Early childhood Literacy Activity Page. Literacy Skill: Phonological Awareness (Rhyming helps children identify the smaller sounds in words.) Literacy Skill: Narrative skill (Children will learn to describe things and events and tell stories.)

A Panda in China In China We Say: (nĭhăo pronounced KNEE-how is Mandarin Chinese for hello)

KNEE-how, KNEE-how KNEE-how means hello. I’m so glad to meet you. KNEE-how, KNEE-how hello

I’m a Little Panda I’m a little panda

Place hand down low for something small

Happy as can be Draw a smile over lips with your fingers.

Sitting under a bamboo tree. Sit down with legs crossed, hands in lap.

Never in a hurry to find a new spot Shake head for NO.

Hiding here I look like a black and white dot. Place hands on each side of face like peering between bushes.

Steffensen & Gruber

I’m a roly poly panda With a green leaf hat Sitting in a bamboo patch Growing big and fat.

In China we say: (zàijiàn pronounced shy-JEN is the Mandarin Chinese word for good-bye.)

Shy-JEN means good-bye Shy-JEN, Shy-JEN, Shy-JEN. Good bye, now. Shy-JEN. Soon we’ll meet again.

Narrative skill: Encourage your child to tell what they see. Your child will learn to describe things and events and tell stories.

I Am a Panda from China I am a Giant Panda Bear. I live in the cool mountains of China. My pretty black and white fur keeps me warm and helps me hide among the rocks and shade of my mountains. In my country of China I am called “Da Ziong Māo” which means “giant bear cat”. You see, the dark centers of my eyes are long slits like a kitty cat instead of round like yours or other bears. My favorite food is bamboo. It is just about the only thing I eat. I eat and eat all day long so I don’t have much time to play around. I can grow pretty big. I weigh about the same as a big football player (250 pounds). But, I’m only about as tall as you when I walk on my four paws (3 feet). I like living in my mountains, but there isn’t much space left for us Pandas. The people of China have made a special area just for us so we’ll always have a home and plenty of bamboo to eat. I hope you will take good care of the animals in your country, too.

Wolf Yellow spotted owl Whale Tip: Adding an extra comment after a child’s answer helps them hear how to put together more detailed phrases. Q. Where do the Giant Pandas live? A. China. + Add a little extra: China is a country far away. Q. Why is the Panda called a “giant bear CAT”? A. Panda’s eyes are slits like a cat. + Add a little extra: Our eyes have round centers. Q. What does Panda like to eat? A. Lots of bamboo. + Add a little extra: I would get tired of eating the same thing all day. Q. How big is a panda? A. As big as a football player. + Add a little extra: But, Panda looks very soft. Q. What did the people of China do for the Pandas? A. Gave them a safe place to live. + Add a little extra: Some of our animals need a safe place to live, too.

Use the pictures to retell the story about the Giant Panda.