Image of ancient Terracotta warrior statues
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Time Machine,

Journey to Ancient China

Dancing dragons. Underground armies. The Great Wall. Turn the page to discover what China was like thousands of years ago!

By Catherine Schmitt
From the December 2024/January 2025 Issue
Lexiles: 600-700L; Easier level
Featured Skill: Knowledge Building,

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1. Rise and Shine

1. Rise and Shine

You roll out of bed and squeeze into your family’s tiny kitchen. Your mom hands you a bowl of piping hot tea soup for breakfast. Most days you work in the fields to help your family. Only wealthy boys go to school. But today is different. It’s Lunar New Year, China’s celebration of the new year! Your mom is making a feast. Your job? You must find a fish for dinner! Eating fish is said to bring luck in the new year. So are the red lanterns hanging from your front door. You duck under them carefully. Off to the market you go!  

You get out of bed and walk into your family’s tiny kitchen. Your mom hands you a bowl of very hot tea soup for breakfast. Most days you work in the fields to help your family. Only rich boys go to school. But today is different. It’s Lunar New Year! That is China’s celebration of the new year. Your mom is making a big dinner. Your job? You must find a fish for dinner! Eating fish is said to bring luck in the new year. So are the red lanterns hanging from your front door. You walk under them carefully. Off to the market you go!  

This is what the terra-cotta army looks like today.

2. An Underground Army 

2. An Underground Army 

On your way to town, you spot what looks like an underground tunnel. You run to the edge and . . . aah! You fall inside! Thump. You land in a pile of sand. As you rub the dust from your eyes, you find yourself face-to-face with a giant soldier. You step back and see that he’s part of a full army!

You are on your way to town. You see something that looks like an underground tunnel. You run to the edge and . . . aah! You fall inside! Thump. You land in a pile of sand. As you rub the dust from your eyes, you find yourself face-to-face with a giant soldier. You step back and realize: He’s part of a full army! 

3. Life-Sized Statues 

3. Life-Sized Statues 

But then you realize: This isn’t a real army. The soldiers are life-sized statues made out of baked clay called terra-cotta. The soldiers are in the tomb of the first emperor, or ruler, of China. He believed this army would protect him in his next life. There are more than 8,000 soldiers in the tomb. Time to get out of here!  

But then you realize that this isn’t a real army. The soldiers are life-sized statues! They are made out of baked clay called terra-cotta. The soldiers are in the tomb of the first emperor, or ruler, of China. He believed this army would protect him in his next life. There are more than 8,000 soldiers in the tomb. Time to get out of here! 

Today millions of people visit the wall every year.

4. That Wall Is Great

4. That Wall Is Great

You crawl out of the tomb and see the Great Wall of China. It was built to protect China from attacks. Fierce soldiers stand guard in watchtowers and at the entrances. You sneak past a guard and climb the steps to gaze at the view. The wall stretches for thousands of miles over mountains and through deserts, rivers, and forests. Suddenly, one of the soldiers turns. “You there!” he shouts. RUN! 

You crawl out of the tomb and see the Great Wall of China. It was built to protect China from attacks. Fierce soldiers protect the wall in watchtowers and at the entrances. You sneak past a guard and climb the steps to see the view. The wall is thousands of miles long. It goes through mountains, deserts, rivers, and forests. Then one of the soldiers turns. “You there!” he yells. RUN!

5. Luck and Happiness

5. Luck and Happiness

As you climb down . . . BOOM! BOOM! Fireworks fill the air! These are a popular Chinese invention. They’re used to celebrate weddings, birthdays, and holidays, like Lunar New Year. You smile as red and orange explosions fill the sky. Red is a symbol of luck and happiness in China.    

You climb down the wall. BOOM! BOOM! Fireworks fill the air! These are a popular Chinese invention. They’re used to celebrate weddings, birthdays, and Lunar New Year. You smile at the red and orange explosions in the sky. Red is a symbol of luck and happiness in China.

6. Into the Market

6. Into the Market

Finally, you reach the hustle and bustle of the market. Rows of nuts, spices, and meats—like camel and bear paw!—line the streets. You see the time change on a mechanical clock—another amazing Chinese invention. At last, you spot the perfect fish for dinner. You pay the merchant with money made of yet another Chinese invention: paper!  

Finally, you get to the busy market. There are rows of nuts and spices in the streets, and special meats like camel and bear paw. The time changes on a mechanical clock. This is another amazing invention from China. At last, you see a perfect fish for dinner. You pay the worker with money made of paper. Paper is another Chinese invention!

7. Dancing With Dragons

7. Dancing With Dragons

Look out! You’ve walked into a dragon dance! During Lunar New Year, dancers carry a long dragon puppet. It brings good luck for the rest of the year. This year is extra lucky. Why? Each year on the Chinese calendar is named for one of 12 animals. This is the year of the dragon. You watch in wonder until you realize—it’s dinnertime! 

