Bow Wow, Oink Oink

Designed by: Emily Carpenter,  A.C. Moore Elementary

 Subject:  Social Studies      Grade: Kindergarten 

Core Curriculum Objectives: 
States birthday  (KSSM-3)
States age in years (KSSM-4) 
Compares similarities and differences among individuals and/or cultures. (KSSM-7)

S. C. Socials Studies Standard -  Identify similarities and differences in customs, patterns, and culture of various regions. (III K.7.2)

Overview 
The teacher will read the story Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley, Scholastic Publications. After the story, the teacher will ask the question: How do you think children from other countries might celebrate a birthday? This prompt will lead us to focus on birthdays and years born. We will discuss how the Chinese culture has a sign for each year. The years 1994 and 1995, (the years the kindergarten students were born,) were the signs of the dog for 1994, and the pig for 1995. The students will predict how many students were born under either sign. We will then make a picture graph to track exactly how many students were born under each sign and compare results with the predictions. After gathering the correct information and making the graph, the students will use the information to construct a paper quilt displaying their birth dates to use for future reference throughout the semester. The lesson can be taught any time, however it is ideal for February during the Chinese New Year.

Focus/Essential Questions
Can you state your birthday? 
Do you know the year that you were born? 
Can you tell me how old you are? 
Do you think children from other cultures celebrate birthdays?

Time Frame 
Two lessons of 40 minutes each

Resources And Materials
Everybody Cook Rice 

Two sets of reproduced pictures of a dog and a pig cut into squares to place on the picture graph and quilt square

a teacher-made blank graph displaying the Chinese symbols for the years 1994 and 1995, (the dog and pig) 

crayons

pencils

chart paper

correct birthday information for each child in the class

digital camera

butcher paper

colored construction paper

Everybody Cooks Rice story book.

Technology 
www.family.go.com - Visit this site and click on holidays, search Chinese New Year and choose what you would like to see, customs, activities, arts and crafts, costumes, etc.

http://www.chineseparade.com

www.amazon.com - Click on books, next click on children's books, search ages 4-8 Chinese New Year or enter the title Everybody Cooks Rice to order the book.

www.scholastic.com  - Click on Book Clubs to order a current catalog of books for ages 4-8.

Culminating Assessment 
The teacher will complete a rubric to evaluate progress.

Rubric Kindergarten

Instructional Activities 

Lesson One 
The teacher will assemble the class and ask questions as to what the students know about other cultures of the world. This lesson will begin with an introduction to the similarities of several different cultures through the oral reading of the book Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley, Scholastic Publications. 

Students will be made aware that although cultures can be very different, there can also be a common thread or similarity, as every culture represented in the story cooks rice. The teacher will lead a discussion and guide the students to make other comparisons based on what they have heard in the story. The teacher will guide the discussion about birthdays and how we have been working to learn our birthdays since the beginning of school and how we might celebrate a birthday in America. 

Teacher will chart responses to the question "How do you think children from other countries might celebrate their birth?" The teacher will accept all answers from the students. 

The teacher will lead a discussion about the Chinese years being assigned the names and symbols of animals. This would highlight one difference in our culture from the Chinese culture. The teacher will ask the students to predict how many students they think were born under the sign of the dog for 1994, and how many were born under the sign of the pig for 1995. 

The teacher would then ask the students if they know the year in which they were born, if they can state their birthdays and if they can state their ages. After the students have given their responses, the teacher will chart answers and give correct information when needed. Comparing students' responses to the actual years of birth, the teacher will distribute reproduced pictures cut into squares of a dog and a pig. The teacher will monitor the activity and check for understanding. The students will color the picture with the appropriate sign for the year they were born and when called on, will cooperatively place their picture in the appropriate column on the picture graph. 

The students will then count the number of students under each symbol and add them together to establish that all of the students were represented on the graph. The students will compare the earlier predictions with the actual results. 

The teacher will monitor progress by asking the students to tell the teacher the symbol under which they were born and the year in which they were born.

Lesson Two 
The teacher will distribute a second set of animal pictures for the children to color. The students will work cooperatively at tables sharing crayons, glue and scissors to construct the quilt squares. 

The students will glue the pictures to 6x6 inch construction paper quilt squares (choice of colors). The student will be instructed to write their name and the birthday, including the year that they were born, on the front of the square. 

The teacher will instruct students to refer to a chart of the months of the year for correct spelling. Using a digital camera, the teacher or a student will take a photograph of each student. After printing, the students will glue the pictures to a companion 6x6 inch quilt square of a different color (student's choice). 

Students will glue the squares to butcher paper, complete with a border of choice and hang the completed birthday quilt in the hall for others to see, including parents, teachers and visitors. The quilt will be used to reinforce prior learning of birthdates. Any student who finishes the activity before the remainder of the class may visit one of the websites listed.