AP Chinese / Chinese 4
Ms. Wei/魏老师
2013-2014
AP Chinese Course Description
AP Chinese is a full-year course that covers the equivalent of a second-year (and/or the fourth
semester) college Chinese course. The AP Chinese Language and Culture course is designed to
provide students with varied opportunities to further develop their proficiencies across the
three communicative modes: interpersonal (speaking, listening, reading and writing skills),
interpretive (listening and reading skills), and presentational (speaking and writing skills); and
the five goal areas (communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities) as
outlined in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning for the 20th Century. The course is
appropriate for students who have completed Chinese 3 or an equivalent course (to be
determined by the instructor).
The class is conducted almost exclusively in Mandarin Chinese and incorporates TPRS (Teaching
Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) as a means of raising students' Speaking,
Listening, Reading and Writing levels to the low-advanced level or higher. Lessons focus on
high frequency vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structures and are presented as
Comprehensible Input in order to maximize student comprehension, retention and ability to
communicate in the target language. AP Chinese introduces 350-400 new Chinese characters
and requires students to be conversant about various aspects of Chinese culture including
current events, history, literature, folk tales, etc.
Developing appreciation and awareness of Chinese culture is an integral theme throughout the
course. AP Chinese engages students in an exploration of both contemporary and historical
Chinese culture using a variety of texts chosen from textbooks, online periodicals,
contemporary literature, movies and documentaries, etc. Course content reflects intellectual
interests shared by the students and the teacher (cultural celebrations, beliefs and attitudes,
interests and career, teen life/self and global community, famous people, social issues and
current events, art and music appreciation, literature and poetry, geography/climate/political
divisions, etc.) in order to encourage active discussions of topics relevant to contemporary
China. Scaffolding is provided for more challenging texts and within class discussions, and
students are encouraged to be pro-active in their own learning, employing language learning
strategies when appropriate in order to be more independent learners.
Formative and summative assessments are given in the form of weekly quizzes, tests, regular
oral presentations, written essays and narratives in a variety of discourse styles, and a year-end
final exam. Students are expected to be proficient in both keyboarding and handwriting skills.
Students may choose to study in either Traditional or Simplified Chinese (or familiarize
themselves with both, with an emphasis on one or the other).
Wei, Chinese 4/AP Syllabus 1
Grades are calculated as follows:
Speaking Ability 30%
Writing Ability 30%
Listening Comprehension 15%
Reading Comprehension 15%
Cultural Knowledge 10%
The Final Exam accounts for 20% of the final grade.
Effort Grades
Students' daily attendance (including punctuality), timely completion of homework and in-class
assignments, and active involvement in class activities all contribute to the effort grade. In
order to receive an "Excellent" mark, students must not have any unexcused absences, come to
class prepared with all materials, submit their assignments on time, exhibit a positive,
respectful and productive attitude in class, and actively participate in class discussions and
activities.
90-100 = Excellent
80-89 = Good
70-79 = Satisfactory
60-69 = Poor
Anything below 59 = Unacceptable
Assignment Submissions
 Assignments must be submitted on the day they are due as indicated on the weekly
assignment sheet. Late assignments will receive -10% for every day late for a maximum
of 3 days after the initial deadlines. No late assignments will be accepted for a grade
after 3 days.
 Unless otherwise instructed, please EMAIL all assignments to me at the following
address: rwei@dunnschool.org.
 Copy and paste your work into the BODY of the email (not as attachments or as google
docs).
 Include the NAME of the assignment (e.g. "Week 5 story") in the email's subject line.
Primary Course Materials
Liu, Yuehua et al. Integrated Chinese, Level 2. Boston: Cheng & Tsui. 2010.
Supplementary Materials:
 Bai, Jianhua et al. Beyond the Basics: Communicative Chinese for IntermediateAdvanced Learners. Boston: Cheng & Tsui. 1996.
 Jin, Hong Gang and De Bao Xu. Shifting Tides: Culture in Contemporary China. Boston:
Cheng & Tsui. 2003.
 Li, Duanduan and Irene Liu. Reading into a New China. Boston: Cheng & Tsui. 2010.
Wei, Chinese 4/AP Syllabus 2


Teng, Sou-hsin, and Lo Sun Perry. Taiwan Today: An Intermediate Course. Boston:
Cheng & Tsui. 2009.
Movies, documentaries, contemporary Chinese TV shows, etc.
TPRS (Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Storytelling) Rules
1. Play the game! Have fun playing the game!
2. Do NOT repeat after me (the teacher)
3. Listen carefully. Do NOT take notes during the initial presentation.
4. Use hand gestures: slow down & stop
All Dunn School Classroom rules apply and are enforced in the Chinese classroom (no
food/drink; respect for self, others and school property; no cell phones; appropriate dress; no
hats/sunglasses; no iPods/music, etc.)
