Lesson: Just Rice and Soy Sauce? Teaching about Chinese Culture through Food

Source: Philadelphia World Heritage Tool Kit

Created by: Nancy Allison, Providence Friends School

Subjects: Social Studies

Grade Levels: 5-8

View or download this Lesson Plan.

Overview: This lesson is designed to help students see a connection between food and culture. Students will get insights into areas of Chinese culture by considering the cuisines of China. When they have completed this study, students may take a trip to Philadelphia’s Chinatown and a Chinese restaurant where they can compare what they have learned about authentic Chinese foods with those Chinese foods served in the city of Philadelphia. They can also observe some of the benefits that Chinese immigrants have brought to the United States. Students may also investigate the influence of American food in China.

Objectives: This lesson will introduce students to the foods of China and they will see the relationship between food and other aspects of one’s culture.

The Philadelphia World Heritage Tool Kit

This lesson is one of 29 lessons (K-12, all subjects) in the Philadelphia World Heritage Tool Kit. The goal of the Tool Kit is to help educators and their students develop a transnational analysis in their classrooms by using complex themes of world heritage as a framework to understand global regions across disciplines. These themes include shared architectural, cultural, economic, environmental, political, recreational, religious, and social heritage features.  Real teachers created these lessons and based their work on “best practices” that reflect student collaboration and the broad goals of young people in ways that support care and understanding of others who may be very different in background and history.