S.1 IH (Teacher’s guide)
Family history, lineage record, clans and ancestral halls
1
Family History, Lineage Record, Clans and Ancestral Halls –
Teacher’s Guide
Periods
Content
Locations of family
members
Remark
Homework: My family tree
(Students may download a tree
Family trees
software from the internet to make
their family tree)
Students may visit given websites
to get more information about the
four major groups.
 Sound tracks of the dialects of
The four major groups
the four major groups
(Unavailable on the web due to
Lineage record
copyright limitation)
 OHTs of the sound tracks
Five major clans
Flash file “5Clans.exe”
 Appendix A – G
Lineage records
 Homework: Chronology and
evidence
 Game: Fate of a household in a
great clan
 Rules and materials for the
Ancestral halls and ancestral worship
game are provided separately
in another file “ancestral halls
& ancestral
worship_game.doc”.
 Simulation game (materials
needed as stated in the
worksheet)
 PowerPoint file on ancestral
Ancestral worship
worship
 Video tape on ancestral
worship
 Homework: Cyber ancestral
worship
Family history
1-5
Overall learning objectives:
1. To draw a family tree;
2.
3.
4.
To understand the importance of a lineage record;
To list the four major groups and five major clans in Hong Kong;
To understand clan affairs in traditional Chinese society, such as ancestral worship
and common asset.
I.
Family history
Learning objectives:
1. To acquire a broad definition of the family;
2. To draw a family tree for his/her family;
S.1 IH (Teacher’s guide)
3.
Family history, lineage record, clans and ancestral halls
2
To trace the historical roots of one’s family.
Suggestions on teaching:
1. A family is a group of people who are related by blood to each other, such as
parents and children. Family members may spread across long distances to live in
different cities and countries.
Students are asked to mark on the map(s) where their family members live.
Teacher may conclude that although family members may not live together, they
still belong to the same family.
A family has its own history. A family tree is one of the ways to show the relations
among family members.
Students are asked to answer questions on Family trees A, B and C. Concepts /
terms like generations, parents, father, mother, daughter, son, uncle, nephew,
grandparents, grandchildren, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law and
daughter-in-law could be introduced here.
2.
Homework: My family tree
Students may try to draw their own family trees.
Students are encouraged to trace
the history of their families and write down the names of their great grandmothers
and great grandfathers or even great great grandmothers and great great
grandfathers.
Students who are keen on computer may use the freeware on genealogy to work on
the family tree.
Some students may find it difficult to trace the names of their great grandmothers
and great grandfathers or are not keen on computer or have no access to a computer.
So, teacher may encourage students to try another format, family trees A, B and C
in the worksheet.
II. Lineage record
Learning objectives:
1.
2.
3.
To understand the importance of a lineage record;
To list the four major groups and five major clans in Hong Kong;
To arrange events according to time sequence;
4.
To collect evidence to support the findings.
Suggestions on teaching:
S.1 IH (Teacher’s guide)
1.
2.
Family history, lineage record, clans and ancestral halls
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Materials:
i. 4 OHTs on the dialects spoken by the 4 major groups in Hong Kong
ii. 1 Flash file on the settlement of the 5 clans in Hong Kong
iii. 7 OHTs (Appendix A-G) on the lineage records of the Tangs in Ping Shan
Procedures:
i.
Teacher may explain that the history of a family is recorded in the form of
lineage record.
ii. There are four major groups in Hong Kong. Their different background,
dialects and costumes will be introduced. Teacher may play the sound tracks
on different dialects, track 2 to track 5, and ask students if they can identify the
dialects. ** Please ignore track 1. There are 4 OHTs which match with the
4 sound tracks. Teacher may show them the OHTs one by one when playing
the tracks and ask students to guess the answers.
iii. The five major clans are also introduced. They arrived Hong Kong during the
Song Dynasty and settled in the most fertile land in Hong Kong, like Yuen
Long and Kam Tin. The procedures on how to use the flash file “5Clans.exe”
are as follows:

Teacher first clicks the D button, and the locations of the five major clans
will be shown. Teacher then asks, "The areas of settlement of the five
major clans have a few things in common. What are they?" It is very
probable that students cannot answer the question at this stage.

Teacher then clicks the A button, and the landscape is shown. Teacher
asks the same question again. It is expected that students will notice that
the five clans settled in plains instead of hilly areas.

