ANCIENT CHINA – CLASS ACTIVITIES/ASSIGNMENT
Below are a list of activities you are required to complete individually on Ancient China.
There are matching worksheets and websites for you to use. If you cannot find the
information you would like from the websites provided you can research others of your
choice. There are due dates for each activity
1. You are to choose one of the following ancient Chinese Eras to report on: Shang &
Zhou or Ch'in/Qin or Han. (DUE DATE: Start of lesson week 6)
Once you decide on your era, you will need to collect your questions from the teacher. You are present
your information on Word, presenting your work neatly with appropriate pictures.
Shang & Zhou Dynasties
http://china.mrdonn.org/shang&chou.html
http://china.mrdonn.org/oraclebones.html
http://china.mrdonn.org/bronzeage.html
http://china.mrdonn.org/mandateofheaven.html
Ch’in or Qin Dynasty
http://china.mrdonn.org/qin.html
http://www.artsmia.org/art-of-asia/history/dynasty-chin.cfm
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/china/early_imperial_china/qin.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/12255/library/dynasty/qin.html
http://www.hi.com.au/resource/rfacts.asp?kla=16&subtopicid=2497
http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/CHEMPIRE/CHEMPIRE.HTM
Han Dynasty
http://china.mrdonn.org/han.html
http://www.artsmia.org/art-of-asia/history/dynasty-han.cfm
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/china/early_imperial_china/han.html
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/china/history/han.htm
http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/CHEMPIRE/CHEMPIRE.HTM
2. Create a scaled timeline to represent the year the different dynasty ruled for and any other important
information you think of. You must have 10 events on your timeline, which are to have a sentence or two about
them. Remember to include a title and use a ruler to draw your timeline. You may like to include pictures to
represent your information.(DUE DATE: End of lesson week 7)
3. You must choose one ancient China specialty area topic from below. You will then research your
topic and write a newspaper article. In addition, you must include a picture or pictures related to
your topic. (DUE DATE: End of lesson week 9)
Once you have picked your topic, you need to the suggested questions from the teacher and use
the links to research your topic. You will research the questions provided for you, but will also be
expected to add any extra information that you may come across about your topic.
Remember to present it like a newspaper page, including a title, article caption, byline (your name), the
date at the top of the page and a picture to represent your information.
Terra Cotta Warriors
http://harcourtschool.com/newsbreak/terra.html
http://www.technologystudent.com/culture1/terrcot1.htm
http://www.imperialtours.net/terracotta_warriors.htm
http://www.chinavista.com/travel/terracotta/warrior01.html
http://www.wright-photo.com/XianO.htm
Great Wall of China
http://www.crystalinks.com/chinawall.html
http://www.mrdowling.com/613-greatwall.html
http://www.chinavista.com/travel/greatwall/map.html
Chinese New Year
http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/chinese_new_year.html
http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/traditional_foods.html
http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/taboos.html
http://china.mrdonn.org/newyear.html
Chinese Zodiac
http://china.mrdonn.org/zodiac.html
http://www.crystalinks.com/chinastrology.html
http://www.chinatownconnection.com/chinese_zodiac.htm
Dragons
http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa082998.htm
http://www.crystalinks.com/chinadragons.html
http://www.moonfestival.org/legends/dragon.htm
Shang & Zhou Dynasties
1: During what years did this era occur?
2: What types of materials did they use for tools and art.
3: Did they have writing? What did they write on? Type of writing?
4: What was ancestor worship?
5: Explain the significance of the family
6: Briefly compare the lives of the nobles to the lives of the farmers (peasants).
7: The Chou believed in a “Heavenly Mandate.” Describe it.
8: Other interesting facts or stories
Shang & Zhou Dynasties
1: During what years did this era occur?
2: What types of materials did they use for tools and art.
3: Did they have writing? What did they write on? Type of writing?
4: What was ancestor worship?
5: Explain the significance of the family
6: Briefly compare the lives of the nobles to the lives of the farmers (peasants).
7: The Chou believed in a “Heavenly Mandate.” Describe it.
8: Other interesting facts or stories
Shang & Zhou Dynasties
1: During what years did this era occur?
2: What types of materials did they use for tools and art.
3: Did they have writing? What did they write on? Type of writing?
4: What was ancestor worship?
5: Explain the significance of the family
6: Briefly compare the lives of the nobles to the lives of the farmers (peasants).
