East & Southeast Asia

Using Historic Film to Teach about China
Carolyn Platt, Program Consultant, Primary Source and Jennifer Hanson, Librarian, Primary Source

This lesson plan brings moving images into the classroom through a National Endowment for the Humanities grant with Northeast Historic Film. Based on the film clip, "Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing" from the Charles Gilbert Collection, this lesson introduces upper elementary students to different modes of transportation in early 20th Century China as seen through American eyes.

The Chinese Dragon: A Powerful Metaphor in Chinese Cultural History
A Curriculum Unit Developed to Support the Grade 4 Gifted and Talented Program
by Judy Botsford, Retired Librarian, Runkle School, Brookline, Massachusetts

This web unit includes several lessons, classroom activities, a slide show, as well as web and bibliographic links. It uses the motif of the dragon in Chinese folklore to discuss aspects of Chinese literature, mythology and political history. This unit was designed by a librarian to be used by classroom teachers in cooperation with library-media specialists.

Inventions and Technology of the Ancient Chinese
by Kathy Simpson, Carlisle, Massachusetts

This unit contains 3 lessons for students to creatively engage with the ancient Chinese inventions of the compass, wheelbarrow and kite. There is a rubric for assessment. It also suggests other topics such as the decimal system, seismograph, lacquer ware, rockets, and silk. It recommends an Invention Fair as a culminating activity.

China: One of the World’s Greatest Civilizations
by Jessica Germain, Sandra Lovett, and Lara SanGiovanni, Silver Lake Regional Schools, Pembroke, Massachusetts

The authors of this unit define the characteristics of "civilization" and present Chinese culture and history in light of these characteristics. The original eight-week unit is available in the Primary Source library; four lessons are presented here: an introduction to the elements of civilization, Chinese dynasties, Chinese philosophy and the importance of silk to China's economic history.

The Rise of State Level Society in Ancient China for grades 4-7
by Ellen Marshall, Boston Public Schools, Boston, Massachusetts

This unit presents the earliest history of China, from the Neolithic period to the Shang dynasty, in order to introduce students to the development of "state level" (i.e. "civilized") societies.

• Two lesson plans and three student activities are presented here on-line; the full unit is available in the Primary Source library.
• Target grades: This unit of study was designed for students in grades four through seven. In several of the lessons, separate activities are provided for grades 4/5 from grades 6/7.
• Topics: geography, archeology, mythology, oracle bones, Chinese writing

The Chinese Family in the Twentieth Century
by Cara Abraham, Brookfield High School, Brookfield, Connecticut

This unit of social history examines Traditional Chinese Family Values, Revolutionary Chinese Family Values (1950-1980) and Modern Chinese Family Values (1980-present).

• Length: The entire unit can fill seven weeks (35 days) if every activity is completed, but teachers can easily omit or add activities.
• Target grades: 11th /12th (many activities appropriate for 9th/10th grades)
• Teaching activities utilize Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences theory (linguistic, logical, spatial, kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal).
• Topics: Confucianism, Cultural Revolution, Tian'anmen Square Demonstrations, one-child policy, economic reforms

Contemporary Chinese Peasant Painting for grades 1-12
by Renee Covalucci, former program associate, Primary Source, Watertown, Massachusetts

This form of painting became popular during the Cultural Revolution in China (1966-1976). Images depicting people's every day lives became a natural focus under the regime of Chairman Mao. Artists in places like Hu County in Shaanxi Province (near Xi'an), where these painting were made, were discovered and became popular. This particular series of Peasant Paintings, by a mature, female artist named Dong, were done in a studio production method.

The peasant paintings depict festivals and daily routines: preparing food, doing laundry, traditional parades (lanterns, dragons), animals and fish. Some tell stories with symbolism. This curriculum resource will provide potential lesson topics and areas of discovery and a set of images for teachers of art, Chinese culture & history at elementary, middle and high school levels. The paintings may serve as supplementary visuals for K-8 teachers of science, and geography.