Lesson Plan:
The Ethics of Outsourcing to China
OVERVIEW
In this lesson, students will explore the business ethics related to American companies
outsourcing manufacturing to Chinese factories with unsafe and unfair labor practices.
The class will first observe conditions for two migrant workers who labor in a Chinese
garment factory. Students will then research and discuss whether or not American
companies have a responsibility to ensure favorable labor practices in the factories they
engage to manufacture their products.
The video clip used in this lesson is from the film Last Train Home, which shows the
challenges shared by the more than 130 million migrant workers in China. Please note
that this film is in Chinese with English subtitles.
For more information on labor conditions in China, please see the Resources sections of
this lesson.
POV documentaries can be recorded off-the-air and used for educational purposes for up
to one year from their initial broadcast. In addition, POV offers a lending library of
DVDs and VHS tapes that you can borrow anytime during the school year — FOR
FREE! Get started by joining our Community Network.
OBJECTIVES
By the end of this lesson, students will:
• Describe and assess the living and working conditions of two Chinese migrant
workers.
• Define the term “outsourcing.”
• Explain arguments and provide examples related to whether or not U.S.
companies that outsource their manufacturing have a responsibility to use
factories with safe and fair working conditions.
• Decide which arguments represent their personal points of view.
• Refute one of the points made during the class discussion.
GRADE LEVELS
9-12
SUBJECT AREAS
Economics, Business Education, Geography, International Studies, Social Studies, World
History, Current Events
MATERIALS
 Internet access and equipment to show the class online video and conduct
research
 A world map and a political map of China (http://www.china-mike.com/chinatravel-tips/tourist-maps/china-provinces-map/)
ESTIMATED TIME NEEDED
One 50-minute class period
FILM CLIP
Clip: “The World’s Largest Human Migration” (length 8:38)
This clip begins at the beginning of the film. It ends at 8:38 with the statement “We don’t
even know what to say to the kids.”
ACTIVITY
1. Use a world map to point out where China is located. Explain that China has more than
130 million workers who migrate to jobs in urban areas so they can support their families
back home. Tell students that they are going to watch a video clip that shows two such
migrant workers — a couple that works in a garment factory in Guangzhou, a city in
Guangdong province. Use a political map of China (http://www.china-mike.com/chinatravel-tips/tourist-maps/china-provinces-map/) to show the class this area. Explain that
this couple has two children, but the children are being raised by their grandmother in the
family’s home village in Sichuan province. Point out this province on the map so the
class can see the distance between where the parents live and where children live.
Explain that the children were unable to migrate with their parents because in China
access to public benefits, such as education and health care, is linked to one’s place of
birth.
2. Show students the video clip “The World’s Largest Human Migration” (length 8:38).
Focus student viewing by having students take notes on the working and living
conditions at the factory where the couple works in Guangzhou.
3. After watching the clip, ask students to describe the working and living conditions they
observed. Do they find these conditions acceptable? Why or why not?
4. Explain that American companies such as Walmart, Apple, Nike, Mattel and others
rely on Chinese factories to manufacture their products. These companies do not own the
factories themselves, but instead pay Chinese companies to produce goods according to
their specifications. Contracting business tasks to an outside company is called,
“outsourcing.” Low costs for labor and production provide economic incentives for
American companies to outsource manufacturing to Chinese factories. However, human
rights organizations say such cost savings come at the expense of Chinese workers, who
often face wages below the legal minimum, unpaid overtime, unsafe working conditions
and other labor issues.
5. Tell students that they are going to discuss the business ethics related to this question:
“When U.S. companies outsource their manufacturing, do they have a responsibility to
use factories that provide safe and fair environments for their workers?” Divide the class
in half and have one group seek support for the affirmative response to this question and
the other the negative response. Some recommended resources for students to examine
include:
Affirmative
Bloomberg Businessweek. “Overseas Sweatshops Are a U.S. Responsibility.”
http://www.businessweek.com/debateroom/archives/2007/06/overseas_sweatshop
s_are_a_us_responsibility_1.html
The “pro” section of this article makes the case that U.S. companies should care
about worker rights in overseas factories.
