LESSON PLANS

Retirees play Taichi during their morning exercise on a hazy day in Fuyang city, in central China's Anhui province, Monday Jan. 14, 2013. Air pollution is a major problem in China due to the country's rapid pace of industrialization, reliance on coal power, explosive growth in car ownership and disregard for environmental laws. (AP Photo) CHINA OUT
Using Infographics to Understand China’s Pollution Challenges
Author: Sarah Bremer
Essential Question? How can China’s pollution problems be addressed at the local, national, and global level?
Summary: Students will conduct research to learn about the major causes and ramifications of China’s air, soil, and water pollution.  They will examine impacted parties and potential solutions by reading a variety of Chinese and international sources.  Finally, they will synthesize and share their findings in the form of infographics and a Socratic seminar.
Grade Level: 9-10th grades, 11-12th grades
Duration: 3-5 class sessions
Published: January 16, 2016
Source 1990 Institute 2015 Lesson Plan Contest
LP-BC-Uigur-debate-Khotan-mezquita
Uighur Debate
Author: Bonnie Christensen
Essential Question? Should the Uighurs be defined as “terrorists” not “freedom fighters?”
Summary: Students will gain a deeper understanding of a specific ethnic group in China known as the Uighurs in order to learn more about the complexities of China and the difficulties of creating one nation out of so many different ethnicities. The Uighurs are a ethnic minority in China whose goals are similar to other groups around the world seeking to gain greater freedoms or even independence from governments they consider as repressive and/or unresponsive to their needs.  Through an analysis of the issues confronting the Uighurs, students will be able to better understand the problems of some ethnic minorities in China and the goals of other groups in different parts of the world such as the Kurds in Turkey and the French Canadians.  Students will analyze the concept of “nation” and “state sovereignty” by dealing with the question of “self-determination” using the specific example of the Uighurs.
Grade Level: 9-10th grades, 11-12th grades
Duration: 1-3 class sessions
Updated: January 22, 2016
Source 1990 Institute 2015 Lesson Plan Contest