Parents and other center participants,

What is your impression of this summer’s Center for Chinese Studies? Could you please share your thoughts with us? If possible, be specific.

Students, please leave a specific comment with regard to:

Board games, card games, chinese yo-yo, abbacus, festivals ( role-play), videos watched,  craftwork, calligraphy in class, and any other fun cultural activities.

The federal government has labeled Chinese a “critical” language and provides funds to encourage more students to learn it.  The FBI, CIA, and international corporations compete to find and hire those fluent in Chinese and familiar with Chinese culture.  What do you think?

Is Chinese an important language to know?

Is its culture relevant in today’s world?

 Susan Helm Murphy, Startalk Program Director

What is your opinion about Tai chi? Do you think it would be a good thing to learn? If so, why? Would you support having Tai Chi as part of the Physical Education at your school? How do you think it would benefit students at your school?

During the first week of the Chinese program, we have cooked several things during our classes. Write several sentences about anything that you can remember related to the cooking of the items (how the meal was prepared), the importance of the cooked meal to the Chinese (which festivals or regions the food is eaten), or any relationship to your own culture that furthers your understanding of the Chinese culture (in America, we do this ________, but in China, they do this _____).

Imagine you are accompanying a person to a Chinese restaurant. He has never been to one. The waiters do not speak English. What would you think you should teach them before going there? What would you suggest they eat, how to ask for utensils, how to find a bathroom, etc.    

Describe your experience at the Asian Buffet?  Were you able to use the Chinese you learned to order?  What were some foods that you tried at the buffet?

Thinking back on what you have learned this week about looking for groceries and buying groceries in Chinese, what were some things that you learned from your supermarket trip?  What did you think about the grocery list game that you played? 

Please write your words in Chinese. Write them in Chinese, NOT English.