China Labor Watch. “Company Codes of Conduct.”
http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/resources.html
This page provides a list of links to corporate codes of conduct for Nike, Disney,
Walmart and others.
China Labor Watch. “Reports.”
http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/reports.html
Reports review numerous undercover factory investigations in China and give
examples of abuses in various industries.
Chu, Kathy, and Michelle Yun. “Wages, Conditions Improve as Workers in China
Form Unions.” USA Today, November 19, 2010.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2010-11-19-Chinalabor_cv_N.htm
This article describes efforts by Chinese workers to improve their own conditions.
Democracy Digest. “China Boosting State-run Labor Unions to Dampen
Militancy?”
http://www.demdigest.net/blog/2011/09/china-boosting-state-run-labor-unions-todampen-militancy/
China’s government plans to unionize 65 percent of the country’s foreigninvested enterprises by the end of 2011.
Ravich, Madeline. “Can International Attention Improve Factory Conditions?”
Qn.
http://qn.som.yale.edu/content/can-international-attention-improve-factoryconditions
This article argues that efforts by U.S. companies to improve factory conditions
make a difference.
Rosoff, Robert J. “Beyond Codes of Conduct.” The China Business Review.
https://www.chinabusinessreview.com/public/0403/rosoff.html
This article points out limitations of corporate codes of conduct and factory
inspections and outlines alternative strategies for addressing labor rights problems
in China.
United Nations. “Global Compact Principle Two.”
http://www.unglobalcompact.org/AboutTheGC/TheTenPrinciples/Principle2.html
This principle describes actions that businesses can take to ensure that they are
not complicit in human rights abuses.
Negative
Bloomberg Businessweek. “Overseas Sweatshops Are a U.S. Responsibility.”
http://www.businessweek.com/debateroom/archives/2007/06/overseas_sweatshop
s_are_a_us_responsibility_1.html
The “con” section of this article argues that protecting worker rights in China is
not the responsibility of U.S. companies.
FoxNews.com. “Third World Workers Need Western Jobs.”
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,119125,00.html
This article makes the case that poor countries benefit from jobs provided by U.S.
companies.
Kristof, Nicholas D., and Sheryl Wudunn. “Two Cheers for Sweatshops.” The
New York Times Magazine, September 24, 2000.
http://www.nytimes.com/library/magazine/home/20000924mag-sweatshops.html
This article claims that sweatshops provide a path to prosperity for impoverished
workers.
Tofani, Loretta. “American Imports, Chinese Deaths.” The Salt Lake Tribune,
October 21-24, 2007.
http://extras.sltrib.com/china/
This series argues that China needs to figure out its own labor issues.
Additional Background
POV. “The Migrant Worker in China.”
http://www.pbs.org/pov/lasttrainhome/
This POV page offers general information on migrant workers and their earnings,
Chinese policies that make life difficult for migrants and working and living
conditions for migrant workers.
Consider assigning these websites or additional research to specific students so that a
variety of resources are consulted. Give students 15 minutes or so to review the
information assigned to them and identify key arguments for their sides of the question.
6. Organize a “fishbowl” discussion by moving student desks to form an outer circle with
two rows of three desks each facing each other in the center of the circle. Invite or assign
three students from each side of the discussion question to take the seats inside the circle,
or “fishbowl.” Only students inside the fishbowl are allowed to speak.
7. Pose the discussion question and ask a student in the fishbowl to respond. Students in
the fishbowl should continue to discuss the topic, presenting arguments and examples
from their assigned points of view. Once a student in the fishbowl has spoken, another
student on the same side of the discussion can tap that student’s shoulder. The student in
the fishbowl must then move to the outside observation seats and allow the new student
to take his or her place. The new entrant may not be tapped until he or she has spoken at
least once. Continue this format, refocusing the discussion as needed, until everyone has
had an opportunity to participate in the discussion.
