Sessions

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Session 1: China - The Emergence of Modern China

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define sphere of influence, abdicate, warlord, light industry and martial law.

Students will summarize the results of China's early contacts with Western powers. 

Students will identify the conflicts within China that left the country open to a Communist takeover. 

Students will explain the purposes and results of the program known as the Great Leap Forward.  

Students will describe how a series of modernizations attempted to change China. 

HOMEWORK:

Gather more information about China's history. Then, chronicle your findings on a time line. Be sure to represent China's ancient history, its contacts with the West, and the rise and effects of communism. Be ready to share your timeline with the class in the next session. 

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Session 2: China - Regions of China

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define double cropping, theocrat and autonomous region.

Students will share their timelines with the class.

Students will summarize how, in the past, China's Northeast region served as the center of population, industry, and government.

Students will explain who the Southeast region of China is ideal for agriculture and transportation. 

Students will describe the ways the Silk Road promoted development of China's barren Northwest region.

Students will identify the effect Communist rule had on China's Southwest region.

HOMEWORK:

For each of China's four major regions, identify the greatest environmental challenge. Then, explain your thoughts in an oral report. Be ready to present your oral report to the class in the next session. 

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Session 3: China - China's People and Culture

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define ideogram, atheism and acupuncture. 

Students will present their oral report to the class. 

Students will describe how China's Communist government has changed its attitudes about population growth throughout the years.

Students will identify the factors that create a common culture throughout China, encouraging unity across the nation.  

HOMEWORK: 

Time magazine called China "cyberworld's hottest battlefield". Research the chief issues regarding online technology in China on the internet. Then, summarize your findings in a news report. Be ready to present your news report to the class in the next session.  

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Session 4: China - China's Neighbors

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define buffer, provisional government and exodus

Students will share their news report with the class. 

Students will describe how Taiwan became an industrial power in Asia.

Students will explain how Hong Kong's relationship with China makes Hong Kong's future uncertain.

Students will describe how the standard of living in Mongolia has improved in recent years. 

HOMEWORK: 

Review the information you learned about Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Mongolia, taking note on the reasons why people would want to travel to each place. You may want to conduct additional research on the internet and/or in the library. Then, design a poster for one of the three places. The poster should showcase a person, a place, or an event that represents the country. Be ready to present your poster in class during the next session. 

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Session 5: Japan and the Koreas: Japan - The Land of the Rising Sun

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define seismograph, typhoon and homogeneous.

Students will share their poster with the class. 

Students will identify Japan's chief physical characteristics.

Students will describe the geographical factors that contribute to the variety of climates found in Japan.

Students will identify the factors that encourage national unity and identity among the majority of the Japanese people. 

HOMEWORK:

Review the maps provided to you about Japan. Prepare a brief explanation of patterns of settlement in Japan. Why is the population concentrated in some areas but not in others? What, if anything, might be done to distribute the population more evenly? Be ready to present your findings to the class in the next session. 

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Session 6: Japan and the Koreas: Japan's Economic Development

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define militarism, downsize, tariff and quota.

Students will present their findings to the class. 

Students will examine why Japan isolate itself from the West, and what happened when the new relations were established in the 1800's.

Students will explain why Japan attempted to gain control of their neighboring countries. 

Students will summarize Japan's role in World War II, and how it affected Japan's status at the war's end. 

Students will explain how Japan was able to prosper economically after World War II.  

HOMEWORK:

Prepare  a three - column poster board chart about the history of Japan. In the first column, summarize Japan's early experiences with the West. In the second column, make some notes about the Japanese imperialistic era. In the third column, provide information about Japan from 1945 to the present. You may wish to do additional research and illustrate the chart.  Be ready to present your poster in class during the next session.

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Session 7: Japan and the Koreas: The Koreas - A Divided Peninsula 

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define demilitarized zone and proliferation.

Students will share their poster with the class.

Students will identify the cultural elements Koreans adapted from the Chinese.

Students will explain how the Korean Peninsula became two separate countries. 

Students will compare/contrast the different physical characteristics of North and South Korea.

Students will discuss why reunification is a challenge for both North and South Korea.

HOMEWORK:

How have the attitudes about reunification have changed (if at all) since 2007? To find out, go online. Find and summarize two recent items related to the topic - either two items that reinforce a particular view or two items that seem to take opposing views. Be prepared to s+hare your findings with the class in the next session.

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Session 8: Southeast Asia - Historical Influences on Southeast Asia

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define barbarian, paddy and indigenous.

Students will present their findings to the class.

Students will describe how migration of people into Southeast Asia over the centuries has affected the culture of that region. 

Students will describe how Europeans have changed the economy, enviroment, and political boundaries of Southeast Asia. 

HOMEWORK:

Use economical statistics from the internet to create a graph about the economy of Southeast Asia. For each country, collect and record the following information: major industries, imports, exports, and annual per capita income. Be ready to share your graph with the class in the next session. 

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Session 9: Southeast Asia - The Countries of Southeast Asia

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define insurgent, doi moi and heterogeneity.

Students will present their graphs to the class.

Students will explain why Myanmar struggles with its national identity and Thailand does not. 

Students will summarize how years of conflict has affected Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. 

Students will explain what keeps the diverse nations of Indonesia and the Philippines united. 

Students will identify the natural resources that support the economies of Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei, and Papua New Guinea.

HOMEWORK:

Prepare a brochure to promote investment in each country in the Southeast Asia region. Provide information to show how each country might have a bright economic future. Be ready to present your brochures to the class in the next session.

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Session 10: The Pacific World and Antarctica - Australia

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define Aborigine, lagoon, cyclone, outback and artesian well.

Students will present their brochure to the class.

Students will examine how various migrations to Australia affected the population and land usage. 

Students will explain why Australia's population clustered in and around major cities.

Students will describe how European settlers have changed Australia's environment. 

HOMEWORK:

Design and draw a chart of Australia's major cities, such as Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Hobert, Brisbane, and Darwin. Compare climate, vegetation, population density, economic activities, and points of interest. Then, write a paragraph that explains which city you would prefer to live in and why. Be ready to present your paragraph and chart to the class in the next session.  

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Session 11: The Pacific World and Antarctica - New Zealand and the Pacific Islands

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define geyser and trust territory.

Students will present their chart and paragraph to the class.

Students will describe how New Zealand's European majority affected the minority Maori group's way of life and sense of group identity and the economy of this region.

Students will identify the kids of physical characteristics distinguishing the two types of Pacific islands - namely, the high islands and the low islands. 

HOMEWORK:

Plan a two -month trip to the Pacific Islands. Make a sample itinerary of each island you plan to visit, the length of stay, what you plan to do, the major differences among the islands, and the distances between them. Be prepared to share your itinerary with the class in the next session.  

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Session 11: The Pacific World and Antarctica - Antarctica

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will define crevasse, ice shelf, pack ice, convergence zone and krill.

Students will present their itinerary to the class.

Students will describe how climate and ice-covered terrain of the continent of Antarctica affects wildlife habitation and human exploration. 

Students will explain why many scientist consider Antarctica to be a land of valuable natural resources.