Grade 5: Understanding Culture and Society

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

• identify elements of their own and their classmates' cultural backgrounds
• identify characteristics of Chinese cultures

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Understanding Culture and Society in other grades click on an icon below.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

• Encourage students to explore their cultural backgrounds by talking about the origins and meanings of their names. This could be extended to a survey of the languages spoken in the class.
• Demonstrate and discuss how Chinese people introduce themselves (e.g., family names always given first as a way to indicate family membership). Also show and invite students to practise different ways of making introductions, particularly when adults address children and vice versa. This activity provides an opportunity to talk about respect for elders.
• Have students select one of the following projects:
  • develop a family tree of immediate and extended family
  • document the birthplaces of different family members
  • bring and talk about objects and pictures of family members for Show and Tell
• Organize a class visit to places in the community that sell Chinese goods. Afterward, initiate a class discussion about students' observations of similarities and differences between Canadian and Chinese goods.

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

• As students share their cultural backgrounds in class, invite their classmates to complete simple response sheets. Ask them to record details such as name of each student; origin and meaning of name; countries, provinces, or cities of family origin; and language(s) spoken. Look for evidence that students are interested in the cultural backgrounds of others and able to accurately record the information.
• Invite students to learn about one or more Chinese festivals. Then have each student choose a way of demonstrating knowledge about a particular festival or holiday (e.g., make a greeting card, design a banner or other decorations, make a poster advertising activities associated with the holiday). Look for evidence that students have accurately portrayed features of the festivals or holidays.
• Have students keep up-to-date records based on the theme "Curious and Compelling Chinese Facts." Students could use symbols, sketches, pictures, or graphics from magazines, newspapers, or the Internet. Encourage self-assessment by asking them to review their records regularly and respond to prompts such as:
  • What are the two most surprising or unusual facts in your record?
  • When you look over the facts in your record, what questions about Chinese cultures come to mind? How could you find out the answers?

• China
• China's Bravest Girl
• Chinese Designs and Symbols, Second Edition
• Chinese New Year
• Coming to Gum San
• Early China
• Favourite Folktales of China
• Five Heavenly Emperors
• Focus on China
• Introducing China - A Teacher Resource Book
• A Little Tiger in the Chinese Night
• Long is a Dragon
• The Mouse Bride
• Notes on Things Chinese
• Old Tales of China
• Red Eggs and Dragon Boats
• Story of the Chinese Zodiac

• The Dragon's Tongue Series
• Jing: A Chinese Girl
• Pandas in the Wild
• Rebeka Goes to China

• Chinese Folk Songs
• Chinese Mandarin Resource Book - Volumes 1, 2, and 3
• The Chinese People
• Out of the East Horizon
• Zhongguotong

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