Thematic Unit Covers China Past & Present
Innovations, a new thematic unit from Computer Curriculum Corp. (CCC), introduces middle and high school students to China, past and present, through online activities and collaborative projects. Lessons reflect standards from the National Council for the Social Studies and National Science Teachers Association.
The main project, Invented in China, presents the landmarks, geography and museums in five cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hong Kong and Nansha. Students learn how Chinese inventions changed peopleís perceptions of the social and natural world. They later pick an invention to research and use the "Connection Machine" to construct a concept map.
A mini-project, Innovate, challenges kids to design and build their own invention, then publish a report on the Web.
Two interactive games reinforce vocabulary words used in projects. In addition, a China Chat area lets students interact with peers and with experts on Chinese culture. Four-scale rubrics allow teachers to assess the written work of their students.
Annual subscriptions to CCCnet start at about $50 per teacher. Computer Curriculum Corp., Sunnyvale, CA, (800) 227-8324, www.cccnet.com
This article originally appeared in the 01/01/1997 issue of THE Journal.