Media Arts Lesson Plan, BSAFE Spring 2012
Will Whelan
Lesson Title: Clothing Country of Origin
Week 7, 3-5 Groups
Essential Questions:
- Where does our stuff come from?
Learning Objectives (SWBAT):
- Watch two short videos about shoe design, and striking workers at a Chinese shoe factory
- Fill in answers to content questions during the videos, then participate in a group discussion.
- Examine the tag on one item of their clothes (or one another’s) to find out its country of origin.
- Using a worksheet, conduct multiple levels of online research to find facts about the culture of that country
- Draw an aspect of the culture
Leads and Teen Involvement: Leads and Teens can keep students focused on the film, model good group
discussion, and prompt them to write down their thoughts. They can also keep students on task while
researching online, as it is very easy for them to be distracted on Google Search.
Materials:
- Projector
- Country of Origin research worksheets
- Tech lab computers and printer
- Folders
- Video resources:
Italian shoemaking (very short) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYLct8dgyMo
New Balance design (4 min) http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x69udl_making-of-a-new-balancesneaker_lifestyle
Chinese factory strike (2min) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qHphtj_IIg
Story of Stuff – planned obsolescence http://www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-stuff/
Class Format:
15 min Intro/Video: Students will enter and sit in a two row semi-circle around the projector screen. I will ask
them to recap what we did the previous class – designing our own clothing and sneakers from blank templates –
and introduce the videos we are watching. I will hand out questions sheets and pencils and we will watch a 4
minute video about New Balance shoe design, and then a 2 minute video about a shoe factory strike in China.
During the video I will pause it to give students a chance to write down answers to content questions on their
sheet, and at the end we will recap the questions and talk about general impressions, especially of the strike
video.
20 min Main Activity: Students will be instructed examine a tag on their clothes or shoes, or help examine a
friend’s tag. On their worksheet they will write down the country it was made in, and then take the worksheet
where they will:
1. Open Google Search and search for their country and “culture” – for example, “China Culture”
2. Open a website and find a picture or description of a particular cultural practice – for example, a Dragon
Dance.
3. Go back to Google Search and type in this term, and then find out at least three facts about that practice
– for example, Dragon Dance:
1. The Dragon is the most important creature in Chinese mythology
2. The Dragon Dance is associated with Chinese New Year
3. Gund Kwok is the only Asian women lion and dragon dance troupe in the United States.
Media Arts Lesson Plan, BSAFE Spring 2012
Will Whelan
They may also choose to draw a picture of a cultural practice on the back of the sheet
2-3 min Skill Log: No skill log today
5 min Cleanup/Share: Class will meet back at table and share back the information we found, by bringing the
sheets back to the table, and/or going to computer terminals where the student can show pictures or maps they
have found.
Media Arts Lesson Plan, BSAFE Spring 2012
Will Whelan
Clothing Country of Origin
Name:
Discussion Questions:
New Balance Sneaker Designers:
1.
Concept: All New Balance shoes are made in ______________________
2. Design: Where does the designer get his inspiration for the patterns and colors of the shoe? Why did
they choose plaid?
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Materials: What was the challenge for the material designer?
____________________________________________________________________________________
Chinese Factory Strike
1. What are two reasons that the workers striking?
1.____________________________, 2._______________________________
2. What happened to some workers in the protest? _____________________________________________
Activity Instructions:
1. Find a tag on your shirt, shoes, jacket or backpack that says the country where it was made.
2. Go on Google Image Search and type the country name and “culture” – for example, “China Culture”
3. Go to some websites and find one particular item from the culture: for instance, a traditional dance,
item of clothing, type of art, or food dish
4. Go back to Google Search and type in that item: for example “Dragon Dance,” or “Chinese Martial
Arts”
5. Go to at least three websites and write down two facts about your item of culture. You can also do a
drawing of it on the back of this page.
Fact 1: ____________________________________________________________________________
Fact 2: ____________________________________________________________________________
6. Everyone will share back to the group at the end of class, so be prepared!
Media Arts Lesson Plan, BSAFE Spring 2012
Will Whelan
Clothing Country of Origin
Your mission is to teach the rest of the class as much
you can about your item of clothing’s country of origin.
Instructions:
1. Find a tag on your clothes or shoes that says where this item was made.
2. Research. Using Google Search, start entering secondary search terms along with your
country’s name: for instance, to research dance in China, type “China dance”, or “China
dance tradition.” For sports played in Honduras, type “Honduras sports,” or “Honduras
recreation.” Please use at least three different websites.
3. Present! Use the space below to write down the information you find. You can also
show us pictures and video on websites you found to help give the rest of us an idea of
your country.
Ideas to get started: where in the world is your country located? Population, languages spoken,
religions, food, music, clothing, arts and other culture, sports and recreation, famous
inhabitants, current events…
Country:
_________________________________
Population:
_________________________________
_____________
_________________________________
_____________
_________________________________
_____________
_________________________________
_____________
_________________________________
_____________
_________________________________