Download From Dynasty - We are the world

Journals Through History
Ancient China: From Dynasty to Destiny
Teacher’s Guide
Grade Level: 3–5
Curriculum Focus: World History
Lesson Duration: 1–2 class periods
Program Description
Ancient China: From Dynasty to Destiny (15 min.)—Introduce students to ancient China through the
journals of Lin, a young girl who writes about her life and civilization. In this episode, students will
explore the building of the Great Wall of China and the political system of the time.
Discussion Questions
•
What do you know about ancient China?
•
What sets Shang bronze bowls apart from other bowls?
•
How did the Shang communicate with their ancestors?
•
What were some of Emperor Qin’s accomplishments?
Lesson Plan
Student Objectives
•
Research and describe Emperor Qin’s positive accomplishments for China
•
Research and describe Emperor Qin’s negative accomplishments for China.
•
Make an educated evaluation of Qin as a ruler.
Materials
•
Journals Through History: Ancient China: From Dynasty to Destiny
video
•
Chart paper
•
History texts, encyclopedias, or other nonfiction resources about Emperor Qin
•
Pencils and erasers
•
Writing paper
Journals Through History
Ancient China: From Dynasty to Destiny
Teacher’s Guide
•
2
Computer with Internet access (or print excerpts from Web sites listed in the Procedures prior
to the lesson)
Procedures
1. Ask your students to discuss the attributes they think a good ruler should have. Ask them: How
should a good ruler behave? What should a good ruler do for the country? Have the class watch
Journals Through History: Ancient China: From Dynasty to Destiny to introduce Emperor Qin and
his reign. Then talk about Qin: who he was, his accomplishments, how he helped Chinese
civilization, as well as the negative aspects of his rule. Ask students if they think he was a good
ruler and to explain their answers.
2. Tell the class that they will research Emperor Qin and then decide as a class if he was a good
ruler. Divide the students into groups of four to six and have each group research a different
aspect of Qin’s reign, such as the building of the Great Wall, his economic reforms and policies,
social policies and reforms, government and military reforms and accomplishments, and his
mausoleum and obsession with death. Explain that each group is responsible for coming up
with at least two positive accomplishments or reforms and two negative reforms and two
negative reforms.
3. Allow groups time to conduct research in class. In addition print resources, the following Web
sites provide good information. You might choose to print excerpts from these sites prior to the
lesson:
•
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/greatwall/Emperor.html
•
http://academickids.com/encyclopedia/q/qi/qin_shi_huangdi.html
•
http://www.illuminatedlantern.com/cinema/archives/qin_dynasty.php
•
http://chinatravelkey.com/xian/attractions/mausoleumofemperorqinshihuang/qinshihua
ngandconstructionofthemausoleum.htm
•
http://www.warriortours.com/cityguides/xian/mausoleum%5Fqinshihuang/
4. Once students have conducted their research and found examples, bring the class together to
create a list of Qin’s positive and negative accomplishments. Divide a piece of chart paper into
sections and title them with each of the areas above. Ask each group to present their findings to
the class and write them in the correct section on the list. Then ask volunteers to share
additional examples of Qin’s positive or negative accomplishments or policies featured in
Ancient China: From Dynasty to Destiny or found during research.
Use the list to discuss Qin’s reign. Ask students these questions:
•
Did Emperor Qin do more good than bad during his reign?
•
What are some positive reforms he made? What are some negative reforms?
•
What about the Great Wall made it a grand accomplishment? Do you think the price of an
accomplishment like that is worth it?
•
What are some good things Qin did for society as a whole?
Published by Discovery Education. © 2006. All rights reserved.
Journals Through History
Ancient China: From Dynasty to Destiny
Teacher’s Guide
•
How did he negatively affect China?
•
How would you describe his legacy?
3
5. Then take a vote on the class opinion of Qin as a ruler. Ask each student to write “good ruler”
or “bad ruler” on a paper ballot, including at least one supporting example. Collect the ballots
and tally up the vote. When the vote is complete, ask volunteers to share their responses. Why
did they vote the way that they did?
Assessment
Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students' work during this lesson.
•
3 points: Students easily and readily identified two or more clear examples of Emperor
Qin’s positive accomplishments from their research; used their research materials to easily
and readily identify two or more clear examples of negative aspects of Emperor Qin’s rule;
and provided a thoughtful, educated response about Qin as a ruler.
•
2 points: Students identified and described at least one general example of Emperor Qin’s
positive accomplishments from their research; used their research materials to identify at
least one general example of negative aspects of Emperor Qin’s rule; and provided a
somewhat thoughtful, educated response about Qin as a ruler.
•
1 point: Students identified no examples of Emperor Qin’s positive accomplishments from
their research; did not identify any examples of negative aspects of Emperor Qin’s rule; and
provided an incomplete or unintelligible response about Qin as a ruler.
Vocabulary
accomplishment
Definition: Something completed successfully; an achievement
Context: The Great Wall is one of the most impressive accomplishments of the Chinese people.
civilization
Definition: An advanced state of intellectual, cultural, and material development in human
society, marked by progress in the arts and sciences, the extensive use of record-keeping,
including writing, and the appearance of complex political and social institutions
Context: China is one of the oldest civilizations in the world.
dynasty
Definition: A succession of rulers from the same family or line.
Context: The Shang dynasty was one of the earliest ruling families in China.
emperor
Definition: The male ruler of an empire; king
Context: Some of China’s emperors have helped the country grow strong and powerful.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2006. All rights reserved.
Journals Through History
Ancient China: From Dynasty to Destiny
Teacher’s Guide
4
ruler
Definition: One, such as a monarch or dictator, that rules or governs
Context: Qin was a powerful ruler and he made sure the Great Wall was built quickly.
