Song dynasty: growth and change

7th Grade Social Studies, Bellevue Middle Prep, Nashville, TN

Julia Wenzel-Huguley

Tennessee State Standards

China, 400 A.D/C.E-1500s: Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, social, and religious structures of the civilizations.

7.22: Summarize the significance of the rapid agricultural, commercial, and technological development during the Song Dynasties.

lesson details

Amount of Class Periods: 2

Estimated Time Per Lesson: 60 Minutes

The estimated time for each part of the lesson is included throughout the plan. This will help if the lesson needs to be divided in a way that makes the most sense for your classroom needs.

Objective(s) / goal(s) / essential question(s)

Objectives

The student will be able to:

-Identify the agricultural, commercial, and technological development in China during the Song Dynasties

-Summarize the findings

Goals / I Can Statement

I can summarize the significance of the rapid agricultural, commercial, and technological development during the Song Dynasty.

Essential Question

How did the development of agricultural production, commercialism, and technology have an effect an on the Song Dynasty?

Procedure

Day 1 Agenda

  1. Warm-Up: Introduction Video (Approx. 10 minutes to watch and discuss)

Discovering China: The Song Dynasty

This video provides an overview of the Song Dynasty in 6:20. Students can be encouraged to take notes during the video, or they can watch to gather information. You may also want to use video questions to guide their watching. The questions are available in the Student Handouts/Web Links Section.

  1. Collect information & Organize in Chart (Approx. 30 minutes)

Students will use web information to collect information to fill in their chart. Students can be assigned which website to use based on their ability level and readiness. Students can share computers if needed or work on their own.

Advanced/On-Level Students: The Song Dynasty in China (

Below Level Students: Ancient China: The Song Dynasty (

  1. Share Information & Create a Partner Chart (15 minutes)

Choose partners for students (or allow them to choose their own) and have them compare their findings and discuss the significance of each development. Once they have discussed their information, create a chart on chart paper or create a chart on the board that each group can add to. Give students an opportunity to add to their notes if they have missing information.

  1. Cool-Down: Exit Ticket (5 minutes)

3-2-1: Students will write down 3 facts they learned today, 2 “hashtags” that summarize what they learned, and 1 question they have for tomorrow OR 1 question they would write for a quiz.

Day 2 Agenda

  1. Warm-Up: Questions from Exit Ticket (Day 1) (10 minutes)

Address questions written by the students. You may want to project the questions and go through them 1-by-1, they may be addressed throughout the upcoming lesson, or you may want to give the students a “check-in” (formative) assessment.

  1. Review Partner Charts (10-15 minutes)

Discuss the information in each box as a whole class or give students an opportunity to review their notes with their partner/small group from Day 1. If reviewing as a class, teacher may want to add in additional information that students may have missed.

  1. Summary/Overview- Independent Task (20-25 minutes)

Student Directions:Choose one of the areas to focus on (agriculture, commercialism, technology) and write a 5-8 sentence paragraph that summarizes the significance of the development. Be sure to underline key nouns in your writing. Include an illustration that has a title.

Students that do not finish the task during class should finish at home and submit the following day.

  1. Cool-Down: Display Student Work / Gallery Walk (5-10 minutes)

As students complete their summaries and illustrations, hang the work around the room. You may want to group the work based on the category they chose OR you may want to mix up the categories.

Evaluation / assessment

The assessment for this lesson is the summary and illustration that the student has written. The criteria for assessment will vary depending on your school’s grading system, but the main areas of focus include:

-Use of key terms

-Identification of development

-Inclusion of the significance to the growth of the Song Dynasty

The assessment may also be in the form of a PowerPoint or other digital visual display, poster, or oral presentation.

Student handouts / web links

Day 1

Discovering China: The Song Dynasty

  1. When did the Song Dynasty start?
  2. True/False: The Song Dynasty was a stronger military power than the Tang Dynasty.
  3. What is 1 of the important inventions of the Song Dynasty?
  4. How did paintings change over time?
  5. When did the Song Dynasty come to an end?

The Song Dynasty in China (

Ancient China: The Song Dynasty (

Agriculture / Commercialism / Technology
Development
Significance

EXIT TICKET

3 Facts

2 Hashtags to Summarize What You Learned

1 Question That You Have OR You Would Write For a Quiz

Resources

Website Links

1