Chopsticks

This lesson plan is adapted from Access Asia: Primary Teaching and Learning Units, Curriculum Corporation, 1996, p 76.

Learning areas
Studies of society and environment: Culture.
Also Health and physical education, the Arts.

Level
Years 1-3

Outline
Students focus on the purpose and history of chopsticks and their use as a way of eating. Those students for whom this is a new idea gain some insight into other cultural practices and learn to use chopsticks.

Studies of Asia emphases
Major emphasis: Understanding contributions made by the peoples of Asia to the world

Curriculum context
This activity could be included when students are looking at different foods and ways of eating in various cultures.

Duration
At least one hour.

Materials required

• Student sheet 1 and Student sheet 2
• Enough plain bamboo chopsticks for all students to have a pair, or for pairs of students to share.
• A range of other eating utensils (knives, forks and spoons of different shapes and sizes).
• Large wall map of Asia and smaller outline maps for students.
• Vegetable food dye and paint brushes.
• Rice, noodles or rice cakes to break up and use for chopstick practice.

Procedure

Introducing chopsticks
1. Hold up a pair of chopsticks and ask students:
   • What are these called?
   • Do you have them in your house?
   • What are they made of?
   • How do they work?
2. Read Student sheet 1: 'The Origins of chopsticks' with students. Discuss the information contained in Student sheet 1, asking questions such as:
   • Why do you think chopsticks were invented in the first place?
   • Why do you think many people began to use chopsticks?

   Comparing eating utensils

3. Provide students with a range of other eating utensils and allow time for examination. Encourage students to compare these informally with chopsticks.
4. As a class, list the advantages and disadvantages of using chopsticks and other utensils, such as a knife and fork.

   Where are chopsticks used?

5. On a large wall map ask students to suggest places where chopsticks might be used (or show them if necessary).
6. Assist students to cut out chopsticks symbols from coloured paper or make other symbols to represent chopsticks.
7. Give students copies of outline maps of Asia and assist them to paste their symbols on the countries where chopsticks are used.

   Decorating chopsticks

8. Provide each student with a pair of plain bamboo chopsticks, such as can be bought in many Asian grocery shops.
9. Assist students to decorate their chopsticks using vegetable food dye.

   Using chopsticks

10. Read through Student sheet 2: 'Using chopsticks' with students and assist them to hold their chopsticks correctly. (If any children in the class are accomplished users of chopsticks, ask them to participate in a demonstration.)
11. Cook some rice or noodles or simply break up some rice cakes. Ask students to try eating with their chopsticks. Remind them when necessary of the points made on Student sheet 2.