Aims • To learn about Chinese culture • To practise language for speculating • To learn how to take turns, reach an agreement with a partner and respect the rules of a game • To develop intercultural awareness
Age/level Older primary/Younger secondary CEFR level A2 and above
Time 60 minutes
Materials Dragons & Scrolls board (one per group) Dragons & Scrolls question cards (one set per group, cut up) Dragons & Scrolls answers (one per group) Dragons & Scrolls rules (one per group) Dice (one per group) and counters (one per pair of players) – you can print dice and counters here: https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/crafts/snakes-and-ladders
Introduction In 2017, Chinese New Year is on 28 January. It is the Year of the Rooster. In this lesson, children learn about Chinese New Year customs. They are introduced to some expressions for speculating at the beginning of the lesson that will be practised in context when they play a board game in small groups. The game will encourage players to read and speculate about customs in a fun way. At the end of the lesson children find out which Chinese zodiac animal they are.
Procedure 1. Warmer (5 Introduce the topic by writing Happy New Year on the board. Ask learners when they minutes) hear this greeting and elicit an answer. Explain that in China and many other parts of the world, the new year doesn’t start on 1 January. It starts on a different date each year.
3. Game to Put learners into groups (five or seven) and appoint a captain. Put the remaining practise language players in each group into pairs to play the game. This will encourage the use of for speculating speculating language as they discuss the questions. (20–30 minutes) Give each group a Dragons & Scrolls game board, counters, a dice, the Dragons & Scrolls question cards (upside down) and the Dragons & Scrolls rules. Give each captain a copy of the Dragons & Scrolls answers. Allow learners time to read the rules and make sure they all understand how to play. Tip! Ask a few questions to check: Where do you put your counters? What do you do if your answer is correct? What do you do if you land at the top of a dragon? Monitor while learners play the game, helping where necessary and encouraging learners to use English as much as possible. Remind them to use some of the expressions on the board.
4. Optional extra Primary learners could watch a video about Chinese New Year and then do some (15–25 minutes) exercises to check their understanding: https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/short-stories/my-favourite-day-chinese- new-year Secondary learners could read a text about Chinese New Year and then do some exercises to check their understanding: https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/uk-now/read-uk/chinese-new-year
5. Finishing off Learners find out which Chinese zodiac animal they are at: the lesson (5 https://www.primarygames.com/holidays/chinesenewyear/games/my_sign/ minutes) This could also be set for homework.
