WHY THIS WORKS
This marks the beginning of the class. It brings everyone together and sets the tone for the next 45-minutes of time you’ll be spending together. It’s the ice breaker that gives everyone an easy movement and the most basic word hello in the second language that they can easily repeat in a fun, exciting way.
Keywords: 你好|nǐ hǎo (hello)
PREPARE:
- Explain to the class that it’s time to begin.
- Invite the class to sit on the ground in a circle
- Say, “Friends, today we are going to learn some Mandarin”.
- Say, “Let’s start by saying 你好|nǐ hǎo hello”, and wave you hand to the children sitting in the circle.
- Translate that 你好|nǐ hǎo means hello.
PERFORM
- Invite the class to stretch their arms up into the sky, wave them from side to side while saying 你好|nǐ hǎo hello three times.
- Encourage the class to do this two more times with you.
- Each time you invite them to wave their arms in the air and repeat 你好|nǐ hǎo hello, add a slight variation such as saying it a little faster, in a higher register in your voice, or making a funny face.
HELLO WAVE VIDEO
TRANSITION
Hello Wave to Good Morning Chant
If it’s the very first class, then right after the Hello Wave say, “Now we’re going to say good morning to everyone, but first I need to know your names.” Then ask each of them their names and write them down on a piece of paper. Once you have all their names, start teaching the keywords for the Good Morning Chant. Feel free to adapt the keywords to good afternoon if the class takes place in the afternoon.
早安|Zǎo Ān (Good Morning Chant)
WHY THIS WORKS
This is your first opportunity to connect with each child individually which is very empowering for them. Also, drumming has been used across cultures and time to bring people together, so be sure to use the hand drum. Invite everyone to repeat the keyword good morning in the second language using this simple, catchy rhythm. They’ll remember it for years to come!
Keywords: 早安|zǎo ān (good morning)
PREPARE:
- Be sure that you have a list of everyone’s names in the class in front of you if you do not have the names memorized yet.
- Say, “早安|zǎo ān! In Mandarin, good morning is 早安|zǎo ān”.
- Ask the class to repeat after you, “Ok class, repeat after me, say 早|zǎo [pause for them to repeat], 安|ān [pause for them to repeat]”. Repeat three times. When you leave space for the children to respond you should also say the keyword silently as a prompt.
- Instruct everyone to imitate you patting their laps and wait until there is a unison rhythm.
- Once there is a rhythm instruct the class to repeat after you, “Say, 早安|zǎo ān, 早|zǎo, 早|zǎo, 安|ān” and pause to let the children respond.
PERFORM
- Chant 早安|zǎo ān, 早|zǎo, 早|zǎo, 安|ān two to four times and begin with your name. Say, “早安|zǎo ān (your name), 早安|zǎo ān (your name)”.
- If the children are seated in a circle, call a child’s name, followed by the child seated next to them.
- After chanting for three names in the class, modulate your voice up a half step and repeat 早安|zǎo ān, 早|zǎo, 早|zǎo, 安|ān twice before going on to three more names.
- Once all the names have been called, accelerate the rhythm and start clapping. Repeat all names starting with yours, but clapping.
TRANSITION
Good Morning Chant to Puppet Section
For the end of the Good Morning Chant lead everyone in a celebratory applause. Immediately turn your head to the side and make a bird sound as if a special birdie guest is chirping from behind you and is about to join you.
Myla很饿|Myla Hěn È (Myla Is Hungry)
WHY THIS WORKS
All the puppet routines have been designed to foster social emotional development in young children. Each week the puppet shares emotions that mirror what children experience. The puppets create a safe space for the children to begin to identify their feelings and approach sensitive subject matters.
Keywords: 我很饿|wŏ hěn è (I’m hungry), 一|yī (one), 二|èr (two), 三|sān (three), 四|sì (four), 五|wǔ (five), 六|liù (six), 七|qī (seven), 八|bā (eight), 九|jiǔ (nine), 十|shí (ten)
PREPARE:
- Be sure that you can easily access Myla in your bag. Check before class to make sure the puppet is clean and review what you’ll be teaching.
PERFORM:
- Make a sound like a bird.
- Ask the class, “Did you hear something? I think I heard Myla! Can we call her out?”.
- Instruct the class to repeat Myla Birdie with a fun rhythm as you prepare your hand in the puppet inside of the Bilingual Birdies bag.
- Myla enters with an exciting melody or gesture.
- Instruct the children to repeat “你好Myla|ní hăo Myla!”.
- Look at the Myla and say, “Myla, 你好吗|Myla, ní hăo ma?”.
- Myla responds, “我很饿|wŏ hěn è!”
- Explain to the children that Myla is hungry. Invite the children to repeat 我很饿|wŏ hěn è with Myla three times.
- Explain that the class is going to get some apples for Myla to eat. Look up and pretend to see an apple tree.
- Instruct the children to reach their hands up and repeat after you as you pick ten apples for Myla to eat.
- Count to ten in Mandarin saying each number twice and encouraging the children to count with you. “ 一|yī (one), 二|èr (two), 三|sān (three), 四|sì (four), 五|wǔ (five), 六|liù (six), 七|qī (seven), 八|bā (eight), 九|jiǔ (nine), 十|shí (ten)”.
- Invite children to hold out their hand and pretend to feed Myla.
- Go up to each child and have Myla eat apples out of their hands.
- Explain that Myla is so full from all of the yummy apples she ate. Tell the children she is going to take a nap now.
- Encourage the children to repeat “再见|zài jiàn Myla!”.
- Myla exits with the same melody or gesture.
CHALLENGE:
- Once the children are confident counting to ten, have them count to twenty.
PUPPETRY VIDEO
TRANSITION
Puppet Section to Hello Song
Encourage the class to tell the puppet that they’ll see them later. Put the puppet back in the bag, get the shakers, and pass them out. Invite the class to “wake up the shakers” by shaking them up high and down low together so that the children have a moment to play with the new instrument you just gave them.
