Family Trees, Mandarin Chinese, Novice-Low
Please Note: Many of the activities on the Pathways Project OER Repository were created by upper-division students at Boise State University and serve as a foundation that our community of practice can build upon and refine. While they are polished, we welcome and encourage collaboration from language instructors to help modify grammar, syntax, and content where needed. Kindly contact pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu with any suggestions and we will update the content in a timely manner. — The Pathways Project
About the Boise State World Languages Resource Center (WLRC) Language Activity Repository
The activities provided by the Boise State World Languages Resource Center (WLRC) serve as foundational activities which can be adapted by any language and scaled up or down on the proficiency scale. Many of these activities offer an English Version that is “language-agnostic” to provide language instructors from around the country a platform to remix these instructional materials, infusing them with their target language and culture! The activities within the Pathways Project OER Repository seek to help students solidify their interpersonal speaking and interpretive skills through task-based situations or communicative activities. These activities should be facilitated in the target language for approximately 90% (or more), per the recommendation of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
How to use the WLRC Repository’s Activities:
1. Use the Activity as is:
Before you begin:
- Most activities are 30 minutes in duration, unless otherwise specified.
- Be sure to read through the activity description, and review the list of required materials. You will notice that the activity materials are also highlighted in yellow throughout the activity instructions.
If you have any suggestions about grammar, syntax, and content, please kindly contact pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu.
2. Remix for Your Language Classroom:
When you are ready to begin remixing the activity, in order to adapt it for the needs of your language classroom, simply click the blue “Remix This Resource” button at the top of your screen. This will then take you to a screen with a NEW, editable version of this activity. The text provided in purple is a suggestion of what you might say to your students in the target language, and may be altered for different levels and age groups. All activities have “NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do” statements, a warm-up, a main activity, and a wrap-up.
Many of the activities include printable cards and other instructional materials such as Google Slideshows. If you would like to make changes to these materials for your classroom, follow the instructions below:
- Google Slideshows:
- To begin, go to File -> Copy to create an editable version of the slideshow.
- Once finished with your changes, please complete the following steps to share:
- Click on Share
- Who Has Access
- Ensure link sharing is on and allow external access.
- Materials Saved as PDF: Please email pathwaysproject@boisestate.edu and we will provide you with an editable copy. Please allow up to two business days for a response. For YouTube videos and other websites, hyperlinks are provided.
3. Adapt for Another Language:
- See the linked English Version at the top of the activity (English Version may not be available for all activities)
Family Trees (Novice-Low)
Description:
In this activity, students will interview one another to construct family trees. Students will pair off and ask one another a series of interview questions and draw their partner's family tree. Students will then introduce their partner's family to other classmates.
Keywords:
China, real-world practice, introductions, meeting new people, families, family trees, relationships, interviews, Chinese
NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:
- I can answer questions about who is in my family
- I can name my family members, their ages, and their relationships to me
- I can appropriately address members of a family who represent different generations and genders.
NCSSFL-ACTFL World-Readiness Standards
- Standard 1.1 - Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions in Chinese
- Standard 1.3 - Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics
- Standard 2.1 - Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the cultures of the Chinese-speaking world
- Standard 4.2 - Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of Chinese culture with their own
Idaho State World Language Standards:
- COMM 1.1 - Interact and negotiate meaning (spoken, signed, written conversation) to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions
- CLTR 1.1 - Analyze the cultural practices/patterns of behavior accepted as the societal norm in the target culture.
- COMP 1.1 - Observe formal and informal forms of language.
- COMP 2.2 - Compare and contrast appropriate gestures and oral expressions in the target culture with the learner’s culture.
Materials Needed:
iPad or Computer (projector)
Whiteboards and markers
Warm-up
1. Begin by introducing the Can-Dos for today’s activity and spend some time to review appearances.
2. Show students Happy Chinese Ep 1. ( start @11:00-13:20)This video is spoken at a speed close to native-speaker speed and is a good review for terms for family members, as well as introducing family members to friends
Main Activity
- Students will pair off into small groups (2 or 3) and interview each other to find out how many members are in their families and the names of their family members. Each student group will be provided a copy of the family tree sheet.
- The student interviewing their partner (or if in a group of 3 the student not interviewing/being interviewed) will draw the other students family tree as it is being described to them.
- After everyone has had the chance to draw their partners tree, the group will come back together and introduce their partner's family tree to the group
Example questions for students:
- 你的家有几口人？ How many people are in your family?
- 你有哥哥／姐姐／弟弟／妹妹吗？Do you have any older brothers or sisters, or younger brothers or sisters?
- 你妈妈有哥哥吗？你爸爸有妹妹吗？ Does your mother have an older brother? Does your father have a younger sister?
- 你的哥哥多大了？你的妹妹多大了？How old is your older brother? How old is your younger sister?
Wrap-up:
- Review terms for different family members and how to ask someone how many people are in their family.
- Ask students if they learned anything new about their classmates.
End of lab:
• Read Can-Do statements once more and have students evaluate their confidence.
(Use thumbs up/thumbs down or download our student cards.)
• Encourage students to be honest in their self-evaluation.
• Pay attention, and try to use feedback for future labs!
NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:
- I can answer questions about who is in my family
- I can name my family members, their ages, and their relationships to me
- I can appropriately address members of a family who represent different generations and genders.
Where are we? Rate yourself on the weekly Can-Do Statements using this scale: I get it!, I got it!, I kind of get it..., I don't get it...