Session 6 (11/4) - Revolution and Nation Building in China

[Ester Yang]

That's definitely one of the ways to teach children the importance of Cultural Revolution. Educating the history to our children is important no matter what subject we teach. Having them match cards with different slogans will help students remember/learn. Also, you're implementing games that they play with their friends so that it's easier for them to understand. 

[Nayeli Ruiz-Sanchez]

The cards can be used ad an activity for discussion. I would first have my students divided into groups so that they can first discuss amongst each other and then I would gave student all come together in a circle and share what they discussed in their small groups. I would also have them chart / draw pictures so they can use when disusing and sharing to the rest of their group about their card. Another activity that can follow is to have students make a story line with the pictures on the card they receive. A card that I saw that I could possibly use for this activity would be Red Scarf Girl.

[Nayeli Ruiz-Sanchez]

In this article I discovered that rebellion was the soul of Mao Zedong’s thought. Also due to this thought the Red guards and revolutionary teachers filled the streets to revolt and attacked the ideas, culture, customs, and old habits. They demanded that Nanning be built into a great school that followed Mao Zedong’s thought. The young people who became Red Guards were inspired and motivated by Mao Zedong’s thought and they wanted it to be enforced. They were excited by bloodshed and revolt. They acted on their beliefs by attacking which ended in the bloodshed from September 11. It is appalling that due to ones beliefs this occurred because of the followers.

[Nayeli Ruiz-Sanchez]

The backgrounds, characteristics, or activities that led to individuals being targeted for criticism or worse were if they were leaders in office or the more wealthy people. Upon reading Liang Xi’s story it was sad that she was split from her family but it was really nice that she met and was able to stay with Yuejun. I feel that Yeujun and Liang Xi were able to learn from both different worlds they came from and were able to value life in a different way. Yuejen was able to learn how families like Liang Xi could be split and tortured and Liang Xi learned that by playing the Cello that could be a way to avoid trouble and rather to speak to the people through music. Its very true that music is a universal language and it should be used for anything because music can evoke a certain feeling that language itself can’t.

[Nayeli Ruiz-Sanchez]

Meritocracy is said to be a type of power in which people are selected based on their ability or merit. In the China clip it presented as if anyone in China had an equal opportunity to become president or leader. Upon reading other articles I know that there are more requirements that come into play that are contrasting this idea that anyone can run for president. On important observation I made was that this idea could not be supported, as the clip did not show women as being leaders. The idea of meritocracy seems okay but I still stand strong with my belief that women should be allowed to partake in the government.

[Nayeli Ruiz-Sanchez]

The nationalists and communists in China were both educated and believed in the ideology coming from the Soviets. They both had a common goal of unifying China. They both also believed that foreigners coming in to China were huge problems. They did not want foreigners changing the customs and traditions in China and bringing Western ideas. After World War II, the communists and nationalists came back to their differences and began to fight against each other. In the end the Communist party succeeded and took control versus the Nationalists and the Soviets had something to do with that expansion of control. Regardless, I feel that because both parties were focused on the common goal of unifying China that will still be what the Community party does.

[Ester Yang]

I have never read this book before, but there's so many discussions around it. Professor Clay also recommended in his response to my post so I'm very interested in getting the book on Amazon. I'm sure it's great, and I think there are a l lot of resources around it which is another plus for a beginner teacher like me. I'm reading through the site you posted in your response and I'm seeing a lot of really cool interactive lesson plans. Thank you. 

[Betsy Telle]

I was shocked to learn that so few in China are actual members of the Communist Party. I had no idea that it was so difficult to become a member. This is not the way the Communist Party is portrayed in the United States. I always assumed that most everyone in China had to be a Communist and that it was the few that intentional left the party, rather than being the few that worked hard to be in the party.

[Betsy Telle]

I watch the movie 76 Days which follows various healthcare workers and patients in the hospitals during the beginning of the pandemic. One of the patients is really struggling with being stuck in the hospital. His son calls on the phone and tells his dad to be strong and to remember that he is a party member. His son keeps saying that the father is a party member and tells the nurses to remind his father that he became a party member. This lecture really helped me understand what the son was saying. The father had to really work hard and endure to become a party member. The son is reminding him that he is strong and he can make it through a hardship because he worked hard to earn his membership. I understand now the badge of honor that membership has.

[Jaclyn Wall]

While Nationalists and Communists were both anti-imperalists, they also had things in common. like unifying China and having it belong to the Chinese people. While both parties were backed by Soviet support, they also had foreign influence in common. They didn't want too many foreign intrusions coming onto the land and taking over how things were being run. The neutral ground didn't last long because post World War II they were back to hating each other again. 

[Jaclyn Wall]

The playing card I chose is the 3 of diamonds. The bright blue background is what made this card initially stick out to me, but looking at it further, you see a woman either in a workplace or household kitchen washing dishes and cleaning. I think the target audience for this card is the female population, because it shows how many women were viewed in China. The values and behaviors which are encouraged are those of keeping and tending to a clean household as a woman playing her role in the family. The values/actions being condemned, are the same...that a woman is the one cleaning and cooking vs. the man of the house. 

[Jaclyn Wall]

Like many others have said, I find playing cards such an asset when teaching math lessons to my students. I used these cards as an example for one of my curriculum lessons - by having students first create the cards. I would show exampels from this session and having student curate their own cards in an art lesson. Following the art lesson, students would then use the cards by placing 9 face up. They would be broken into partners and each take a turn trying to figure out which two playing cards would be their "factors" and create the highest "product" in a multiplication equation.

[Jaclyn Wall]

I also agree with you Serece that visual aids help tremendously when working with upper elementary students. In 3rd grade we start to briefly discuss the government branches so I think this would be a beautiful way to tie in Chinese history as well. With the election this year we talked a lot about who our President associates with as allies so that is another way to educate younger children on foreign affairs and who is in charge for Asian countries we work with all the time. 

[Jaclyn Wall]

I love this idea and how you incoprorated it to work digitally for virtual learning! I agree that many students would be able to tell you that products are made in China, but I would be curious to see if they knew just how many of their day to day items were manufactured in China. Serece's post gave me an idea of a lesson I'd want to incorporate with my students regarding Chinese manufactured goods. For homework one night I would tell my students to look around their home and be prepared to come to class the following day with random items they found around the house that were made in China, limiting it to 10. Once students had those items,  I'd place them into breakout groups to discuss how long they think that item took to make, how it was created (by hand, machine, etc.) and if it would be possible to be made in the U.S. how would the item be different and why do they feel that way? They would do this for a couple of class periods then be prepared to present their finidings via a visual aid to the class. 

[Jaclyn Wall]

Lizbeth I love the idea of using these cards and tying in the Depth and Complexity prompts! I normally use those as frames for ELA lessons, but I love the idea of not only incorporating the picture meaning but also the numbers on the cards. The pattern prompt could be used for countless math lessons, but I also like the idea of using the Details prompt to highlight what is happening on the cards. This could tie in with a grammar adjective lesson where they have to give details describing various items on the card and/or in the picture while also relating it to Chinese culture.

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