Empires of Asia

[Lizbeth Vazquez-Ruiz]

 

Unit Rationale: 

In this unit students will be learning about the empires of Asia. They will be analyzing the timeline of  events regarding Asia civilizations in China, Japan, Korea, India, and in Southeast Asia. Prior to this unit students learned about the Roman, Byzantine and Islamic civilizations. This unit will continue to build on students' foundations on early civilizations and on how they were established. It is important for students to know the contributions of ancient civilizations.  

 

Day1: 

Objective: Students will explain how the Sioux Dynasty reunited China and helped it flourish.

Essential Question:  What legacy did China leave to the modern world? 

Standard: HSS content standard 7. 3. 1 describe the reunification of China under the Tang Dynasty 

Main idea: The short-lived Sui Dynasty reunified China  after centuries of Civil War

 

1. Students will read a passage on the reunification under the Sui Dynasty. As students read they will be making connections. They will be asked on how America would be different if it was split into two nations instead of one. After the fall of the Han Dynasty, China broke into two separate parts due to fighting and corruption. Students will be reading about how China was reunited by the Sui Dynasty. 

2. Discussion: In what ways did Wendi try to strengthen the new government? How did the new Grand kennel both help and hurt China? 

3. Students will be given maps of the Sui and Tang dynasties  to analyze. Question:  About how much bigger was the Tang Dynasty than the sui Dynasty? What two rivers did the Grand Canal connect? Students will observe the position of the Great Wall relative to the land controlled by the Sui dynasty

4.  Activity: The class will be divided into 4 teams:  the teams are Grand Canal, Suez canal, Panama Canal and Erie Canal.  Each team will find the length of their Canal, its geographic location and the bodies of water that it connects. Students will create a poster to present their findings. Once all teams are finished with their posters they will work together to organize the Canal from shortest to longest. Afterwards students will participate in a gallery walk where they will walk around and read the details of the difference canals. they will be given post-it notes to leave comments or questions for each team. 

 

Day 2:

Objectives: Students will identify ways in which China grew and prospered under the Tang and Song dynasties.

 Essential questions: What legacy did China leave to the modern world? During this era the Chinese created great art and literature. Students will learn how China flourished under the Tang and Song Dynasty. 

Standards: HSS content standards  7. 3. 2 describe the cultural, technology ago, and the commercial developments during the Tang and Song.

Main idea:Under the Tang and Song Dynasty, China grew and prospered

1. Students will brainstorm about creativity. They will brainstorm all the ways in which people are creative, we will list their answers on the board. They will be given a passage to read about the Tang and Song dynasties. As they read they will highlight interesting details about China's most creative period. 

2. Discussion: what creative products and ideas came out of the Tang and Song Dynasty? What accomplishments caused this.

3. Students will create a t-chart with one side label Tang Dynasty and the other Song Dynasty. They will write three to five details about each Dynasty. Afterwards they will work with a partner and compare their charts. 

4.  Activity: Students will choose a historical figure mentioned in the passage and write a short biography which will include their birth year and location, major contributions and interesting facts. Their biography will also include  3 primary or secondary sources. Students will choose to conduct their biography from one of the following historical figures: Taizong, Empress Wu,  Wendi, Tangdi, Siddhartha, Guatama or Confucius. 

 

Day 3: 

Objective: Identify how Chinese inventions have shaped our world 

Essential question: what Legacy did China leave to the modern world 

Standard: HSS content standards 7.3.2 describe agricultural, technological  and commercial developments during the Tang and Song. 

1. Students will be asked to share what items they believe were made in China. As well as what eventions they believe originated from China

2.  Students will learn about four main inventions from China. they will learn about moveable type, porcelain, the compass and gunpowder. 

3. Activity: Students will participate in different centers,  each center will focus on one invention and provide a brief history, its effects  and pictures of a particular invention. 

4. Students will be given a  chart where they will write the name of the invention it's date and effects. This chart will help students evaluate the positive and negative effects of each invention and decide which invention they think had the greatest impact on society 

5. End of the lesson students will pick one invention and share their findings with their group. 

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