China
China Activities
1. Digging for the Truth: The Tomb - an introduction to China that simulates an exploration of Shi Huang Di's incredible tomb.
2. China Walkthru - Simple introductory worksheet based on the graphics in Holt's Medieval to Early Modern Times.
3. Chinese Inventions Lab - Inquiry-based lab where students in collaborative groups examine pictures of Chinese inventions to try to determine what they were and how they functioned.
4. China Culture Shock - Experiential mini-activities including Tai Chi and playing with tangrams.
5. HA: The 10 Abominations - A comparative reading of a set of rules that guided China to the Hebrew 10 Commandments.
6. Quest for Knowledge: China - Reading-based worksheet modeled around the mostly defunct CST. Still somewhat useful for teaching critical reading skills.
7. Genghis Kahn Video - One of the few videos I show during the year. I sadly don't have time to go deep into the Mongols so a video here seemed appropriate. This one is information and engaging.
8. Law & Order: Cathay (Marco Polo Investigation) Lab - History Mystery lab examining whether Marco Polo ever truly visited China.
9. Heaven's Report Cards - Collaborative analysis activity where students examine fact sheets about Chinese dynasties and give them grades in various subjects.
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Media guide
1. Intro and Geography
This section is roughly the first 20 slides. I often cut it to about 15 by skipping the Everest stuff so I can introduce the next section which takes quite a long time.
Lab/Assignment: China Walkthru
2. 3 Philosophies
Uses clips from The Simpsons and Winnie the Pooh to attempt to explain the 3 major religious philosophies (Buddhism, Toaism and Confucianism) of China. It is far less in-depth than I've done in past years but I feel the depth is better spent elsewhere.
Lab/Assignment: Culture Shock China
3. Chinese Contributions
Topics here range from Tangrams to toilet paper and everything in between with the focus on the major inventions of the Tang and Song period like gun powder.
Lab/Assignment: Chinese Invention Stations
Answers are: 1. seismograph 2. playing cards 3. gun 4. repeating crossbow 5. clock 6. paper money 7. land mines 8. flamethrower 9. yangqin
4. Government
Very brief lecture on Chinese dynasties hitting only the major highlights (Q'in, Han, Tang and Song). Students are simply expected to understand that China has had many different ruling dynasties not so much what each did.
Lab/Assignment: I show the Genghis Kahn video from above since the Yuan dynasty is mentioned here as well. That's about all the time I have for the Mongols. Here's some questions to go along with it.