Unit 3: Shopping for Clothes

In this unit of study, students learn to describe clothing items and colors and how to communicate in a clothing store in China . Students will discuss the clothing items they own and their clothing preferences. They will also learn about the currency in China, Renminbi, its history and how different currencies are connected with one another through exchange rate.

Recommended Can-Do Statements:

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

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

(Novice Mid)

• I can ask and answer questions about clothing items.
• I can ask and answer questions about what someone is wearing.
• I can ask and answer how much a piece of clothing cost.
• I can ask and answer questions about someone's preference on colors.

(Novice High)

• I can exchange opinions about clothing items, color included.

INTERPRETIVE COMMUNICATION

(Novice Low)

• I can identify 10 common colors when hearing them.

(Novice Mid)

• I can identify clothing and accessory items with colors when hearing them.

(Novice High)

• I can understand what someone is wearing when hearing the description, including color and quantity.
• I can understand what someone is wear when reading the written description.

PRESENTATIONAL COMMUNICATION

(Novice Low)

• I can name common clothing items and accessories.
• I can say what colors that I like or don't like.

(Novice Mid)

• I can say what clothing items and accessories that I like and dislike.
• I can say the quantity of various clothing items and accessories that I own.
• I can describe clothing items in terms of quantity, color, and the matching measure words.

(Novice High)

• I can describe what a person is wearing, including quantity, color, and the matching measure words.

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

• I can recognize the currency in the country where target language is spoken.

1. How do you describe clothing items in Chinese?

2. What is Chinese currency and how does it compare to the US dollar in buying power?

3. How currencies are used in daily life?

4. How do you bargain and where can you bargain in China?

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

WEEKS 1 AND 2

Review of previously learned material

• the concept of measure words and how they are used; general measure word:个
• Verb 有
• Pronouns: 你、我、他、她（们）

Presentation of new materials

• Introduce the new vocabulary of clothing using authentic materials (images). 衣服，衬衫，毛衣，T恤，外套，裤子，短裤，裙子，鞋子，袜子，手套，围巾，(teacher can add 帽子 as additional content).
• Introduce measure words that go with the new clothing items 件, 条, 双, (teacher can add 顶 as MW for 帽子 as additional content).
• Introduce the correct way to describe the quantity of clothing items: 3 sweaters - number + measure word + clothing items 三件毛衣.
• Introduce the verb wear 穿 or 戴 and the difference.
• Introduce sentences to describe what yourself or other people are wearing "subject + verb (wear) + number + measure word + clothing item."
• Introduce the sentence variation to describe how many clothing items someone has "subject + verb (have) + number + measure word + clothing item."
• Investigate Chinese clothes and fashion through the dynasties.

Scaffolded practice

• Students orally identify the clothing items from the images.
• Students match clothing images to Chinese characters.
• Teacher demonstrates how to match the measure words with the correct clothing items.
• Students match the measure words and the clothing items using images.
• Teacher demonstrates how to use verb wear 穿 or 戴 with clothing items.
• Students match the verb with the correct clothing items.
• Teacher describes what he/she is wearing using the sentence "subject + verb (wear) + number + measure word + clothing item."
• Students describe what he/she is wearing using the sentence "subject + verb (wear) + number + measure word + clothing item."
• Teacher describes how many any clothing items he/she owns using the sentence "subject + verb (have) + number + measure word + clothing item."
• Students describe how many any clothing items he/she owns using the sentence "subject + verb (have) + number + measure word + clothing item."

Formative Assessment

• Students match the three parts of the vocabulary (characters, pinyin, definition).
• Students describe given images of quantity of clothing items using structure（number + measure word + clothing item).
• Students match the correct verb and measure words with clothing items to describe the clothing items on provided picture.
• Students listen to peers describe the clothing items someone in the room is wearing and guess who is being described using the structure "subject + verb (wear) + number + measure word + clothing item."
• Students describe how many clothing items their family members own (parent, sibling, pet to make it fun) owns using the sentence "subject + verb (have) + number + measure word + clothing item."

Summative Assessments

• Presentational Speaking: Students make a physical poster/or Google Slides/PowerPoint Presentation of the drawings/or pictures and writing of the number of clothing items they own and their preference(我(不)喜欢穿/戴...)and then present their posters to the class. They need to use the proper sentence structures and vocabulary from this unit. (1.3.N.S.c )

• Interpretive Listening: Students listen to a conversation/narrative speaking of a family discussing clothing items to donate, and make a list of the clothing items with quantity. (1.2.N.L.b)

