ARole-PlayLessonPlan

TheChineseMoonFestival

Designer:MinnaZhao

Date:Nov.19,2001

Subject:English

GradeLevel:6-8grades

PeriodofTime:50minutes

LessonTopic:TheChineseMoonFestival

TerminalObjective(Goals):

1.Studentswilldevelopamulticulturalperspectivethroughexploringharvestcelebrations

indifferentcultures.

2.StudentswillenhancetheirESLliteracyskillsofreading,writing,listening,andspeaking

InstructionalObjectives:

1.Inthislesson,studentswillbeabletoidentifythetruemeaningsofChineseMoonfestival

throughclassdiscussion.

2.Inthislesson,studentswillbeabletodemonstratetheirknowledgeandunderstandingof

theculturalvaluesandcustomsrelatedtotheChineseMoonfestivalbycreatingand

actingoutarole-play

3.Afterthislesson,studentswillbeabletowriteashortarticleintroducingChineseMoon

Festival.

Materials/Sources:

?Aposterboard

?SomepostersofChineseMoonFestival(SeeAppendix1-5).

?CopiesofWorksheet1:"Role-PlayEvaluationForm”(oneperperson)

?CopiesofWorksheet2:uWritingAssignment”(oneperperson)

Procedures:

A.Opening:(5minutes)

?Writeonthechalkboard:"'AmericanThanksgiving”

?Poseaquestiontotheclass:"Inthelastlesson,welearnedtheAmericanharvest

holiday-Thanksgiving.WhatarethemajorthingswelearnedaboutAmerican

Thanksgiving?"

?Encourageaclassbrainstormingand,basedonstudentinput,writeontheboard:date,

theme,characteristics,origin,andcelebrations.

?Telltheclass:Today,wearegoingtolearnanotherculture'sharvestholiday.Itis

ChineseMoonFestival.(Showtheclasstheposterboard.)Butinsteadofreadingan

article,wewilllearnChineseMoonFestivalthroughcreatingandactingoutarole-play.

Afterthislesson,youwillwriteashortarticleofintroducingChineseMoonFestival.

B.Middle:

1.Input:(5minutes)

?Dividetheclassintosmallgroups(thenumberofeachgroupdependsonthedemandsof

therole-playactivity).Leteachgroupcreateandactoutarole-playbasedonatopic.

Providepostersandguidelinesforeachgrouptocreateandconducttherole-play.

?HandouteachpersonWorksheet1:"Role-PlayEvaluationForm“andexplaintostudents

asaudiencetheywillevaluateeachrole-playtheyviewbycompletingtheformand,after

that,theywillanswerquestionsbasedontheirevaluation.

?Thetopicsforstudents9roleplaysinclude:

oTheLegendoftheMoonLady(3students)

oThefairytaleofJadeRabbit(7students)

oTheLegendofMoonLadyandJadeRabbit(3students)

oThestoryofWuGangandtheCassiaTree(4students)

oTheMoonFestivalcelebrations(3-6students)

2.ModelingandGuidedpractice(30minutes)

?Designingandrehearsal:Assisteachgrouptodesignandrehearsetherole-playbasedon

thetopictheychoose.Modelappropriatedialoguesintherole-play.

?Role-playpresentation:Eachgrouppresentsa3-minrole-playinclass.Beforetherole-

play,thegroupwillgiveabriefintroductionofthestory.

?Role-playevaluation:Theaudiencewillfillinthe"Role-PlayEvaluationForm^^asthey

viewthepeer'srole-play.

C.Closure:(10minutes)

?HaveeachgroupgeneratethetruemeaningoftheChineseMoonFestivalbasedontheir

grouprole-play.

?LeadaclassbrainstormingofsummarizingthetruemeaningofChineseMoonFestival.

Encouragevolunteerstowritethesummaryontheboard.

Evaluation

?StudentknowledgeandunderstandingoftheChineseMoonFestivalwillbeevaluated

througharole-playandawritingassignment.

?StudentoralEnglishandcooperativeskillswillbeevaluatedthroughobservationofthe

role-play.

?Students'writingassignmentwillbeassessedwithawritingrubric(Viewtheattachment).

Extension

?Studentswillworkingroupsoffourandconductaresearchproject:

"ComparingtheChineseMoonFestivalandtheAmericanThanksgiving^^

?Inthisproject,studentsshouldsearchtheinternetandotherresources,andcompletethe

followingtasks:

1.A1000wordpaperthatcomparesthetwoharvestholidaysintermsof:theorigin,the

truemeanings,andthecelebratingactivities.Thepapershouldalsoincludeareflection

asthelastpart.