8. As students in the outer circle listen to the discussion, each one should write down the
two or three points with which he or she personally agrees most strongly. Each should
also briefly refute in writing one of the arguments made in the fishbowl. Collect these
papers at the end of class.
EXTENSIONS AND ADAPTATIONS
1. Explore the online video, resources and lesson plans for other PBS and POV films
relating to China and labor issues:
• Maquilapolis: City of Factories (http://www.pbs.org/pov/maquilapolis/):
Shows female factory workers organizing to change labor conditions in
Mexico near the U.S. border.
• Made in L.A. (http://www.pbs.org/pov/madeinla/): Tells the story of three
Latina immigrants who battle a Los Angeles sweatshop to win basic labor
protections.
• China Blue (http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/chinablue/): Reveals labor
conditions in a blue jeans factory in China, where 17-year-old Jasmine and her
friends work around the clock for pennies a day.
• Up the Yangtze (http://www.pbs.org/pov/uptheyangtze/): Explores lives
transformed by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam — the biggest
hydroelectric dam in history — along China’s Yangtze River.
• The Learning (http://www.pbs.org/pov/learning/): Tells the stories of four
women who migrate from the Philippines to Baltimore, Maryland to teach
school so that they can improve the financial situations of family members
back home.
2. Compare the conditions that led to U.S. labor reform in the Progressive Era to labor
issues facing China today. Have the class read resources, such as Labor in Progressive
Era Politics (http://www.shmoop.com/progressive-era-politics/labor.html) and Child
Labor in U.S. History
(http://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/laborctr/child_labor/about/us_history.html).
Discuss the conditions for workers in the United States during that time period. What
actions were taken to improve conditions? By whom? How did the labor of those in
poverty transform the United States into a powerful industrial nation? Next, have students
study more about the plight of migrant workers in China using websites in the Resources
section. What similarities and differences are there between late 19th- and early 20thcentury U.S. labor conditions and those in modern China? Are there any patterns of
behavior shared by business owners and workers in both countries and time periods?
What might account for such patterns? Have students summarize their findings in
comparative essays.
3. Evaluate the reporting of modern-day “muckrakers.” Have small student groups
examine undercover factory investigations, such as China’s Youth Meet Microsoft
(http://www.globallabourrights.org/reports?id=0034) and reports by China Labor Watch
(http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/reports.html). Identify the people who conducted each
investigation and when, why and how they did so. What evidence is provided to support
assertions about factory conditions? Do the investigations seem credible? Why or why
not? What is your reaction to the reports’ findings? Will they change your behavior in
any way? Explain. Ask students to capture their analyses in slide presentations that they
share with the class. Alternatively, consider having the class compare and contrast a
Chinese factory environment described in one undercover investigation with the living
and working conditions detailed in The Jungle by Upton Sinclair.
4. Explain the concept of “outsourcing” in a rap. Show the class the rap video Economic
Breakdown Song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afBw6FyPf34&feature=related) for
inspiration. Then, challenge students to create their own rap videos about “outsourcing”
that cover what it is, advantages, disadvantages, whether to outsource locally or in
foreign countries and so on. When creating rhymes, they may find How Outsourcing
Works (http://money.howstuffworks.com/outsourcing1.htm) a helpful resource.
RESOURCES
Bloomberg Businessweek. “Secrets, Lies and Sweatshops.”
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_48/b4011001.htm
This 2006 investigation showed that in the face of efforts by some U.S. companies to
protect worker rights with labor rules and inspections, Chinese factories have just gotten
better at concealing abuses.
CIA. “World Factbook: China.”
http://ciaworldfactbook.us/asia/china
This profile of China includes information on its economy, geography, people and more.
PBS NewsHour. “China Clamps Down on Protests in Restive Worker Region.”