Look out! You’ve walked into a dragon dance! Dancers carry a long dragon puppet during Lunar New Year. It brings good luck for the rest of the year. This year is extra lucky. Why? Each year on the Chinese calendar is named for one of 12 animals. This is the year of the dragon. You watch in wonder. Then you realize it’s dinnertime! 

8. Happy New Year!

8. Happy New Year!

You burst through the door of your cozy hut. You’ve made it just in time. Phew! As you help your mom fry the fish, your family sings a song to welcome in Lunar New Year. Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy New Year! 

You rush through the door of your cozy hut. You’ve made it just in time. Phew! You help your mom fry the fish and your family sings a song to welcome in Lunar New Year. Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy New Year! 

THINK AND WRITE

Would you want to spend a day in ancient China? Using details from the story, write a paragraph explaining why or why not.

THINK AND WRITE

Would you want to spend a day in ancient China? Using details from the story, write a paragraph explaining why or why not.

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Can't Miss Teaching Extras

Don’t leave your time machine just yet! Journey back in time to other ancient civilizations in “Welcome to Ancient Egypt,” “Visit a Viking Village,” and “Journey to the First Olympics.”

Ancient China is the birthplace of many incredible inventions—from the mechanical clock and paper to fireworks! Learn about some incredible inventions in American history along with inventions futurists predict will be made in this issue’s Paired Texts: “Predictions From the Past/Welcome to 2124.”

Did your students love imagining themselves at a Lunar New Year celebration surrounded by dragon dancers? Learn more about dragons in this issue’s Big Read, “Chasing Dragons.” Then enjoy our silly poem “The Dragons Are Dozing,” complete with a Figurative Language skill builder.

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
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Table of Contents

1. Preparing to Read

2. Close Reading

3. SEL Focus

4. Skill Building and Writing

5. Differentiate and Customize

Struggling Readers, Multilingual Learners, Advanced Readers, Creative Writing

1. Preparing to Read

Set a Purpose for Reading

  • Ask students to predict what this article will be about based on the headline, subhead, and image on page 21. Review the predictions after reading.
  • To provide your students with helpful background information on a holiday mentioned in the article, play the video “Happy Lunar New Year!”

Preview Text Features and Vocabulary

  • Before reading, point out the terms piping hot (extremely hot), lanterns (lamps that are often hung from a ceiling or wall), tomb (a room or building where a dead body is kept), bustle (noisy or busy activity), and merchant (a person who sells goods) and review their definitions. Go over any other vocabulary terms that may be challenging for your students.
  • Point out the illustrations on pages 21-23. Ask students to call out any details they notice about any of the images.

2. Close Reading

  • Read the article as a class or have students follow along as they listen to the audio Read-Aloud.
  • Project or assign the Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions.
  • You may challenge students to either underline or highlight any details that are specific (or unique) to the particular time or place visited in the Time Machine.

Close-Reading Questions

  • Read section 1, “Rise and Shine.” What day is it? What is your job and why? Today is Lunar New Year, China’s celebration of the new year. It’s your job to buy fish for the feast because fish is said to bring good luck in the new year. (setting, key details)
  • Read section 3, “Life-Sized Statues.” Why did the first emperor of China want statues of soldiers in his tomb? The first emperor of China wanted an army of soldier statues in his tomb because he believed they would protect him in his next life. (cause and effect)
  • Look at the pictures of the terra-cotta soldiers on pages 22-23. How do these pictures help you see how the statues have changed over time? The pictures on pages 22-23 show that the statues were once painted with very colorful paint and details. Today the soldiers look much different. They aren’t as detailed or colorful. This helps show how much time has passed since they were first made. (text features, compare and contrast)
  • Read section 4, “That Wall Is Great.” How does the picture of the Great Wall of China help support the information in this section? The picture shows a long stretch of the Great Wall of China. You can see how it stretches for miles over mountains, which is a detail in the section. The section also mentions how soldiers stand in watchtowers, which are shown in the picture. (text features, key details)
  • What are examples of popular inventions from ancient China? Examples of popular inventions from ancient China include fireworks, a mechanical clock, and paper. (key details)
  • What are three things that people in ancient China believed could bring good luck? People in ancient China believed that you could bring good luck by eating fish during Lunar New Year, seeing the color red in lanterns or fireworks, and dancing with a long dragon puppet in a dragon dance. (synthesizing)

 

Critical-Thinking Question

  • Would you want to visit ancient China? Use details from the article to support your answer. Answers will vary. Sample responses: Yes, because it would be very exciting. I would get to see the Great Wall of China, dragon dances, and a bustling market full of interesting items. No, because it could be dangerous. You might run into a soldier or fall into a giant tomb. (supporting an opinion)

3. Skill Building and Writing

Featured Skill: Knowledge Building

  • Discuss the writing assignment in the Think and Write box on page 23. Our online skill builder will show students how to complete the paragraph.
  • Distribute our Where Should We Go Next? Skill Builder and have students complete it in class or for homework.

Text-to-Speech