Marriage Lesson Plan Worksheet #1 (Work in Progress)

Marriage or wedlock is an interpersonal relationship (usually intimate and sexual) with governmental, social, or religious recognition. It is often created by a contract or through civil processes. Civil marriage is the legal concept of marriage as a governmental institution.
The most common form of marriage unites one man and one woman as husband and wife. Other forms of marriage also exist: for example, polygamy—in which a person takes more than one spouse (marriage partner)—is common in many societies. In some jurisdictions civil marriage has been expanded to include same-sex marriage.
People marry for many reasons, but usually one or more of the following: legal, social and economic stability; the formation of a family unit; procreation and the education and nurturing of children; legitimizing sexual relations; public declaration of love; or to obtain citizenship.
A marriage is often declared by a wedding ceremony, which may be performed either by a religious officiant, by a secular government-sanctioned officiator, or (in weddings that have no church or state affiliation) by a trusted friend of the wedding participants. The act of marriage usually creates obligations between the individuals involved, and in many societies, their extended families.
1.) What is civil marriage?
2.) Describe the most common form of marriage.
3.) What is polygamy?
4.) A marriage is often declared by what?
Vocabulary Words: Break each vocabulary word up into syllables: 名 音节;一言
Syl-la-bles
intimate: 形 亲切的;亲密的;直接的 process: 名 进行;方法;工程;制作;传票
recognition: 名 认知;承认;表彰 concept: 名 概念
civil: 形 市民的;文职的;凡俗的;文明的 legitimize: 动 使合法
institution: 名 公共团体 名 惯例;制度;设置;制定圣餐式;授任圣职
form: 名 形状;表格纸;仪式;姿势;种类 动 养成;组织;明白发音;形成;作成队行
unite: 动 弄成一体;结合;使联合;使合 exist: 动 实在;存在;现存;生存;活著
jurisdiction: 名 裁判权;各种权 expand: 动 使膨大.扩张;详述;使发展
reason: 名 理由;理智;前提;思考;推论 stability: 名 安定;复原力;坚固
procreation: 名 生产;生殖 nurture: 名 养育;教育;营养物;后天性的
declaration: 名 宣告;宣言书;公布 obtain: 动 得到;获得;达到;实行;流行
citizenship: 名 市民身份;国籍 secular: 形 现世的.非宗教性的
obligation: 名 义务;约束;契约 extended: 形 广大的;长期的;扩大的

One reason why I'm glad to be back in China...

....maybe two reasons actually.

Firstly, I'm making more than double what I made the first year I worked here (2003-2004) and secondly, the strength of the RMB has increased.

When I first came here in 2003 8 RMB was equal to $ 1 USD but now 7 RMB is worth $1 USD.

That may not sound like much but it actually adds up and even though I'm making less than I would in the US I'm still living in a rent-free apartment and not having to do any office hours.

I teach 13 different classes a week but I pretty much only have to plan about 2 different lessons a week and just deliver both multiple times.

Each class is 2 "academic" hours long and one "academic" hour is 45 minutes so I'm actually working less than 26 hours a week.

However, I do usually spend a few hours (or more) preparing each lesson. There are times when I'm feeling a bit lazy or am just busy doing Visa-type stuff and I just follow the textbook but I prefer to come up with my own material or find something interesting on-line to talk about. (I also spend a LOT of time GRADING papers....and I have something like 200-300 students so do the math).

I just did a lesson on Basketball (with a few classes, kind of an experiement) this week and got a pretty good response from my classes because Chinese people LOVE basketball which I don't think many people in the West realize. I definetly never realized it until about 5 years ago.

Anyway, I have one class a week where I teach English to Chinese Teachers and I asked them if there were any topics they wanted to discuss for the next class and one of them said "Marriage" (something I know little about...I'm a 28 year-old bachelor!) so I guess that's what I'll be doing next week.

The Elephant Man

This week in school I am giving my students a worksheet which is blank aside from a single picture of "The Elephant Man" who none of my students are familiar with.

Their task is to create a biography about the Elephant Man based solely on his picture and a list of questions I provide them with.

Here is Jiang Kun's written response (April 10, 2008):

A story about Tim. Tim is a great man. He was born in 1963. He all stay in hometown, and he town is a beautiful city. he have two son and a daughter. His wife is a teacher. His mother and father was die in 1976.

Tim work in University professor. He teach history. In 1980, He compile a best seller. it name is "Time And History". The book descript relation between time and history. Because this book, make he famous for word.

Afterwards, He spend 10 years research chinese history and in succession compile "Descrip China", "Chinese History And World History" and so on.

So, I think he is a great man. He contribution to World culture. But very regretful, in 1999 He was die in heart disease.

Our cherish the menory of Tim forever!

Ding Sai (April 10, 2008):

Long-long ago, a boy who named Jeames was borned in a volige in 1889.

As he is a child, he lik sports very much, especially basketball. Also, he like swimming and athers too.