Teacher then clicks the B button, and the rivers are shown. Teacher asks
the same question again. It is expected that students will notice that the
five clans settled along rivers. Then teacher asks, "Why did they settle
along rivers?" It is because they were farmers. Water was needed for
irrigation.

Teacher then clicks the C button, and the fertile lands are shown.
Teacher asks, "If you were a farmer, what kind of land would you choose
to farm on?"
land".
It is expected that students will give the answer "fertile
S.1 IH (Teacher’s guide)
Family history, lineage record, clans and ancestral halls
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Fertile land
Rivers
Landscape, hilly areas
Locations of the five
clans
iv.
A lineage record is an important document which records the history of a clan.
Teacher may show the OHT of the lineage record of the Tangs in Ping Shan.
This is to give students an impression of what a lineage record looks like. A
family tree of the generations mentioned in the appendices is included for
teacher's easy reference. It is not desirable to turn it into an OHT because the
words are too small. Teacher may explain the information in Appendix A-G
and tell stories relating to the Tangs in Ping Shan.
v.
3.
Teacher may ask students if their families have lineage records.
teacher can ask if they would like to show them in class.
If yes,
Homework
Option A - Family history
Students are asked to list important events which happened in their families. They
have to collect evidence to prove that these events listed did occur.
Option B - Personal profile
If, for any reason, students do not want to disclose information on their families,
they may choose Option B. Again they have to collect evidence in support of the
events they listed.
S.1 IH (Teacher’s guide)
Family history, lineage record, clans and ancestral halls
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III. Ancestral halls and ancestral worship
Learning objectives:
1. To understand clan affairs in traditional Chinese society, such as ancestral worship
and common asset.
2. To develop empathy towards clan affairs by participating in the game.
Suggestions on teaching:
1.
Materials:
i. Land Deeds: 2 for each student
ii. Taels of silver: 2 for each student
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
Common Asset Card: 40
Condition Cards: 4 in total (OHTs)
Action Cards: at least 4
Candies: as awards
For easy identification, teacher may use different coloured paper for different types
of cards.
2.
Procedures:
i. Introduce ancestral halls in the New Territories to students.
The teacher may
ask students the following questions to arouse their interests:

What is your impression towards ancestral halls in Hong Kong? Large,
beautiful or old?

Do you know the structure of an ancestral hall?

What is the purpose of building an ancestral hall?

How do clansmen get money to build the ancestral hall and maintain it in
later years?
ii. Briefly explain items relating to the game, including Land 0Deed, taels of silver,
the concept of family and household and common asset.
iii. Start the game according to the instructions.
iv. Ask students to complete the worksheet.
v.
Teacher may remind students of the questions asked at the beginning of the
lesson. An ancestral hall has many functions, such as keeping the clansmen
together and showing off the wealth of a clan. Ancestral worship is a way to
show respect to ancestors (filial piety). Nowadays, clansmen still worship
their ancestors in the ancestral hall.
S.1 IH (Teacher’s guide)
Family history, lineage record, clans and ancestral halls
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IV. Ancestral worship
Learning objectives:
1. To understand the aims and functions of ancestral worship;
2. To develop empathy towards ancestral worship in traditional Chinese society.
Suggestions on learning:
1.
Materials:
i. a table
ii. a glass of water
iii. some apples and oranges
iv. three sets of red cups and chopsticks
v. some incense sticks
vi. cardboard
**Only students who are willing should participate in the simulation game. Teacher
should brief them before the lesson. Students need to help prepare the materials.
Other resources:
i. PowerPoint file on ancestral worship
ii. Video tape on ancestral worship
Suggestions on teaching:
1.
Introduce the term "ancestral worship", then ask students to study Source A and
answer the questions that follow. Students may answer the questions in CHINESE.
2.
With the PowerPoint file, explain the ancestral worship ceremony.
students to simulate the ceremony (to be conducted in CHINESE).
3.
Play the video tape on ancestral worship ceremony at the Chung Yeung Festival.
4.
Students are asked to compare different ancestral worship ceremonies, using the
Then ask
information in the video tape and the PowerPoint file. Students would find out that,
though there are certain differences between the ways these ceremonies are
conducted, their aims and functions are similar.
5.
As an extended activity, students are encouraged to study other festivals and
traditional customs in Hong Kong. If time allows, teacher may take some time in
the next lesson for simple oral presentation.
6.
Homework: Cyber Ancestral Worship
Students can hold different views supported by reasons.