Title: Where My Stuff Comes From.

World History – 9th grade

By: Caleb Clark

Standards: W. 76 Analyze Asia’s postwar economic rise, including Japan’s adaptation of western technology and industrial growth, China’s economic modernization under Deng Xiaoping, and India’s economic growth through market-oriented reforms as well as the economic growth of Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan.

Estimated Time Required: Two 45 minute portions of class with possible extensions

Lesson Objectives: Students will gain an understanding of the concepts of globalization, cultural diffusion, and time-space compression. Students will also familiarize themselves with the economic connectedness between East Asia and themselves as consumers. This lesson is designed to be an introduction into the economic activities and physical geography of East Asia, especially including China, Japan, and Korea. This lesson will serve to increase student’s interest in the region.

Opening Activity: (10 minutes)

Ask students to have them raise their hands if they have the following things in their homes: Toyota automobiles, Sony Playstation, Nintendo, Samsung Electronics, LG products, Hitachi Electronics, Toshiba Electronics, Laptops, etc. Then reveal to them that all of these products are things that come from East Asian companies.

Instruct: (30 minutes on day 1)

Through direct instruction teach the students about the concepts of globalization, cultural diffusion, and time-space compression. Globalization for the purposes of this lesson being explained as the notion that the world is becoming ever more interdependent and interconnected. Cultural diffusion can be explained as aspects of one culture being picked up by other parts of the world or aspects of culture spreading from the place it originated. Time-space compression can be explained as the idea that it takes less time for things to travel across great distance, thus time and space are compressed. For example, it took Columbus 37 days to cross the Atlantic and now it can be crossed by plane in a matter of hours. Once you have instructed students on these concepts distribute the Project of Where My Stuff Comes From, and provide time for questions. The first part of the project is to ask students to complete a list of things from their house from places around the world, especially looking for things that come from East Asia. The second is to have them research one or two of these companies and create a presentation on their findings.

Instruct: (45 minutes on day 2)

Have the students at the beginning of class share their list of products with other students. Then using a computer lab or library, have students conduct some basic research on the companies they identified. Have them create a visual to explain the ways globalization has impacted their lives through the companies they have researched.

Evaluation: You may grade the students presentations for accuracy on globalization, cultural-diffusion, and description of time-space compression. For an extension you could have the students research one company in particular to present ways that company represents aspects of globalization, cultural-diffusion, and time-space compression.

Student Handouts:

The Where My Stuff Comes From Project

You need to compile a list of AT LEAST fifty (30) items for which you've found the "Made in..." label. You should find many items in several categories (but are not limited to these) such as:

  • Clothes – almost everything has a “made in…” tag .
  • food (both perishables and non-perishable)
  • electronics (stuff that you either plug into the wall or that requires batteries)
  • durables (stuff that lasts years like furniture and knick-knacks)
  • non-durables (stuff that doesn't last and is either totally throwaway or is disposable, like soap, cleaning supplies, or staples).

The point is to discover trends in where certain types of stuff is made. Don't eliminate stuff just because it doesn't fit a trend you'd like to show, however, the bigger your list the better, and the more significant the trends will become.

Project Requirements –

Part I - A list of at least 30 items. It must be categorized by type of products. You must also include the city, country, region and/or realm of origin listed (at a minimum: city for USA stuff, country for the rest). I.E. Electronics – Cell phone , China

  1. How is globalization responsible for your list?
  1. What do scale, and time-space compression have in common? How do they relate to your products?
  1. Diffusion: What types of diffusion relate to the list of your products?

Part II

  • Create a visual representing globalization and some of the products you mentioned.
  • This can be a PowerPoint, Poster, Prezi, etc.
  • Your visual should clearly explain globalization, cultural diffusion, and provide several examples.

DUE NEXT CLASS PERIOD

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