In this Mandarin Chinese lesson, students learn about the verb “to be” (是, shì) and its usage in sentences. The instructor demonstrates writing the character, emphasizing following the correct stroke order, and provides examples like “我是马耳他人” (wǒ shì Mǎ’ěrtā rén), meaning “I am Maltese.” The lesson highlights that unlike English, the verb “to be” does not change with the subject in Mandarin.