Students explore China.  In this introduction to Chinese culture lesson, students bring in items or pictures from home that represent Chinese culture. Students create a "Chinese museum" by putting these labeled items on display,...

Learners read books about other cultures and explore their customs and traditions. They discuss the meanings of myths and legends and then brainstorm examples of stories that fit the description. Students experience hands-on activities...

Writing poetry in ancient China was the modern equivalent of sending a greeting card. Scholars learn about the ancient Chinese poetic form called the lu shih. They read about the context of poetry during the T'ang Dynasty and complete a...

Seventh graders examine creation myths of China, discuss how myths reflect Chinese culture, differentiate between Chinese and Greek creation myths, and explore place of myths in Chinese culture as compared to their place in other...

Over the course of the instructional activity, your pupils read and analyze a translated eight-line poem from the Tang Dynasty written by Du Fu, a poet caught behind enemy lines during the An Lu-Shan rebellion (755-763)....

Students explore philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students read The Seven Chinese Brothers, identify the elements of the story, and then go out in the world to help others by sharing their talents.

Students create Chinese jacket designs using magic markers and paper jackets as well as knowledge of Chinese and American textile designs and techniques in this upper-elementary lesson.

Students listen to The Seven Chinese Brothers and identify tall tale elements in it. They brainstorm ways they could help each other in school. They create a banner reflecting the style and art of Chinese decorations and clothing in the...

Students create a drawing from a written description to examine images of China in European art. In this art analysis lesson, students create a visual image from a written description of an object. Students compare their image to the one...

When Europeans first came back with tales of China, they provided vivid written accounts and minimal visual imput. This resulted in art rendered mostly from descriptive language. Learners explore this phenomena by listening to...

Learners discuss whether honesty really is the best policy with a lesson on "The Empty Pot," a Chinese fable about integrity. After reading the story, class members answer several comprehension and reflection questions about what...

Students trace Marco Polo's route into China and use the Internet to research major products fabricated in 13th century China. They discuss their findings and write a report on either: silk, porcelain, jade, lacquerware or tea.

Students read and analyze a play that takes place in the late 1200s under the Yuan dynasty of the Mongols. They examine the structure of Yuan plays, participate in performing sections of the play, write a three page essay, and analyze...

Learners discover the various styles, form, beauty, and grace of Chinese calligraphy by examining works of art from different eras in China's history. This lesson includes two possible enrichment activities.

Students identify and define definitions of beauty and perfection in Chinese and Japanese art and compare those definitions to other cultural beliefs and societies. This lesson includes a two-part lesson evaluation.

Students examine how Chinese and Japanese artists used different kinds of birds as representations of ideas that were important in both cultures and create their own birds using the technique of origami.

Fourth graders investigate the history of rice by drawing a timeline of important dates.  In this food history instructional activity, 4th graders research the history of rice, where it came from, and who first used it for food....

Here is a lesson designed to be an ongoing task for the entire year. Each day of the week, learners must perform research to answer a simple historical question. This particular lesson covers the month of April, but the template...

First drafted in the year 996, The Pillow Book contains reflections of those met by a lady-in-waiting in the Japanese court. A brief summary, historical context, and discussion questions are provided on the first two pages. Then, two...

Students create a drawing from a written description and examine and discuss how European artists from the past created images of China that combined imagination with written descriptions and limited visual imagery.

Students listen to books and answer questions using reading skills. In this reading lesson, students develop reading strategies such as decoding, understanding characters, and comprehension. Students relate characters and events in the...

In this British Museum worksheet, students read the article, answer true and false questions, complete synonym matching, complete phrase matching, complete a gap fill, answer short answer questions, answer discussion questions, write,...

Students use poetry to compare and contrast humans and frogs.

Fourth graders examine the culture and environment of Japan, beginning with a KWL chart. They use clay and cups of water to construct representations of the Japanese Islands. After designing flags representing farming and food, 4th...