Thursday, March 29, 2007
Youth Day?
Youth Day (青年節) is celebrated in Taiwan on March 29th. May 4th, when Youth Day is celebrated in mainland China, is called "Literary Day" in Taiwan.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Chinese Restaurant Food: Wok Carefully
That's the big story for me in April 2007's Nutrition Action Health Newsletter: their article on Chinese Restaurant Food. Subscribers may already it in their mailboxes, it is not yet online. Except for the sodium, it looks like you can eat fairly healthy at Chinese restaurants. Remember to eat your vegetables.
This is second time the Center for Science in the Public Interest has looked at Chinese restaurant food - the first view in 1993 got alot of press coverage. I think they were the first to start discussing restaurant food in terms of healthiness. You can get your own copy of the article, or subscribe. The organization is a strong advocate for nutrition and health, food safety, alcohol policy, and sound science and "things Chinese" are not (usually) one of their main topics.
Speaking for myself, the key to long life is probably not how late my family and I stay up on New Year's but portion size, and the day's (or week's) amount of exercise.
This is second time the Center for Science in the Public Interest has looked at Chinese restaurant food - the first view in 1993 got alot of press coverage. I think they were the first to start discussing restaurant food in terms of healthiness. You can get your own copy of the article, or subscribe. The organization is a strong advocate for nutrition and health, food safety, alcohol policy, and sound science and "things Chinese" are not (usually) one of their main topics.
Speaking for myself, the key to long life is probably not how late my family and I stay up on New Year's but portion size, and the day's (or week's) amount of exercise.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Vernal Equinox (Chūnfēn)
Would you have guessed we are in the third solar term now, "The Waking of Insects"? The Chinese calendar divides the year into 24 solar units. Chūnfēn (春分) is the fourth solar term, although it is now also used to refer to the first day.
In the USA, "the first day of spring" will be March 20, 2007. The Vernal Equinox is *really* the moment that the sun passes over the equator, the moment when light is equal to dark. On that day there should be 12 hours of sunlight and 12 of darknesses. For Europe, it will be March 21st. In China, Chunfen is March 21st to April 5th, 2007. (In 2008, 2009, and 2010, it will be from March 20th to April 4th.) The following solar term is Qingming(清明, Pure Brightness).
Students - Did anyone recognize the "chun" (spring) character? and "ming" or bright? Can you see the sun and moon characters that combine to make the character "ming"?
In the Southern Hemisphere March 20/21st is the Autumnal Equinox.
The legend (or rumor?) that eggs can only balance on their end on the Vernal Equinox seems to have come from China - although by the time it reached America it seems to have changed so that it could *only* happen then, and in China it may have been for one whole solar period.
What I hear more often now is that eggs can be balanced on end on any day - that you have time and patience. Try it and let me know!
Each solar term is divided into 3 pentads. For Chunfen they are, the first pentad: xuánniǎo zhì (玄鳥至, Swallow Zhì); the second pentad: Lèinǎi Fāshēng (雷乃發聲) and the last pentad: shǐléi (始雷).
In the USA, "the first day of spring" will be March 20, 2007. The Vernal Equinox is *really* the moment that the sun passes over the equator, the moment when light is equal to dark. On that day there should be 12 hours of sunlight and 12 of darknesses. For Europe, it will be March 21st. In China, Chunfen is March 21st to April 5th, 2007. (In 2008, 2009, and 2010, it will be from March 20th to April 4th.) The following solar term is Qingming(清明, Pure Brightness).
Students - Did anyone recognize the "chun" (spring) character? and "ming" or bright? Can you see the sun and moon characters that combine to make the character "ming"?
In the Southern Hemisphere March 20/21st is the Autumnal Equinox.
The legend (or rumor?) that eggs can only balance on their end on the Vernal Equinox seems to have come from China - although by the time it reached America it seems to have changed so that it could *only* happen then, and in China it may have been for one whole solar period.
What I hear more often now is that eggs can be balanced on end on any day - that you have time and patience. Try it and let me know!
Each solar term is divided into 3 pentads. For Chunfen they are, the first pentad: xuánniǎo zhì (玄鳥至, Swallow Zhì); the second pentad: Lèinǎi Fāshēng (雷乃發聲) and the last pentad: shǐléi (始雷).
Friday, March 16, 2007
Girl Scout Awards and China
An investigation of China can help USA Girl Scouts earn requirements for a number of awards and patches. For Brownies, check out requirements of these Try-Its:
Reminder: The goal of World Thinking Day (February 22nd) is to learn about other Girl Scouts and Girl Guides and what they do; not learn about the country or its national animal! (Mainland) China is not a member of WAGGGS and not suitable for part of WTD celebrations - but you can do Taiwan or Hong Kong. Give-away Ideas
"American Fun" Chinese hair sticks - I have heard of troops having the girls wear their hair up in a bun with decorated chopsticks. I think this comes from someone's interpreation of (Japanese) Geisha hairsticks, but I have not tracked it down. Find out how Chinese girls wear their hair, whether they might do this and their possible reactions. Why do Americans think of (only) Tea and chopsticks when they think of China? What might your girls think after you have learned about China? Will their activities reinforce stereotypes or give them a better understanding of how others live, and perhaps how we are all similar?
