This guide is designed for teachers who wish to teach about Marco Polo and his travels to China during the 13th century. The guide was originally developed for use with a television series about Marco Polo; it can successfully be used independent of the series, however. A prologue gives the reader a basic introduction to what is known of the life…

Discusses treatment of the United States in Chinese textbooks. Focuses on a world history text and a political economics text for high school seniors. Reports that the Chinese texts present the United States as an imperialistic bastion of capitalism. Suggests that a more balanced presentation is necessary to prepare students for the global era.…

Reports an individual's observations during a trip to China. Argues that the U.S. government and students must learn to understand and appreciate China because of its large population, market potential, and position among major world powers. Discusses personal impressions, the protesters at Tiananmen Square and elsewhere, and reactions to…

Describes the development of a college-level Chinese history course based on the biographies of notable Chinese. Suggests story telling to make history more understandable and authentic. Argues that narrative can provide an open window for the study of any society. (CFR)

This document is a collection of lessons for teaching a unit on ancient Chinese history. The unit focuses on a specific dramatic moment in history from which students can explore the deeper meanings of selected landmark events and their wider context in the great historical narrative. Continuing narrative provides the contest in which the dramatic…

Offers ideas for teaching children about China. Includes suggestions dealing with geography, philosophy, history, and diet. Recommends means of bringing the topics to life through games, class discussion, role playing, and other activities. (SG)

This unit begins by examining the problem of rural poverty in China in the 1940s. A variety of solutions attempted by the Chinese government between the mid 1940s and the present all aimed at the improvement of peasant living standards in the countryside. Because 80 percent of China's people are peasants, the Chinese Communist party saw the…

Suggests teaching about the Chinese government's 1989 suppression of student protesters at Tiananmen Square. Argues that the lesson can aid students understanding of the role of student protest in shaping China's history and interactions with the rest of the world. Offers strategies and questions for student research including reasons for the…

A Dutch teacher presents reading, film viewing, and writing activities for "Empire of the Sun," J. G. Ballard's autobiographical account of life as a boy in Shanghai and in a Japanese internment camp during World War II (the subject of Steven Spielberg's film of the same name). Includes objectives, procedures, and several literature,…

Reports on a study of the classroom environment and student attitudes in 38 secondary Chinese classrooms. Finds that, despite considerable cultural and political differences, the classroom environment in social studies is remarkably similar to that in the United States. Concludes that diverse activities and active student involvement are related…

Provides historical background to the recent democracy movement in China and its outcomes. Examines the extent of human rights violations and whether democracy can take hold in China. Highlights implications of government repression for international relations. Argues Chinese democracy will require restoration of political pluralism and civil…

Describes the role of women in the Chinese military during four eras: (1) the ancient period; (2) the post Opium War period; (3) 1949-present; and (4) today's women in the Chinese military. Includes a full-page chart indicating women warriors in ancient China. (CFR)

This unit of study explores the experiences and the role of women during World War II. The unit can serve as an introduction or supplement to commonly taught topics such as Nazism in Germany, the Holocaust, the "home front," the USSR's Great Patriotic War, and the struggle between Nationalists and Communists in China. It begins with an…

Provides an overview of the structure and topics included in undergraduate course on Indian and Chinese history. Briefly reviews such topics as Land and People, Emergence and Evolution of Traditions, Expansion of Islam in Asia, European Imperialism, Nationalism and Independence, and Democracy and Development. (MJP)

The annual issue of the journal of the Hong Kong Teachers Association includes these articles: "The Time Management Issue of Tertiary Students: An Investigation of Tuition Conductors in Singapore" (Tai Chee Wong, Jessie Yuk Yong Wong); "The Analysis of the Phenomena of Parkinson in Course of School Management" (Ying Xiu Yang)…