Shell in China

Thanksgiving is almost upon us in China. Not as exciting here as it is at home, since it doesn’t exist here, but I decided to incorporate it into my lessons as a cultural activity anyway. At least then I can feel “Thanksgiving-y” for a few days. In my Oral English classes we talked about things we are thankful for and then I had them make the American elementary school staple—the hand turkey!!! We traced our hands on papers and made them into turkeys, complete with feathers bearing lists of things for which we are thankful. I then had the students hang these on their classroom walls. Not only was it a good lesson with lots of English speaking, but we also succeeded in decorating their classrooms, which can be rather sparse to say the least!

After the end of the lesson in one class, I asked them if they had enjoyed making the hand-turkeys and they all responded with the usual “yes!” Then I had a girl raise her hand and ask, in all seriousness, what we were going to make out of our feet next week! I guess I will have to think on that one! I am not sure I want fifty kids with their shoes off, tracing their feet in my classroom. That could more than a little stinky!!!!!

In my Teaching Methodology class the students are just beginning their individual lessons to the class. They chose a topic out of a bag and have to present a 15-20 minute lesson on that topic to the class. They have to come prepared with a lesson plan and a focus on one of Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. Today my first two students presented. I have put pictures of them here for you to see. The girl is Amanda (her lesson was on sports) and the boy is Euan (his lesson was on animals).

Loved your hand turkeys! Maybe for Christmas you can feet wreathes! Like the hand wreathes I used to have my 2nd graders make. You trace hands on green paper and then glue or attach them to a hanger you have stretched to be round or a circle of cardboard and cover it and then put a red bow or red dots on it!!! Then you can use feet for something useful!!!! love, mom

Those would be so much fun to make...I think I have a materials issue though. With over 300 students, I am not sure I can find the stuff to do that with. It has me thinking about other Christmas-y things though..I will have to see what I can come up with for them!