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/07/china-protests.html
This July 1, 2011 blog post provides a brief summary of the Chinese government’s
dealings with labor issues.
POV. “The Migrant Worker in China.”
http://www.pbs.org/pov/lasttrainhome/
POV provides historical information on China’s economy, statistics on migrant workers
and their earnings, details on Chinese policies that make life difficult for migrants and
information on working and living conditions.
Rosoff, Robert J. “Beyond Codes of Conduct.” The China Business Review.
https://www.chinabusinessreview.com/public/0403/rosoff.html
This article describes factory conditions in China and outlines strategies that foreign
companies can adopt to address labor rights problems.
Tofani, Loretta. “American Imports, Chinese Deaths.” The Salt Lake Tribune,
October 21-24, 2007.
http://extras.sltrib.com/china/
This 2007 investigative newspaper series describes working conditions in Chinese
factories, some of them hazardous.
STANDARDS
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in
History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects
(http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf)
RH.9-10.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and
secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the
information.
RH.11-12.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and
secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an
understanding of the text as a whole.
RH.9-10.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary
source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the
course of the text.
RH.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary
source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the
key details and ideas.
RH.9-10.9 Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary
and secondary sources.
RH.11-12.9 Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and
secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies
among sources.
WHST. 9-10, 11-12.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
SL, 9-10, 11-12.1 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print
and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of
each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text
selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a
standard format for citation.
SL, 9-10.4 Present information, findings and supporting evidence clearly,
concisely and logically, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the
organization, development, substance and style are appropriate to purpose,
audience and task.
SL, 11-12.4 Present information, findings and supporting evidence, conveying a
clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning,
alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed and the organization,
development, substance and style are appropriate to purpose, audience and a
range of formal and informal tasks.
W.9-10, 11-12.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey
complex ideas, concepts and information clearly and accurately through the
effective selection, organization and analysis of content.
W.11-12.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection and research.
Content Knowledge: (http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks/) a compilation of
content standards and benchmarks for K-12 curriculum by McRel (Mid-continent
Research for Education and Learning).
Business Education, Standard 32: Understands the social, cultural, political, legal
and economic factors and issues that shape and impact the international business
environment.
Business Education, Standard 33: Understands the obligations of businesses to the
government and the community.
Business Education, Standard 34: Understands the role of ethics in the business
world.
Business Education, Standard 35: Understands ethical concepts, including
integrity and confidentiality, as related to the business environment.
Economics, Standard 1: Understands that scarcity of productive resources requires
choices that generate opportunity costs.
Economics, Standard 2: Understands characteristics of different economic
systems, economic institutions and economic incentives.
Geography, Standard 3: Understands the characteristics and uses of spatial
organization of Earth’s surface.
Geography, Standard 9: Understands the nature, distribution and migration of
human populations on Earth’s surface.
Geography, Standard 10: Understands the nature and complexity of Earth’s
cultural mosaics.
Geography, Standard 11: Understands the patterns and networks of economic
interdependence on Earth’s surface.
Geography, Standard 18: Understands global development and environmental
issues.
Language Arts, Standard 7: Uses skills and strategies to read a variety of
informational texts.
Language Arts, Standard 8: Uses listening and speaking strategies for different
purposes.
Language Arts, Standard 9: Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and
interpret visual media.
World History, Standard 44: Understands the search for community, stability and
peace in an interdependent world.
World History, Standard 45: Understands major global trends since World War II.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cari Ladd, M.Ed., is an educational writer with a background in secondary education and
media development. Previously, she served as PBS Interactive’s director of education,
overseeing the development of curricular resources tied to PBS programs, the PBS
TeacherSource website (now PBS Teachers) and online teacher professional development
services. She has also taught in Maryland and northern Virginia.
