Piedmont High School Program

Mandarin I


Beginning Mandarin class. Listening, speaking, reading, writing, and Chinese culture are all equally emphasized. Please refer to course description for Mandarin A and B/C. The language lab and Internet usage are integral parts of this curriculum.

 
A cultural activity in class
Master musician Liu Weishan introduces the Gu Zheng
 

Mandarin II

This class will broaden students' understanding of Chinese culture and build upon skills learned in Mandarin I, enabling students to read longer texts and carry on extended conversations. Students will demonstrate achievement of course goals by
1) Performing medium-length dialogues in groups;
2) Learning to write approximately 250 additional Chinese characters;
3) Writing short paragraphs in a daily journal;
4) Using discourse markers in their written and spoken Chinese;
5) Creating cultural projects;
and 6) Learning to use computer-based Chinese dictionary and word-processing programs.

Mandarin III


This course explores more advanced usage of Chinese, enabling them to read short stories and carry on extended conversations. Students will demonstrate achievement of course goals by
1) Performing all class activities entirely in Chinese by the second semester;
2) Memorizing approximately 275 additional Chinese characters;
3) Reading short stories and anecdotal material;
4) Writing long paragraphs in a daily journal;
5) Writing short essays on assigned topics;
6) Using more discourse markers in their written and spoken Chinese;
7) Creating cultural projects of their choice; and
8) Utilizing Chinese-language technology for research and presentations.

Mandarin IV


Students in this class will develop advanced ability in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and further broaden their knowledge of Chinese culture, enabling them to read longer texts and anecdotes and engage in extended conversations. Students will demonstrate their achievement of course goals by
1) Performing all classroom activities entirely in Chinese;
2) Memorizing an additional 350 Chinese characters;
3) Reading longer stories and anecdotes for the general idea, meaning, and details;
4) Reading and understanding idioms and literary language;
5) Writing essays based on assigned reading;
6) Using more discourse markers and conjunctions to connect their own speech and in conversation with others;
7) Analyzing commonalities and differences between Chinese and American culture through dialogue and writing.

Mandarin V (Honors)


This course will add another 200 Chinese characters to students' vocabulary. It will focus on the home and social life of young Chinese and Americans, with emphasis on comparing Chinese, American, and Chinese-American culture, and on relevant topics for college-bound students. Assignments will typically be project-oriented, and students will interject their own interests into course content. Students will be encouraged to engage in conversations and conduct interviews outside of school within the greater Chinese community. In addition to a final exam, each student will prepare a Chinese story to tell to children at Pacific Rim School, a private bilingual elementary school.

AP Mandarin


The College Board is preparing to offer curriculum guidelines for the AP class starting in the 2006-07 school year. A detailed curriculum will be posted as soon as available. However, due to the amount of lead-time the school district needs to prepare for any new class offerings, Piedmont High School will not begin offering the AP Mandarin course until the 2007-08 school year.