Gifts from China!

My parents recently went on a month-long expedition to China to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary. Of course I was excited because Ancient China is part of my social studies curriculum. I told them all about what we learn about China and hoped they would be able to pick up a few "artifacts" for me. I was so excited about what they brought me that I had to share!

This is called a Chop. It's what artists use to stamp their "signature" on artwork. The porcelain dish has the ink and the stamper is in the shape of a rat since I was born during the year of the rat.

My parents had one made special for me :)

Perhaps my favorite item... These are silkworm cocoons. Disgusting/interesting fact--if you shake them, you can hear the um-expired silkworms rattling inside. I also stole the Chinese newspaper they used to wrap stuff up in for the trip.

Book of Chinese Folk Tales in both Chinese and English. I will be able to use this for both our Ancient China unit and Fairy Tales unit which happen around the same time.

Inside the book.

Painted "silk" fan. It's probably not real silk but the kids don't need to know that ;)