Lesson Plan:
Confucianism in a Changing Society
OVERVIEW
In this lesson, students will explore how China’s rapid rise as a force in the global
economy has affected Chinese culture, society and the individual. Students will first
discuss the influential Confucian teaching of filial piety (respect for parents) and its
importance in Chinese culture. Students will then watch film clips that show how
traditional family values in China are being challenged by the circumstances of Chinese
migrant workers. Finally, students will consider how filial piety applies in modern China.
The video clips used in this lesson are from the film Last Train Home, a documentary
that shows the challenges shared by more than 130 million migrant workers in China.
Please note that this film is in Chinese with English subtitles.
For more information on China and Confucian teachings, please see the Resources
sections of this lesson.
POV documentaries can be recorded off-the-air and used for educational purposes for up
to one year from their initial broadcasts. In addition, POV offers a lending library of
DVDs and VHS tapes that you can borrow anytime during the school year — FOR
FREE! Get started by joining our Community Network.
OBJECTIVES
By the end of this lesson, students will:
• Define the term “filial piety.”
• Interpret the meanings of several Confucian teachings.
• Discuss the importance of filial piety in Chinese culture and how traditional
Chinese family life is being challenged by the circumstances of migrant workers.
• Explain how filial piety applies in China today.
GRADE LEVELS
9-12
SUBJECT AREAS
Sociology, Geography, International Studies, Social Studies, World History, Current
Events, Economics
MATERIALS
 Internet access and equipment to show the class online video and maps and to
display a chart



A world map and a political map of China (http://www.china-mike.com/chinatravel-tips/tourist-maps/china-provinces-map/)
Chart: “Confucianism and Filial Piety” (PDF file)
Teacher’s version: “Confucianism and Filial Piety” (PDF file)
ESTIMATED TIME NEEDED
One 50-minute class period, plus time outside of class to complete a short essay
FILM CLIPS
Clip 1: “The World’s Largest Human Migration” (length 7:38)
This clip begins at 1:00 with people running through a tunnel and on-screen text that
reads, “There are over 130 million migrant workers in China.” It ends at 8:38 with the
statement “We don’t even know what to say to the kids.”
Clip 2: “We Work Far Away From Home” (length :40)
This clip begins at 55:40 when a man on the train says, “The train is just too slow.” It
ends at 56:20 with the line “Life would be pointless.”
Clip 3: “A Mother Leaves Her Child For Work in the City” (length 1:10)
The clip begins at 14:40 with the statement “We were very poor when we left home in
the 90’s.” It ends at 15:50 with the line “Otherwise, I couldn’t eat anything.”
Clip 4: “How Can There Be Any Feelings?” (length :31)
This clip begins at 34:15 with a close-up shot of Qin, the daughter. It ends at 34:46 after
Qin says, “All they care about is money.”
ACTIVITY
1. Give students a few minutes to respond in writing to the prompt “What do you think it
means to respect one’s parents?” Ask students to discuss their ideas with partners and
then invite a few pairs to share their thinking with the class. Student responses will vary,
but might include listening to and obeying one’s parents, talking politely to one’s parents,
supporting family traditions, caring for elderly family members and living in a way that
brings honor to the family name.
2. Tell the class that respect for parents — also called “filial piety” — is a cherished
virtue in Confucianism, a philosophy in China that has been a chief cultural influence for
centuries. In Confucian teaching, filial piety should guide the thoughts and actions of
children toward their parents throughout their lives and help individuals to understand
their place in society as they demonstrate respect to all elders.
3. Display the chart “Confucianism and Filial Piety.” Explain that it quotes a few
examples of Confucian teachings related to filial piety. Read through the quotes one by
one and ask students to interpret their meanings. Record student ideas to the right of each
quote. Then discuss:
•
•
•
How might defining family roles and responsibilities contribute to the Confucian
goal of social harmony?
Why do students think the belief in filial piety has been so important in Chinese
culture over time?
How do Confucian teachings compare with student ideas about filial piety?
