What does the discovery of 8,000 life-sized clay soldiers and the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang reveal about ancient Chinese culture? A great deal! Take a look at this fascinating archaeological find and explore ancient Chinese social...

Scholars review eight sources to learn about the impact of the Mongol Empire and their leaders, such as Genghis Khan. Academics learn how the Mongols destroyed states but also increased connections with the rest of the world. To finish,...

An 11-page packet includes three activities to engage pupils in reading Pearl S. Buck's The Good Earth. To understand the historical context, class members research a list of topics related to Chinese history and culture. They then...

The unit study of Angel Island Immigration Station concludes with scholars using information from the previous lessons to craft a news story about the Angel Island program.

Using the insight they have gained into the experiences of detainees at the Angel Island Immigration Station, young poets create their own free verse poems that they feel captures what it may have felt like to be an immigrant interned on...

Young historians learn more about the history of Angel Island Immigration Station through their analysis of primary source images. Guided by a list of inferential questions, scholars learn how to make and record observations on a...

Young scholars gain insight into how historians record events by engaging in an oral history project. In preparation, class members brainstorm open-ended interview questions and take part in and debrief a mock interview simulation....

Imagine being interrogated by someone you don't know about minute details of your life. Imagine that the interrogator is matching your responses to the answers of other family members. Imagine how you would feel knowing that the...

Director Felicia Lowe's film Carved in Silence splices together re-enactments, interviews, and actual film footage to tell Angel Island Immigration Station's story. Viewers use a film matrix to record new information they learned from...

Primary source texts provide scholars with the background information they need to understand why Chinese peasant farmers were driven to emigrate. After underlining keywords, phrases, and/or lines in the texts, individuals craft a...

The Chinese Exclusion Act was the first race-based restriction on immigration in American history. Why was the act passed after Chinese immigrants helped build the Transcontinental Railroad? A series of documents, including speeches and...

The Last Train Home, a 2009 documentary about China's migrant factory workers, provides viewers with an opportunity to explore how China's emergence as a global manufacturing force is challenging Chinese traditional values like filial...

The Great Wall of China is a wonder of the world. Learners explore the history and construction of the incredible feat using both non-fiction and fictional works. The resource includes multi-day lesson plans that contains ideas for...

The Chinese myth of Bai Su Zhen and her husband Xu Xian pits the pair against the meddling monk Fa Hai. Follow along with a short animated version of the story.

Religion and politics have a complicated history. How were they intertwined with wealth in Europe and Asia in the Middle Ages? Learners explore the question using a prompt based on primary sources. Other activities allow individuals to...

Why do people attempt to explain the unexplainable? Scholars explore the topic by learning about ancient philosophical thought experiements known as kōans. After watching a brief yet informative video, pupils answer questions and engage...

Who was Zheng He and why haven't we heard of him? Scholars consider the question as they compare his vast expeditionary force to that of Christopher Columbus. Young historians then ponder the intersection of science, economics, and...

The Chinese New Year is a celebratory time for Chinese citizens and Chinese-Americans alike! A short video showcases the origin of the Chinese New Year holiday and how it is celebrated currently.

Combine music, acrobatics, dance, and mime, and you have Beijing opera. An informational video walks viewers through a timeline of Chinese theater, including the introduction of the opera. Comparisons to other forms of drama throughout...

The Great Wall may be one of the most famous pieces of architecture of all time. Teach seventh graders the history behind its construction, the importance of dynasties, and all about ancient Chinese civilization through a series of 20...

You've heard of Blackbeard, Black Bart, Calico Jack, and Anne Bonny. But do you recall the most successful pirate of all? Viewers are introduced to the exploits of Madame Zheng and the accomplishments that earned her a place on the list...

The National Women's History Museum provides a plan designed to accompany their online CyberExhibit, Chinese American Women; a History of Resilience and Resistance. After examining a series of primary and secondary source documents,...