Title: China’s New Wall
Date: 11 June 2009
Grade: 10-12
URL: http://www.newsy.com/videos/china_s_new_wall
Source: SU09-9467-1b
Subject: World
Teacher Information: This lesson plan focuses on
government controlled censorship in China through
the form of a mandated computer filter which does
not allow “harmful information” to be viewed. Is
China using this filter to merely shield young people
from harmful language, images, and content, or is it,
rather, a way to control anti-government
publications, websites, and discussions?
Preparation
Break students into groups of 2 or 3 and ask them to
answer three questions:
 Define Censorship
 What are some pros to censorship?
 What are some cons to censorship?
Combine student information to generate:

A class definition.

A class chart of pros and cons.

Situations in which things are censored in their
own lives. (for example, school internet filters)

Who is in charge of censoring.
Briefly review the structure of the Chinese government.
(The indepthness of this discussion will depend on any
prior knowledge that has been established by the
exisitng curriculum.)
China’s New Wall
5
min.
10 - 15 min
Variable
page 1 of 4
Title: China’s New Wall
Watch
Compare
Ask students to look at the cover slide of the Newsy
story then generate questions about the story titled:
“Our Questions.” Question examples may be:
 What does mandate mean?
 Why does the government want to filter the
internet?
 What kind of material will be blocked?
 What will happen to people who own older
models of PC’s?
Watch “China’s New Wall”
http://www.newsy.com/videos/china_s_new_wall
Ask the class to list the pros and cons of the
government filter system. If any of these pros or cons
are similar, or match, the previously produced list than
place an asteric next to the original list.
5 min
2:45 min
5 min
*If you have a Smartboard, it would work well to
create a digital side by side chart of both pro and con
lists. Then highlight the matching pro and con items
using a highlight ing feature. Color coding each list will
also be visually effective.
Answer
Discussion
Next, ask the class to refer back to the list they created
about censorhip in their own lives. Are any of the
instances listed put forth by a government mandate?
Students will return to their original groups to record
answers to “Our Questions.” Also, encourage groups
to write down additional questions they have about the
article after viewing the video and reading the
transcript. (It may help to provide each group with a
copy of the transcript.)
Ask students to answer the following questions. Add
any other questions to the list that the groups
constructed, as well.




China’s New Wall
7 min
10 min
What adverse reactions do you think will occur
as a result of this mandate?
Would this mandate work in the United
States? Why or why not?
Is there a possibility that the intentions of the
the Chinese government are only to filter
material that is “harmful” to young people?
Is there a possibility that the intentions of the
page 2 of 4
Chinese government are only to filther
material that is “anti-revolutionary?”
Extended Learning Activities - Optional



Inform students of the anniversary of the Tianamin protest have them research the importance of the
event. You may want to give the students options to present their material: in written format, an oral
presentation, a digital story, a poster or chart, etc.
Students could research and present to the class other acts of internet censorship by the Chinese
governemnt. (Example, the banning of social websites such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
Help the students develop a questionarre to take home to parents. This questionaire may ask the some of
the questions that were addressed in class:
o
o
o
o
o
Define Censorship
What are some pros to censorship?
What are some cons to censorship?
What kind of censorship exists in our daily lives?
Who controls this censorship?
Send home with the students the transcript and (or) post the link to the article on your classroom
website. Encourage students to share the story with their parents, and then answer the questions
together from the questionaire.
Looking for related resources? Check out…
Structure of the Chinese Government
Teachers who need a refresher in the nature and structure of the Chinese government may visit the Council of
Foreign Relations Website.
http://www.cfr.org/publication/19544/tiananmen_square_and_two_chinas.html?breadcrumb=%2Fregion%2F271
%2Fchina.
Censorship: Books | eThemes | eMINTS (grades 9-12)
These sites are about books and censorship. You can find timelines and articles about the history of censorship,
book burning, controversies, and First Amendment issues. There are lesson plan and classroom activity ideas as
well as links to resources about banned books.
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001919.shtml
First Amendment | eThemes | eMINTS (grades 4-8)
These sites have lesson plans and activity ideas about the rights protected in the First Amendment. Learn about
the freedoms of speech, religion, and press, and the rights to assemble and petition the government. Includes
some online quizzes.
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000882.shtml
China Moves to Control Online Music Industry
BEIJING — China has announced that all songs posted on music websites must receive prior approval and foreign
lyrics must be translated into Chinese, in a new push to control online content.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jnkMtPmLxiwe8H90k9VufOX-pYRg
China's 'Netizens' Take On the Government
China’s New Wall
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For all the talk of the Internet's threat to authoritarian regimes, China's Communist Party has capably rebuffed the
Web's challenge to its rule. But a growing trend on the Chinese Internet could make life unpleasant for a handful of
government bureaucrats who offend the cybercitizenry.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1873560,00.html?loomia_si=t0:a16:g2:r1:c0.117069:b23100416
&xid=Loomia
China’s New Wall
page 4 of 4