4. Use a world map to point out where China is located. Explain that the traditional
family in China is changing with the country’s rapid industrialization. Today, China has
more than 130 million workers who migrate to jobs in urban areas so they can support
their families back home. Tell students that they are going to watch a series of video clips
that show the circumstances of the Zhang family, whose story is representative of
millions of others.
5. Set up the clips by explaining that the Zhangs have two children, who have been raised
in the family’s home village in Sichuan province while the parents work together in a
garment factory in Guangzhou, a city in Guangdong province. Use a political map of
China (http://www.china-mike.com/china-travel-tips/tourist-maps/china-provinces-map/)
to show the class where these areas are located. Point out that there are about 1,300 miles
between where the parents live and where the children live. Explain that children are
unable to migrate with their parents because in China access to public benefits, such as
education and health care, is tied to one’s place of birth. Then, show Clip 1.
6. Tell students that the Zhang parents, Changhua (father) and Suqin (mother), were
finally able to get train tickets to travel home for the Chinese New Year celebration.
During the trip, a man on the train talked about going home to see his family. Play Clip 2.
7. Discuss:
• What roles do poverty and family relationships play in the willingness of workers
to endure long separations from family?
• How do you think traditional Chinese culture will be affected over time by the
circumstances of China’s migrant workers?
• How can China better balance economic development with the needs of its
people?
8. Show Clips 3 and 4 to explain further how living apart has affected the Zhang family.
In Clip 3, Suqin explains why she left her one-year old daughter Qin at home 16 years
earlier. Clip 4 shows how Qin has resented her parents’ absence.
9. After watching the clips, point out that Qin feels that her parents abandoned her and
that they only care about money, but her mother believes that her sacrifice demonstrates
her love for her children because she is working to give them a more economically secure
life. Ask students to describe how these divergent perspectives have affected the family
bond between mother and daughter.
10. Have students consider the Confucian teachings they studied at the beginning of the
lesson and write short essays that use observations from the film to support their ideas in
response to this question: “How do Confucian teachings about filial piety and family as
the foundation of society apply in a country where hundreds of millions of people are
separated from their families for most of the year?”
EXTENSIONS AND ADAPTATIONS
1. Explore the online video and educator resources for other PBS and POV films related
to China, labor issues, and the relationship between work and family life:
• China Blue (http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/chinablue/): Reveals labor
conditions in a blue jeans factory in China, where 17-year-old Jasmine and her
friends work around the clock for pennies a day.
• Up the Yangtze (http://www.pbs.org/pov/uptheyangtze/): Explores lives
transformed by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam — the biggest
hydroelectric dam in history — along China’s Yangtze River.
• Maquilapolis: City of Factories (http://www.pbs.org/pov/maquilapolis/):
Shows female factory workers organizing to change labor conditions in
Mexico near the U.S. border.
• Made in L.A. (http://www.pbs.org/pov/madeinla/): Tells the story of three
Latina immigrants who battle a Los Angeles sweatshop to win basic labor
protections.
• The Learning (http://www.pbs.org/pov/learning/): Tells the stories of four
women who migrate from the Philippines to Baltimore, Maryland to teach
school so that they can improve the financial situations of family members
back home.
2. Investigate further how the separations and hardships experienced by Chinese migrant
workers and their families will affect Chinese society over time. Have small student
groups read the article “Endless Road in China: From Country to City and Back”
(http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6669/is_4_27/ai_n56577388/?tag=content;col1)
and analyze the statistics provided about family life. Groups should then use these
statistics to support conclusions about what Chinese society will look like in 25 years if
conditions for families with migrant workers remain the same. Ask each group to share
its thinking with the rest of the class and then discuss the similarities and differences in
how students interpreted the statistics.
