Curriculum Resources
Middle School (6-8)
Wang Mang: Confucian Success or
Failure?
Students put Wang Mang on trial, measuring his deeds (chronicled by the Han Dynasty's
imperial historian) against his goals (maxims from The Ruler's Handbook by
Confucius). grades 7-10. 53p. $11.00 [NCHS]/[SSSS]
The People's Republic of China: Who Should Own
the Land?
Among the documents: observations by a foreign traveler, a Chinese general, a farmer, and
a deputy to the National People's Congress. grades 7-10. 83p. $12.00 [NCHS]/[SSSS]
Buddhism: The Middle Way of Compassion
This informative overview first tells the story of Buddha's life-focusing on how he
learned the philosophy he late taught- and then distinguishes between the deistic
monastery life in Thailand and Japan, glimpse the differing Buddhist arts and rituals of
nearly a dozen countries, encounter the concepts of karma and the eight-fold way, and hear
deep insights from the world-renowned monks Eido Roshi and Jomgon Kontrol Rimpoche. A
teacher's guide with reproducible pages supplied script, activities, quizzes. grades 7-12.
$99.00 [SSSS]
Warlords of Japan: A Simulation of the Shogun
History of Feudal Japan
Representing the six powerful samurai clans of the late 1500's, students compete for the
title of Shogun in this challenging simulation. Student armies move forward by completing
a variety of activities, including writing, accounting, calligraphy, and art assignments.
Success requires strategic thought, careful planning, and also luck, as fate cards present
unexpected events. The simulation contains 35 eight-page student booklets and a teacher's
guide which includes setup directions, daily lesson plans. reproducible background essays
and short tests, and a map of Japan. Players: 20-36 Time: 15-20 hours. Grades 4-8 $37.00
[SSSS]
China: A Simulation of Ancient Chung Kuo
Five simulations divide students into "clans" that work as groups to learn about
Chinese geography, literature, history, arts, science, philosophy, and religion. The five
activities involve designing clan banners (based on ancient Chinese conceptions of the
universe), making an illustrated Great Wall timeline, planning advertising billboards for
locations along the Silk Road, navigating the maze-like Forbidden City, and competing in
tournaments of Chinese Chess, Chinese Dominoes, and Go. An extensive teacher's guide
supplies explicit directions for setup and assessment, daily teaching instructions, and
reproducible student forms such as maps, game boards, and a chart of Chinese characters.
Players: entire class Time 10-20 hours grades 6-12. $69.00 [SSSS]
Spotlight on China: Traditions Old and
New
More than 100 annotated primary and secondary source readings familiarize students with
2500 years of Chinese history and culture. This mammoth resource is divided into four
chronological sections: "Classical Tradition," "Popular Tradition,"
"Assault on Tradition," and "The New Traditions." A wide range of
topics are covered in selections such as "Chinese Ancient Fables," "The
Cultivation of Female Talent" (should women learn to read and write?), "Mandate
of Heaven" (on the 1989 Tiananmen Square uprising), "China's Environmental
Crisis," and "China Moves On After Deng's Death." An introduction is
included in each section, suggesting an array of strategies that can be applied to
teaching any document. grades 6-12 $45.00 [SSSS]
Exploring Marco Polo's Asia
This teacher created unit of involving activities challenges students to reconstruct the
world of Marco Polo by using a variety of primary and secondary source materials.
Interpreting visual images and excerpts from Marco Polo's account of his travels, students
trace his journey to learn about the Asian landscape, the cultural groups, and the
remarkable achievements of Chinese civilization that Polo encountered. The illustrated
8.5x11" spiralbound unit includes a rationale, notes on historical context, detailed
lesson plans, a bibliography, and reproducible handouts. grade 7 $9.00 [SSSS]
The Samurai: Those Who Serve
Activities such as printing haiku on handmade paper and comparing the code of European
chivalry to bushido ("the way of the warrior") introduce the world of feudal
Japan. Based on primary and secondary sources, these teacher-created lessons are
spiralbound in a unit with notes on historical context, a bibliography, and reproducible
handouts (including a reader's theater play entitled "The Tale of the Forty-Seven
Ronin") grade7 $6.75 [SSSS]
Confucius-Words of Wisdom: Biography
His name is revered, and almost synonymous with wisdom, but what sort of man was
Confucius? His personal life in the sixth century BC is shown to be a sad one, from his
illegitimate birth, freakish appearance, rejection by his family, and multiple setbacks,
and tragedies, to his death bed disappointment because his dream of a just and peaceful
China remained unfulfilled. Incorporating spectacular battle reenactments; modern location
footage; ancient art; and comments from historians, philosophers, and Xiang Lin Kong (a
75th generation descendent of Confucius), this worshipful biography stresses the vast
influence of Confucian teachings in Asia today. grades 6 and up. 50 minutes $19.95
[SSSS]
The Great Wall of China:Building History
Primary and secondary sources, illustrations, and human-interest stories add appeal to
this history of the wall that slithers like a stone dragon over the Chinese landscape. The
author chronicles the construction of the longest structure ever built, from its third
century BC origins to Deng Xiaoping's 1984 declaration,"Let us love our country and
restore our Great Wall." Sidebars focus on high-interest topics such as the romantic
legend of Meng Jiangnu, the thousands of terra cotta soldiers guarding the tomb of the
Great Wall builders, and how a phony U.S. newspaper story led to the Boxer Rebellion.
