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Grade 7: A Chinese Journey On The Tongue

January 16, 2018

Grade 7: A Chinese Journey On The Tongue

On the morning of December 20th, there was full of warm, welcoming atmosphere on the second floor of the Sodexo cafeteria. Grade 7’s Non-native level Chinese class students sat at the big table to make jiaozi– a kind of dumpling that Chinese families traditionally make at new year.

More than 70 students from all over the world were excited about making these dumplings, and they studied well with a master teacher. All the dumpling students made were in different styles. There were traditional lace dumplings, but also sunflower dumplings, animal-shaped dumplings, and even more exciting shapes! After the canteen master cooked these handmade dumplings, the students were all excited to find the ones they had shaped, and enjoyed them! The hot dumplings not only dispersed the winter cold, but brought the students a greater appreciation of Chinese culture.

For the design of this classroom activity, Ms Chen Wei worked on the assumption that the students prefer activity-driven Chinese courses such as calligraphy, paper-cutting and so on. With the theme of the New Year, we designed a hands-on jiaozi-activity plan! Before this activity, the students needed to research some Chinese customs, record their findings, and make a Powerpoint presentation about them. Then the students had to write an essay, recording the process of making dumplings, including information about communication with others and any interesting things that happened along the way. The purpose of this activity was to entertain the students through food and cooking, as well encouraging them to experience some traditional Chinese life and culture, and exercise their reading and writing abilities.

The students ate their jiaozi in the traditional way, dipping them in vinegar. They absolutely loved their jiaozi, perhaps they had made them themselves! As well as enjoying a tasty meal, the students practiced their spoken Chinese, and learned a little more about traditions surrounding food at Chinese New Year.

(Written by Ms. Chen Wei Ms. Liu Dong Lijiao Tian Pictures by Ms.Zhuo Yue)

(Written by Ms. Chen Wei Ms. Liu Dong Lijiao Tian

Pictures by Ms.Zhuo Yue)