But when he growed, he like knowledge very much. He think knowledge can change the world. He is very friendly and also help people. So, he is a man who was popular in his country. There are 4 people in his family, his sister Jely, his father and his mother.

When he was 25, he was married wich a beautiful girl who named kitty. After 5 mach, he was found a job about research knowledge in a large city. He is not only research knowledge but also write book. So, he was already write many famous book. He was died in 1980. After he died, He leave many wealth for people, especiely knowledge and spirit. So, people will never forget him.....

*** Obviously, there are a lot of errors (and many are amusing) but I'm still pretty satisfied with both of these essays because the students' were able to express themselves in English well enough to wear most readers will be able to figure out what they are trying to say. My job is to come in and fix the errors and help them improve their grammar which isn't too tough (obviously) but it is rather time consuming when I have a stack of 300 essays to read and correct!

Zeng Jie Fu (April 8, 2008):

He name was devil.

He was born in hell.

He spend his life in hell.

Li Wan Yan (April 8, 2008):

His name is Kobe. He was born in American. He spends his life for basketball. He was born in 1980. He spends his life in NBA. His personality is special, irritable and confident. He have two children and a very bueatful wife. his job is NBA professional player. his hobbies is lots of sports such as football, baseball and so on. He is a great basketball player. He is hero in my heart. In my mind, "Anything is possible" is from his action. His is the great star in the world and he has many funs in China. Because I'm his funs, too.

International Jam Session in Changsha, China April 2008 (East meets West)

Slav, another teacher at my school, I and two Chinese guys we met are giving (another) performance at school this week and since we are pressed for time we just decided to do a couple of covers.

Here we are rehearsing "Song 2" by Blur. It's definetly not perfect and could be better but it's a start.

Regardless, it feels good to be playing music again.

BAF

Samples of Chinese Students' Writing

This week (Today is Monday March 24, 2008) I am giving all of my classes a worksheet with three questions for them to answer.

The questions are:

1.) What are some of the differences between children and adults?
How do children behave? How should adults behave?


2.) How should University students behave? Should they play with their
phones or sleep in class? Explain your answer.


3.) What makes people different from animals?


I will post some of my students' responses to these questions throughout the week.


Here is one student's response to the first question:

"Children is puerility. They can think that the sun is blue, the river is red. They think their most hope is money, candy and happy. But adults are very busy. They must work hard. If they don't work they will no be have a good life".

Here is another student's answer to the third question:

"People can touch with each other but animals can not. People like dress them up".

Here is how one of them responded to the second question:

"University students likes play computer and study, play basketball. I don't agree sleep in class because that don't good study".

Here is another response to the second question:

"The University students like surf in the internet. Yes, they play with their phones in class because some students are not intering in some class".

And here is how that student answered the third question:

"People are brighter than animals".

Another student's response to the third question is as follows:

"People can say 'shit', 'fuck' but animals no".

And as I shift through my papers I think I've caught a pair of students copying off one another (pretty typical in China):

"People are brighter than animals. People have language but animals have not. Peop:e have spirits but animals have not. People can creat things but animals can't".

Bai Wen Chuan answered the second question as follows:

"The students are very like playing computer games and playing basketball. They always play wihth their phone in the classroom and sleep in the classroom".

Bai Wen Chuan had this to say in response to the third question:

"People can do some exercise but animals can't do that. People can writer some thing in book but animals can't do that".



Anyway, so there's a sample of my students' wonderful writing. I definetly have my work cut out for me.....

E-mail from a Chinese student.

Here is an e-mail I received from a Chinese student today:


I am sorry I do not know that the United States wrote a letter format
Thank you for giving me the answer ,In addition, I would like to ask a number of ways, for example, you want to learn Chinese, the best approach is the exchange and others, but seems not properly achieved and I know that the American news coverage of China things will be more facts, or even distorting the facts ,We are each of the foreigners come to China are very welcome, and help others who are in the same time they have gained happiness, We need to increase the capacity to help others, and we do a lot of efforts, I think that I am reading is to the prosperity of our nation. Is how do you treat China as a developing country with a long history.Your friends around you to what is the view of China? I read one called (The World Is Flst) book, I have a lot of ideas for this, you really want to know China's Tibet and Taiwan issues (they is one of our country's territory!) look at how.I even see you my views on how to be very curious, hehe!

Letter from a Chinese Student

One of my students gave me a letter at the end of class today. I thought I'd type it up here since I haven't posted anything in a while:

Mr. Brandon,

My name is Liu Ting. I'm very glad that you can teach our English. I think you are a good teacher and you are a handsome man. Mr. Brandon. Do you know? I feel is very hard how to speak English well, because my pronounces badly.

I think that related to my first English teacher. But the most important reason is myself. Begin this term, I enjoy learning English, every class I listened carefully.

In the end, I want to make friends with you. Can you tell me your E-mail dress? Thank you very much!!

Yours,

Liu Ting