National Endowment for the Humanities
Lu Shih — The Couplets of T’ang
Writing poetry in ancient China was the modern equivalent of sending a greeting card. Scholars learn about the ancient Chinese poetic form called the lu shih. They read about the context of poetry during the T'ang Dynasty and complete a...
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Made in China
Students create a power point presentation. In this Chinese inventions and discoveries lesson, students view sample products that are the product of ancient Chinese civilizations and their innovations and discoveries. ...
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Making/Building Kites
Students explore kite making. In this cross curriculum fine arts and ancient Chinese history lesson plan, students activate prior knowledge about how kites were used in ancient Chinese culture. Students sketch an original...
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Chinese Kites
Students identify Chinese culture and find that New Year is the most important of many Chinese holidays. Then they research many facets of the Chinese New Year celebration, and identify the symbols of the animal zodiac. Students also...
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Ceramics Scientific Inquiry Through Chinese Art
Fourth graders explore, examine and study ceramics, a medium of historical importance to China. They review the advanced technology of the early Chinese civilization and are introduced to the scientific method of inquiry and make...
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Chinese Inventions
Students identify inventions as coming from China. For this Chinese inventions lesson, students are given a list of common items such as cast iron, a wheelbarrow, and the decimal system, then conduct research to identify where they were...
Dick Blick Art Materials
Stitch It Up!
Ever think about combining the art forms of painting and embroidery? Then this art lesson is right up your alley! Given a piece of white cloth, young artists first create a grayscale painting and then highlight certain...
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Chinese Shadow Puppets
Students explore Chinese culture by performing a shadow puppet play. They create the puppets, develop a script, and rehearse and perform a play which illustrates an understanding of Chinese stories and traditions.
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Paper: Scientific Inquiry Through Chinese Art
Students create replicas of Chinese hanging scrolls in an attempt to understand the technology behind the creation and use of paper in Ancient China. This three-day lesson includes enrichment ideas.
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Bronze: Scientific Inquiry through Chinese Art
Students examine the use of bronze and porcelain in Chinese art and commerce through in-class activities, role play events, and small-group discussions in this exciting Social Studies/Arts lesson.
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The Fine Art of Paper-Cutting
Students create original examples of the ancient Chinese Folk Art technique of Paper-Cutting in this middle-level lesson highly adaptable for either the Art classroom or a Social Studies class.
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Social Studies: Ancient China
Seventh graders examine the contributions and influences of dynasties on Chinese history. They role-play as citizens during selected dynasties and write daily autobiographical entries. Students complete projects on the geography,...
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Contemporary Chinese Ink Painting
Students explore China and analyze Chinese Ink Painting as well as incorporating poetry into artwork. With the theme of "Peace" as their foundation, in groups they practice painting bamboo with an original Quatrain poem.
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Banpo Village: Gone, But Not Forgotten
Sixth graders plan a trip to China and prepare yourself for the Banpo excavation site competition by studying prehistoric and ancient Chinese history.
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Chapter 9: A Surprising Day and A Little Bit About China
Fifth graders complete activities with Chapter 9 of the book The Fastest Pig in the West by Randi Hacker. In this literature lesson, 5th graders discuss the concept of saving face and how it affects the main character's decisions....
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Jade: Scientific Inquiry Through Chinese Art
Students discover the uses of Jade in Chinese art and society through in-class discussions, group projects, and internet research. Additional enrichment activities are included.
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Meet a Creature From Ancient China
Students view an image of a Chinese chimera and complete a chart describing what they see and understand about the creature. They compare funerary customs today to those of ancient China. They compile a list of items that might be...
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Ancient Chinese Tomb Building
Young scholars compare and contrast the monuments erected for George Washington, the first president of the United States, and Qin Shi Huangdi (r. 221- 210 BCE), the first emperor of China. This lesson also includes a creative project.
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Ancient Civilizations: China
Students read about the daily life, history, dynasties, and ancient celebration of ancient China.
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Understanding History Through Oracle Bone Study
Students study the Chinese characters and oracle bone inscriptions in order to understand the relevance of language to the reflection of cultural values. They examine the appearance of an oracle bone and the use of oracle bones in...
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What Is the History of the Consumption of Rice?
Sixth graders research the history of rice consumption. For this rice consumption lesson, 6th graders read a study guide and answer comprehension questions about two rice dishes and rice cultivation.
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Asian Landscape Scroll
Young scholars study the ancient art of Chinese scroll painting. They create an original landscape painting mounted on printed framing paper. Students discuss information about Chinese scroll paintings, an art form used for a least 2,000...
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China Rocks! Chinese Calligraphy on Stone
Young scholars explore the art of calligraphy through writing Chinese characters. They view a Power Point as an introduction to Chinese calligraphy and practice writing Chinese characters. In groups, they visit centers to explore the...
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Easy and Artistic Printmaking Using Mixed Media Materials
Students explore printmaking which began with the ancient Chinese who carved seals from stone, inked them and used the seals as identification symbols. They produce a print in this lesson.