7: The Chou believed in a “Heavenly Mandate.” Describe it.
8: Other interesting facts or stories
Ch’in or Qin Dynasty
1: During what years did this era occur?
2: Who was the emperor that ended the Warring States Period and unified China during his brief
reign?
3: Name some changes this emperor made to unify China? (Hint – What did he standardize?)
4: To protect his empire what enormous barrier did he build and who built it?
5: This emperor was a legalist, describe what that is.
6: Describe the bureaucracy system that Qin set up.
7: What did Emperor Qin do to many of the scholars and their books?
8: Describe the Terra Cotta Soldiers.
9: Other interesting facts or stories
Ch’in or Qin Dynasty
1: During what years did this era occur?
2: Who was the emperor that ended the Warring States Period and unified China during his brief
reign?
3: Name some changes this emperor made to unify China? (Hint – What did he standardize?)
4: To protect his empire what enormous barrier did he build and who built it?
5: This emperor was a legalist, describe what that is.
6: Describe the bureaucracy system that Qin set up.
7: What did Emperor Qin do to many of the scholars and their books?
8: Describe the Terra Cotta Soldiers.
9: Other interesting facts or stories
Ch’in or Qin Dynasty
1: During what years did this era occur?
2: Who was the emperor that ended the Warring States Period and unified China during his brief
reign?
3: Name some changes this emperor made to unify China? (Hint – What did he standardize?)
4: To protect his empire what enormous barrier did he build and who built it?
5: This emperor was a legalist, describe what that is.
6: Describe the bureaucracy system that Qin set up.
7: What did Emperor Qin do to many of the scholars and their books?
8: Describe the Terra Cotta Soldiers.
9: Other interesting facts or stories
Han Dynasty
1: During what years did this era occur?
2: Name some inventions from this dynasty.
3: Describe the Silk Road.
4: Name some achievements in the Arts & Sciences
5: Under Emperor Wudi a public school system was set up. Whose teachings /philosophy did it focus
on?
6: Briefly compare the lives of the rich to the lives of the poor.
7: Under this empire people were able to take civil service exams and for the first time, who got paid
for work (government jobs)?
8: Other interesting facts or stories
Han Dynasty
1: During what years did this era occur?
2: Name some inventions from this dynasty.
3: Describe the Silk Road.
4: Name some achievements in the Arts & Sciences
5: Under Emperor Wudi a public school system was set up. Whose teachings /philosophy did it focus
on?
6: Briefly compare the lives of the rich to the lives of the poor.
7: Under this empire people were able to take civil service exams and for the first time, who got paid
for work (government jobs)?
8: Other interesting facts or stories
Han Dynasty
1: During what years did this era occur?
2: Name some inventions from this dynasty.
3: Describe the Silk Road.
4: Name some achievements in the Arts & Sciences
5: Under Emperor Wudi a public school system was set up. Whose teachings /philosophy did it focus
on?
6: Briefly compare the lives of the rich to the lives of the poor.
7: Under this empire people were able to take civil service exams and for the first time, who got paid
for work (government jobs)?
8: Other interesting facts or stories
Terra Cotta Warriors
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Who built the Terra Cotta Warriors?
When were they built?
Why were they built?
What are they made of?
What is the history behind the Terra Cotta Warriors?
When were they discovered? By Whom?
Describe the Terra Cotta site (where is it, size, etc.)?
Terra Cotta Warriors
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Who built the Terra Cotta Warriors?
When were they built?
Why were they built?
What are they made of?
What is the history behind the Terra Cotta Warriors?
When were they discovered? By Whom?
Describe the Terra Cotta site (where is it, size, etc.)?
Terra Cotta Warriors
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Who built the Terra Cotta Warriors?
When were they built?
Why were they built?
What are they made of?
What is the history behind the Terra Cotta Warriors?
When were they discovered? By Whom?
Describe the Terra Cotta site (where is it, size, etc.)?
Terra Cotta Warriors
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Who built the Terra Cotta Warriors?
When were they built?
Why were they built?
What are they made of?
What is the history behind the Terra Cotta Warriors?
When were they discovered? By Whom?
Describe the Terra Cotta site (where is it, size, etc.)?
GREAT WALL OF CHINA
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
When was the Great Wall built?
Why was it built?
How long is it?
What does it border?
What have some said the wall was a symbol of?
Other interesting facts about the Great Wall.
