
• forecast what the weather will be in the summer in China, when you will visit and what you will wear.

TAKING A CRITICAL STANCE The student will . . .

• evaluate the proposed school meal plan for the week and determine if it is a healthy plan for youth, according to the FDA food group ruling.

SKILLS

READING COMPREHENSION The student will . . .

• read and understand dialogue in Chinese characters and pinyin that use the vocabulary of this unit.
• understand text relating to the topics of this unit.

WRITING The student will . . .

• write forty Chinese characters.
• spell vocabulary words correctly.
• write short dialogues involving vocabulary from this unit.
• use three usages of "xiǎng 想".
• use conjunctions words - suīrán 虽然, kěshì 可是, dànshì 但是.
• write a paragraph about a planned or imaginary trip. Include where, when, how long, with whom and what clothing is required.
• use appropriate particle and measure words in sentence.

ORAL PRESENTATION The student will . . .

• interview a classmate about food in general and ordering in a restaurant.
• make a two minutes presentation in Chinese on about foods in a specific Chinese-speaking country, using vocabulary taught in this unit.
• tell the class about three clothing items in your closet and describe them with color, whether you like them or not, and why.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• What is the role of food in China and other Chinese speaking countries?
• What do you talk about food, order in a restaurant and express likes and dislikes?
• What are the cultural differences in eating out in China and the U.S.?
• How do you make suggestions and choices about clothing?
• How is the structure of choice-type question / comparison / similarity?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• write and identify 40 Chinese characters.
• order something from menu.
• express food likes and dislikes.
• make a request.
• use three usage of "xiǎng 想".
• use conjunctions words - suīrán 虽然, kěshì 可是, dànshì 但是.
• describe what someone is wearing.
• ask how much a clothing item costs.
• make suggestions about clothing choices.
• tell the color they like or dislike.
• understand the shopping and money unit in China.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• create a menu for a specific Chinese-speaking country using unit vocabulary.
• give advice/ recommendations about certain foods.
• describe a food preference for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• bargain the price of clothing in different stores.
• predict that a certain article of clothing will be too small.
• discuss with a friend what you are going to wear for a party.
• illustrate several clothing items and use the correct measure words for each of them.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• make a plan for the family for dinner based on an Internet source of Chinese food.
• interpret a recipe for a food common to a particular region.
• discuss the relationship of food and culture.
• contrast the difference between Chinese meals and those in the U.S.
• explain how the upcoming weekend activities (or a planned vacation) will impact your shopping for clothing.
• forecast what the weather will be in the summer in china, when you will visit and what you will wear.

TAKING A CRITICAL STANCE The student will . . .

• evaluate the proposed school meal plan for the week and determine if it is a healthy plan for youth, according to the FDA food group ruling.

SKILLS

READING COMPREHENSION The student will . . .

• read and understand dialogue in Chinese characters and pinyin that use the vocabulary of this unit.
• understand text relating to the topics of this unit.

WRITING The student will . . .

• write forty Chinese characters.
• spell vocabulary words correctly.
• write short dialogues involving vocabulary from this unit.
• use three usage of "xiǎng 想".
• use conjunctions words - suīrán 虽然, kěshì 可是, dànshì 但是.
• write a paragraph about a planned or imaginary trip. Include where, when, how long, with whom and what clothing is required.
• use appropriate particle and measure words in sentence.

ORAL PRESENTATION The student will . . .

• interview a classmate about food in general and ordering in a restaurant.
• make a two minutes presentation in Chinese on about foods in a specific Chinese-speaking country, using vocabulary taught in this unit.
• tell the class about three clothing items in your closet and describe them with color, whether you like them or not, and why.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• What does one talk about one's daily, leisure, home and school activities in China?
• How do you ask and tell what someone is doing, talk about what interests you and give opinions?
• How does one talk about health and sickness in Chinese?
• What does the Chinese person do to promote good health and fitness?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• write and identify 40 Chinese characters.
• ask what someone is doing.
• express likes/dislikes about an activity / sport such as listening to rock music, watching television or playing baseball.
• identify specific information within a paragraph in the target language.
• list your weekend activities.
• learn particle - ba 吧, ne 呢, hǎo a 好啊.
• list several Chinese superstition associated with health and sickness.
• identify several leading causes of death in various age groups in China.
• identify the major components of the traditional Chinese diet as well as the current teenage diet in China.
• locate specific body parts that are in pain or causing trouble.
• ask/tell what the problem is.
• recommend treatment for simple illness.
• express sympathy for someone who is sick.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• apply the vocabulary and cultural information learned to prepare a chart of activities and pastimes.
• develop a brief composition about a the things you do on a typical Saturday with family and friends.
• respond to inquires about what they like to do.
• state why they like/dislike a specific activity / sport.
• explain why certain flowers are never given to hospital patients.
• design a health plan that uses the best of Chinese and American trends and traditions in diet and fitness.

TAKING A CRITICAL STANCE The student will . . .

• evaluate the difference in medical systems between the China and U.S.

SKILLS

READING COMPREHENSION The student will . . .

• read and understand dialogue in Chinese characters and pinyin that use the vocabulary of this unit.
• understand text relating to the topics of this unit.

WRITING The student will . . .

• write forty Chinese characters.
• spell vocabulary words correctly.
• write one short paragraph about their favorite sport.
• use appropriate particle words in sentence.
• describe patterns in diet and fitness in China and the U.S.

ORAL PRESENTATION The student will . . .

• prepare about your favorite sport and tell your classmates why. Present it to the class.
• ask and answer questions relating to greeting, nations and nationalities.
• recite short conversations both from the text and original.
• use appropriate respect form in speaking to friends and elder.
• use correct pronunciation and intonation in all oral work.