Social Studies Projects on Chinese Culture
Students in grades two, four, eight and high school may study China as part of their social studies curriculum in many states. Other elementary and middle school grade levels may also look at Chinese culture as it has affected U.S. history through immigration and trade. Teachers can use interactive projects to help students understand Chinese culture and its effects on the U.S. and the world.
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The Great Wall
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One of the "Seven Medieval Wonders of the World," the Great Wall of China consists of brick, stone and earthworks started in the fifth century B.C.E. as small areas of fortification to protect northern China from invaders. Middle and junior high school students can study how the Great Wall has affected Chinese culture in small groups and present the information to the rest of a class. Topics for small-group presentations include the Quin Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty, mapping the Great Wall, the invading tribes, construction of the Great Wall and life in the watchtowers.
The Forbidden City
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The construction of the Forbidden City began in 1406; it housed 24 Chinese emperors. A junior high social studies teacher might give eight groups of students three imperial eras to study. Other student study projects might report on the architecture of the city, including the city gates, the three main halls, the palaces and the Imperial Garden.
Each group of students might look at how their portion of the project affected Chinese culture between 1400 and 1911. For example, the student groups looking at the palaces in the inner court might report on how the imperial family lived or what it might have been like to be an empress or concubine. The groups working on the three mail halls might report on the culture of the court and the conducting of imperial business.
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Silk Road
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Historians believe the Chinese first began to produce silk in 3,000 B.C.E. At approximately 200 B.C.E., China was open to trading with the world, and Buddhism was on the rise. An elementary or middle school social studies teacher might divide students into groups to study how the silk trade affected Chinese culture and the culture of other civilizations, such as the Romans and Greeks. Groups of students might explore how Taoism, Buddhism and Islam have affected Chinese culture.
Hong Kong
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Hong Kong, once a British colony, returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Junior high or high school students might compare and contrast the culture of Hong Kong with that of mainland China. The students might explore the cultural impact of the Opium Wars, Confucianism, communism, capitalism, feng shui and British colonialism. Students might also explore how Hong Kong's culture has changed since it received its independence from Great Britain.
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References
Resources
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