An Integrated Curriculum for Kindergarten/First Grade Children Utilizing Project Approach.

An integrated curriculum allows children's learning in all traditional subject areas to occur primarily through projects that the teachers plan and that reflect children's interests. This paper presents a curriculum web on Chinese festivals, specifically, the Chinese New Year, for kindergarten and first grade levels. The paper first presents a teacher brainstorm of a curriculum web on celebrating Chinese festivals, and then presents the thematic web for the subtopic Chinese New Year, which includes the origin of the festival, things people do, special activities, foods people eat, clothing, greetings, and the animal of the year from the Chinese zodiac. Next, the paper lists the curriculum subject areas and learning activities for the New Year subtopic: reading-listening-speaking; writing; math; science; art; social studies; music; and movement. Key events for the unit are then listed, including book making, field trips, dragon making, dragon parade, display center, and party. A student evaluation checklist for each of the subject areas is included. Two appendices contain a story map and a description of the origins of the Chinese New Year and its customs. (HTH)