RZSS: Beyond the Panda

Beyond the Panda
Beyond the Panda

Welcome to the FREE Beyond the Panda online learning resources exploring China, its language, culture, geography, giant pandas and other Chinese wildlife. Beyond the Panda is also a science specialist Confucius Classroom and all materials link to Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes in science, topical science, social studies, language and literacy.

With thanks to our friends:
- free virtual sessions also available Contact srobb@rzss.org.uk for details

China/Scotland Pack
*Virtual session available linked to this topic

A comparison project of China and Scotland aimed at P4-P7 level, which looks at the similarities and differences between the habitats and animals of each country. The game also includes cultural items from China and Scotland. Linked virtual session is available. Please email srobb@rzss.org.uk for details.

Partnered with JASS, this can fulfil part of the 'Me and My World' section. This can further involve actions to help save endangered animals, for example: making bird feeders, bug hotels, raising money for RZSS projects in the wild.

The resources are available in two formats:
- materials to download and print - (all materials are free to download but there is also the option to order professionally printed packs at cost price)
- online resources with interactive games.
Click on the items in the contents lists below.

The China/Scotland P4-P7 pack consists of:
- pupil workbook File
- China habitat map File
- Scotland habitat map File
- gameboard File
- game cards File
- how to play File
- answer booklet File
- China/Scotland sound files Folder
- Interactive online games linked to the pack and virtual session:
- Amur tiger and Scottish wildcat Interactive Content
- Sea eagles Interactive Content
- Chinese cobra and Scottish adder Interactive Content
- Chinese salamander and great crested newt Interactive Content
- Dragon and Loch Ness Monster Interactive Content
- China: Name the habitats Interactive Content
- Scotland: Name the habitats Interactive Content
- Chinese habitats with Chinese characters Interactive Content
- Chinese habitat flashcards Interactive Content
- Habitat definitions Interactive Content
- China/Scotland Game Interactive Content
- Chinese animal fact files
- Chinese mammal fact files Interactive Content
- Chinese bird fact files Interactive Content
- Chinese reptiles fact files Interactive Content
- Chinese amphibian fact files Interactive Content
- Chinese fish fact files Interactive Content
- P1-P3 activities for this topic
  Although topic is aimed at upper primary level, the following 3 games could be introduced to lower primary:
- China/Scotland Game - Level 1 Interactive Content
- China: Name the habitats
  
  Scotland: Name the habitats
- This project is supported by the Junior Award Scheme for Schools - JASS and can be used as part of the scheme.
Nursery Resources

These are character recognition activity stories. It is not expected that the children will understand the full Chinese sentences. The story books contain large pictures to help the children either count the items or see the colours. The number and colour cards are for the children to point to the correct characters and it is suggested that each child have a card while the story is being read.

Number Story
P1 - P3 Panda Pack

This pack covers a range of activities to learn about the giant panda, simple classification of vertebrate animals and to reinforce Mandarin numbers and colours. Some of the boards within this pack have been split into two. This is to enable printing at A3 (or A4) but to create an A2 (or A3) poster by joining the two sections. For these files there is also the option to download the single page picture.
The P1-P3 pack consists of:
P4 - P7 Panda Pack

This pack covers a range of activities to learn about the giant panda, including the history of giant panda conservation, classification of vertebrate animals, habitats and regions of China. Some of the boards within this pack have been split into two. This is to enable printing at A3 (or A4) but to create an A2 (or A3) poster by joining the two sections. For these files there is also the option to download the single page picture.
The P4-P7 pack consists of:
S1 - S2 Panda Pack

This pack covers a broad range of activities in science, art, history and culture.
The S1-S2 pack consist of:
Secondary Endangered Species

This is an advanced endangered species pack which includes a Mandarin case study for qualification level.
The Secondary Endangered Species pack consists of:
Panda Folders
*Virtual sessions available linked to this topic

These packs have similar content to the P1-P3 (Level 1) and P4-P7 (Level 2) panda packs but have been designed as individual pupil workbooks instead of the group game activities which were in the panda packs. The panda folder is designed to be printed in booklet format, providing a double page spread for the maps and diagrams. If you cannot print in booklet format, the double spread pages are also provided as full pictures. Virtual sessions are available linked to both levels. Please email srobb@rzss.org.uk for details.

