A Kid's Guide to Asian American History: More than 70 Activities »

Valerie Petrillo is the author of Sailors, Whalers, Fantastic Sea Voyages: An Activity Guide to North American Sailing Life.

Hands-on activities, games, and crafts introduce children to the diversity of Asian American cultures and teach them about the people, experiences, and events that have shaped Asian American history. This book is broken down into sections covering American descendents from various Asian countries, including China, Japan, Korea, Philippines, India, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Topics include the history of immigration from Asian countries, important events in U.S. history, sidebars on famous Asian Americans, language lessons, and activities that highlight arts, games, food, clothing, unique celebrations, and folklore. Kids can paint a calligraphy banner, practice Tai Chi, fold an origami dog or cat, build a Japanese rock garden, construct a Korean kite, cook bibingka, and create a chalk rangoli. A time line, glossary, and recommendations for Web sites, books, movies, and museums round out this multicultural guide.

The Virginian-Pilot

A supremely useful book.

Acknowledgments     vi
Time Line     viii
Introduction     xi
From East to West
Pack an Immigrant Trunk     3
Create a Japanese Folding Fan     4
Chinese Americans
Make Honeydew Bubble Tea     11
Create a Tiger Hat     13
Construct an Evil Spirit Apron     15
Do Chinese Opera Face Painting     16
Make a Shoulder Yoke     19
Write Chinese Characters     23
Say It in Chinese (Mandarin)     25
Create a Chinese Brush Painting Greeting Card     26
Craft a Lacquer Box     28
Try Chinese Paper Cutting     30
Practice Feng Shui     32
Cook an Authentic Chinese Nian Gao for Chinese New Year     35
Wrap Chinese Jiaozi     38
Make a Lai See: Chinese Red Envelope     40
Create a Tray of Togetherness: A Sweet Tray     42
Make a Chinese Lion     43
Perform the Lion Dance     45
Make a Pot Cover Gong     46
Paint a Chinese Calligraphy Banner     47
Light Up a Dragon Lantern     48
Arrange a Moon Festival Picnic     51
Put on a Chinese Shadow Puppet Show     52
Design a Double Happiness Signature Cloth     56
Practice Tai Chi     57
Chase the Dragon's Tail     59
Construct a Chinese Abacus     60
Use an Abacus     61
Try the Chinese Ribbon Dance     63
Japanese Americans
Make a Bento Lunch     67
Create an Otedama Beanbag Game     68
Paint a Daruma Doll     73
Prepare Miso Soup     75
Craft a Furoshiki     77
Make Rice Balls     78
Say It in Japanese     80
Fold an Origami Dog and Cat     81
Write Haiku     82
Practice Taiko Drumming     83
Create Gyotaku: Japanese Fish Printing     84
Paint Your Face Like a Kabuki Actor     86
Make a Kadomatsu to Place at Your Front Door     88
Join in a Bon Odori Dance     90
Make a Carp Streamer for Children's Day     91
Enjoy Chanoyu: The Japanese Tea Ceremony     94
Build a Japanese Rock Garden     100
Create Ikebana: A Traditional Japanese Cut Flower Arrangement     101
Play Jan, Ken, Pon: The Original Rock, Paper, Scissors Game     103
Make a Milk-Cap Game     104
Korean Americans
Say It in Korean     108
Make a Korean Flag     109
Join in Tuho: Arrow Throwing     111
Have Fun with Jegi-chagi: Tassel Kicking     112
Set Up a Tol: A Fortune-Telling Birthday Party     119
Try a Front Kick in Taekwondo     121
Create a Colorful Pojagi: Korean Wrapping Cloth     122
Prepare Ttok-kuk Soup     125
Make a Jumoni: Good Luck Bag     126
Enjoy Yut: A Game Played with Sticks     127
Construct a Korean Kite     129
Filipino Americans
Filipino Shell Crafts: Make a Picture Frame     139
Say It in Filipino     141
Prepare Halo-Halo: A Fruity, Icy Filipino Treat     142
Join in Tumbang Preso: Kick the Can Game     144
Try Sungka: A Cowrie Shell Game     145
Put Together a Balikbayan Box     147
Make a Parol: A Star Lantern     149
Cook Up Bibingka: A Sweet Rice Dessert     151
Practice the Pandango Sa Ilaw     152
Create Your Own Jeepney     156
Asian Indian Americans
Wrap a Sari     165
Say It in Hindi     166
Make Ghungroos: Asian Indian Dancing Bells     167
Try Yoga     168
Make Banana Lassi; A Yogurt Drink     170
Play Snakes and Ladders     171
Make a Diya for Diwali     176
Create a Chalk Rangoli: An Asian Indian Welcome     177
Do Mehndi: Asian Indian Hand Painting     178
Southeast Asian Americans
Make a Sponsor Box     186
Vietnamese in America     188
Prepare a Bowl of Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup     190
Create a Foam Dragon for Tet     192
Laotians in America     195
Play Pov Pob: A Hmong Ball-Toss Game for New Year's     196
Color a Hmong Flower Cloth: Paj Ntaub     197
Design a Storytelling Cloth     199
Cambodians in America     201
Cambodian Court Dance: Learn the Hand Gestures     202
Mold a Khmer Theater Mask     203
Say It in Khmer     205
Make Cambodian Spring Rolls     206
Conclusion     207
Design a Poster to Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month     211
Resources     213
Asian American Quick Facts     213
Glossary     215
Bibliography     221
Asian American Museums     225
Suggested Reading List for Kids     230
Asian American Movies and Videos      231
Web Sites     232
Teacher's Guide     234
History Standards and Learning Objectives     237
Index     239