B2U2: extended reading: finding a balance: my tai chi experience
Teaching goals
By the end of the lesson, students can:
describe the changes of the writer’s interest to tai chi and explain the reasons;
form a better understanding of tai chi in terms of its history and the philosophy rooted in Chinese culture
think over what they can do to promote tai chi and Chinese culture
Warming up (5 min)
You do morning exercise everyday. Usually, you run. Today, I will introduce a different type of exercise to you-watermelon tai chi. Now, please watch the video.
(… after seeing the video) Do you think it is easy (动作解说)Thise is a big watermelon, we cut it into half. The left goes to you, the right one give to you, then give to me.) Please stand up. Let’s do it together. (跟视频做,鼓励学生 don’t be shy)
Cui Chongshi is a famous talk show actor in north America. The foreigners call him Brother Cui. He devoted his life to spreading Chinese culture to the world. Just now, we followed him to learn the basic performance of Taichi. Today, we will look at a passage to see if the writer’s tai chi learning experiences are easy as ours.
Step 1: Predication based on the title (2 min)
Question: What will be talked in this passage (What we will learn from this passage)
Ss(one by one): tai chi(how to play tai chi); tai chi is a balanced exercise; the writer’s experience about learning tai chi;
T: we will learn the experience about learning tai chi and it is a balanced exercise (在黑板上画出关键词)
Step 2: Skim for main ideas(4 min)
Q1: In which paragraphs, can we find the writer’s experiences
Ss: 1,3,5.
Q2: what is the main idea of paragraph 4
Ss: the history
Q3: what is the main idea of paragraph 4
Ss: the Chinese culture behind tai chi. (the topic sentence)
Step 3: Read carefully for the writer’s attitudes to tai chi (4min)
T: Now, I give an example. First, please read the first two lines. “When my…, I hesitated.” so I felt hesitant.
…(学生读文章)
After the first class,… After learning the basics,… after my love returned…
Step 3: Read carefully for the writer’s attitudes to tai chi (6min)
Q1: What made him feel hesitant (para.1 …for old people)
Q2: What made him feel amazed (para.2 fun & easy, descriptive names, history)
Q3:Why did he feel bored and aching (L21 do the same moves over and over again)
Q4: How did he overcome it (/solve the problem )
Who helped him (L21)
What did the coach teach him (L22)
What is the result (L25&L27)
Step 4: Read carefully for the effects (3min)
Q1: After one year, what is the effect of learning tai chi (para 5.)
Q2: What are the exact positive effects
Q3: What is the balance he has found (physical and mental)
Step 5: Read carefully for the culture behind tai chi (10min)
Tai chi is good for our health Do you know the Chinese culture behind it Now, please read para.4 and to answer the questions
Q1: What is the culture behind tai chi
Q2: What is the relationship between yin and yang
Q3: What is the example given in the book
Work in pairs: Work in pairs to give us more examples for yin and yang.
Q4: What kind of world does yin and yang form
Q5: How does tai chi maintain the balance between yin and yang
Step 6: Discussion in groups(6min)
Imagine CGTV is making a documentary about how Tai chi is popular in China. Please conduct an interview in your groups. One is the interviewer, and the others are interviewees. The interviewer asks the interviewees some questions based on the passage.
Conclusion (1min)
Because of the Chinese culture behind, Tai chi becomes one of China’s symbols. In 2020, it was listed in UNESCO’s world heritage list, which means it has won the recognition from the world. I hope tai chi will influence more, so do Chinese culture. And I also hope that you can do what you can do to spread Chinese culture like Brother Cui. Ok
Now, please stand up and do Watermelon Tai chi again.
Class is over!