Messages+from+China


 * As part of our social studies unit on how people meet their basic needs in China, students imagined they had travelled to this distant land. They then wrote e-mails back to friends in Canada about their experiences. Check out some of them below. Remember your positive comments are welcome as we work to develop our writing skills.**


 * Shanghai Elementary School**
 * Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 2:09 PM**

Hey, Sam! This school is way different from ours! They have school for 6 days a week instead of 5! They start the day with exercises instead of D.E.A.R. time, and they have to do 7 hours of homework, while we have to do at least 1 hour! Most of their subjects are math, history and English. They also learn responsibility, obedience, and manners. What I don't understand is they are often expected to help clean up the classroom in the morning and after school. I got to learn the Chinese language! But I only got to know how to say "Happy New Year!" in Chinese. Its "Gung Hei Fat Choi". Its very interesting to stay in the classroom for a whole day, you can learn many things.

Your friend in China, Erikah

Fri, Jan 23, 2009 at 11:07 AM**
 * New Years Dinner

Hey Fred, Before I get started, how's school going? Have I missed any tests? I hope not! Anyways, I had the best time at my New Years Dinner. I really really enjoyed it. They served mainly vegetables and grains. There was very little sugar on the table which made me a little sorry for these people. I had rice, noodles, pears, apples, dumplings, poultry, and fish as far as I know of. The fish tasted better than my mom's. For drinks I had mainly tea. The cool part was that I got to eat with chopsticks. I don't do that at home. The food had tasted a lot different from mom's cooking. Did you know that to celebrate new Years the chinese set off fireworks and do some of the things we do. They do some things differently than us though. They have a Chinese Zodiac (12 animals representing years). 2009 year of the Ox. I find that very interesting. I wish Canadians did that. Now I got to go.

Jessica W.

Tiananamen square Fri, Jan 23, 2009 at 10:08 AM**
 * [[image:http://mail.google.com/mail/help/images/logo1.gif width="143" height="59" caption="Gmail"]]

Hey Joe, guess what today is Thursday, January 22 and I'm arriving in Beijing and then visiting Tiananmen square. Tiananmen square has a very large plaza. It was built in 1651 and the gates are on the north and south. There were many events held here. Also did you know that in 1989 hundreds of student protestors were killed by the army in the square? China sure is an interesting place to visit.

Riley Great Hall of the People Fri, Jan 23, 2009 at 10:35 AM **

**// I just saw the __Great Hall of the People__ with my grandmother, And we're going to see the president soon. Did u know his name was __Hu Jintao?__ That is kind of a funny name, hey? This person was showing us around the Great Hall of the People. If u r wondering what the Great Hall of the People looks like it looks like well its gray and it has around 21 flags on the top of it. Their government meets there. Check out the picture I am sending. See u later. //** **//  __Justine __ //**



Friday, January 23, 2009 at 11:47**
 * Tour Cliffside Homes

Hey Sam! Today I went touring cliff side homes! They are very unique! I never knew that in cities most people live in small apartments. They also have few luxuries. Unlike us, country homes include, mud houses, houseboats, caves and cliff side homes. Caves and cliff side homes are common in Northern China, And almost all of them are built facing south! Most of the houses have many rooms and usually a courtyard open to the sky. An estimated 40 million Chinese citiizens live in this kind of home today!

Your friend in China, Erikah

P.S. How's Miss Hubber, Shelly, Gleam and Glow, and the rest of the class doing? Hope your not having too much fun without me, I'll be back soon! P.S. P.S. Its amazing! You can walk into a cave home and see someone watching T.V. with lights on!