grades 6-12. Hardback $17.96 [SSSS]
Asian History on File
For Students, teachers, scholars, and general readers, this wide-ranging resource provides
over 1000 reproducible maps, charts, timelines, and drawings. Asian History and culture
from ancient times to the present are covered in five main sections: Prehistoric South
Asia (the subcontinent); China; Japan and Korea; and Southeast Asia. A comprehensive
matrix table of contents offers multiple entry points for fast and independent
chronological, topical, or geographical searches. Printed on durable card stock, pages
feature fine details and easy-to-read lettering for making clearly visible photocopies.
grades 7 and up $165.00 [SSSS]
Oriental Art
A framework for understanding and appreciating Chinese and Japanese art is presented in
two accessible programs highlighted by beautiful examples of Oriental works. Par t1
introduces students to Chinese painting by explaining the guiding philosophy behind the
art, ways to view Chinese painting, and predominant styles and subjects, rather than by
emphasizing names and dates. Part 2 focuses on the art of Japan, describing the influence
of religion and culture on the unique scrolls, screens, and woodblock prints produced in
each period of Japanese history. grades 7 and up. $75.00 [SSSS]
Japan: History Through Art and Architecture
Two incisive programs look at the history and significance of the art and architecture of
Japan.
-The High School program discusses common themes (nature, religious
beliefs, contact with other cultures) and looks at how evolving beliefs changes the way
divine figures were portrayed. Includes VHS videocassette, 64-page program guide with
reproducible activities. grades 9-12. 124 minutes.
-The Middle School program demonstrates how foreign contacts,
domestic dynastic shifts, and changes in philosophy and religion were represented in the
development of new styles of art. Includes VHS videocassette, 28-page program guide and
32-page reproducible activity book. grades 6-9. 71 minutes.
Both sets come with a colorful poster. High School $199.00, Middle
School $144.00. [SSSS]
The First Emperor of China
Qin Shi Huang Di (221-206BC) unified China, standardized Chinese script, and completed the
Great Wall. This richly visual CD-ROM combines a visit to his tomb-guarded by an army of
7000 life-size terra-cotta soldiers and horses-with an introduction to his life and an
aerial tour of the Great Wall. A bilingual soundtrack provides narration in English or
Mandarin. Also includes: expert explanatory text, seven interactive maps, pronunciation
glossary, timeline, and bibliography. Grades 7 and up. CD-ROM for Mac/Windows $38.95 [SSSS]
Hiroshima
Told through the recollection of six survivors of the atomic bomb blast of August 6, 1945,
not a single scene, fact, or character in this brief but chilling book was invented.
grades 7 and up. paperback. 1-4 copies $5.99 each, 5 copies and over $4.80 each.
[SSSS]
Vietnam: A World Beneath the War
Despite the smiles, their words reflect grim memories of "the American War." In
1965 villagers around Vinh Linh- under escalating air and naval bombardment-began digging
a network of sheltering tunnels. Juxtaposing archival footage with current scenes, this
inspiring documentary shows how thousands worked, went to school, played, and carried on
family life thirty feet below their devastated villages. The story of an Air Force pilot
shot down over Vinh Linh and held in the tunnels adds perspective. Leaping over ideology
and politics, the program portrays survival of the human spirit under the harshest
conditions. grades 7 and up. 53 minutes. $79.95 [SSSS]
Hiroshima: Hallmark/Showtime Presents
April 12, 1945… FDR is dead, and untried successor must hurriedly decide whether or
not to use a new, top secret weapon of mass destruction. Seamlessly interweaving archival
film with deft reenactments, this program dramatically sets the stage for Truman's
momentous decision-taken as Japan's militarists (authentically presented in Japanese with
English subtitles) override peace feelers from their cabinet, reject the Potsdam
Declaration, and vow a fight to the death. The program ends with a compelling sequence on
the bombings from Japanese and American perspectives and "emerges as a searing,
mesmerizing dramatic event; it's about a s good as TV can offer" (Variety, August
1995) Grades 7 and up. 165 minutes. $14.98. [SSSS]
Feeding a Hungry World: Focus on Rice in Asia
and the Pacific
Take an interdisciplinary approach to teaching about the environment! Introduce students
to key environmental issues through an exploration of rice-based farming systems of
Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, and Thailand. Your students will
come away with a better understanding of environmental systems, population dynamics,
biodiversity, uses of technology, and the complexity of setting environmental policy.
