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Parent guide · Grade 1 Mandarin · Unit 2

Lesson 2.1 爸爸 妈妈: Dad, Mom, Brothers and Sisters

Written for the parent. The Read aloud parts are written to your child; read them as they are. Do this parts are for you. Answers for you are marked Listen for.

At a glance

Time
3 sessions of 15–20 minutes
Goal
Say 爸爸, 妈妈, 哥哥, 姐姐, 弟弟 and 妹妹. Say 这是我的… (this is my…). Know that Chinese has different words for older and younger brothers and sisters.
You need
  • Paper strips or an old glove
  • Crayons and tape
  • A sketchbook or plain paper, and crayons
  • A King James Bible
Print
Worksheet A · the lesson page (it also has a short video (5:43))

Steps

  1. Do this together: Hold up a family photo. Who is this? Who is that? Today we learn to name our family in Chinese.

  2. Read aloud: The story. God made families. He gave children a father and a mother to love and teach them. In Chinese families, children show respect by calling each person by a family title.

    Read aloud: How Chinese works. Chinese does not have just one word for brother: an older brother is 哥gē哥ge and a younger brother is 弟dì弟di. Sisters too: 姐jiě姐jie (older) and 妹mèi妹mei (younger). Most family words say the same sound twice.

    Read aloud: Say it out loud. To introduce someone, say 这zhè是shì我wǒ的de + the family word: 这是我的爸爸 (this is my dad).

  3. Do this: Say each word clearly; your child says it back twice. Point to a picture or the real thing when you can.

    • 爸爸 (bàba) [BAH-bah]: dad
    • 妈妈 (māma) [MAH-mah]: mom
    • 哥哥 (gēge) [GUH-guh]: older brother
    • 姐姐 (jiějie) [JYEH-jyeh]: older sister
    • 弟弟 (dìdi) [DEE-dee]: younger brother
    • 妹妹 (mèimei) [MAY-may]: younger sister
  4. Ladies in flowing robes gather in a palace courtyard with pavilions, trees and rocks; some play music, some care for children, some walk and talk.
    Spring Morning in the Han Palace (copy), after Qiu Ying, Qing dynasty copy of a Ming painting. Image: Wikimedia Commons, public domain

    Do this: Look at the picture together for a quiet minute before anyone talks.

    Read aloud: Qiu Ying was a famous painter about five hundred years ago. This long scroll, copied by a later artist, shows a palace household on a spring morning: mothers, sisters and children busy with music, games and chores.

    Point and find:

    • Find a child. Who is looking after the child?
    • Find someone playing music.
    • What colors do the robes have?
    • Find a tree with blossoms.

    Ask:

    • “Who do you think is the oldest person here?”
    • “What would your family be doing on a spring morning?”

  5. Show: Ben is older than you. What do you call him if he is your brother?

    Say this: “An older brother.”

    Say this: “Older brother is 哥哥.”

    Answer: 哥哥 (gēge).

    Show: Introduce your mom in Chinese.

    Say this: “This is my… = 这是我的…”

    Say this: “Mom is 妈妈.”

    Answer: 这是我的妈妈.

  6. Do this: Ask out loud. Let your child try first; help only after a real try.

    Ask: Say Dad in Chinese.

    Listen for: 爸爸 (bàba).

    Ask: Say Mom in Chinese.

    Listen for: 妈妈 (māma).

    Ask: What is a younger sister in Chinese?

    Listen for: 妹妹 (mèimei).

    2 more on the lesson page.

  7. Read aloud: Make a puppet for each person in your family.

    Steps:

    1. Draw a face for each family member on a paper strip.
    2. Tape each strip into a ring that fits a finger.
    3. A parent writes the Chinese word on each.
    4. Wiggle each finger and say 这是我的…

    Tips for you:

    • Use the right word: older or younger.

    Done when your child can say:

    • I made a puppet for each person.
    • I introduced my family in Chinese.

  8. Do this: Your child picks one or more; you write the date.

    1. Draw your family. Label each person with the Chinese word.

  9. Read aloud: In Chinese, even cousins and friends’ children are often called 哥哥 or 姐姐 if they are older. It is a way of showing honor and closeness.

    • Mixing 哥哥 (older brother) and 弟弟 (younger brother). Ask: is he older or younger than me?
    • Saying 妈妈 with two strong beats. The second ma is light.

  11. The parent pretends to be a family member (a deep voice for 爸爸, a cane for 爷爷…). The child guesses in Chinese.

  12. Say this: “Tell me what you learned today.”

    Listen for: Say 爸爸, 妈妈, 哥哥, 姐姐, 弟弟 and 妹妹.; Say 这是我的… (this is my…).; Know that Chinese has different words for older and younger brothers and sisters.

  13. Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

    Ephesians 6:1 (KJV)

    In the Chinese Bible (Chinese Union Version), this verse reads: <span class="zh-block" lang="zh-Hans">你们作儿女的，要在主里听从父母，这是理所当然的。</span><span class="py-line">Nǐ men zuò ér nǚ de, yào zài zhǔ lǐ tīng cóng fù mǔ, zhè shì lǐ suǒ dāng rán de.</span> God asks children to obey their parents in the Lord. It is right, and it pleases God.

Spread over the week

3 sessions of 15–20 minutes. Stop while it is still going well.

  1. Session 1. Warm-up, then read and teach the new idea and the new words. Picture study and show how.
  2. Session 2. Practice together, then start the project. Finish the project, then the sketchbook.
  3. Session 3. Narration, the game and the Scripture.