Chinese Curriculum Unit: 勇气(Courage) | English Curriculum Unit: Courage
Students listen intently to each twist and turn as teachers read aloud daring tales such as The Name Jar, Mirette on the High Wire and 周楚除三害 Zhou Chu battling a dragon and a tiger. Excited by true stories of bravery, students talk together about historical figures such as Amelia Earhart in English class and Mulan in Chinese class. Sparking off one another’s observations about the characters, they discover that Amelia dared to be different thanks to support from her mother and 花木兰 Mulan made a brave choice to help her family and community. With each discussion they tease out the circumstances and traits that lead to acts of courage. As the children discuss overcoming obstacles, big and small acts of courage, and the power to overcome fear, teachers help them recognize the elements and arc of a story. They also guide the students to recognize courage as a universal trait that leads to change and to reflect on themselves by identifying their own courageous moments. These insights fuel projects further exploring the subject of courage. In English class, students draw from their own personal experiences for a realistic fiction composition assignment. One student drafts a tale about a boy who suffered an ice skating injury the first time he tried to skate, but with encouragement from his mom, became brave enough to ice skate again. Another student drafts a story about a girl who has the courage to take action and tend to her injured horse in a storm. In Chinese class, they prepare oral presentations on courage — one student discusses how she learned to swim for the first time while another explains the courage it took to take the first step to ask friends to play together.
| Examples of Enduring Understandings | Examples of Essential Questions | Focus of Integration | |
| Chinese | Courage is a universal value that spans countries and cultures. Courage can change a person’s life and inspire others. | How can being courageous inspire others? Why is it important to be courageous? | Global Citizenship, Self Development |
| English | Courage is a universal value that spans countries and cultures. Courage can change a person’s life and inspire others. | How can being courageous inspire others? Why is it important to be courageous? | Global Citizenship, Self Development |