Mandarin Immersion Culture Reading Club(Folktales) for 10-16 Years Old

Class Title: Mandarin Immersion Culture Reading Club – Level 2&3 (Ages 9–16)
Teacher: Dr. Xiaochuan Zhang (Mrs. Zhang /Zhang Laoshi)

Unit 1 Book–The Legend of the White Snake (白蛇传)(Bái Shé Zhuàn)
A classic tale blending romance, mythology, and moral dilemmas.
WEEK 1 Lesson: Chapter 1 第一章 姻缘
WEEK 2 Lesson: Chapter 2 第二章 西湖
WEEK 3 Lesson: Chapter 3 第三章 库银
WEEK 4 Lesson: Chapter 4 第四章 结亲
WEEK 5 Lesson: Chapter 5 第五章 酒变
WEEK 6 Lesson: Chapter 6 第六章 水漫金山
WEEK 7 Lesson: Chapter 7 第八九章 雷峰塔
WEEK 8 Lesson: Wrap-up & Review 全书总结与复习

Unit 2 Book–Chang'e Flying to the Moon (嫦娥奔月)(Cháng’é bēn yuè)
This tale is about the origin of  the Mid-Autumn Festival and themes of sacrifice, love, and reunion.
WEEK 1 Lesson: Chapter 1 第一章 嫦娥
WEEK 2 Lesson: Chapter 2 第二章 后羿
WEEK 3 Lesson: Chapter 3 第三章 打虎
WEEK 4 Lesson: Chapter 4 第四章 英雄天下知
WEEK 5 Lesson: Chapter 5 第五章 天山
WEEK 6 Lesson: Chapter 6&7 第六七章 西王母+桃花开了
WEEK 7 Lesson: Chapter 8&9 第八九章 后羿死了+嫦娥奔月
WEEK 8 Lesson: Wrap-up & Review 全书总结与复习

Unit 3 Book–Mulan (花木兰)
The legendary story of a brave young woman –A symbol of  love, courage, and patriotism
WEEK 1 Lesson: Chapter 1 第一章 少女花木兰
WEEK 2 Lesson: Chapter 2 第二章 替父从军
WEEK 3 Lesson: Chapter 3&4 第三四章 狼是什么样的+第一次打仗
WEEK 4 Lesson: Chapter 5&6 第五六章 我叫李天亮+仗要打到什么时候
WEEK 5 Lesson: Chapter 7 第七章 射杀阿升盖
WEEK 6 Lesson: Chapter 8&9 第八九章 木兰受伤+渴望和平
WEEK 7 Lesson: Chapter 10 第十章 英雄十年回
WEEK 8 Lesson: Wrap-up & Review 全书总结与复习

Unit 4 Book–The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl(牛郎织女)  (Niúláng Zhīnǚ)
A romantic legend about love, separation, and reunion–the origin of the Chinese Valentine’s Day (Qixi Festival). 
WEEK 1 Lesson: Chapter 1 第一章 牛郎
WEEK 2 Lesson: Chapter 2 第二章 奇怪的老牛
WEEK 3 Lesson: Chapter 3 第三章 王母洞
WEEK 4 Lesson: Chapter 4 第四章 天上的织女
WEEK 5 Lesson: Chapter 5 第五章 牛郎的媳妇
WEEK 6 Lesson: Chapter 6 第六章 珍珠香米和七彩丝绸
WEEK 7 Lesson: Chapter 7 第七章 七月初七鹊桥会
WEEK 8 Lesson: Wrap-up & Review 全书总结与复习


UPCOMING

Unit 5 Book–Nie Xiaoqian （聂小倩）(Niè Xiǎoqiàn)
 A famous ghost love story from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio  
Unit 6 Book–The Beauty in the Painting （ 画上的美人） (Huà shàng de měirén)
 A tale where a painted woman comes to life 
Unit 7 Book–The Old Man Under the Moon（月下老人） (Yuè xià lǎorén)
 A legend about the matchmaker god who ties red strings of fate  
Unit 8 Book–The Yellow Millet Dream （黄粱梦）  (Huángliáng mèng)
 A classic allegory about the illusory nature of ambition and dreams
Unit 9 Book–Chen Shimei  （陈世美 ） (Chén Shìměi)
 A cautionary opera tale about betrayal and justice
Unit 10 Book–Butterfly Lovers  （梁山伯与祝英台） (Liáng Shānbó yǔ Zhù Yīngtái)
A timeless Chinese love tragedy often called the "Romeo and Juliet of the East“

What will be taught?
 In this ongoing reading club, students will explore the fascinating world of Chinese folk tales and beginner-level chapter books written in simplified Chinese with pinyin support. Each week, learners will improve their Mandarin reading fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary while deepening their cultural understanding through carefully selected age-appropriate texts.

Topics we will cover:
—Famous Chinese folk legends (e.g., Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai; The Legend of the White Snake)
--Core vocabulary,  sentence patterns and authentic language in context
--Cultural themes such as family, love, religions,and moral values
--Story structure, character analysis, and reading strategies
--Weekly speaking and writing activities to reinforce learning


Class structure:
Each 50-minute weekly session is structured to include:
--Warm-up Activity (5 min): Cultural trivia or review questions
--Guided Reading (30 min): Group or individual reading with shared screen text and pinyin support
--Interactive Discussion (10 min): Students respond to comprehension questions
--Wrap-up & Writing Prompt (5 min): Brief writing or drawing activity based on the story


Teaching method and style:
 Mrs. Zhang teaches with a warm, encouraging, and interactive style. Lessons are student-centered and scaffolded to build confidence. She incorporates visual aids, gestures, repetition, and storytelling techniques to support comprehension and maintain engagement.

Interaction and engagement:
--Live interaction in each session (guided reading, Q&A, games)
--Students can choose to read aloud or follow along silently
--Weekly take-home prompts and optional extension activities
--Feedback and support provided through Outschool messaging


Who is this class for?
--Young Mandarin learners in grades 5–10
--Students in immersion or dual-language programs
--Heritage learners who want to build confidence in reading
--Learners who enjoy stories and cultural exploration


Progression and materials:
 Students will read a series of 10 chapter books, each with 7–8 chapters (7–10 pages per chapter). All reading materials are adapted from the level-up reading books published by Beijing Language and Culture University Press, ensuring educational quality and authentic cultural representation. Texts are used with educational permission and are suited to learners’ developmental levels.

Why join this club?
--Build a joyful habit of reading Mandarin
--Improve reading fluency and cultural awareness
--Connect with peers in a supportive learning community
--Grow steadily with consistent weekly practice