VELS UNIT OVERVIEW Asia Education Foundation PROJECT OCTOBER 2010
INTEGRATED STUDIES: ‘ENGAGE IN ASIA’ STUDIES
Unit Title: CHINA
VELS Standard: Level 2
Disciplines: English, Mathematics, SOSE, The Arts
Interdisciplinary: Interpersonal Development, ICT
Essential Questions:
1. What are the countries of Asia?
2. What are the connections between the countries of Asia and everyday life in Australia? What impacts do they have on Australians? What would happen if we did not have these connections between Asia and Australia?
Understandings:
Students understand that peoples in Asia and Australia belong to cultural groups that have particular forms of cultural expression. They:
· Identify and gather information about the diverse customs and practices of people from Asia in their community
· Understand the rites and rituals associated with belief systems (ethical and moral beliefs) in Asia and compare these with their own or class members' practices eg special foods, clothing, gift giving, decorations, singing, dancing, ceremony.
· Appreciate that there are varied belief systems in the cultures of Asia and in Australia and that these may emphasise particular values (eg influence of older people and leaders on a way of life; the portrayal of male and female roles in stories).
Knowledge:
Students will use a Bloom’s Taxonomy grid of tasks to investigate many aspect of life in China and they:
· Learn the names of all Asian countries.
· Explore the geography, history and significant festivals and customs of China.
· Compare and relate different aspects of their lives with Chinese children of their own age.
· Understand how the values of respect and discipline play an integral part in Chinese society.
Skills:
Students explore how in Australia and in countries in Asia there may be different viewpoints, ways of living, languages and belief systems. They:
· Identify similarities and differences in the cultural expression of groups and communities in China and Australia.
· Explore how the peoples and cultures of China express their identity through clothes, language and cultural activities.
· Identify some symbols used by peoples and cultures of China to represent their shared values and discuss what these might reveal about their cultural identity eg flags, money, products, designs, flora, fauna..
· Recognise features of natural and built environments in China, using examples and make simple comparisons.
· Recognise how communities in China care for their environment including exploring concepts about threatened or endangered animals and over population.
· Describe the similarities and differences between as aspect of their own life in Australia and the same aspect life in a Chinese culture, eg schooling and food.
Duration:
This unit of work will take between 8 – 10 sessions depending on the length of the session.
LEVEL 2: A modified Bloom’s Taxonomy grid on China
Each student should undertake activities from each row and each column. Place all your work in your Project book.
Paste the ‘Introduction to China’ sheet in your book. Colour in China then read all about China.( Appendix 1) / Find pictures and recipes of popular Chinese food in magazines. Paste them in your book. / Write a report about the Great Wall of China and explain why it was built and why it is important even now. / Look at recent photos of China using Google images then answer –
How is Australia similar to China? / Create and record a TV advertisement for tourism in China. Present to the grade on the IWB (Interactive Whiteboard).
Research and record the highest and lowest daily temperatures for 5 different cities in China on one day. Write the information in the grid provided.
(Appendix 2) / Name the coins and notes that China uses.
Challenge: What is the current conversion rate of Chinese money into Australian dollars? / What do you think a Chinese student’s day would have in it? Write out a timeline for them. Tell us how it is different to yours. / Which Chinese cities have the most people? List 5 cities and their populations. / Survey 20 people & find out which Chinese icon they know best. Display as a graph. Write why you think some are more popular than others.
Locate and show where a recent natural disaster has happened in China. What effect did it have on the people of the region? / Draw a traditional costume for a person in China. You may wish to research minority groups and their special costumes for special days. / Paint a typical Chinese scene using water colour paints. / Design/draw an Asian dragon. / China ABC: Create a PowerPoint slide for one letter of the alphabet for our whole class’ slideshow on China.
(Appendix 6)
Name all the major sports played in China. / Teach the grade a game children play in China. / Read the instructions and create a Chinese Opera mask.
(Appendix 4) / Create a short play about a Chinese fable or legend.
Perform it to the grade. / Use a map of China to indicate the types of natural landscapes of the different regions.
Listen to a number of Chinese songs. Write how they are different to or the same as Australian music. / Make/ play an Asian instrument and demonstrate them to the grade. / Compose your own song to do with China.
Challenge: Are you brave enough to sing it for us?? / In a 3 minute speech to the class, tell us about someone you admire from China. / Be the teacher!!