2.AgroupPowerPointpresentationoftheproject

?Makesurethatinthegroupproject,eachmemberinthegroupisresponsibleforcertain

tasksandallthemembersworkcollaborativelytoreachthegoal.

?Websitesforthegroupresearch:

1.http:〃chinesD./library/weekly/aa093097.htm

2.http:〃/Library/Thanksgiving/thanksgi.htm

Appendix#1-Worksheets:

Worksheet1:Role-PlayEvaluationForm

Name:Class:Date:

TopicThemainideaandthesymbolicCommentsontheperformance

meaningoftherole-play

TheTeacher'sVersionofWorksheet1:

Role-PlayEvaluationForm

Name:Class:Date:

Commentson

TopicThemainideaandsymbolicmeaning

RolePlay

Mainidea:ChangEdranktheelixiroflifetosavethe

Thelegendofthepeoplefromherhusband'styrannicalrule,floatedandflew

MoonLadytothemoon,separatingfromherhusbandpermanently.

Symbolicmeaning:thespiritofself-sacrificeandthe

immortallove

Mainidea:theRabbit'sself-sacrificetoofferitsownflesh

TheFairyTaleoffortheoldbeggarsmovedthegodsthattheynameditthe

JadeRabbitandletitbecometheMoonLady'spet.

JadeRabbit

Symbolicmeaning:thespiritofself-sacrifice

TheLegendofMainidea:MoonLadyandJadeRabbitmetintheMoon

MoonLadyandPalaceandbecamegoodfriends

JadeRabbitSymbolicmeaning:thedevotionoffriendship

TheStoryofWuMainidea:theshiftlessmanWuGangwassentbyhis

Gangandthemastertochopacassiatreethatprovedtobean

CassiaTreeimpossiblemission.

Symbolicmeaning:Shiftlessnessisaharmfulmanner.

TheMoonMainidea:ChineseMoonFestivalisaharvestholiday,a

Festivalfamilyday,adayofworshipingunityandimmortallove,

Celebrationsandfriendship,adayofenjoyingpeace,love,andfun

Symbolicmeaning:unity,love,peace,friendship,andfun

Worksheet2:GroupWorkSheet

Group1:Role-PlayofTheLegendofMoonLady—ChangE

Guidelinesfortherole-play:

Thisrole-playneedsatleastthreepeople.Astudentwillbrieflyintroducethestorybeforetheplay.

Charactersinthisrole-playincludetheMoonLadyandherhusband,HouYi.Therole-playshouldbe

dramatized,basedonthestory,withavividdialoguebetweenthetwocharacters.Thetimelimitoftherole-

playiswithin3minutes.

Group2:Role-PlayofTheFairyTaleofJadeRabbit

Guidelinesfortherole-play:

Thisrole-playneedssevenpeople.Astudentwillbrieflyintroducethestorybeforetheplay.Charactersin

theplayincludethreegodswhopretendtobeoldbeggars,arabbit,afox,andamonkey.Therole-play

shouldbedramatizedwithavividconversationamongthecharactersbasedonthestory.Thetimelimitof

therole-playiswithin3minutes.

Group3:Role-PlayoftheLegendofMoonLadyandJadeRabbit

Guidelinesfortherole-play:

Thisrole-playneedsthreepeople.Astudentwillbrieflyintroducethestorybeforetheplay.Charactersin

theplayincludetheMoonLadyandtheJadeRabbit.Therole-playshouldbedramatizedwithavivid

conversationbetweenthetwocharactersbasedonthestory.Thetimelimitoftherole-playiswithin3

minutes.

Group4:Role-PlayoftheStoryofWuGangandtheCassiaTree

Guidelinesfortherole-play:

Thisrole-playneedsfourpeople.Astudentwillbrieflyintroducethestorybeforetheplay.Charactersin

theplayincludeWuGang,hislastmaster,theimmortal,andtheCassiaTree.Therole-playshouldbe

dramatizedwithavividconversationamongthecharactersbasedonthestory.Thetimelimitoftherole-

playiswithin3minutes.

Group5:Role-PlayoftheMoonFestivalcelebrations

Guidelinesfortherole叩lay:

Thisrole-playneeds3-6people.Astudentwillbrieflyintroducethefestival:thedate,truemeaning,

customs,andcelebrationactivitiesbeforetheplay.Charactersintheplaycanbevariousandflexible.The

role-playscanbeaboutthefamilyreunionactivities,thedialoguebetweenlovers,andtheactivitiessuchas

viewingthefullmoon,singingmoonpoems,andenjoyingthemooncakes.Therole-playshouldbe

dramatizedwithavividconversationamongthecharacters.Thetimelimitoftherole-playiswithin3

minutes.

