Chinese Zodiac Nomenclature Cards

Introduce the culturally rich world of the Chinese Zodiac in a fun and interesting way to your students with this engaging Montessori Nomenclature Card product! With 14 pages, 3 versions in English (Print and Cursive), Pinyin, and Simplified Chinese labels, these cards provide a comprehensive exploration of the zodiac animals. The set includes descriptions of each animal, 1/4 sheet pages for booklet making, year labels, and a handy zodiac chart covering 36 years for future use.

**What's Included:**

- 3-Part cards: Control card with image and label, image card, and label card

- Description cards for each animal to make 4-part cards.

- 1/4 sheet template of black and white zodiac animals and space to write their name or characteristics

**Learning Goals:**

- Discover the characteristics of each zodiac animal

- Foster a hands-on understanding of time and sequencing using 12 year cycle

- Build vocabulary in English, Pinyin, and Simplified Chinese

- Enhance visual discrimination through noticing small differences and matching skills

- Practice print or cursive letter formation

- Develop fine motor skills through writing and/or coloring

- Explore science concepts related to the natural world

**Points of Interest:**

- Children are captivated by the allure of the Chinese Zodiac, connecting culture and nature.

- The variety of activities, from labeling to coloring and creating booklets, adds excitement to the learning process.

**Pre-Requisite:**

- Customizable for students aged 3-9 in early childhood or lower elementary classrooms.

- Suitable for all children in the 3-6 classroom, adaptable to each child's readiness level.

- High repetition enhances retention, ensuring an engaging learning experience for every child.

**How to Present:**

- Tailor the number of cards presented based on the child's needs and skill level. For example, limit to three years: prior year, current year, next year.

- Observe the child's ability to recall the names of the zodiac animals and introduce matching images and words.

- Adjust and re-present the work as needed, noting any areas where the child may need additional guidance.

- For elementary students, the information about the Zodiac Animals and their descriptions can be used to generate conversations, create original stories, read books about the origin story of the Zodiac, write basic research reports, and more.

**Explore Further:**

- Complement your lessons with additional Mandarin and Lunar New Year activities.

- Discover related resources such as Lunar New Year Envelope Making and Chinese Handwriting Practice Paper

**Bonus:**

- Access a FREE digital resource to learn Numbers 1-10 in Mandarin

**Did You Know?**

- TPT Customers can earn $0.05 towards additional TPT resources for every review written. Your feedback and suggestions are welcome! Reach out at milena@joyofmontessori.com.