Includes rice seeds and seven full size posters. Grades: middle school-community college.
189 pages. $64.95. [SPICE]
Demystifying the Chinese Language
Are you teaching world cultures or early civilizations? If so, you will enjoy using this
introduction to written language (including pictographs and ideographs) as you
"demystify" written Chinese. Students will create their own symbols to
communicate concepts, words, and ideas to others, learn some contemporary and historical
Chinese characters, and then apply their knowledge as they read a story written in English
and Chinese. Grades:middle school-secondary. 129 pages. $34.95. [SPICE]
The Haiku Moment: Seeing the World in a Grain
of Sand
An essential tool for introducing the world of haiku, this unit will allow your students
to explore Japanese aesthetics and poetry through activities enhanced by slides and poetry
readings. They will come away with a sense of the culture that created this centuries old
poetic form and will experience the satisfaction that comes from creating poetry of their
own. Includes 22 slides and an audio tape. Grades: middle school-secondary. 46 pages.
$32.95. [SPICE]
Japanese Radio Exercises
Your students will join a group of young people from Palo Alto, California, who will
introduce them to simple stretches and warm-up exercises set to music. As they participate
in traditional Japanese "Radio Exercises," your students will learn to count to
ten in Japanese, improve their own fitness, and experience an activity enjoyed by millions
of Japanese in their everyday lives. Includes a video tape. Grades: middle
school-secondary. 16 pages. $19.95 [SPICE]
Castle Towns: An introduction to Tokugawa Japan
Are you looking for resources that will complement teaching about the Middle Ages in
Europe? This unit will introduce your students to feudal Japan, its castles, and the towns
that grew up around them. Supplemented with slides of Japanese castles, lesson plans, and
student handouts, this unit will provide you with all you need to teach about this topic.
Includes 42 slides 51 pages. Grades:middle school-secondary. $42.95. [SPICE]
Mapping Asia
Teaching the geographical concepts of region, cultural boundary, and movement can be
challenging. This unit will help your students explore these ideas as they learn about the
geographic distribution and spread of major religions throughout Asia. This engaging unit
also includes games and activities to help students learn the physical and political
features of Asia. Grades: middle school-secondary. 82 pages. $19.95 [SPICE]
Traditional Chinese Celebrations
This unit introduces four important Chinese celebrations: The Lantern, Tomb Sweeping,
Dragon Boat, and Moon Festivals. Recognizing commonalities and differences between U.S.
and Chinese cultural traditions is encouraged. Grades: elementary-middle school. 32 pages,
16 slides. $29.95 [SPICE]
The Historical and Cultural Importance of Rice
This lesson engages students in a variety of activities based on readings carefully
selected to reflect the historical and cultural importance of rice in the six Asia/Pacific
countries. Readings include a literature excerpt from Thailand, a folktale and poetry from
China, a short story from Indonesia, a personal narrative from Bangladesh, a legend from
the Philippines, and a folktale from Japan. From full unit titled Feeding a Hungry World:
Focus on Rice in Asia and the Pacific. Grades:middle school-community college. 36 pages.
$7.50. [SPICE]
Water Pollution in Bangkok
Water pollution is the most serious environmental concern in Southeast Asia. Researchers
estimate that 80 percent of all disease and one third of all deaths in developing
countries can be traced to the consumption of contaminated water. This lesson introduces
students to the history, politics, and economics of water, and the relationship of each of
these factors to population and industrial growth. From full unit titled Megacities in the
Asia/Pacific Region: Focusing on Their Environmental Impact. Grades: middle school-high
school. 22 pages $5.00 [SPICE]
Ancient Civilization Grades: 4,5,6,7,8 5 Reference Charts: Gifts of Ancient China; Gifts of Ancient Egypt; Gifts of Ancient Greece; Gifts of the Romans and Gifts of Mesopotamia 17 in. x 21 3/8 in. CTP 5407 $8.75 [CTP]
CEAS
UCLA Asia Institute K-12 Curriculum Resources
Other Asia Institute Asian Studies
Resources
These Asian Studies resources were originally compiled by Judy Yu, using catalogs and web resources. We welcome your suggestions for additions and hope you will also send us reviews of these materials. Write to Clayton Dube at cdube@isop.ucla.edu.
Copyright © 1999-2000 by the UCLA Center for
East Asian Studies