Worksheet3:WritingAssignment

Name:Class:Date:

Directions:Supposeyouarewritinganarticleforalocalnewspaper.Writeashortarticle

introducingtheChineseMoonFestivalbasedonwhatyouhavelearnedinthis

class,oronyoursearchoftheInternet.FormoreinformationoftheChineseMoon

Festival,youcangotothewebsite:

http:〃/library/weekly/aao93097.htm

Inyourarticle,youshouldincludethefollowinginformation:

1.Thedateofthefestival

2.Thetruemeaning

3.Theorigin

4.Thecelebrations

Apuendix#2■Posters

1.TheLegendofMoonLady—ChangE

Thestory:

Thedateofthisstoryisaround2170B.C.Theearthoncehadtensunscirclingoverit,eachtookitsturnto

illuminatetotheearth.Butonedayalltensunsappearedtogether,scorchingtheearthwiththeirheat.The

earthwassavedbyastrongandtyrannicalarcherHouYi.Hesucceededinshootingdownnineofthesuns.

Oneday,HouYistoletheelixiroflifefromagoddess.HoweverhisbeautifulwifeChangEdranktheelixir

oflifeinordertosavethepeoplefromherhusband'styrannicalrule.Afterdrinkingit,shefoundherself

floatingandflewtothemoon.HouYilovedhisbeautifulwifesomuch;hedidn'tshootdownthemoon.

ChangEfloatedtothemoononthefifteenthdayoftheeighthmoon,peopleofferannualprayerand

sacrificestothemoononthatdaytocommemoratetheevent.ItissaidthatChangEtransformsherself

intobrilliantmoonlightanddescendstoearthtooffergoodfortune.Thus,couplessweartheirmutuallove

underthefullmoonandseparatedloversprayfortheirreunionunderthefullmoon.

Guidelinesfortherole-play:

Thisrole-playneedsatleastthreepeople.Astudentwillbrieflyintroducethestorybeforetheplay.

Charactersinthisrole-playincludetheMoonLadyandherhusband,HouYi.Therole-playshouldbe

dramatized,basedonthestory,withavividdialoguebetweenthetwocharacters.Thetimelimitoftherole-

playiswithin3minutes.

2.TheFairyTaleofJadeRabbit

TheStory:

Inthislegend,threegodstransformedthemselvesintopitifuloldmenandbeggedforsomethingtoeatfrom

afox,amonkey,andarabbit.Thefoxandthemonkeybothhadfoodtogivetotheoldmen,buttherabbit,

empty-handed,offereditsownfleshinstead,jumpingintoablazingfiretocookitself.Thegodswereso

touchedbytherabbit'ssacrificethattheynamedittheJadeRabbitandletitliveintheMoonPalacewhere

itbecametheMoonLady'spet.

Guidelinesfortherole-play:

Thisrole-playneedssevenpeople.Astudentwillbrieflyintroducethestorybeforetheplay.Charactersin

theplayincludethreegodswhopretendtobeoldbeggars,arabbit,afox,andamonkey.Therole-play

shouldbedramatizedwithavividconversationamongthecharactersbasedonthestory.Thetimelimitof

therole-playiswithin3minutes.

3.TheLegendofMoonLadyandJadeRabbit

TheStory:

TheMoonLadywastheonlypersononthemoon.ShelivedintheMoonPalacefeltlonelywithoutany

company.Oneday,theMoonLadyfoundalittlerabbitunderaCassiatree.Therabbitalsosawher.She

cameuptotherabbit.Therabbit,insteadofrunningaway,movedtowardtheMoonLady.Therabbitwas

alsotheonlyanimalontheMoon,anditfeltlonely,too.Thetwolonelycreaturesmetandbecamegood

friends.TheMoonLadylettheimmortalpillcomeoutofherbodyandtherabbithelpedherpoundthepill.

TheyplantoscatterthegroundedpillonEarthsothateveryonecouldbeimmortal.Ittooktimetodothe

job,soeverymoonfestival,whenthemoonbecomesthefullestandbrightest,peoplecanseetheMoon

LadyandtherabbitpoundingtheimmortalpillontheMoon.

Guidelinesfortherole-play:

Thisrole-playneedsthreepeople.Astudentwillbrieflyintroducethestorybeforetheplay.Charactersin

theplayincludetheMoonLadyandtheJadeRabbit.Therole-playshouldbedramatizedwithavivid

conversationbetweenthetwocharactersbasedonthestory.Thetimelimitoftherole-playiswithin3

minutes.