Academic Standards
The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)
NCSS has developed national guidelines for teaching social studies. To become a member of NCSS,
or to view the standards online, go to http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands/
This lesson plan addresses the following national standards:
•
Culture
•
Time, Continuity, and Change
•
People, Places, and Environments
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL)
McREL’s Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K–12 Education
addresses 14 content areas. To view the standards and benchmarks, visit
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/browse.asp
This lesson plan addresses the following national standards:
•
Historical Understanding: Understands the historical perspective
•
World History—Era 2: Early Civilizations and the Rise of Pastoral Peoples, 4000 to 1000
BCE: Understands how agrarian societies spread and new states emerged in the third and
second millennia BCE
•
World History—Era 3: Classical Traditions, Major Religions, and Giant Empires, 1000 BCE300 CE: Understands how major religions and large-scale empires arose in the
Mediterranean Basin, China, and India from 500 BCE to 300 CE
•
Geography—Places and Regions: Understands the physical and human characteristics of
place
•
Grades K–4 History—Topic 4: The History of Peoples of Many Cultures Around the World:
Understands selected attributes and historical developments of societies in Africa, the
Americas, Asia, and Europe
Published by Discovery Education. © 2006. All rights reserved.
Journals Through History
Ancient China: From Dynasty to Destiny
Teacher’s Guide
5
DVD Content
This program is available in an interactive DVD format. The following information and activities are
specific to the DVD version.
How To Use the DVD
The DVD starting screen has the following options:
Play Video—This plays the video from start to finish. There are no programmed stops, except by
using a remote control. With a computer, depending on the particular software player, a pause
button is included with the other video controls.
Video Index—Here the video is divided into sections indicated by video thumbnail icons; brief
descriptions are noted for each one. Watching all parts in sequence is similar to watching the video
from start to finish. To play a particular segment, press Enter on the remote for TV playback; on a
computer, click once to highlight a thumbnail and read the accompanying text description and click
again to start the video.
Standards Link—Selecting this option displays a single screen that lists the national academic
standards the video addresses.
Teacher Resources—This screen gives the technical support number and Web site address.
Video Index
I. The Beginning (2 min.)
Chinese civilization began with clusters of small villages. See how ruling dynasties came to be
in ancient China.
Pre-viewing question
Q: How does your family or community celebrate the New Year?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: What is a dynasty?
A: The succession of rulers from the same family is called a dynasty. Early Chinese villages
grouped into kingdoms, which were ruled by powerful families for many generations. The
families passed control of the land down from father to son or nephew for hundreds of years,
establishing dynasties.
II. Shang Bronze (2 min.)
Examine bronze pieces crafted during the Shang era and learn why Shang craftsmen were
proud of them.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2006. All rights reserved.
Journals Through History
Ancient China: From Dynasty to Destiny
Teacher’s Guide
6
Pre-viewing question
Q: How are ancestors honored in your family or culture?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: Why did the Shang make bronze bowls and bells?
A: The Shang kings wanted to give special offerings to their ancestors, so they created bronze
vessels. The kings thought their bronzes were more valuable than gold. Therefore, Shang
craftsmen were very creative with their designs, and later they made bronze bells that produced
offerings of beautiful music to entertain their ancestors.
III. Shang Writing (1 min.)
The Shang oracle bones are the first known examples of Chinese writing. Learn how the Shang
used them to communicate with ancestors.
Pre-viewing question
Q: Who do you go to for advice?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: What are oracle bones and how were they used?
A: The Shang kings used the bones to ask their ancestors for advice. The king’s advisors would
scratch a question for his ancestors on a large tortoise bone, which was heated until it cracked.
The cracks gave the ancestors’ answers. These bones are the earliest known form of Chinese
writing.
IV. The “First Magnificent Emperor” (2 min.)
Emperor Qin united the people of China and created a peaceful, advanced civilization, but he
had a dark side, too.
Pre-viewing question
Q: What are the qualities of a good leader?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: How did Emperor Qin benefit China?
A: Emperor Qin brought about peace and unified the country. He established standard forms of
money and writing, as well as a uniform cart size that could travel the same roads.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2006. All rights reserved.
Journals Through History
Ancient China: From Dynasty to Destiny
Teacher’s Guide
7
V. The Great Wall (2 min.)
Discover how Emperor Qin got the 4,000-mile Great Wall completed quickly and efficiently.
Pre-viewing question
Q: What important monuments or structures do you know about?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: How did Emperor Qin complete the Great Wall efficiently?
A: Qin was a powerful ruler: He forced thousands of men to leave their families and travel
hundreds of miles to work on the wall, ensuring that there was plenty of labor to get it done
quickly.
VI. The Tale of Meng (3 min.)
Hear the tale of Meng, a beautiful woman who lost her husband to the work of the Great Wall
and then tricked the emperor into staging a funeral for him.
Pre-viewing question
Q: What stories have been passed down to you?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: How did Meng trick Emperor Qin?
A: Meng agreed to marry the emperor if he would give her husband a funeral fit for a prince.
Once the funeral took place Meng announced she would not marry Qin after all, because her
heart still belonged to her late husband.
VII. Peace and Prosperity (2 min.)
Learn about the system of meritocracy and how it made sure that only the most capable and
hard-working male citizens would run the Chinese government.
Pre-viewing question
Q: Do you think boys and girls are treated differently at your school?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question
Q: What is a meritocracy?
A: A meritocracy is a system of finding the best people for the job. Later Chinese rulers
developed this system so that the most capable rulers would run the country instead of the next
in line in a family dynasty.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2006. All rights reserved.
Journals Through History
Ancient China: From Dynasty to Destiny
Teacher’s Guide
Published by Discovery Education. © 2006. All rights reserved.
8