February 28

Today I passed back the tests and the packets from the unit on China. We read the creation myth of Japan and students answered questions about it. Students worked on a map of East/Southeast Asia. It will be due tomorrow.

Feb. 15 and 16

Tuesday: We watched a short video segment about the Silk Road, and how silk is produced. Students then answered 4 sets of questions about different aspects of the Silk Road trade. Students who did not present on Monday presented on Tuesday.

Wednesday: Students had a chance to practice for the geography section of the upcoming exam. I gave a brief lecture about Kublai Khan and the "opening" of China to trade during the Mongol Ascendancy. Students in most periods then began a fictional narrative assignment about the Silk Road. It will be due Friday with their packet.

Test Friday/Packets Due Friday

Feb. 10, 11 and 14

Thursday and Friday: Students continued working on their Powerpoint presentations about innovations of the Ancient Chinese. I assigned a reading guide about the Mongols on Friday. We also watched a short dvd about the Mongols over the course of Thursday and Friday.

Monday: I passed out study guides for the unit test (see below). The test is this Friday. Students who had their presentations handed in on-time presented today. Packets are due Friday, here is a list so far:

1. Prosperity Fill-ins (review for test)
2. Reading Guide, Mongol Empire pp. 233-235
3. Vocabulary Word Study: Ascend
4. Mongol Empire Map
5. Timeline: the Mongols
6. Inventions/Innovations Grid

China: Unit Test Study Guide

Friday’s test will be a combination of multiple choice and short answer questions. There will also be a map.

Terms/People to know (study these using note cards… I’ll give extra credit points if you show me note-cards on Friday. You may use one side of one 3X 5 index card on the test):

Kublai Khan,Genghis Khan,The Mongols
Tang Dynasty,Khanates ,Confucius
Song Dynasty, Zheng He, Marco Polo
Mongol Ascendancy, Confucianism, Silk (Silk Road)
Han Dynasty, Great Canal, Ming Dynasty
Buddhism

Know the chronological order of the Dynasties.

Places to know on the map:
Silk Road, Grand Canal, Great Wall, Gobi Desert
Himalaya Mts., China, India, Mongolia
N. Korea, S. Korea, Russia, Beijing

Short answer questions to prepare for:

1. Explain the cycle of Chinese dynasties.
2. How did Kublai Khan “open” China to the West? (use .ppt fill-ins assignment to study)
3. Explain the great innovations and achievements of the Ancient Chinese.
4. Explain how changes in trade, agriculture, and commerce led to prosperity during the Tang and Song dynasties. (use .ppt fill-ins assignment to study)
5. Explain the basic beliefs of Confucianism and/or Buddhism.

Packets will also be due on Friday.

February 9

Today we began a look at the Mongols, and the Mongol Ascendancy. We did a vocabulary word study activity about the word ascend and then students worked on a map of the Mongol Empire. The map is homework and will be due tomorrow.

Feb. 3, 4, 7 and 8

I collected the first China packets last Friday. They have been graded and entered in Powerschool. Students have been working on creating mock magazine advertisements for great achievements of the ancient Chinese since last Thursday. They'll create their mock ad using Photoshop, and then place that file in a two slide PowerPoint presentation. We've used the better portion of the last three class periods on this project and presentations will begin this Friday. There will be a test next week. I will get a study guide out by Monday.

Feb. 1 and 2

February 1 and 2: We discussed the situation in Egypt. Students finished the A & E biography on Confucius and answered questions about the film. Students had time to finish their Confucian quotes assignment. Packets are due Friday.