World Geography--China

China was the first country we visited on our trip around the world.  We began by learning the basics:
Location: Asia
Capital: Beijing
Population: 1,336,718,015
Main Language: Mandarin
Main Religion: Atheism
Currency: Yuan
Government:  Communist State

Then we leaned some fun facts.  Riding bikes is popular in China.  The yak and giant panda are found in China.  A child is 1 year old on the day it is born and 2 a year later.  Red is a lucky color.  Next we went to Google Translate and learned how to say a few words in Mandarin.  We also attempted to write some Chinese characters.  We read about what it is like to be a kid in China today. 

Our first project was to make the Great Wall.  We used rice crispy treats cut into bricks.  Some walls were greater than others. 

Paper was invented in China in 105 AD, so we decided to make our own paper.  It was strictly for decoration--it is too tick and soft for everyday use. 
1.  Tear scrap paper into small pieces and put them into a blender so it is half full.
2.  Fill the blender with water to make it 3/4 full.  Turn blender on medium until the paper is blended into a pulp. 
3.  Add pine needles, leaves and other small materials to pulp.  Blend for 1-2 seconds more.
4.  Place a screen over a pan.  Pour the water pulp over the screen, spreading the pulp out in a square shape.  Let the water drain off into the pan for 30 minutes.  (We didn't have screen, so we used an old potato sack). 
5.  To drain water from the pulp further, put an old towel on top of a stack of newspapers.  Carefully lift the pulp covered screen and put it on the towel.  Put another pieces of screen on top of the pulp and roll the water out with the can--like a rolling pin.
6.  Lift the screen, then flip it over onto the pressing cloth.  Peel the screen off the set paper carefully.
7.  Fold the pressing cloth over the wet paper and press until almost dry.  (We used a bar towel).
8.  Put a heavy book on it overnight to flatten.  Iron if desired.  (We skipped this step). 

Before paper was invented, the Chines people wrote on strips of bamboo.  They also wrote from top to bottom, right to right.  We made our own bamboo books using popsicle sticks.  It was hard to write that way.  I forgot to take pictures of this project. 

Next we made fans.  We drew 2 pictures on the same piece of paper--1 upside down from the other--then folded the paper accordion style. 

As part of the Spring Festival that falls at the beginning of Chinese New Year, people celebrate with fireworks and parades.  Dragons are everywhere.  For our final activity we made dragons.  The kids decorated dragon heads, made accordion bodies and added streamers. 

The kids are also making a suitcase to keep their crafts and activities in.