The Dynasties of Ancient China

 Today's Learning Objective  * Analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of early civilizations of China.  

Video Warm Up  Welcome to the amazing world of Ancient Chinese Dynasties! Watch the entertaining and informative video below and share your response here.   

Ancient China Dynasty Timeline  Today you will create a digital timeline featuring the earliest dynasties of Ancient China: the Neolithic Era (Xia Dynasty), Shang Dynasty, Chou (Zhou) Dynasty, Ch'in (Qin) Dynasty, and Han Dynasty. In addition to labeling each dynasty, your timeline should include the years of their reign and an image representing each dynasty. You can find the assignment Ancient China Dynasty Timeline in your Social Studies folders, which includes an example of how to complete your timeline. You can find images and information about ancient Chinese dynasties here and here. You may also Google each dynasty for additional images and dates. 

What Is a Dynasty?

Warm-Up Quiz  It's time to show what you've learned about the 'Geography of China.' Take the quiz here.   

Introduction to Chinese Dynasties  Read about two of the earliest Chinese dynasties here. What features or characteristics do dynasties seem to have? What do you think it mean to be a dynasty?  

Dynasty Concept Map  In order to fully understand what it means to be a 'dynasty,' let's create a Dynasty Concept Map, which you can find in your Social Studies folders. First, based on the text we read previously what characteristics or features do dynasties seem to share? Next, considering these characteristics, what are some 'non-examples' of a dynasty? Who are what does not qualify as a dynasty? If you have time you can even include some images of such non-examples.Thirdly, now that we better understand what a dynasty is not, what are some legitimate examples of dynasties. Shall we Google "examples of ruling dynasties" and see what we can find? Once again, feel free to add some visuals to your concept map. Finally, what is the actual definition of a dynasty. Check our what your Social Studies textbook says here. Additionally, Google "definition of dynasty" and see what you come up with. Which definition are you going to include on your concept map and why? Maybe you could consider combining the definitions of several sources or using your newly developed understand to create your own.  

Homework  (1.) Complete your Dynasty Concept Map.  (2.) Complete the China Map and Ancient China Webquest, both of which are due tomorrow, Friday, March 13.

Completing Ancient China Activities Day

Today's Menu of Activities Sorry I couldn't be with you. I am home sick today. I expect you to be on your very best behavior and to treat your substitute teacher with courtesy and respect. Considering many of you have yet to finish all of your assignments and activities related to Ancient Today, I would like to offer you another day. You may work on any of the assignments or activities listed below. Please use this time wisely. 

• China Map (Due on Friday, March 13)
• Ancient China Webquest (Due on Friday, March 13)
• Geography of China Edpuzzle (Past Due)
• Time for Kids Around the World Activities for China
• Past Due Social Studies Assessments or Assignments
• Language Arts Assignments
• Silent Reading

Mapping China

 Today's Learning Objective   Explain the geographic features of China that made governance and the spread of ideas and good difficult and served to isolate the country from the rest of the world.

Video Warm-Up  Get oriented with China's geography by watching the guided Google Earth tour of China below. What observations can you make?  

               

Ancient China Map Project  Today you will begin creating an informative digital map of China and labeling it with essential components of its geography. China Map Directions and a blank template for the China Map assignment can be found in your Social Studies folders. There are a multitude of resources you can use to help in labeling your map. An online student atlas can be found here. A physical map of China can be found here. And a political map of China can be found here. We will work on this in class today and tomorrow.          

Exploring Ancient China

Aloha Friday!  Sorry I couldn't be with you today. I expect you to be on your very best behavior and to treat your substitute teacher with courtesy and respect. Also, know that I may be monitoring the work on your Chromebook from home. Students that violate classroom norms and rules will have to deal with me and the prospect of serious consequences upon my return. Be your best self! Do your best work! Make me proud! 

Ancient China Webquest  Continue to get oriented with some of the things you'll be learning about during our unit on ancient China by starting to explore the Ancient China Webquest, which you can find in your Social Studies folders. Follow the links, research the questions, and record your answers using the document. This assignment will be due next week!

Academic Study Hall  If you finish your Ancient China Webquest early and you still have assessments missing, please make completing those your priority now. If you still need to finish your Geography of China Edpuzzle, you may also use this time to complete that assignment.

Time for Kids China Activities  If you have finished your Ancient China Webquest, your missing assessments, and your Geography of China Edpuzzle, you may work on an alternative assignment. You may either read your A.R. book silently, or you may check out the Time for Kids Around the World activities for China here. Tour through China's most amazing sites here. Travel through our timeline of major events in China's History here. Learn Mandarin Chinese here. Find out what a typical day in the life of a Chinese boy is like here. And finally find out how much you learned during your virtual voyage through China by taking the quiz here.

The Geography of China with Edpuzzle

 Today's Learning Objective   Explain the geographic features of China that made governance and the spread of ideas and good difficult and served to isolate the country from the rest of the world.

 

Geography of China - Edpuzzle Video  Today you will be visiting Edpuzzle and watching a video and answering a series of questions about the Geography of China. The video will stop periodically and you'll be required to answer a question before being allowed to continue. To be successful, you must pay close attention to the content of the video. If you have your own headphones, please use them. Otherwise, you must listen to your video as quietly as possible. You can watch the video and answer the questions at your own pace. If you don't finish in class today, you must finish on your own time outside of class. This activity will count towards your Social Studies assessment grade. 

Ancient China Webquest  If you finish your Edpuzzle early, you may continue working on your Ancient China Webquest. Follow the links, research the questions, and record your answers using the document. 

Finishing Presentations, Reviewing Assessment Feedback, and Exploring Ancient China

 Today's Learning Objective   Analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of China.

The Final Hinduism and Buddhism Film Presentations Today we will finish watching the remainder of Mr. McGinty's Social Studies students' Hinduism and Buddhism videos. If you haven't already, lease make sure your video is published and in your Social Studies folder and ready for showtime. While you are watching each video, please provide the video's creator with positive and constructive feedback using the form here. Remember feedback from peers is intended to be constructive and help you make your finished product even better. It's important that we all be able to receive and grow and improve based on the feedback from others.   

Reviewing Buddha Comic Strip Assessment Feedback  Today I will return your graded Buddha Comic Strips along with assessment feedback. Let's review the various grading criteria from the rubric and how your project fared. In our quest for continual improvement, if you notice an area that you think you can improve on and want to address, you are welcome to resubmit your project and to be reassessed. The same goes for your Hinduism and Buddhism video project. Please message me through School Loop if you have any questions or want me to take another look at one of your projects.    

Ancient China Webquest  Continue to get oriented with some of the things you'll be learning about during our unit on ancient China by starting to explore the Ancient China Webquest, which you can find in your Social Studies folders. Follow the links, research the questions, and record your answers using the document. We will continue to work on this throughout week.