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Setting the Stage for Chinese offers two levels, providing plays suitable for beginning, intermediate and advanced students in grades K-12. Children learn by doing, and with Setting the Stage for Chinese, children of all ages will learn Chinese as they perform Aesop's fables and classic stories from China. By combining language learning with theater performance, this innovative new compilation of bilingual plays introduces students to Chinese language and culture as they read each story and perform their roles on stage. Volume 1 includes adaptations of China's favorite stories and fairy tales such as "The Legend of Mulan," "The Little Tadpoles" and "The Turnip Is Back." Features:

• The plays are bilingual (English, simplified characters and pinyin romanization), making Setting the Stage for Chinese perfect for both heritage speakers and learners of Chinese as a second language.
• The plays cover a wide range of topics in Chinese culture, such as the four major traditional Chinese holidays, fairy tales, legends, myths and stories about historical figures. This rich cultural component will help students gain fluency in Chinese culture.
• Bilingual teacher/parent resource pages for each play contain background information and practical teaching suggestions.
• A Setting the Stage companion website offers suggestions for costumes and props, a photo gallery, and additional resources. Teachers can share own ideas and photos of performances, too.

Designed for intermediate to advanced students of Chinese, Volume 2 of this series includes adaptations of China's fairy tales and favorite holiday stories such as "Lantern Festival," "Five Brothers" and "Cowherd and Weaver Girl." Contemporary dialogues, rhymes and songs are woven into the scripts, making the language come alive for the stage. Both performers and their parents in the audience will remember these plays for years to come.