4.TheStoryofWuGangandtheCassiaTree

TheStory:

Accordingtothelegend,WuGangwasashiftlessfellow.Hechangedjobsallthetimeandthismadehis

lastmasterangry.HislastmasterwasanimmortalandhepunishedWuGangbysendinghimtothemoon.

Onthemoon,WuGangwasrequiredtochopdownacassiatreebeforehewasabletocomebackhome

onEarth.Itprovedanimpossiblemission,asthecutinthetreehealscompletelythesameday.So,Wu

GangisstillchoppingawayontheMoon.Everymoonfestival,whenthemoonbecomesthefullestand

brightest,peoplecanseeWuGangcuttingtheCassiatree.ItissaidthatWuGangmadeadeliciouswine

withtheCassiablossom.ManyChinesedrinkcassiablossomwineonMoonFestival.AndChinesepoets,

ancientormodern,tendtocomposepoetrybasedonhisstoryaswellasthelegendofhiscassiawine.

Guidelinesfortherole-play:

Thisrole-playneedsfourpeople.Astudentwillbrieflyintroducethestorybeforetheplay.Charactersinthe

playincludeWuGang,hislastmaster,theimmortal,andtheCassiaTree.Therole-playshouldbe

dramatizedwithavividconversationamongthecharactersbasedonthestory.Thetimelimitoftherole-

playiswithin3minutes.

5.TheMoonFestivalcelebrations

Guidelinesfortherole-play:

Thisrole-playneeds3-6people.Astudentwillbrieflyintroducethefestival:thedate,truemeaning,

customs,andcelebrationactivitiesbeforetheplay.Charactersintheplaycanbevariousandflexible.The

role-playscanbeaboutthefamilyreunionactivities,thedialoguebetweenlovers,andtheactivitiessuchas

viewingthefullmoon,singingmoonpoems,andenjoyingthemooncakes.Therole-playshouldbe

dramatizedwithavividconversationamongthecharacters.Thetimelimitoftherole-playiswithin3

minutes.

1)AFamilybay

EnjoythewarmsofFamilyReunion

TheMoonFestivalisanoccasionforfamilyreunion.Whenthefullmoonrises,familiesgettogetherto

watchthefullmoon,eatmooncakes,andsingmoonpoems.Onthatdaysonsanddaughterswillbring

theirfamilymembersbacktotheirparents'houseforareunion.Sometimespeoplewhohavealready

settledoverseaswillcomebacktovisittheirparentsonthatday.

2)EnjoyingMoonCakes

Thesymbolismofthemooncake:

Amoon-cakeisaspecificdessertofChinesetraditionalfood,whichiseateninMid-AutumnFestival.They

arespecialsweetcakesmadeintheshapeofthemoon.Themainingredientsofmoon-cakeareflourand

manykindsofsweetpaste.Theshapeofmoon-cakeismostlycircularity.Particularly,thereisonesalty-

duck-yolkinthepaste.Whenyoubitethemooncake,youcanseeasimilaryellowmooninthecake.That

makestheMid-AutumnFestivalmoreromanticandsweetishinfull-moonday.

ALegendoftheMoonCake:

TheMoonCakecommemoratesthepatriotZhuYuanZhang,whoplottedtooverthrowthetyrannicalruleof

theYuandynastyinthe14thcentury,andissaidtohavepassedhisplanstohisfellowrebelshiddeninthe

mooncakes.Hencetoday,thesemoon-shapedpastrieswithsweetfillingsofredbeanandlotusseedpaste

areexchangedasgifts.

3)SingingMoonPoems

Moonpoetry:

TheMoonFestivalisalsoaromanticone.Loversgettogether,watchthefullmoon,drinktowardsthemoon,

andtastethedelicatemooncake,atsuchaquietnightwithoutasilkofcloudandwithsomemildbreeze

fromthesea.Evenforloversindifferentplaces,themoonlinksthemtogether.Theywatchthemoonatthe

sametimeandseemtohaveeachotheratthathour.Agreatnumberofpoetryhasbeendevotedtothe

romanticFestival.

蘇軾（東坡）ShuiDiaoGoTou

水調歌頭ByShuDong-puo

丙辰中秋歡飲達旦、大醉、

作此篇、兼懷子由

Willamoonsobrighteverariseagain?

明月幾時有Drinkacupfulofwineandaskofthesky.

把酒間青天

Idon'tknowwherethepalacegateofheavenis,

不如天上官闕

今夕是何年Oreventheyearinwhichtonightslipsby.

我