The Adventure
Through immersion in content-rich literature, students become engaged in the Chinese culture, one of the oldest and most influential civilizations on Earth. Following four Time Tracking friends trapped in a time warp, students are transfixed by the artistry, philosophies, and technology of dynasties past. Students' comprehension skills grow as they eagerly journey through this great land. Many opportunities to develop vocabulary and improve word recognition skills are built into the curriculum as students read fiction and nonfiction texts and respond through multiple writing activities.
The Dynasties
Students are immersed in ancient Chinese culture when they follow four adventurers into a time warp. Sixth-graders travel back to the age of powerful emperors. They examine artifacts and make inferences about the use and purpose of their discoveries. Oral presentation skills are developed when they perform the Dynamic Dynasties chant to establish a sense of historical perspective. Further opportunities to develop fluency arise when students learn to write for a purpose and perform original melodramas.
The Land and Its People
Students use context clues to read about the spectacular landscape of China and how the topography influences daily routines. Creating a relief map of China allows them to demonstrate their ability to respond to reading. Students write folktales in the ancient Chinese tradition and read for detail as they explore the construction of the Great Wall. To conclude week 2, students create travel brochures that enhance their skills to identify facts and opinions.
Inventions
Many inventions from early China are still in use today, and the time travelers explore their origins first-hand. Tangrams, Pascal's triangle, papermaking, and silk production provide opportunities for learners to analyze words and enhance content-area vocabulary. Daily instructional reading lessons allow small groups of students to learn and apply decoding skills and strategies.
Traditions and Daily Life
The interweaving of tradition and the growth of the empire are explored as students examine the influence of China's social structure, geography, and government. China's caste system is brought to life through role-play as sixth-graders draw conclusions about how various lifestyles would affect them. They compare and contrast the lives of the privileged and the working classes. Their abilities to problem-solve and think critically are put to the test as they develop a plan for how they would govern if they were emperors of a great Chinese dynasty.
Skills and Strategies
- Comprehension of text
- Word recognition
- Use of graphic sources
- Reading for pleasure and information
- Writing to communicate ideas
Benefits
- Improves reading performance
- Aligns with state and national standards
- Improves reading comprehension strategies
- Refines word-attack skills
- Includes relevant, high-interest content and concepts
- Provides ongoing student assessment
- Allows teachers to focus on the quality of instruction with explicit daily lesson plans
- Engages and motivates teachers and students
Each Classroom Receives
- Comprehensive Curriculum Guide with daily lesson plans
- Content-related instructional materials
- Built-in assessment tools
- Suggestions for parent and community involvement
- Voyager Adventure Books
Parent Connection
- Parent Guides (English or Spanish)
Model
- Single grade-level program for grade 6
- Up to 4 hours of learning adventures per day for 4 weeks , total of 80 hours
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