Unit 2: Dining Out in a Chinese Restaurant

In this unit of study, students learn names of popular staple foods, some popular cuisine and the main ingredients (categories of meat). They identify food and beverages on the menu of a Chinese restaurant. Students express personal preferences on food and beverages. They inquire about the flavor of the dishes. Students learn two Chinese expressions related to food, and learn about the impact that food has on the language and culture. Students simulate ordering takeout and dining in in a Chinese restaurant and compare how food is served and eaten with in the Chinese speaking world and the U.S.A..

Recommended Can-Do Statements:

*I-Can Statement worded specifically for this unit and based on NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements.

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

(Novice Low)

• I can say what food I like or dislike.
• I can say if I agree with someone about basic preferences.

(Novice Mid)

• I can ask and answer questions about food.
• I can ask and answer questions about which restaurant we plan to go to.
• I can ask and understand how much something costs.

(Novice High)

• I can exchange opinions about food.

INTERPRETIVE COMMUNICATION

(Novice Mid)

• I can identitfy food on menus.

PRESENTATIONAL COMMUNICATION

(Novice Low)

• I can tell what foods and drinks I like or don't like.

(Novice Mid)

• I can say how much I like or don't like certain foods.
• I can say/write what I consider to be good and bad lunch options.

(Novice High)

• I can give a few details about my favorite restaurant.

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

• In my own and other cultures I can identify some traditional products and show how and why they are globalized such as fast food, jeans, or social media.
• I can share with peers in another culture restaurants and foods that might be familiar to them.
• In my own and other cultures I can identify how, what and why people eat what they do.
• I can act appropriately when obtaining food in familiar situations, such as grocery shopping or eating in a restaurant.
• I can use rehearsed behaviors when purchasing items in a familiar setting.

How does culture influence food and drinks choices?

How does certain food carry special meaning and cultural significance?

How do people dine in a restaurant?

How is food served and eaten with in terms of containers and eating utensils?

Click here to access Learning Activities and Assessments for this Unit.

WEEKS 1 AND 2

Review of previously learned material

• 你想喝点儿什么？你想吃（点儿）什么？Beverages
• 对不起
• 没有

Presentation of new materials

• Introduce the new vocabulary of typical food in China using authentic materials (images)
• Introduce frequently consumed meats in China 肉、鱼、猪、鸡、牛、鸭，羊 with reading (Go Far with Chinese 1B Textbook p 4-5)
• Introduce how to say meat by adding 肉 to animal, like 猪 pig - 猪肉 pork
• Introduce common meats in the typical food with authentic materials (images, videos)
• Introduce the concept of culturally important/significant food with the reading Chinese Dumplings
• Demonstrate combining the learned questions 你想喝点儿什么？你想吃（点儿）什么？with the vocabulary to make a conversation

Scaffolded practice

• Students identify the food from the images in speaking
• Students match the images and Chinese characters
• Students match the possible ingredients to make the food 饺子、包子、煎饼、面条、红烧肉、牛肉面, the ingredients could be use multiple times.
• After reading the Chinese Dumplings, Students start a conversation about why dumplings are important to Chinese people
• Students discuss if there are culturally significant foods in US or their own culture.
• Students work in small groups practicing conversation "你想吃（点儿）什么？我想吃..."

Formative Assessment

• students match the three parts of the vocabulary (characters, pinyin, definition)
• Students compare the most frequently consumed meats in the US (their own culture) and China with statistics
• Students select one of the food they are interested in and research how to make it. Record the recipe using the worksheet attached in the resources.
• In the scenario "ordering takeout", students use the learned conversation to order takeout over the phone

Summative Assessment

• Intercultural Competence: Students make a poster of a culturally significant food in their culture and present to the rest of the class. The poster should include name, history, recipes (add any changes in the recipe over the time or different ways to make it in different regions), significance (how/when to eat it and why is it important). Add images and any other details. (4.2.N.b)
• Presentational Speaking: Students present their phone conversation "order takeout" using the vocabulary and sentences. The conversation should include the situation of the restaurant not having one of the food (or drink) and the customer having to order something else. (1.3.M.S.c )

WEEKS 3 AND 4

Review of previously learned material

• 瓶、盘、碗 as containers and measure words
• 很+ adjective= to be adjective

Presentation of new materials

• Introduce vocabulary of rice:米 by showing a video story of 米(rice).
• Introduce vocabulary of staple food in the southern China, cooked rice: 米饭 using a short video of cooked rice.
• Introduce vocabulary of sugar, candy, sweets: 糖 with a short video of sugar.
• Introduce how to write 糖 with a short video of how to write 糖.
• Introduce vocabulary of vinegar: 醋 by showing a short video of 醋 and an image of various Chinese vinegar.
• Introduce cultural phrase related to food 吃醋 (literally eat vinegar, but actually means jealous) using video Why ‘drinking vinegar’ means jealous.
• Introduce vocabulary sweet and sour fish 糖醋鱼, using a picture of 糖醋鱼and a video of how to make 糖醋鱼. Be aware that some students may feel uncomfortable watching the fish's head on the dish.
• Introduce vocabulary hotpot 火锅, using video of hotpot.
• Introduce vocabulary roast duck 北京烤鸭, using video of roast duck.
• Introduce vocabulary 宫保鸡丁 and 凉拌黄瓜 with pictures. (see attachments.)
• Introduce flavor 味, and 5 flavors:酸、甜、苦、辣、咸 with video Taste in Chinese, teacher needs to explain the meaning of each character.
• Demonstrate how to say something is ....flavored something 是...味的 by describing the flavors of the foods learned in this unit.
• Demonstrate how to ask the flavor of a certain food or dish ..是什么味的？
• Introduce how to ask preferences on flavors 你喜欢什么味 by asking students, and have students write down their answers before sharing in the class.
• Demonstrate two ways to ask if a food/drinks is a certain flavored ...（酸/甜/苦/辣/咸）不（酸/甜/苦/辣/咸）? and ...（酸/甜/苦/辣/咸）吗?; using pictures of foods/drinks that students are familiar with, and have students answer together.
• Introduce how to say what flavored food and drinks that was consumed yesterday 我昨天吃了...味的(东西)；我昨天喝了...味的（东西).
• Introduce cultural phrase related to food 吃苦 (literally eat bitterness, but actually means endure/bear hardship), using an online dictionary explaining 吃苦.

