math/science/environmental studies -- asian case studies

[clay dube]

Let's use this corner of the forum to share resources and ideas on bringing Asia into math, science, and environmental studies courses.

-- Please identify your posts with distinctive subject lines.

[clay dube]

The PBS website includes a couple of useful suggestions on bringing Asia into math classrooms.

Magic Squares and Stars
The author of the lesson says Chinese tradition credits the legenday Emperor Yu (one of the sage rulers that Confucians always herald) with the invention of the magic square. Originating in China 4,000 years ago, the magic square was part of the Islamic world by the 9th century and was in India by the 11th and 12th centuries.

PBS magic square lesson

The Abacus
This lesson sets up a competition between calculators and abacuses.

PBS abacus lesson

[clay dube]

This lesson has students view a PBS documentary and utilize web resources to learn about Hinduism, the place of the elephant in the faith (including Ganesha), and the place of the elephant in its ecosystem. Attention is focused on the impact of human activities, including tourism on elephants.

PBS -- elephants and Hinduism unit

Math and science teachers -- how about reviewing these units and commenting on their usefulness?

[clay dube]

National Geographic's online student atlas includes a rich section devoted to food and agriculture in Asia. It includes a map that students can click on to get stories about food and food production in several Asian locations.

This resouce could be utilized in courses where food supply is being discussed, where the carrying capacity of the land is being explored, and where population growth is a topic under study.

It would be great if a couple of teachers specializing in social studies and sciences could review the site.

National Geographic -- food and agriculture in Asia

[Anonymous]

Most of us purchase material goods and never think twice about where they were made. In fact, most of us (including me) are satisfied to get a "good" deal. Unfortunately, however, rapid economic boom in China is causing disasterous environmental problems. Whether they live in cities or the rural countryside, the health of China's 1.2 billion people is threatened by overpopulation, rapid industrialization, and overuse of natural resources. In fact, most factories built before the 1980s have no pollution control equipment and are fueled by coal, a major contaminant. It's easy for us to point our finger and say "FIX IT," but nobody wants to pay higher prices for a clearner environment half a world away. Since we live in one world with limited resources, it's our problem too. Please log on to

http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1994/102-2/focus.html

to read more about Environmental Problems Behind the Great Wall.

[Anonymous]

On Thursday, January 26 I attended the Environmental Mitigation in China: Expectations and Realities Seminar at UCLA presented by Dr. Gregory Veeck, Professor of Geography at Western Michigan University. Dr. Veeck specializes in rural and agricultural adaptations at the farm level that have a broader environmental impact. I was interested in this subject as my background includes a degree in Geography from UCLA and a current concern of the effects of pollution on local, national and international ecosystems.

Dr. Veeck started the lecture with a background on the unprecedented population, industrial and agricultural growth of China for the past several decades. He stated that since 1978 the GDP has held steady at 9.6%. Unfortunate side effects of this prosperity are the worsening conditions of water and air quality throughout China. Two-thirds of China’s cities don’t meet World Health Organization air-quality standards and five of China’s biggest rivers are “not suitable for human contact.” Between 1994-99 the Gobi Desert expanded by more than 20,000 square miles, moving closer to Beijing, and producing dust storms that span Eurasia. Also frightening is that wastewater pollution will increase as much as 290 percent by 2020. Industrial waste gasses like sulfur dioxide affect air quality in cities causing illnesses and premature deaths due to chronic bronchitis. According to the World Bank’s list of 20 cities with the worst air, China has 16 of them.

Despite the current conditions, China is making attempts to improve air and water quality. 1.3% of the GDP is spent on the environment annually and between 1979 and 1997 ten major reforestation projects were in effect. With the upcoming Olympics in 2008, Beijing and Shanghai are addressing the dirtiest polluters.

Dr. Veeck states that there is geography to pollution and pollution mitigation. He shared that coastal provinces have more income and subsequently are able to better address pollution related issues. Central and western China, although having a much improved standard of living, are still relatively powerless in addressing severe local pollution issues and the polluters themselves.

He stated that farmers are raising cash crops such as apples and pears (40% of juice in the world comes from China), orchids and prickly pears for Los Angeles nopitas consumers. Few farmers are subsistence farmers but rather are tied into a global economy and subject to its fluctuations. With government run and controlled industries having no-one to answer to and local governments getting much of their money from the local economy, the stage has been set for an unchecked and unregulated disposal of pollutants into rural waterways that affect hundreds of millions of peasants who depend on the land and water for their basic existence.

