Duration

45 minutes

Subject Area

 Culture or History

Grade Level

 1st-4th

Unit Title

Lesson Title

Chinese Moon Festival

Objectives

Write 2-5 objectives stating expected learner outcomes

*expose students to the Chinese festival

*learn its history and importance to the Chinese culture

 Materials and Resources:

Whiteboard and markers

Writing paper

Copies  Chinese Moon Background Article

Anticipatory Set

List specific statements or activities you will use to focus students on the lesson for the day

 Ask children what holidays they observe. (5 minutes)

Objective/Purpose

For the student's benefit, explain what students will be able to do by the time they successfully complete the lesson.

 We are going to be learning about the Chinese Moon Festival and why it is an important cultural holiday.

Input

What information is essential for the student to know before beginning and how will this skill be communicated to the students

The Moon Festival happens at the first full moon in September.  It is based on the lunar calendar, so it is on a different day every year.  Months in the Calendar were originally based on the moons cycle, but the problem is there is not integral amount of lunar cycles in the year.

The legend of the Lady Chang Er dates back to around 2170 BC.  Her husband shoots down 9 extra suns that were causing everything to get to hot on the earth.  As his reward, he was given an elixir of long life.  His wife drank it before him and was transported to the moon.  A Jade Rabbit then appeared and built a palace and made potions for the Gods.

The symbolism of the shape and ingredients in a moon cake: the egg yolk inside stands for the moon, the round shape stands for family unity.  According to legend, Moon Cakes once were used during the Mongol occupation of China, as a way for revolutionaries to communicate and successfully overthrow the Mongols with the messages hidden inside the moon cake. (10 minutes)

Chinese around the world celebrate the moon festival by eating moon cakes, enjoying the full moon, and an occasion for family reunions.  It is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar.  Many Chinatowns have festivals at this time of year and moon cakes are sold in Chinese bakeries and supermarkets in the US.

Model

If you will be demonstrating the skill or competence, how will this be done?

Have an example of the Lunar calendar and Moon Cakes for the class to sample- either during the lecture or afterwards.

Check for Understanding

Identify strategies to be used to determine if students have learned the objectives

Discuss new vocabulary words: Moon Cake, yolk of egg, red bean, emperor, archer, mortar (used for grinding medicine), pestle, paler, elixir, spilled, sparing (10 minutes)

Guided Practice

List activities which will be used to guide student practice and provide a time frame for completing this practice.

Have students draw a picture or write a paragraph concerning what was learned about the Chinese Moon Festival. (15 minutes)

Closure

What method of review and evaluation will be used to complete the lesson?

 Hand in the drawings or stories and pick up the supplies (5 minutes)

Independent Practice

List homework/seatwork assignment to be given to the students to ensure they have mastered the skill without teacher guidance.

 No homework necessary

Assessment

 Check the drawings and stories, and possibly discuss some of the examples next class (omit the child's name to prevent embarrassment)