Searching for China: WebQuest

An Introduction

A jade stone is useless before it is processed;
a man is good-for-nothing until he is educated.

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The Tasks

Exploring the Country
1. View A Map of China .
2. Name 10 countries that share borders with China.
3. What type of government exists in China?
4. Draw the flag of China.
5. What are some of China's natural resources? (list at least 5)
6. What is the population of China?
7. What is the capital of China?
8. Pick an area in China by clicking on its name in the map. 
   • Why did you pick that area?
   • What are three things about that area people should know?

The Great Wall

1. Look at pictures of The Great Wall of China.
2. Who built the great wall?
3. What are the dimensions of the Great Wall?
4. Why was the Great Wall built? Scroll down to see other pictures and more information about the Great Wall.

Ancient China

1. Use the time line to answer the following questions:
   1. Who was Genghis Khan and what did he do?
   2. When did Genghis Khan live?
   3. What was his name when he was young?
2. What are some of the items the Chinese are credited with inventing? (list at least 5)
3. Approximately how many years of history is covered in Ancient China?
4. Fill out your own cheat sheet on Ancient China.  Write down each time period, the name of the dynasty, five facts about that time period.
5. Enter The Forbidden City.
6. What was the Forbidden City?
7. When was the Forbidden City built?
8. How long did the Ming and Ching Dynasties live in the Forbidden City?
9. Who has lived in the Forbidden City and what has changed this over the centuries?
10. What was the Silk Road?
11. When and why was the Silk Road used?

Becoming Chinese

1. Get a Chinese name Type your name in the boxes and select your gender,  male (boy) or female (girl).  Next, type in your birthdate.  Then click "Get a name!" The computer will show your name in Chinese.  What is your name?
2. The Chinese also have a zodiac sign for each year.  The year 2000 is the year of the dragon. The dragon is the zodiac sign for the year 2000.
• What year were you born? 
• What was the zodiac sign? 
3. Chinese writing - The Chinese use symbols for words called characters.  They are read vertically in columns (down and up).  Some characters have 26 strokes.

   a.  Learn how to write a number in Chinese.  (Click on the link below, then click on one of the Chinese numbers and you will see how to write it.  Practice writing one or more of the numbers.)

4. The Chinese calendar -The Chinese calendar is different from our "western" calendar.  The Chinese divide the year into months based on the  moon.  This is called a lunar calendar. Our calendar is based upon the length of the Earth's revolution around the Sun.  This is called a solar calendar. In China, an ordinary year has twelve lunar months.  The first day of the month is the day on which the New Moon occurs. The Chinese New Year is on the closest new moon to when Spring begins.  This year it is February 5.

   a.  Find out the Chinese date for today. The western date (Julian date) is the date we use. 
   Type today's date in the boxes.  Click the box for Gregorian Calendar. Which month and day is it on the Chinese calendar?
    b.  Click the back button to return to the converter.  Now type your birthday in the boxes.  Click the box for Gregorian Calendar.   Record both dates on the activity page.

5. These ancient Chinese proverbs are based on the sayings of Confucious.  Go to this site to complete each proverb below.  Check the "annotation" to see what the proverb means.
1. A book holds a house of g _ _ _.
2. Do not want others to know what you have done? Better not have d_ _ _ it anyways.
3. A fall into a ditch makes you w_ _ _ _.
4. One cannot refuse to e_ _  just because there is a chance of being choked.
5. Only when all contribute their firewood can they build up a strong f_ _ _.
6. A smile will gain you ten more years of l_ _ _.
7. A sly rabbit will have t_ _ _ _ openings to its den..
8. You can't catch a cub without going into the tiger's d_ _.
6. Select the one that you like the best and make up a modern American version that means the same thing.

         Virtual Tours - Look at different views of China

1. The Land of Beauty
2. The Great Wall of China
3. Bicycle Trip
4. Yellow Mountains
5. Tibet

Choose Your project

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The Process

For the Grand Finale, students must choose one of the following projects.  You will complete the project and then present it in class.  You will need a visual aid of your choosing for your presentation.