Activities - Chinese Games, Chinese jump rope
- "Different Languages" in People are Talking,
- adapt the "Knots" requirement in Art to Wear,
- investigate kites for Movers,
- "Eating Customs" in Manners,
- Puppets, Dolls & Plays, and
- with World Thinking Day (WTD) celebrations: Caring and Sharing (p. 60), Making Music (p. 156), People of the World (p. 158), Playing Around the World (p. 160), Brownie Girl Scouts Around the World (Try-it Book, page 8, especially #5), Around the World (p. 146),
- Girl Scout Basics: Girl Scouting Around the World;
- Adventures: Global Awareness, Traveler, World Neighbors;
- Family and Friends: Celebrating People, My Heritage;
- Create & Invent: Folk Arts, Prints and Graphics (Chinese produced rubbings, perhaps as early as 2nd century AD);
- Explore and Discover: Globe-Trotting, Let's Get Cooking; and
- Online only badges:Now and Then Stories from Around the World, and (at least #8 of) World in My Community.
- With WTD, consider: Girl Scouts Around the World (Badge book, page 2), World Neighbors (Badge book, page 28), Traveler (#2, #3, #5, #8, Badge book, page 26), Global Awareness (esp. #7, #8, #9, Badge book, page 14) and requirement #5 of Girl Scouts in My Future (Badge book, page 4).
- A World of Understanding,
- Global Girls,
- G.O. Girl (Get Organized) (Feng shui started in China!),
- Paperworks,
- Textile Arts, and
- Travel.
Reminder: The goal of World Thinking Day (February 22nd) is to learn about other Girl Scouts and Girl Guides and what they do; not learn about the country or its national animal! (Mainland) China is not a member of WAGGGS and not suitable for part of WTD celebrations - but you can do Taiwan or Hong Kong. Give-away Ideas
- Papercuts, Origami, Paper Lanterns
- Animals from the Chinese Zodiac. Although I am sure that Taiwanese Scouts and Hong Kong Guides know their zodiac signs, it is years and years since everyone's birthday was celebrated on one day of Chinese New Year.
- Put rice in a bowl with school glue and mix it together. Put some rice it in a soda cap cap and add two toothpicks. It looked like a bowl of rice with chopsticks. (This is a good time to review chopstick etiquette!)
"American Fun" Chinese hair sticks - I have heard of troops having the girls wear their hair up in a bun with decorated chopsticks.
Activities - Chinese Games, Chinese jump rope
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Calligraphy
More to come!
Brushstrokes from West to East is a 43 page document contains Vermont-standards based lesson plans includes lesson plans for calligraphy fro K - 6. Stroke order is a big issue for me with characters and a pet peeve when artists who don't write Chinese try to teach calligraphy. The references used look good but I still don't think stroke order tis emphasized enough.
Stroke order test - "write" the same character twice, once respecting stroke order and once ignoring it (even if you are tracing for both characters). Show the two characters to your students. So far, every class I have heard of, says that he one drawn with the correct stroke order somehow looks "better". This has been true even when the class does not know any Chinese.
For a different type of character, check out the Spring (chun) Paper Cut Project.
More to come!
Brushstrokes from West to East is a 43 page document contains Vermont-standards based lesson plans includes lesson plans for calligraphy fro K - 6. Stroke order is a big issue for me with characters and a pet peeve when artists who don't write Chinese try to teach calligraphy. The references used look good but I still don't think stroke order tis emphasized enough.
Stroke order test - "write" the same character twice, once respecting stroke order and once ignoring it (even if you are tracing for both characters). Show the two characters to your students. So far, every class I have heard of, says that he one drawn with the correct stroke order somehow looks "better". This has been true even when the class does not know any Chinese.
For a different type of character, check out the Spring (chun) Paper Cut Project.
More to come!
Tea & Chopsticks
Chopsticks
I think chopsticks should always be used and shown if you discuss Chinese food at all. They have been in use for about 5,000 years. Food was cut smaller in China to cook faster - and use less fuel. Chopsticks, or kaui-zi, those quick little fellows, were enough at the table. (Of course they had spoons for soup too!)
In China and Japan, children’s chopsticks are shorter than adult/regular chopsticks and children probably start using them at around 3 years old. In 2004, NPR suggested that 6 year olds should have the fine motor control and concentration necessary to use chopsticks. That piece suggested using dry popped popcorn as a first practice food. It has worked well in a few classrooms that I know.
