Chopsticks among Chinese challenges

Forks and spoons are the way to go in America but in China chopsticks are the traditional eating utensils as Libby Forsythe discovers.

Laura Miner, a Warren County teacher, was the guest speaker. She visited China and had many memorable experiences. She shared these experiences with the students as well as books, pictures, a tea set, origami and tangrams she brought from her China visit. Tangrams are Chinese puzzles and origami is the name for the art of paper folding.

Students were treated to games like Dragon Tag and Hands Up/Hands Down and music enjoyed by students in China. The students also got to play the game Rock, Paper, Scissors which originated in China.

The children got to sample some authentic Chinese food including rice, cucumbers and apple wontons without American forks and spoons. In keeping with the theme, students were given their first experience with chop sticks.

?The children loved to try and eat with chop sticks,? said Eastside school nurse Terri Bryan. ?They did have a little difficulty but it was fun.?

Another first experience was Chinese calligraphy which is making elegant handwriting. The word calligraphy literally means beautiful writing. The students were taught how to write the numbers one, two and three.

China Day was a continuance of the school?s kindergarten outreach to other cultures. A few months ago, Bryan had the privilege of visiting The Redwood Kindergarten in An Yang, China. While there, the teachers and the students in China were very friendly and curious about schools in the United States.

Upon her return, Bryan shared her experiences with the class and the items received there.

Since that time, the kindergarten students from each school have been keeping in contact thanks to e-mail, pictures and cards. The kindergarten classes participating were those of Michelle Lewis, Jeanna Morton and Carol Barrett. The local events will be shared with the class in China.