Projects

1. Create a Chinese Calligraphy Banner. Try some Chinese Calligraphy. See some examples at Chinese Calligraphy, Chinese Calligraphy, and Calligraphy. Create a banner (at least 24" x 18") using calligraphy.
2. Create a Chinese Banquet. China is known for its food. Learn about all the different forms of chinese foods. Make a display of the different types of food.  Hold a class Chinese banquet. (Bring at least three different foods. )
3. Write a Chinese Myth. Like the Greeks and Romans, the Ancient Chinese had a world filled with mythology. Read about the history of Chinese Mythology. . Read about the Chinese myths, then compare them to myths in other parts of the world. Write your own myth set in a particular time period of Ancient China. Mix facts with your fiction story.
4. Design & create an Umbrella. China is the home of umbrellas. Read about the history of umbrellas. Create your own umbrella design. Make a protype of the umbrella.
5. Create a Chinese Folktale Mural. Read a piece of classic Chinese literature. Try Chinese Folktales, Chinese Literature Classics, Classic Chinese Poetry (real audio), Chinese Stories, and Chinese Stories. Read Headless Tao. Create a your own Chinese folktale and illustrate it as a mural for a wall.
6. Hold a Festival. Read about Traditional Chinese Festivals and Traditional Festivals in China. Celebrate a Chinese holiday. Go to the Chinese Festival and Chinese New Year page for ideas. Learn about the Chinese New Year, Moon Festival, and Lantern Festival. Create your own class festival.
7. Celebrate Tea. China is known as the home of tea. Learn about the history of tea. Learn about the Chinese Tea Ceremony.  Read about the Art of Drinking Tea. The Art of Tea.  Hold a class tea celebration.
8. Build a Chinese History Timeline. Use the China Chronology, Ancient China Timeline, History Timeline, Chinese Dynasties, and History of China website for ideas. Microsoft has timeline templates you can download.
9. Create Paper. Learn about Chinese Papermaking and explore 42explore: Papermaking for ideas on how to make paper. Create your own paper and ink! Do some calligraphy on your paper.  Papercutting is an ancient Chinese craft. Read about papercutting and the Art of Chinese Papercut. Try some papercutting.
10. Create a Work of Chinese Art. Check out the Picture of the Month on Ancient China. Study a piece of artwork from Ancient China such as The Art of China, Painting, Splendors of Imperial China, and World Art Treasures. Discuss some of the techniques used in the artwork. Try to replicate some of these ideas in a piece of artwork. Write a paragraph describing the techniques you used.
11. Make Some Music. Read about the Music of Ancient China. Listen to Ancient Chinese Melodies and Chinese Music. Look at photos of Traditional Chinese Instruments. Bring in samples of chinese music.  Create your own.
12. Design a Room. Feng Shui is the ancient art of placement. It involves bringing balance to one's home through the careful placement of objects. Check out Feng Shui for Children. Redesign a room in your house or a room you invent using Feng Shui principles.  Draw on paper the room you redesigned.  Take pictures of your room to show the class.
13. Draw a Dragon. Dragons play an important role in Ancient Chinese history. Read about dragons at Dragons of Ancient China, Dragon and Phoenix, and Chinese Dragon. Create a project that includes a dragon. It could be a song, poster, skit, or animation.  You can also make your own dragon. 
14. Write About An Emperor. Emperors played an important role in the history of China. Check out the Portraits of Chinese Emperors and select an emperor. Write about a day in the life of this emperor. Make sure you have pictures that you have found or have drawn to show all about his day.
15. Learn about the Pandas. Visit these websites to gather information on their life, habitat, and history: Smithsonian, Panda Primer, CNN, & Scientist information.  Complete a diorama & trifold about the panda and its habitat.

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Learning Advice

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Conclusion

• Chinese civilians suffered greatly at the hands of the Japanese before World War II.
• China's recent history is one of violence and revolution
• This land of deep proverbs puts restrictions on people's freedoms of expression.
• A long history of Royal Dynasties has turned into a reign of Communism.

Adapted from:  http://www.ozline.com/webquests/ChinaWebQuest1.html

Dunham

MMS