I read a suggestion once for using tongue depressors instead of chopsticks but I can not imagine how one would be able to hold them at all like chopsticks. For more on chopsticks, see also: Asia Education's Chopsticks Lesson Plan. I especially like their student's page on Using Chopsticks. (You may want to review the photos of how to hold them in Wikipedia's Chopsticks or the WikiHow entry on How to Eat With Chopsticks.)
If you have any of the long serving chopsticks in your kitchen, people love to see those too.
There is etiquette to using chopsticks - just as there is with other eating utensils. One eats with the more rounded end, and one can serve with the other end. Never stick them straight up in a bowl of rice - it would look like incense burned at a temple or funeral offerings.
Tea
Tea has been drunk in China since at least 2,000 B.C. There are several different stories about its origin. For more, see Tea Trivia or a Tea Primer.
Brushstrokes from West to East is a 43 page document containing Vermont-standards which includes a clay teapot lesson for grade 5 & 6 on pages 36-41, including a quiz.
What about "Fortune Cookies" and "Chop Suey"?
Perhaps I should add something on those American creations. There is a debate about whether fortune cookies are even a Chinese-American creation or if it is actually of Japanese-American origin. Until the mid-1960s they were made by hand - using a chopstick. There is a "How people make fortune cookies" video and stills from Mr. Rogers at PBSkids.org
For a cute fortune cookie ad, stop by Consumerism at "small fox in a big world".
(Last updated September 2007)
I think chopsticks should always be used and shown if you discuss Chinese food at all. They have been in use for about 5,000 years. Food was cut smaller in China to cook faster - and use less fuel. Chopsticks, or kaui-zi, those quick little fellows, were enough at the table. (Of course they had spoons for soup too!)
In China and Japan, children’s chopsticks are shorter than adult/regular chopsticks and children probably start using them at around 3 years old. In 2004, NPR suggested that 6 year olds should have the fine motor control and concentration necessary to use chopsticks. That piece suggested using dry popped popcorn as a first practice food. It has worked well in a few classrooms that I know.
I read a suggestion once for using tongue depressors instead of chopsticks but I can not imagine how one would be able to hold them at all like chopsticks. For more on chopsticks, see also: Asia Education's Chopsticks Lesson Plan. I especially like their student's page on Using Chopsticks. (You may want to review the photos of how to hold them in Wikipedia's Chopsticks or the WikiHow entry on How to Eat With Chopsticks.)
If you have any of the long serving chopsticks in your kitchen, people love to see those too.
There is etiquette to using chopsticks - just as there is with other eating utensils. One eats with the more rounded end, and one can serve with the other end. Never stick them straight up in a bowl of rice - it would look like incense burned at a temple or funeral offerings.
Tea
Tea has been drunk in China since at least 2,000 B.C. There are several different stories about its origin. For more, see Tea Trivia or a Tea Primer.
Brushstrokes from West to East is a 43 page document containing Vermont-standards which includes a clay teapot lesson for grade 5 & 6 on pages 36-41, including a quiz.
What about "Fortune Cookies" and "Chop Suey"?
Perhaps I should add something on those American creations. There is a debate about whether fortune cookies are even a Chinese-American creation or if it is actually of Japanese-American origin. Until the mid-1960s they were made by hand - using a chopstick. There is a "How people make fortune cookies" video and stills from Mr. Rogers at PBSkids.org
For a cute fortune cookie ad, stop by Consumerism at "small fox in a big world".
(Last updated September 2007)
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Paper Cuts
I really like the paper cuts that Malaysia Site has at the start of their description for each zodiac description, like The Sign of the Rat, and Sign of the Dragon. You can see the animal, and you may be able to see the Chinese character in the papercut. Use their sidebar to get to the signs for other years and see those animal designs.
At least two 2 children's books use papercuts well. Papercuts illustrate and are central toLaolao of Dragon Mountain by Margaret Bateson-Hill et. al (sadly, too long to read to most groups). The most beautiful papercut illustrations I have seen are in Eric Kimmel's Rooster's Antlers: A Story of the Chinese Zodiac .
For a different kind of papercut, check out this Spring Paper Cut Project for the character "Spring".
Chinese papercut background for teachers is on page 6 of Brushstrokes From West to East.
For more information, see Wikipedia's Chinese Paper Art entry.
last updated: June 2007
At least two 2 children's books use papercuts well. Papercuts illustrate and are central to
For a different kind of papercut, check out this Spring Paper Cut Project for the character "Spring".
Chinese papercut background for teachers is on page 6 of Brushstrokes From West to East.
For more information, see Wikipedia's Chinese Paper Art entry.
last updated: June 2007
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