The resources are available in two formats:
- materials to download and print - (all materials are free to download but there is also the option to order professionally printed packs at cost price)
- online resources with interactive games.
Click on the items in the contents lists below.
- Panda Folders Level 1
- panda folder 1 File
- panda workbook 1 File
- panda workbook 1 - ANSWERS File
- panda habitat game (full picture) File
- Chinese animals (full picture) File
- panda senses (full picture) File
- giant panda senses matching game (download and print game)
- level 1 - all sound files Folder
- giant panda body parts sound files (linked to virtual session)
- A virtual session entitled 'I can see, hear, smell, taste & touch' is available. With exciting props, Sandie will demonstrate the parts of the body we use for our senses and we will learn how to say and recognise the characters for these in Mandarin Chinese. Discover the giant panda senses and which ones are very important for survival.
  Interactive online games linked to the Level 1 pack and virtual session:
- Panda senses & body parts (online game) Interactive Content
- Panda Folders Level 2
- panda folder 2 File
- panda workbook 2 File
- panda workbook 2 - ANSWERS File
- panda game (full picture) File
- giant panda life-cylce (full picture) File
- China habitat map - current distribution (full pictures)
- China habitat map - historic distribution (full pictures)
- level 2 - all sound files Folder
- sound files linked to 'The giant panda' virtual session Folder
- A virtual session entitled 'The giant panda' is available. Discover the science and mysteries of the giant panda while exploring some basic Mandarin language. An interactive session where Sandie uses skulls and other models to demonstrate.
  Interactive online games linked to the Level 2 pack and virtual session:
  The giant panda's hand
  
  The giant panda's teeth
  
  Bamboo & the giant panda's distribution
  
  The giant panda and babies
Virtual session resources Level 2

*Virtual sessions now available
Beyond the Panda now has an 8 week progressive programme of virtual sessions for upper primary level which may also be of interest to lower secondary.
NOTE: Virtual sessions are still being delivered during lockdown with individual pupils linking in from home along with any who may still be in the classroom. Delivered safely through established educational platforms. For Scotland, partnered with eSgoil, to deliver via the Glow network. For other areas, partnered with SCILT/CISS, to deliver via Vscene. Please contact srobb@rzss.org.uk for booking and further details.
(At present there is only one virtual session for P1-P3 level - Please see Panda Folders Level 1 for details.)
Follow-on online and interactive resources for each session are listed below. Please also see the Panda Folders section with additional materials to download and print relating to 'The giant panda'. All materials, including the online interactive games, for China/Scotland can be found in the China/Scotland Pack section.
Please note that some of the materials are still in production and will be added to over the next couple of weeks.
- 1. The giant panda
- The giant panda's hand Interactive Content
- The giant panda's teeth Interactive Content
- The giant panda and babies Interactive Content
- Bamboo & the giant panda's distribution Interactive Content
- The giant panda sound files (linked to virtual session)
- 2. China/Scotland
  Please see China/Scotland Pack for all printable, online interactive resources and sound files linked to the China/Scotland virtual session.
- 3. Sorting animals
  Some materials are still in production for this session.
- Sorting animals in Chinese Interactive Content
- Sorting animals sound files Folder
- 4. Chinese Endangered Species Part 1 - animals & distribution
  Some materials are still in production for these sessions.
- Chinese endangered species Interactive Content
- 5. Chinese Endangered Species Part 2 - threats & solutions
- Threats and solutions Interactive Content
- Threats in Chinese characters game Interactive Content
- Threats sound files Folder
- 6. A panda history
  Some materials are still in production for this session.
- 7. Chinese Zodiac
  Some materials are still in production for this session.
- 8. Summary Quiz
  Some materials are still in production for this session.
Zoo Fun with Mandarin

Zoo Fun with Mandarin is our family and community course. Currently outreach sessions and sessions which were held at Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park are postponed. However there are still lots of fun resources. These resources are also suitable for schools to use.

Introduction to Mandarin

There are PowerPoint with sound files included and pdf versions with separate sound files in case you don't have PowerPoint or if you find the Chinese characters do not work properly on your system.
Additional Resources

The additional resources section has a number of resources which are useful for all age groups and they also cover a wide range of subjects.

Sichuan booklets
- Sichuan tea ceremony booklet File
- Sichuan tea ceremony photo gallery Page
- Sichuan face changing booklet File
- Ancient character game
  
  A fun matching game looking at ancient and modern simplified Chinese characters. There are four sets which are identical but with the different colours are provided should you wish to split the class into different groups.
- ancient characters game (red set) File
- ancient characters game (blue set) File
- ancient characters game (green set) File
- ancient characters game (yellow set) File
- Chinese building blocks & radicals
- character building blocks - notes File
- Chinese building blocks set 1 File
- Chinese building blocks set 2 File
- Dinosaur bingo game
- dinosaur bingo cards File
- dinosaur bingo calling cards File
- dinosaur bingo game translations File
- P4-P7 Endangered Species Game
- P4-P7 endangered species gameboard File
- animal distribution maps File
- P4-P7 endangered species - how to play & answers File
- P4-P7 endangered species sound files Folder
- China, its habitats and some animals that live in them Book
- China's animals and habitats online game - an interactive online game
- Giant panda fact file
  
  Collating together some of the facts which can be learnt through the panda packs and other resources on this website.
- The giant panda fact file Page
- Sandie's visit to Chengdu - photo gallery
- Chengdu Panda Research Centre Page
- More pandas Page
- Dujiangyan Panda Valley Page
- Sichuan Opera Page
- Sugar Painting Page
- RZSS has also partnered with StampIT to produce a Mandarin language game and a China language competition. Links take you to StampIT's website to download the files.