Shopping and Bartering, Mandarin Chinese, Novice-Mid/High
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)
Shopping and Bartering (Novice-Mid/High)
Description:
In this activity, students will be given a bundle of Chinese money and will use common Chinese phrases to try to purchase items from the instructor, who will be acting as a shop owner. Students will attempt to convince the shop owner to give them the most items for the best price.
Keywords:
China, real-world practice, shopping, bartering, money, daily activities, phrases, Chinese
NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:
- I can compare and contrast shopping habits in my own and other cultures
- I can interact at functional level in a familiar context (shopping)
- I can negotiate the price of a good using appropriate phrases in Chinese
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 2.1 - Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the cultures of the Chinese-speaking world
- Standard 3.1 - Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the study of Chinese
- Standard 3.2 - Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the Chinese language and culture
- 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.
- CONN 2.3 - Compare and contrast cultural similarities and differences in authentic materials.
- COMP 2.2 - Compare and contrast appropriate gestures and oral expressions in the target culture with the learner’s culture.
Materials Needed:
Warm-up
1. Begin by introducing the Can-Dos for today’s activity and spend some time to review appearances.
2. Shopping Video- This video is included in the Google Slideshow. In the slide show, it will be fixed to start playing about 2:00 minutes into the video. After watching the section of the video on 王府井 in Beijing, advance to the next slide and answer the discussion questions with students.
Main Activity
- Before beginning the lab, divide Chinese money in the following denominations so each student in the lab has the same amount of money. Print extra small bills so the lab instructor will be able to make change for students if needed.
Each bundle of 元 should have:
100元 - 5 bills
50元 - 2 bills
20元 - 4 bills
10元 - 5 bills
5元 - 5 bills
1元 - 10 bills
For a total of 765元 per student - Advance the Google Slideshow to the activity directions slide (slide 5). This slide also has some example sentences for students to use when bartering and haggling prices.
- Pass out a stack of money to each student.
- Spread out the item cards across the table, keeping items with multiples together in groups
- Students will go around one at a time and try to buy the items on the table. Encourage the students to try to make a deal every round by asking the shop owner (the lab assistant)
Example sentences:
可不可以便宜点儿？"Can you make this cheaper?"
如果我买两杯咖啡，这瓶水可不可以免费？"If I buy two cups of coffee, can I have this bottle of water for free?" - The goal of the lab is to buy the most items, or the most expensive items, for the cheapest prices. Continue the lab until all the objects have been purchased or students no longer have the funds to buy new items.
Wrap-up
- Advance to the last question slide on the Google Slideshow. Go over the wrap up questions with students.
谁买了最贵的东西？Who bought the most expensive item?
谁买了最多的东西？Who bought the most items?
活动做完了以后，谁有最多钱？After the activity, who has the most money left over?
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 compare and contrast shopping habits in my own and other cultures
- I can interact at functional level in a familiar context (shopping)
- I can negotiate the price of a good using appropriate phrases in Chinese
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...