Making Multicultural Connections
Through Trade Books

Dumpling Soup
Written by Jama Lee Rattigan
Illustrated by Lillian Hsu-Flanders

Cultural Group: Asian American

Content Connection: Social Studies Kindergarten

Topic : Family

Suggested Exemplars

• Picture Interpretation: Family #1 by Charles Alston
• Comparison Circles: Assortment of children's shoes

Learning Sequence

1. 1. Picture Interpretation: Using Family #1 students think up possible titles for this picture. Encourage students to compare this family with their own. Record the relationship nouns on cards or on a chart as they come up (mother, father, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, grandmother, grandfather, niece, nephew, cousin).

2. Children draw pictures representing people who live with them or join them for family celebrations. Label Pictures for the students using relationship words as needed. Display and view pictures made by classmates.

3. Read Dumpling Soup aloud.

4. Discuss the shoe store game in the book, and why the families shoes were outside of the house. Discuss the Asian custom. Talk about the advantages and disadvantages.

Extension

• After the game, the shoes need to be sorted. Discuss how the shoes could be sorted. Students remove one of their shoes and use the comparison circles to sort their shoes.

Technology Link

• UseMillies Math House (Edmark). Go to the "Little, Middle and Big" activity area, students will help the characters find shoes that fit their feet.

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© 1996 MCPS Department of Academic Programs, Division of Enriched and Innovative Instruction,Program of Assessment, Diagnosis, and Instruction