Teach the class some Chinese words.
Work with someone to complete a diorama of a famous Chinese place. / Teach the class how to write something using brushes and water colour paints. / Create a kite using colors and animals associated with the Chinese zodiac. / Interview someone about life in an Asian country. The person you interview has to have been there. / Make a poster promoting China.
Compare schooling in Australia to the schooling in China.
(Appendix 3 sheet) / Explain the life cycle of an Asian animal. / Read the instructions and create a Spring Blossom scroll.
(Appendix 5) / Identify and describe why some animals in China are endangered. / ASSESSMENT GRID
As our last activity, fill in the grid with all the things that you have learned about China.
(Appendix 7)
Some of these activities may be completed during whole grade activity sessions; others may be undertaken with a partner or in small groups. Independent work will need to be monitored closely and assistance given to students when required.
Appendix 1: An Introduction to China.
Appendix 2:
DAILY TEMPERATURES IN CHINA
Using Google search, find out the daily temperatures of these five main cities in China. Fill in the grid below and present your grid to the grade during sharing time.
DATE OF THE TEMPERATURE READINGS ______
CITY / LOWEST TEMP / HIGHEST TEMP / DIFFERENCEBEIJING
SHANGHAI
HONG KONG
WUHAN
CHONGQING
Find these cities on a map of China and give 5 reasons why their temperatures may be so different.
5.
Appendix 3: Schooling in China
SCHOOLS IN CHINA
Look carefully at the pictures above. What can you see? Do you think that Chinese schools are very different from our schools? Write about things that may be the same or may be different.
THINGS THAT MAY BE THE SAME
·
MAY BE DIFFERENT
Appendix 4: Chinese Opera Mask – Instructions and hyperlinks to the templates
Chinese Opera Mask
Make and design your own paper Chinese opera mask in a few easy steps.
Materials Needed
§ Printable white card stock§ Crayons or paint
§ Scissors
§ Craft knife
§ Hole punch
§ Rubber bands
Steps
1. / Print-out either the blank mask template or the ready-to-colour mask template from our Chinese Opera Mask templates.2. / If you chose the blank mask template, draw designs to create a character for your mask. Click here for some samples of Chinese opera mask designs.
3. / Color or paint your mask.
4.
5. / Cut out the mask including the eyeholes.
You may cut a slit along the bottom of the nose to allow for some breathing room when you wear the mask.
Punch holes on opposite sides of the mask. These holes should be at the same level as your ears.
6. / Attach a rubber band on each hole and wear the mask.
Reference: Chinese Opera Masks at http://www.firstpalette.com/tool_box/printables/Chineseoperamask.pdf
Appendix 5: Chinese Spring Blossoms – Instructions and hyperlinks to the templates
Old Chinese Scrolls
Print out these Chinese scroll painting templates, colour them and learn how to make them look authentically ancient.
Materials Needed
Printable paper (A4 or Letter size)Coffee
Colored pencils
Paint brushes
Palette
Steps
1. / Choose either the Chinese temple or Spring Blossoms picture from these Printable Chinese Scroll templates.Print out your chosen template onto A4 or Letter size paper.
2. / Colour the picture with coloured pencils the gently crumple your picture into a ball.
3. / Carefully open up your picture. Run your hand over the picture to straighten out the paper.
4. / Measure out about a teaspoonful of coffee into a bowl or cup then add just enough tap water to dissolve the coffee. Stir the mixture thoroughly.
Test the colour intensity of your coffee mixture on any piece of white paper. If you think it's too dark, add a little bit of water until you achieve a light to medium shade of brown. Once you're satisfied with the colour, brush over the entire picture with the coffee mixture.
5. / When the picture dries, you'll have an authentic-looking ancient Chinese scroll painting.
**For added effect, the pictures could be pasted onto bamboo slats – cut the right sized backing from bamboo blinds.
Reference: The template can be found at Chinese Spring Blossoms
Appendix 6: An example of a PowerPoint slide that each student could create as part of a whole grade presentation on facts about China.
There are also other ABCs published on the internet with China as their theme. They include: Discovering China ABC
Appendix 7: Assessment Grid – What I now know about China.
Things I now know about China by ______
THE PEOPLE / FAMOUS PLACESFOOD / THE COUNTRY
Written by JAN CAPOMOLLA