Scaffolded practice

• Teacher guides students to notice "米" radical in the character "糖"，and asks students to guess why "rice" is in "sugar“ before explaining a type of sugar could be made from rice.
• Teacher asks students to think of dishes that they know which contain sugar or vinegar, and then say "food/dish name" 有糖, "food/dish name" 有醋.
• Students answer questions individually on a worksheet first, secondly teacher has students share their answers, and then teacher guides students to notice Chinese food can be served in both bowl and plate. ( See attachment Chinese 2 Unit 2 Food/Drinks Measure Words Practice).
• Using the pictures of 宫保鸡丁 with Chinese on it, ask students to identify what meat is used for this dish.
• Using Flavor Practice(see attachment), teacher asks ...是什么味的 when pointing to one food on the picture per time, and guides students to say this is ...flavored 这是...味的. After a few rounds of the whole class responding, the teacher asks individual students to ask the question, and allows the inquirer to select other student(s) to answer.
• Teacher asks individual student what flavored food or drinks that was consumed yesterday, 你昨天吃了什么味的（东西）or 你昨天喝了什么味的（东西）first; and then have students take turns to answer.

Formative Assessment

• Teacher prepares 10 pictures of Chinese food and condiments that students learn from week 1 to 4 in various amount of different containers, and randomly select 5 pictures to have students orally describe the quantity of whatever are on the pictures.
• Give 2 new pictures different from initial introduction and practice and 2 written phrases of 糖、醋、火锅、北京烤鸭、糖醋鱼、宫保鸡丁、凉拌黄瓜 to students in pairs, have students ask each other and answer accordingly. Suggested questions: 1. What is this? 2. What flavored is this? 3. Do you like this? Do you like this flavored food?

Summative Assessment

• Interpretive Reading and Interpersonal Speaking: Students in pairs are given one menu from a Chinese restaurant, each student is to ask about three different dishes, chosen by the teacher. Students are to answer questions of their partners according to the menu. (1.2.N.R.b; 1.1.N.SL.i )

• Intercultural Competence: Students explain the phrases 吃苦 and 吃醋 literally and their actual meanings; and present two phrases related to food in their native language. (4.1.N.a )

WEEKS 5 AND 6

Review of previously learned material

• 忙, 邀请, 玩，来
• 你明天忙不忙?/你明天有空吗？
• 我想请你来我家玩/吃饭。
• Accept invitation: 太好了。我有空/我不忙！明天见！
• Decline invitation: 谢谢你邀请我。我明天要去...没有空。下次吧！

Presentation of new materials

• Introduce new vocabulary using authentic materials (video)
• Compare different usage of 点 in "你想喝点什么？" “你想点什么菜？” in sentences
• Introduce conversation starters for eating in a restaurant what to order in a restaurant "你想点什么？你要点什么？"
• Introduce sentence structure 除了....以外，还 using teacher made materials
• introduce sentence 除了菜名(food)以外，您还要/想点什么？in a scenario of dining in a restaurant.
• Introduce ways to ask for utensils (刀，叉子， 筷子，勺子) in a restaurant and preferences

Scaffolded practice

• Teacher demonstrates how to invite someone to eat in a restaurant. "你明天有空吗？你想去(restaurant) 吃饭吗？"
• Students work in pair to invite their partner to eat in their favorite restaurant.
• Teacher demonstrates conversations asking and answering what people want to eat and drink with the food learned from previous lessons.
• Teacher demonstrates how to use structure 除了....以外，还 in the conversation with the vocabulary learned from previous lessons.
• Teacher asks students what food/drinks they like using the structure 除了....以外
• Teacher demonstrates how to respond to question "除了菜名(food)以外，您还要/想点什么？" “不要了。/不用了。”
• Students discuss what utensils they usually use in a restaurant or at home.
• Teacher demonstrates how to express utensil preferences in sentences "我喜欢用 (utensils)".

Formative Assessment

• Students work in a group of 3 to have a conversation about suggesting eat in a restaurant. One student starts the conversation "你明天有空吗？你想去(restaurant) 吃饭吗？". One student declines and the third one accepts
• Students identify the word 点 used as a verb: order (food) in a few sentences and use the word to make their own sentences
• Students talk about what food they like to order in their favorite restaurant using structure 除了....以外，还.
• Students write about their utensil preference 刀, 叉子，筷子，勺子. 我不/喜欢用筷子/勺子。我不会用筷子。

Summative Assessment

• Presentational Writing: students write about their recent experience dining in a Chinese restaurant. Their writing should include: when, where, who, (did) what with a focus on (did) what. They can present it to the class. (1.3.N.W.c)
• Interpersonal Speaking: students work in a group of 4 to create a role play (scenario) where they eat in a Chinese restaurant. They will put all the pieces together: discussing their preference with friends and the wait staff, ordering food, and asking for the utensil. (1.3.M.S.c )