WEEKS 3 AND 4

Presentation of new materials

• Introduce common colors with authentic materials, including videos of song 1(with pinyin and characters) and song 2.
• Introduce 12 colors with a video Colors in Chinese Mandarin.
• Introduce a unique Chinese color: 青 with its introduction on wikipedia.
• Introduce how to describe clothing/accessory items with quantity, colors and matching measure words.(Number+M.W+颜色的+clothing/accessory items).
• Introduce how to describe someone wearing something including the colors of the items, using students in the classroom as examples.
• Teacher describes what color clothing items she/he likes to wear, and then asks a few volunteering students to answer.你喜欢什么颜色（的）衣物？

Scaffolded practice

• Students identify colors when hearing them pronounced by the teacher and other speakers.
• Students take turns to say what colors that they like and dislike, and the whole class repeats what colors someone likes and dislikes.
• Students match clothing items in various colors with descriptions they hear.
• Students match clothing items in various colors with pinyin characters.
• Students will stand up if hearing teacher orally describes what he/she wears, and then the whole class will say someone is wearing something, including color and measure word (someone 穿了/戴了一M.W 颜色的....).
• Students in pairs interview each other about what colored outfit they like to wear.
• Students in pairs are given different pictures of an outfit, and write the description together in characters and pinyin. Afterwards, the teacher posts all pictures on the board and numbers them, and has one student from each pair read their written description aloud. While listening, everyone else writes down the number of the picture.

Formative Assessment

• For each student, the teacher randomly selects 5 colors out of the 10, and has students pronounce them, and then say how much they like these colors.
• Students orally describe a picture of an outfit.
• Given a written description of what some classmates are wearing, students find classmates who match the description without asking questions.

  
  

Summative Assessments

• Interpersonal Speaking/Listening: Teacher randomly selects two students to take this assessment together. Students are to take turns to ask and answer to each other what someone is wearing. Each student is to describe at least 3 pieces of clothing items and 1 accessory on a given person, with color included. They are to be graded separately. (1.1.N.SL.e)
• Interpretive Reading: Students read an email from a pen pal in China, who describes what he/she likes to wear on the weekend and during the week. Based on the description, students tell their non-Chinese speaking friends about what the pen pal likes to wear on the weekend and weekdays. (1.2.N.R.c)

WEEKS 5 AND 6

Review of previously learned material

• clothing items
• measure words for clothing items
• Colors

Presentation of new materials

• Introduce the new vocabulary related to currency 钱，人民币，美元，元，角，分.
• Introduce Chinese currency Renminbi and sign ￥and history of Chinese currency with videos.
• Show students the paper bills and coins, if teacher has them. If not, pictures are fine.
• Demonstrates how to say a price in Chinese currency: ￥5.43: 五元四角三分.
• Introduce different currencies and exchange rate of Renminbi to different currencies using a video.
• Introduce the question phrase of inquiring price:多少钱 and how to ask about price of a certain clothing item in a complete sentence: this/that+M.W+clothing item+多少钱, using attachment "Winter Sales Catalogue".
• Introduce vocabulary to describe the prices of multiple items 一共.
• Introduce the vocabulary to express your opinion on prices and bargain 太贵了 便宜一点.
• Teacher tells students that sales tax is included on the price tag of every merchandise in China.

Scaffolded practice

• Students identify characters for currencies and recall the meaning of them.
• Teacher guides students to observe the paper bills and coins of Renminbi and point out the difference they notice comparing to US dollars.
• Students convert the prices into Chinese and compare the difference when saying the same price in English.
• Teacher demonstrates how to use exchange rates to understand the currencies' worth.
• Students convert Renminbi to US dollars and a few other currencies.
• Teacher demonstrates how to ask about prices of different clothing items and answer with 一共.
• In small groups, students practice how to ask and answer questions about the price of clothing items, using a Chinese ecommerce website.
• Teacher demonstrates how to bargain.
• Students practice bargaining in small groups.

Formative Assessment

• Students in pairs take turns to ask and answer about the prices listed on the winter sale catalogue and say them in Chinese.
• Students describe the differences between Chinese currency and US currency.
• Students study the history of Chinese currency and make a timeline to present it to the class.
• Students convert the prices on the winter sale catalogue into US dollars based the exchange rate that day.
• Students work in pairs to use 一共，多少钱， 太贵了，便宜（一）点 to make a conversation about asking about prices of different items.

Summative Assessment

• Presentational Speaking: Students work individually to complete task in the scenario: a student from Shanghai will visit Michigan for the first time in February. He needs someone to help make a budget for clothes. Students will decide what clothes he will need, the cost in US dollars and Renminbi. Then, they need to present their budget to the class. The teacher (students) will decide which one to go with. 90% of the presentation should be in Chinese. (1.1.N.SL.a)
• Presentational Writing and Speaking: In small groups, students create a conversation in a clothing store. Each group will have one shop assistant and 2-3 shoppers. The conversation should include clothing items, quantity, measure words, color, prices, preference, and bargaining. (1.3.N.W.c; 1.3.N.S.b)