3. Evaluate whether the influential teachings of Confucius could help someone to be
successful in business. First, have students read the paper “Confusing Confucianism With
Capitalism: Culture as Impediment and/or Stimulus to Chinese Economic Development”
(http://www2.lse.ac.uk/economicHistory/Research/GEHN/GEHNPDF/Conf3_HZurndorf
er.pdf) and outline the contrasting viewpoints of scholars who argue that Confucianism is
incompatible with real economic growth and those who posit that the values taught by
Confucius are a force for business success. Then, instruct students to study the teachings
of Confucius (http://ctext.org/analects) themselves and explain their own conclusions in
persuasive essays.
4. Compare how rapid industrialization has affected families in the United States and
China. Have the class study resources on the subject, such as Labor in Progressive Era
Politics (http://www.shmoop.com/progressive-era-politics/labor.html) and Child Labor in
U.S. History
(http://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/laborctr/child_labor/about/us_history.html). Talk
about the impact that labor conditions in the United States at the turn of the century had
on families. Then ask students to conduct further research to determine how these
circumstances compare with those in China today. Should governments regulate how
business practices affect the stability of families? Ask students to write and present
speeches that explain their ideas on this topic and incorporate details from their research.
5. Examine the role that American companies play in the plight of Chinese migrant
workers. Show the class the first 8:38 of the film Last Train Home and have students
describe the working and living conditions that they see at the Chinese garment factory.
Explain that many American companies, such as Walmart, Apple, Nike, Mattel and
others, outsource their manufacturing to Chinese factories. Human rights organizations
say that many Chinese factories offer low costs for labor and production at the expense of
Chinese workers, who often face wages below the legal minimum, unpaid overtime,
unsafe working conditions and other labor issues. Have students research and debate the
question “When U.S. companies outsource their manufacturing, do they have a
responsibility to use factories that provide safe and fair environments for their workers?”
RESOURCES
Chinese Text Project. “The Analects.”
http://ctext.org/analects
This website provides the writings of Confucius and his pupils in both English and
Chinese.
CIA. “World Factbook: China.”
http://ciaworldfactbook.us/asia/china
This profile of China includes information on its economy, geography, people and more.
Columbia University. “Three Confucian Values: Filial Piety (Xiao).”
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/at/conf_teaching/ct02.html
This video clip with transcript provides a concise explanation of filial piety and its role in
Confucian teaching.
POV. “Last Train Home.”
http://www.pbs.org/pov/lasttrainhome/
POV provides historical information about China’s economy, details on Chinese policies
that make life difficult for migrants and analysis of how Confucian values are evolving in
modern China.
ReligionFacts. “Confucianism.”
http://www.religionfacts.com/a-z-religion-index/confucianism.htm
This article outlines the history and beliefs of Confucianism and discusses a number of its
important texts.
STANDARDS
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in
History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects
(http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf)
WHST. 9-10, 11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization and style are appropriate to task, purpose and
audience.
SL, 9-10, 11-12.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups and teacher-led) with diverse partners on
[grade-appropriate] topics, text and issues, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
Content Knowledge: (http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks/) a compilation of
content standards and benchmarks for K-12 curriculum by McRel (Mid-continent
Research for Education and Learning).
Economics, Standard 1: Understands that scarcity of productive resources requires
choices that generate opportunity costs.
Economics, Standard 2: Understands characteristics of different economic
systems, economic institutions and economic incentives.
Geography, Standard 9: Understands the nature, distribution and migration of
human populations on Earth’s surface.
Geography, Standard 10: Understands the nature and complexity of Earth’s
cultural mosaics.
Language Arts, Standard 1: Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing
process.
Language Arts, Standard 9: Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and
interpret visual media.
World History, Standard 44: Understands the search for community, stability and
peace in an interdependent world.
World History, Standard 45: Understands major global trends since World War II.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cari Ladd, M.Ed., is an educational writer with a background in secondary education and
media development. Previously, she served as PBS Interactive’s director of education,
overseeing the development of curricular resources tied to PBS programs, the PBS
TeacherSource website (now PBS Teachers) and online teacher professional development
services. She has also taught in Maryland and northern Virginia.