Ancient China Final Project
Welcome to the cultural research project on Ancient China. You will be required to ask questions about a topic
that interests you. You will research the answers to your questions and present your findings in a creative
project.
The steps for the project will be:
1. Brainstorm ideas for the project
2. Select a topic
a. Narrow down your ideas from the prior step and select one
3. Prepare for research by generating a minimum of five questions
4. Research
5. Create your finished product
Step One -Two: Project Ideas
Here are some topic ideas to help you brainstorm. You do not have to choose from the ones below.
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Great Wall of China
The Qin Dynasty
Terracotta Soldiers
Confucius
Laozi
Emperor Qin
The Han Military
The Shang Fighting Style
Confucianism
Taoism
Legalism
Bronze Weapons
Iron Weapons
Steel Weapons
Silk Road
Inventions
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○ Compass
○ Kite
○ Paper
○ Acupuncture
○ Seismograph
○ Wheelbarrow
The Importance of Rice and how it is
grown
Irrigation
Music
Calligraphy
Farming
Art
Architecture
Government
Civil Service Exam
Step Three: Generate 5 Questions
You must ask five questions about your topic that will help your class understand it more. Here
are some samples of questions that you could ask. The questions do not have to be
complicated. However, they should not be repetitive. Your questions will also vary from topic to
topic. When you start researching and finding out new information, you may come upon a
question.
You must have a paragraph for each of your answers. A paragraph consists of five sentences.
You cannot have “When did this occur” as a question.
Inventions
● Who created the ______________?
● How did the invention help the Ancient Chinese people?
● What is the invention made of?
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How does the invention improve our society today?
What are some limitations of the invention?
How was the invention back then different than today?
The Weapons
● How did the weapons help improve the the fighting style of the army?
● How is the specific weapon made?
● How does one use the weapon when in combat?
Sample Questions
(You can adjust the questions depending what you pick)
● What was the purpose of the terracotta soldiers?
● What are several ways that the ancient Chinese people irrigated?
● How did people farm?
Some tips when generating questions
● If you are having difficulty, start off with when, why, who, where, when, and how
● Start researching your topic, then see what the authors talk a lot about
Step Four: Research
You need at least three different resources. You will need to keep track of the resources that
you use in order to create your bibliography.
Keywords
While searching all online and text resources you will want to choose specific keywords (and
combinations of words) that will guide you to the best information possible on your topic. Helpful
keywords and terms:
 Chinese Dynasty
 Han Dynasty
 Trade route
 Authority
 Poetry
 Inventions
 Ancient China
 Laws
 Transportation
 Philosophies
 Painting
 Economy
 Shang Dynasty
 Ideas Structure
 Technology
 Economic Systems
 Pottery
 Government
 Zhou(Chou)Dynasty
 Cities
 Political System
 Jobs
 Music
 Social System
 Qin(Chin) Dynasty
 Building Projects
 Leadership
 Goods and Services
 Textiles
 Levels of society


Arts
Trade

Architecture
Here are some websites that could be helpful. Also, I have some books I checked out from the
library that you can use.
The Ancient Dynasties:
http://www-chaos.umd.edu/history/ancient1.html
A-Z Kid’s Stuff: China
http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/china.html
Ancient, Classical History: China
http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/china
China
http://history.evansville.net/china.html#Resources
Daily Life in Ancient China
http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/Chinalife.html
Ancient China Index
http://www.crystalinks.com/china.html
Chinese Cultural Studies: Concise Political History of China (scroll down for dynasties)
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/core9/phalsall/texts/chinhist.html
http://depts.washington.edu/chinaciv/index.htm
http://www.computersmiths.com/chineseinvention/ http://www.ancientchina.co.uk/menu.html
http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_artqa/node_405.htm
http://mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/china/timeline.html
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/lakelandsparkms/Media/China%20Links.htm
http://k12east.mrdonn.org/China.html
The Art of Asia
http://www.artsmia.org/art%2Dof%2Dasia/
Timeline of Chinese Dynasties
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/china/timeline.html
Chinese History
http://www.chinaknowledge.org/History/history.htm
Step Five: Create your Finished Product
Once your topic and questions have been selected and researched, you will need to show what
you have learned. You will do this by writing the answers to your questions and producing a
visual that relates to your topic.
Projects must include:
1. The five questions that you have researched along with their answers typed on separate
piece of paper with your heading on it.
2. A typed list of your sources (bibliography)
3.
A visual/product that relates to your topic and includes the answers to your 5 research
questions.
Final project options include:
 Scrapbook
 Power Point slide show
 Newspaper
 Website
 Children’s book
 Artwork
 Architectural feature
 Poster
 Artifact Replica
 Diorama
 Model
 Other
Project Timeline:
Monday, November 30: Project assigned and explained
Wednesday, December 2: Time to research topic and create five questions
Friday, December 4: Hand in topic and five questions (Does not need to be typed)
Monday, December 7: How to write a bibliography
Tuesday, December 8- Friday, December 11: Research with Chromebooks and Record
Monday, December 14-15: Research and Revise paragraphs; Create finished product
Tuesday, December 15: Typed Questions and Answers are due TYPED
Wednesday, December 16: Presentation of finished product and information you have
learned.
How you will be graded:
Typed Report
____/10 points
Generating at least 5 good questions that relate to your topic
____/30 points
Answers to your questions that demonstrate new learning
Each question is worth 6
All questions and answers need to be typed
points
6-5
4-3
2
1

