Session 10 (4/27 morning) Clay Dube -- Song - Ming

[Scott Craig]

I've never heard of the Marco Polo game, but it sounds fun. I'll have to check it out. The concept sounds like it could be very educational. I also love your idea of the students creating their own game. I've found by giving them various projects like that they not only enjoy class more, but they actually learn more because they are finding information out and then using it for something other than answering questions.

[Brenda-Jean Shephard]

Great connection, Marcos.  I'm struggling to find connections.  Although I teach multiple subjects (to a wide range of grade levels), I am especially drawn to teaching math.  Do you have any math connection ideas?

[Brenda-Jean Shephard]

I can personally identify with this dilemma.  Would have been great if I'd focused more on development earlier in my career!  Now I feel responsible to guide my students to understand the impact these two factors will make in their lives.

[Brenda-Jean Shephard]

I had the same exact reaction from 6th grade students.  Technology is considered one of the pillars of civilization, and on every graphic organizer for various ancient civilizations, they wanted to draw computers!  I'm sure there are some great resources out there clarifying the concept that every convenience we take for granted was invented at some point in history, and it is our responsibility to generate ideas and develop them into realities for ourselves and coming generations.

[Brenda-Jean Shephard]

I'm surprised there hasn't been more discussion on the topic of the Great Wall, given recent politically controversial discussions regardng walls (or proposed walls) much closer to home.  Not that I'm one to provoke such discussions!  Quite frankly, I hate controversy.  The first question that comes to mind for me when confronted with the enormous amounts of time, energy, resources, and people's lives that building and maintaining the Great Wall cost, is WHY?  What was it worth, what was the perceived value, the motivation?  But then, the same questions could be asked about the Egyptian pyramids.  Also built at great expense, with abuses of human rights presumably involved.  For very different purposes, but otherwise many comparisons could be made.  I see potential for a 6th-grade ancient civilizations research project here...

[Dan Thalkar]

The readings from this week provided many great opportunities to involve students. The Proclamation is a primary text that can be connected to more contemporary texts in order for students to grapple with corruption and the uses/abuses of power in government. Additionally, the article, "Did the Great Wall work?" presents a great dilema. The Great Wall is probably the most famous wall in the world, and yet (or perhaps because of its fame) we must still question its effectiveness and use. This, of course, can move into a larger conversation about the symbolic and practical functions of walls throughout history, including the current discussions around the US/Mexico border. 

[Dan Thalkar]

Scott, 

I really like your idea of exploring how new governments & religions survive by assimilating local ideas and traditions. I think that's a powerful way to use the Yuan adn Qing dynasties to help students understand wider historical themes. What other governments do you have in mind?

 

[Dan Thalkar]

Stephanie,

I am also interested in Marco Polo, and I think students are often intrigued by his story. Starting with the legend of Marco Polo and then moving into a more critical analysis is a powerful and engaging way for students to act as historians and interrogate how messy it is to actually construct history. In forming their own opinions, they'll have to look at many different sources and question the canonical stories about Marco Polo.  

[Marcos Rico]

I am thinking of using some of the data that we have acquired in this seminar. It could be used to make graphs comparing the different dynasties by lenght of their rule. Also, we could use the data to compare the size of the countries of East Asia and even the USA. Since almost all the countries in the world use metric, we could could practice converting miles into kilometers China is about 3,705 million square miles or 9,597 square kilometers, while the USA is about 3,797 million square miles or 9,834 million square kilometers.

Another idea is practice creating and reading graphs to show levels of pollution in China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and even the USA. Or sources of energy,  non renewable vs renewable (solar, wind, etc.) We could also create graphs to compare populations by age groups, etc.

[Marcos Rico]

I have heard about Marco Polo for a long time, but since I never took the opportunity to read one of the books about his travels, I always believed that the story had been written by himsel and not by Rustichello da Pisa. I had imagined that the Travels of Marco Polo where kind of like the journals of Lewis and Clark. A primary souce, not a secondary source. I just downloaded digital copies of Travels of Marco Polo vol. 1 and 2. I am curios to read them and make my own opinion about his travels.

I might even share some chapters with my students. Thta way we could have a group discussion about the question “Did Marco Polo visited China?”

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[Linda Gonzales Diaz]

I like this idea for an assignment very much, I would probably just tweak it a little bit. In our school, we really push the use of MEAL paragraphs in our writing and we use across the curriculum. Personally, I think its a great resource to help students with academic writing in all subjects. I can see myself assigning this question as a research project that ends in a MEAL paragraph. Thanks for a great idea!

[Linda Gonzales Diaz]

I was somewhat familiar with Marco Polo and I knew he was a part of history but mostly I was familiar with the game! After reading the texts and listening to the lecture about his adventures, I have become very intrigued by his journey. I am even more fascinated by the allegations that he never went to China at all. I would love to create a debate between two groups in my class where each takes a position and pairs up with another position. This is a great research project for students to investigate and then debate about.  Great idea Stephanie, thanks!

[Linda Gonzales Diaz]

This is an amazing idea for engaging students in a DOK level 4 activity. After engaging their critical thinking skills, they will take ownership in thier own design and want to share it and play with others. In addition, they will learn the content in a fun way.  This is a great idea! Thanks, Kim!

[Linda Gonzales Diaz]

I love using books as mentor texts when introducing new ideas or concepts! I don't usually toot my own horn, but I am an excellent storybook reader! It is one of my favorite things to do. I thought, when I started teaching 6th grade that kids would be too grown for stories and wouldn't want to hear them. Boy, was I so wrong! They love hearing stories and love being read to, but especially love storybooks with colorful illustrations and witty text. Its a great engagement strategy as well to get them ready for the content to come.  

[Linda Gonzales Diaz]

Zhu Yuanzhang was upset that so many of those in power under his rule were taking advantage of thier positions to make themselves rich, to incriminate the innocent and free the guilty. He believed being honest and righteous would bring glory and honor not only to those in power but to all of China, and by extension, to himself as the emperor.

Nonetheless, he was conflicted and confused in his reign. I think he felt his rules, laws and expectations were made very clear, yet his prefects continued to disobey him and break the law. In his proclomation he stated, "In the morning I punish a few, by evening others commmit the same crime...although the corpses of the first have not been removed, already others follow in their path. The harsher the punishment the more the violations."

Personally, I think he was deeply offended that the same people he enlisted to uhold his laws were the ones committing most of the crimes. He took this personally because he was once a commoner himself and so he felt he was failing the people he meant to protect and unwillingly becoming the same type of ruler as he had witnessed growing up. I believe this why he fluctuated between both extremes as a ruler: Just and Tyrant. He goes on to admit, he finds being a ruler is difficult. "If I punish these persons, I am regarded asa tyrant. If  I am lenent, the law becomes ineffective...and people deem me an incapable ruler." He goes on to say, "People will be able to discern the truth from records and memorials. He was a proud man and wanted to leave behind a proud legacy.

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