Duration

45 minutes

Subject Area

 English

Grade Level

8^th-11^th grade

Unit Title

Lesson Title

Chinese Poetry

Objectives

Write 2-5 objectives stating expected learner outcomes

*Learn some of the history and purpose of Chinese poetry.

*Hear some examples

*Practice writing Chinese Poetry

 Materials and Resources:

A Thousand Peaks: Poems from China in English and Chinese by Siyu Liu and Orel Protopopescu

Long Is A Dragon - Chinese Writing for Children by Peggy Goldstein by Peggy Goldstein

http://www.zhongwen.com/zi.htm Chinese character dictionary

White board, markers, paper, and pencils, red construction paper optional

Anticipatory Set

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

 Give a brief history of the poetry in China, from the Qui dynasty to the Song dynasty. (Information can be found in the introduction of A Thousand Peaks. (10 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 learn a little history behind Chinese poetry

*Discuss writing poetry with purpose

*Learn the specific format for true Chinese poetry

*Practice writing a Chinese Poem

Input

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

 Shi poetry has 5-7 characters per line, 4-8 lines per poem.

2^nd and 4^th line usually rhyme, and sometimes the 1^st as well

First two lines set the scene, 3 line provides a twist

The last line is the poet’s thoughts or offers advice to the reader

Model

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

Put a Shi poem up on the board, or an overhead projector, while discussing your input information.  It would also be a good idea to have copies of the most common Chinese characters available for the class. (10 minutes)

Check for Understanding

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

What is a Shi Poem?  Typically, who are the writers?  Who is the audience?  When was their rise in popularity?  What is the form for a Shi poem? Are the poems still written today, and for what purpose? (15 minutes)

Guided Practice

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

Provide and example of a Chinese poems to the students, as well as the most common Chinese characters.  If copies are a problem, the lesson can be structured to have students work together in groups, sharing books on Chinese writing. (5 minutes)

Closure

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

Quickly review the main points of a Chinese Poem and give the assignment. (5 minutes)

Independent Practice

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

Assignment:  Write a Shi poem due next class period.

Assessment

Did most of the students grasp the concept of writing a Chinese style poem?  What would you keep the same, or change, the next time the lesson is presented?