Basically, if you are Courteous, Caring, and Cooperative you will have a great time learning
Chinese!
Week
Weeks 1-2
Topics
Talking about
the Summer
Start of School
Instructional Objectives
Resources/
Supplementary
Describe activities—
Integrated Chinese,
including travel—done over Level 1, Lessons 17
the summer.
& 19
Express emotions
connected to recollections.
Integrated Chinese,
Level 2, Lesson 2
Describe travel back to
school.
Reading Into a New
China, Lessons 3, 4,
5
Describe current and ideal
living situation.
Disagree tactfully.
Assessment/
Evaluation
TPS (think, pair
share)
Illustrate and
describe to a
partner one's
dream
home/living
situation
Class participation
through group
discussions
Given target
structures, SS
speak
spontaneously for
at least 3 minutes
on the week's
topic.
Weekly quiz
focusing on
speaking, reading,
listening or writing
Wei, Chinese 4/AP Syllabus 3
Weeks 2-4
Getting around
town
Teenage
Life
Be able to navigate offcampus activities in
Chinese (shopping,
ordering at a restaurant,
expressing dietary
preferences)
Integrated Chinese
Level 2, Lessons 3, 4
&5
Talk about class selections
for the semester/year
(Lesson 5)
Taiwan Today,
Lesson 7
Beyond the Basics,
Lesson 6, 7
Navigating
School Life
Teacher faciliates
Q & R.
Class participation
through group
discussions
Students navigate
their way around
China (the
classroom, set up
like a miniature
China) in small
groups,
encountering
different
situations as they
go.
Weekly Speaking,
Reading, Listening
or Writing quiz
Weeks 5-7
Romance
Teenage
Life, cont.
State if you share the same
interest, hobbies or
personality traits as others
Inquire if everything is OK
and find out what
happened
Give a simple description of
what one is looking for in a
romantic partner
Tell what makes one
anxious or angry
Compare and contrast
dating in China and the
West, in contemporary vs.
traditional China
Dating then
Discuss the role that
technology plays in
Integrated Chinese,
Level 2, Lessons 6, 7
Taiwan Today,
Lessons 5
Beyond the Basics,
Lesson 9
Tales and
Traditions, Vol. 2:
Classic Tales of Love
and Romance
Tales and
Traditions, Vol. 3:
Love Stories
Watch episodes of
非诚勿扰
(contemporary
Chinese dating
Class participation
through group
discussions
Play The Dating
Game (rules
similar to 非诚勿
扰) with time
limits to
responses.
Weekly Speaking,
Reading, Listening
or Writing quiz
Short essay
response to
readings
comparing/contra
sting how young
people approach
Wei, Chinese 4/AP Syllabus 4
Week 9-12
and now
teenage life today and how
that may be different from
in years past
show)
romance in the
West vs. in China.
Staying Healthy
Talk about one's own
exercise routine (time,
place, exercise, benefits,
etc.)
Integrated Chinese,
Level 2, Lessons 14
& 16
Write, illustrate
(hand-drawing,
Powerpoint,
educreations.com,
Prezi, etc.) and tell
a 5 min. story
about how a
teenage
(character) makes
changes in their
lives to be
healthier.
Life and
Wellness
Outline healthy eating
habits
Describe habits that could
make one age prematurely
(smoking, inadequate
sleep, poor diet, etc.)
Taiwan Today,
Lesson 1
Shifting Tides,
Lesson 12
Compare and contrast
typical American lifestyle
with typical urban Chinese
lifestyle (smoking in China,
air pollution, influence of
TCM, etc.)
Health and the
Environment
Week 1314
Chinese
holidays
Chinese
Holidays
Talk about environmental
issues in China and their
impact on health
Make connections between
a healthy lifestyle and a
healthy planet
Name major traditional
Chinese holidays and
explain when they occur
Name the foods most
associated with each of the
major traditional Chinese
holidays
Compare and contrast
Chinese holidays and US
holidays in target language
Holidays and
Draw conclusions about
the cultural significance of
the major Chinese holidays
Integrated Chinese
Level 2, Lesson 11
Tales and
Traditions, Vol. 2:
Tales of Traditional
Chinese Festivals
Taiwan Today,
Lesson 9
Watch "Eat, Drink,
Man, Woman"
(significance of food
within Chinese
culture and its
Conduct Internet
research on a
major Chinese
holiday of choice.
Present to class
using
visual/aural/dram
atic props: include
history, customs,
major foods,
favorites aspects
about the holiday,
etc.