GREAT WALL OF CHINA
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
When was the Great Wall built?
Why was it built?
How long is it?
What does it border?
What have some said the wall was a symbol of?
Other interesting facts about the Great Wall.
GREAT WALL OF CHINA
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
When was the Great Wall built?
Why was it built?
How long is it?
What does it border?
What have some said the wall was a symbol of?
Other interesting facts about the Great Wall.
GREAT WALL OF CHINA
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
When was the Great Wall built?
Why was it built?
How long is it?
What does it border?
What have some said the wall was a symbol of?
Other interesting facts about the Great Wall.
The Chinese New Year
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
When is the holiday celebrated?
Where does the holiday originate?
What is the “true meaning” of the Chinese New Year?
What are some of the traditions associated with the Chinese New Year?
Are there any superstitions surrounding the Chinese New Year? If so, what are they?
The Chinese New Year
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
When is the holiday celebrated?
Where does the holiday originate?
What is the “true meaning” of the Chinese New Year?
What are some of the traditions associated with the Chinese New Year?
Are there any superstitions surrounding the Chinese New Year? If so, what are they?
The Chinese New Year
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
When is the holiday celebrated?
Where does the holiday originate?
What is the “true meaning” of the Chinese New Year?
What are some of the traditions associated with the Chinese New Year?
Are there any superstitions surrounding the Chinese New Year? If so, what are they?
The Chinese New Year
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
When is the holiday celebrated?
Where does the holiday originate?
What is the “true meaning” of the Chinese New Year?
What are some of the traditions associated with the Chinese New Year?
Are there any superstitions surrounding the Chinese New Year? If so, what are they?
Chinese Dragon
1. What do the Chinese believe about the dragon? What does it symbolize? Why did/do
they worship it?
2. How is their belief different from other cultures? (Eastern vs. Western beliefs)
3. What do their dragons look like?
4. Other interesting facts
Chinese Dragon
1. What do the Chinese believe about the dragon? What does it symbolize? Why did/do
they worship it?
2. How is their belief different from other cultures? (Eastern vs. Western beliefs)
3. What do their dragons look like?
4. Other interesting facts
Chinese Dragon
1. What do the Chinese believe about the dragon? What does it symbolize? Why did/do
they worship it?
2. How is their belief different from other cultures? (Eastern vs. Western beliefs)
3. What do their dragons look like?
4. Other interesting facts
Chinese Dragon
1. What do the Chinese believe about the dragon? What does it symbolize? Why did/do
they worship it?
2. How is their belief different from other cultures? (Eastern vs. Western beliefs)
3. What do their dragons look like?
4. Other interesting facts
The Chinese Zodiac
1. How many years do the Chinese animal signs (Chinese Zodiac) represent?
2. The Chinese zodiac represents a cyclical concept time rather than linear (We use liner
to tell time). What does cyclical mean?
3. What is the symbolism of the animals in the Chinese Zodiac?
4. Describe the legend behind the animals.
5. What is your sign according to the Chinese Zodiac? And do you feel that the
description of your personality based on your sign is accurate?
The Chinese Zodiac
1. How many years do the Chinese animal signs (Chinese Zodiac) represent?
2. The Chinese zodiac represents a cyclical concept time rather than linear (We use liner
to tell time). What does cyclical mean?
3. What is the symbolism of the animals in the Chinese Zodiac?
4. Describe the legend behind the animals.
5. What is your sign according to the Chinese Zodiac? And do you feel that the
description of your personality based on your sign is accurate?
The Chinese Zodiac
1. How many years do the Chinese animal signs (Chinese Zodiac) represent?
2. The Chinese zodiac represents a cyclical concept time rather than linear (We use liner
to tell time). What does cyclical mean?
3. What is the symbolism of the animals in the Chinese Zodiac?
4. Describe the legend behind the animals.
5. What is your sign according to the Chinese Zodiac? And do you feel that the
description of your personality based on your sign is accurate?
The Chinese Zodiac
1. How many years do the Chinese animal signs (Chinese Zodiac) represent?
2. The Chinese zodiac represents a cyclical concept time rather than linear (We use liner
to tell time). What does cyclical mean?
3. What is the symbolism of the animals in the Chinese Zodiac?
4. Describe the legend behind the animals.
5. What is your sign according to the Chinese Zodiac? And do you feel that the
description of your personality based on your sign is accurate?