Greenhouses that have high plant densities and fully automated hydroponic systems produce up to 11 crops in a 12-month cycle, more than triple the amount of crops grown in US greenhouses produce plants for all markets. The mentality “that if a little is good, more is better” has been applied to insecticide and pesticide use thus creating “toxic cocktails” for the surrounding environment.

Dr. Veeck stated that environmental non-government organizations or NGOs are getting better organized and that government is feeling more pressure from angry families who suffer from pollution related health maladies. He said that like in the US, the central government makes laws that local governments struggle to fund and enforce. Pressure is beginning to come from all directions.

A good example of government intervention is The Loess Plateau Project. The Loess Plateau that has been occupied since the Han Dynasty, has seen massive deforestation and poor land management techniques that make it prone to erosion and filling rivers with massive silt beds. Current efforts to educate the locals and improve land use techniques include subsidizing farmers to plant trees, planting forests for commercial use and utilizing terracing across the slope line of the land.

Dr. Veeck summarized that the well accepted theory that lax environmental control and labor availability leads to rapid economic growth that in turn leads to a middle class demanding change, is in effect. He stated that because people cannot move freely due to household registration constraints they will organize locally. The educated middle and upper classes will also demand nationwide change in pollution regulation and control

Surprisingly, there are over 2000 environmental non-government organizations (NGOs) active in China today. Because they are not seen as a threat to the Communist political regime, environmental NGOs enjoy a unique freedom in China. With the number of large protests in China almost tripling between 1993 and 1999, it is only a matter of time before activists take to the streets as in Poland and the USSR in the 1980s, and society will demand change from both government and industry.

[clay dube]

The Australian published an article on rocket rain failing in Beijing. The area is in the midst of a terrible drought and technicians brought rain with cloud seeding. Because of all the construction, however, it appears that most rain there evaporates before it has a chance to seep into the compacted earth.

China and Thailand are the biggest manufacturers of rain.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19313652-2703,00.html

Using rain to stop sandstorms is part of China's new agenda:

"The Government remains determined that despite the increasing frequency of
sandstorms - with 300,000 tonnes of sand dumped in one morning last month
- the 2008 Games will be the "Green Olympics". August, when the Olympics
are scheduled, is also an especially unusual time for sandstorms in the
capital. Beijing's Olympic planners are aiming for 292 "blue sky" days a
year by 2008."[Edit by="Clay Dube on Jun 2, 7:40:41 PM"][/Edit]

[Anonymous]

As a 6th grade teacher I teach history, math and science. I really like it when I find articles or ways to incorporate one topic with the other. In Science we talk about Earth's resources and the need for recycling. In some of the web sites and news articles I understand China is promoting a "Green Olympics". I came accross the following article "Beijing warned of 2008 water shortage" on the China Daily. com website : http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-06/05/content_608163.htm

Perhaps it could spark a good discussion in class.

It mentions that those living in Beijing will have to put water saving devices on taps, toilets and showers by June. The prices of tap water has gone up to hopefully get residents to cut back on usage. They are also being encouraged to recycle water when washing cars and watering plants.
Wasteing water has become a criminal offence and people can be fined $1,400 (10,000 yuan).

The recycling is a must or Beijing will have a massive water shortage. They are also preparing to host he Olympics in 2008.

[Anonymous]

Great examples. I was thinking of using stuff along these lines. Anymore recommendations?

[Anonymous]

As a 6th grade teacher , I also teach science as well as history. In science we study the environment and resources. I have found some articles and web sites to help draw the students into real life situations on these topics that have to do with Asian countries.

Here is a news story on how acid rain is effecting 1/3 of the Chinese:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060827/ap_on_sc/china_environment

Here is a website that compares the U.S. and China's environmental issues. It is quite informative, but lenghty and proably at the highschool level:
http://population.wri.org/pubs_content_print.cfm?ContentID=2893

If you go to the Beijing Olympics website and click on the environment link it will take you to many more links on how China is preparing for the Olympics with stories on protecitn the ozone, conserving water and how students are getting involved:
http://en.beijing2008.com/

[Author]

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