Wei, Chinese 4/AP Syllabus 5
Cultural
changes
Week 1619
Discovering
China
(what can each holiday tell
us about traditional
Chinese culture)
Infer how changes in
contemporary society
affect how people
celebrate or value holidays
Describe the sights and
sounds of a major city
Travels within
China—what
one encounters
as a tourist or
Describe in basic terms
traveler
some features of a historic
tourist site
central role in
holiday
celebrations)
Integrated Chinese,
Level 2, Lesson 12,
13
Students put
together their own
travel itinerary of
places they would
like to see/visit in
China and create a
travel brochure or
poster that
includes
destinations,
modes of
transportation,
estimated cost,
etc. Then they
must "sell" the
tour package to
their peers in
Chinese (convince
their peers that
their tour is the
best use of time
and money).
Integrated Chinese,
Level 2, Lesson 18
Students discuss
reading materials
with a partner (or
in a group of 3).
They may
augment their
understanding of
various aspects of
Chinese history
through research
done in English.
Give a simple account of
the growth of a city from
the past to the present
Express surprise at an
unforeseen turn of events
Describe what costs may
be covered in a package
tour
Give a brief description of a
Chinese sleeper car
Describe natural objects
such as mountains, rivers,
trees, and rocks
Week 2022
Confucius
The Analects
Traditional
China
Major religions
in China
The Silk Road
Sun Yat-sen
Discuss some things that
tourists may expect to see
or experience at a tourist
site
Name some of the most
important dynasties in
Chinese history
Describe briefly the
historical significance of
some major Chinese
dynasties
Talk in basic terms about
some of China's important
Taiwan Today,
Lesson 8
Shifting Tides,
Lesson 9
Tales and
Traditions, Vol. 3:
Wei, Chinese 4/AP Syllabus 6
The Revolution
of 1911
China's Four
Great
Inventions
The Terracotta
Army
historical figures
Describe historically
important major religions
in China
Identify major, canonical
works in classical Chinese
literature
Table of
Chinese
Dynasties
Classical Chinese
Poems; Cities of
reputation and sites
of historical
interest; KnightErrant Stories;
Myths and Fantasies
Reading
comprehension
quiz.
Tales and
Traditions, Vol. 4:
Excerpts from
Journey to the West
and from Water
Margin (for more
advanced students)
Watch "The Last
Emperor"
Week 2325
Gender
equality
Changes in
Chinese
Society
Talk about how couples
treat each other as equals
Discuss gender equality in
the school or workplace
Summarize briefly the
changes in Chinese
women's social status in
the 20th Century
Evaluate the effects of
traditional Chinese
preference for boys over
girls and the effects of the
one child policy
Rural/Urban
divide (and
poverty)
Discuss the rural/urban
divide and how this has
affected people's lives in
China
Identify the causes of the
growing gap between rich
and poor in China
"Farewell My
Concubine"
Integrated Chinese,
Level 2, Lesson 15
Reading Into a New
China, Lessons 1, 2,
8, 10, 12, 15, 18
Taiwan Today,
Lesson 10
Beyond the Basics,
Lesson 8, 10, 11, 12
Shifting Tides,
Lesson 2, 5, 6, 7, 11
National Geographic
documentary:
"China's Lost Girls"
Movie: "Together"
Movie: "Not One
Less"
Documentary: "The
Blood of Yingzhou
Participate in class
debate in Chinese
regarding the pros
and cons of
modernization in
China (must
choose one side,
anticipate
arguments from
the other side,
etc.)
Interview at least
2 Chinese students
on campus asking
their opinions
about how things
have or have not
changed in China.
Write a short
report of your
findings and
discuss the
similarities/differe
nces between
their opinions.
Wei, Chinese 4/AP Syllabus 7
District"
Week 2729
Personal
finances
Economics
Describe if you're a saver or Integrated Chinese,
a spender
Level 2, Lesson 17
TPS (think, pair
share)
Identify ways to invest
money
Taiwan Today,
Lesson 14
Talk about ways to
purchase a big-ticket item
Reading Into a New
China, Lessons 16,
17
Future finances
project: Students
plan out their
future finances
and figure out
how much money
they would need
to earn in order to
maintain their
desired standard
of living.
Describe own spending
habits
Shifting Tides,
Lesson 3, 8?
Describe in basic terms the
ups and downs of the stock
market
Class participation
through group
discussions
Given target
structures, SS
speak
spontaneously for
at least 3 minutes
on the week's
topic.
Week 3032
At an
interview
Doing business
or working in
China
Say one or two sentences
to describe signs of
nervousness
Explain in basic terms why
China has been able to
attract talent and foreign
companies
Describe in basic terms
your time management
methods
Integrated Chinese,
Level 2, Lesson 19
Beyond the Basics,
Lesson 3, 4, 5, 15
Weekly quiz
focusing on
speaking, reading,
listening or writing
Students dress up
and prepare for a
job interview with
a panel made up
of other students
(other students
pose questions in
Chinese) for their
dream job in China
(as a foreigner).
Congratulate someone on
Wei, Chinese 4/AP Syllabus 8
their accomplishments
Wei, Chinese 4/AP Syllabus 9