Reference
This unit is teacher-friendly and easy to navigate through the materials about China's Cultural Revolution. The wide array of information is compiled by curriculum specialists, educators, and includes contributions from author Ji-li Jiang. In addition, many individuals who lived through the revolution share their powerful stories in memoirs within the unit that add insight and the human element that make the historical event of the cultural revolution so poignant and compelling. The unit is one that will engage students because of the authentic materials included. The materials range from handouts of timelines to text that explain key events and happenings. The text has effective follow-up questions that allow students the opportunity to respond and react to the information in the text/handout. Transparencies with explicit and well-organized information about key events are also included. There are fun ways to engage the students to review the information in other than answering questions via pencil-paper format. There are timeline cards with information that can be matched independently or with groups of students. Historical songs are included that allow the students to interpret and perform in class. The variety of materials gives the students exciting lessons to relate to rather than just facts to memorize. Since there are so many facts and events to recall, a textbook based approach may dampen the interest that could be harnessed instead from a unit such as this one. The authentic information that is included through the primary sources is an integral element of this effective unit. Teachers of middle school through high school will find that the information can be used as a stand-alone unit or in addition to a social studies or history textbook. It is a rigorous unit of information that creates the opportunities for students to not only recall information and facts, but to analyze and synthesize the information presented and then to evaluate, interpret, and assess the information given throughout the unit. All the materials are provided for teachers so that it is not necessary to search for additional information to ensure thorough lessons. The information that is included is also aligned with curriculum standards as defined by the National Center for History in the Schools and the National Council for the Social Studies and is appropriate for grades 7-12.
The unit is organized into lessons 1 through 5. A background that organizes the lesson into easy to read points will enable the teacher to access organizing questions, an introduction to the lesson, objectives, materials included, teacher preparation, time, procedures, and assessments. Lesson 1 gives students an introduction into the term "revolution" and some background of the events of the Cultural Revolution. Students also have to analyze events to determine of they could be considered a revolution.
Lesson 2 contains many primary sources to examine and experience. Personal memoirs are a powerful source in this lesson.
Lesson 3 utilizes propaganda art and posters from China to interpret the Revolution.
Lesson 4 utilizes the novel Red Scarf Girl to examine how young people reacted and responded the Cultural Revolution.Students are able to create exhibits based on the family's experience in the book. Students are also able to write a memoir of their own from the perspective of another character in the book.
Lesson 5 examines how the Cultural Revolution is interpreted from the perspectives of textbooks in Taiwan, China, and the United States.