Answers questions accurately and thoroughly

Grammatically correct

5-4 sentences

Answers question partially but accurately

Grammatically correct

3 sentences

Answer is vague or too general

Grammatically acceptable with few errors

2 sentences

Answer shows some understanding but is inaccurate
and or is sufficiently explained

Many grammatical errors

1 sentence
___/15 points Bibliography (minimum three sources)
___/45 points Project Visual
___/25 pts
Visual shows a complete and thorough understanding of all five questions
___/10 pts
Visual is neat and organized
___/10 pts
Visual is creative and shows time was spent on the visual
___/35
Presentation
Categories
5-Excellent
4- Good
2-Fair
1-Needs
Improvement
Eye contact
Holds attention of
entire audience
with the use of
direct eye contact,
seldom looking at
notes.
Student uses a
clear voice and
correct, precise
pronunciation of
terms so that all
audience
Consistent use of
direct eye contact
with audience, but
still returns to
notes.
Displayed minimal
eye contact with
audience, while
reading mostly
from the notes.
No eye contact
with audience, as
entire report is
read from notes.
Student’s voice is
clear. Student
pronounces most
words correctly.
Most audience
Student’s voice is
low. Student
incorrectly
pronounce terms.
Audience
members have
Student mumbles,
incorrectly
pronounces terms,
and speaks too
quietly for a
Elocution
members can
hear presentation.
Student presents
information in
logical, interesting
sequence which
audience can
follow.
Demonstrates
strong enthusiasm
about topic during
entire
presentation.
Significantly
increases
audience
understanding
and knowledge of
topic.
Student is
completely
prepared and has
obviously
rehearsed.
members can
hear presentation.
Student presents
information in
logical sequence
which audience
can follow.
difficulty hearing
presentation.
Audience has
difficulty following
presentation
because student
jumps around.
Shows some
enthusiastic
feelings about
topic
Raises audience
understanding
and awareness of
most points
Shows little or
mixed feelings
about the topic
being presented.
Raises audience
understanding
and knowledge of
some points.
Student seems
pretty prepared
but might have
needed a couple
more rehearsals.
Stays on Topic
Stays on topic all
(100% of the time.
Listening to Other
Presentations
Listens intently.
Does not make
distracting noises
or movements.
Stays on topic
most (99-90%) of
the time.
Listens intently
but has one
distracting noise
or movement.
The student is
somewhat
prepared, but it is
clear that
rehearsal was
lacking.
Stays on topic
some (89-75%) of
the time.
Sometimes does
not appear to be
listening but is not
distracting.
Organization
Enthusiasm/Audience
Awareness
Preparedness
(During only class
presentation)
majority of
students to hear.
Audience cannot
understand
presentation
because there is
no sequence of
information.
Shows no interest
in topic presented.
Fails to increase
audience
understanding of
knowledge of topic.
Student does not
seem at all
prepared to
present.
It was hard to tell
what the topic was.
Sometimes does
not appear to be
listening and has
distracting noises
or movements.
____/ 135 Total Points for the Project
Participation: Daily you will be graded on participation with this following rubric. These are an
easy 16 points to earn a day.
1
Attention
2
3
4
Inattentive,
Inconsistent
Focused,
Attentive,
disengaged, and
engagement.
involved, and is
involved. Is
distracted. Often
Sometimes
on task most of
always on task.
is off task and
distracted.
the time. Rarely
Never do I call
distracting
Needs to be
do I call on
his or her name.
others.
reminded at
name.
times to stay on
task.
Attitude
Refuses to
Will participate
Ready to
Consistently
participate. Has
with prodding.
participate.
ready to
an “I don’t care”
Able to change
Comes with a
participate.
attitude.
to a more
positive attitude
Motivates others
positive attitude.
and stays
to have a
positive.
positive attitude.
Positive
influence.
Independent
Asks for help
Sometimes asks
Rarely asks for
Only asks for
Work
constantly from
for help unless it
help unless it is
help when
teacher and
is needed.
needed.
absolutely
peers. Needs
Sometimes
Regularly ready
needed.
frequent clues to
requires cues to
to work without
Consistently
begin tasks.
begin work.
prompting.
goes beyond
Does not try to
Generally
Regularly
expectations.
solve the
revises work.
revises work.
Always puts
problem on
forth best effort.
ones’ own.
Organization
Does not bring
Some missing
Prepared with all
Prepared with all
materials.
materials.
materials. Work
materials.
Materials and
Materials and
done on time.
Manages time
space are
space are
Materials and
and produces
messy and
sometimes
space are
best work.
disorganized.
messy and
organized and
Materials and
disorganized.
neat.
space are
organized, neat,
and precise.
Reminds others
to be ready.