VELS UNIT OVERVIEW
Asia Education Foundation PROJECT
OCTOBER 2010
INTEGRATED STUDIES: ‘ENGAGE IN ASIA’ STUDIES
Unit Title: CHINA
VELS Standard: Level 2
Disciplines: English, Mathematics, SOSE, The Arts
Interdisciplinary: Interpersonal Development, ICT
Essential Questions:
1. What are the countries of Asia?
2. What are the connections between the countries of Asia and everyday life in Australia? What impacts do they have
on Australians? What would happen if we did not have these connections between Asia and Australia?
Understandings:
Students understand that peoples in Asia and Australia belong to cultural groups that have particular forms of cultural
expression. They:

Identify and gather information about the diverse customs and practices of people from Asia in their community

Understand the rites and rituals associated with belief systems (ethical and moral beliefs) in Asia and compare
these with their own or class members' practices eg special foods, clothing, gift giving, decorations, singing,
dancing, ceremony.

Appreciate that there are varied belief systems in the cultures of Asia and in Australia and that these may
emphasise particular values (eg influence of older people and leaders on a way of life; the portrayal of male and
female roles in stories).
Knowledge:
Students will use a Bloom’s Taxonomy grid of tasks to investigate many aspect of life in China and they:
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Learn the names of all Asian countries.
Explore the geography, history and significant festivals and customs of China.
Compare and relate different aspects of their lives with Chinese children of their own age.
Understand how the values of respect and discipline play an integral part in Chinese society.
Skills:
Students explore how in Australia and in countries in Asia there may be different viewpoints, ways of living, languages
and belief systems. They:

Identify similarities and differences in the cultural expression of groups and communities in China and Australia.

Explore how the peoples and cultures of China express their identity through clothes, language and cultural
activities.
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Identify some symbols used by peoples and cultures of China to represent their shared values and discuss what
these might reveal about their cultural identity eg flags, money, products, designs, flora, fauna..
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Recognise features of natural and built environments in China, using examples and make simple comparisons.
Recognise how communities in China care for their environment including exploring concepts about threatened or
endangered animals and over population.
Describe the similarities and differences between as aspect of their own life in Australia and the same aspect life in
a Chinese culture, eg schooling and food.
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Duration:
This unit of work will take between 8 – 10 sessions depending on the length of the session.
Written by JAN CAPOMOLLA
VELS UNIT OVERVIEW
Asia Education Foundation PROJECT
OCTOBER 2010
LEVEL 2: A modified Bloom’s Taxonomy grid on China
Each student should undertake activities from each row and each column. Place all your work in your Project book.
Paste the
‘Introduction to
China’ sheet in your
book. Colour in
China then read all
about China.
( Appendix 1)
Research and
record the highest
and lowest daily
temperatures for 5
different cities in
China on one day.
Write the
information in the
grid provided.
(Appendix 2)
Locate and show
where a recent
natural disaster has
happened in China.
What effect did it
have on the people
of the region?
Name all the major
sports played in
China.
Find pictures and
recipes of popular
Chinese food in
magazines. Paste
them in your book.
Name the coins and
notes that China
uses.
Challenge: What is
the current
conversion rate of
Chinese money into
Australian dollars?
Draw a traditional
costume for a
person in China.
You may wish to
research minority
groups and their
special costumes for
special days.
Teach the grade a
game children play
in China.
Listen to a number
of Chinese songs.
Write how they are
different to or the
same as Australian
music.
Work with someone
to complete a
diorama of a
famous Chinese
place.
Make/ play an Asian
instrument and
demonstrate them
to the grade.
Compare schooling
in Australia to the
schooling in China.
(Appendix 3 sheet)
Explain the life cycle
of an Asian animal.
Teach the class how
to write something
using brushes and
water colour paints.
Write a report
about the Great
Wall of China and
explain why it was
built and why it is
important even
now.
What do you think a
Chinese student’s
day would have in
it? Write out a
timeline for them.
Tell us how it is
different to yours.
Look at recent
photos of China
using Google
images then answer
–
How is Australia
similar to China?
Which Chinese
cities have the most
people? List 5 cities
and their
populations.
Create and record a
TV advertisement
for tourism in
China. Present to
the grade on the
IWB (Interactive
Whiteboard).
Survey 20 people &
find out which
Chinese icon they
know best. Display
as a graph. Write
why you think some
are more popular
than others.
Paint a typical
Chinese scene using
water colour paints.
Design/draw an
Asian dragon.
China ABC: Create a
PowerPoint slide for
one letter of the
alphabet for our
whole class’
slideshow on China.
(Appendix 6)
Read the
instructions and
create a Chinese
Opera mask.
(Appendix 4)
Compose your own
song to do with
China.
Challenge: Are you
brave enough to
sing it for us??
Create a kite using
colors and animals
associated with the
Chinese zodiac.
Create a short play
about a Chinese
fable or legend.
Perform it to the
grade.
In a 3 minute
speech to the class,
tell us about
someone you
admire from China.
Use a map of China
to indicate the
types of natural
landscapes of the
different regions.
Be the teacher!!
Interview someone
about life in an
Asian country. The
person you
interview has to
have been there.
Identify and
describe why some
animals in China are
endangered.
Make a poster
promoting China.
Read the
instructions and
create a Spring
Blossom scroll.
(Appendix 5)
Teach the class
some Chinese
words.
ASSESSMENT GRID
As our last activity,
fill in the grid with
all the things that
you have learned
about China.
(Appendix 7)
Some of these activities may be completed during whole grade activity sessions; others may be undertaken with a
partner or in small groups. Independent work will need to be monitored closely and assistance given to students when
required.
Written by JAN CAPOMOLLA
VELS UNIT OVERVIEW
Appendix 1: An Introduction to China.
Written by JAN CAPOMOLLA
Asia Education Foundation PROJECT
OCTOBER 2010
VELS UNIT OVERVIEW
Asia Education Foundation PROJECT
OCTOBER 2010
Appendix 2:
DAILY TEMPERATURES IN CHINA
Using Google search, find out the daily temperatures of these five
main cities in China. Fill in the grid below and present your grid to the
grade during sharing time.
DATE OF THE TEMPERATURE READINGS ___________
CITY
LOWEST
TEMP
HIGHEST
TEMP
DIFFERENCE
BEIJING
SHANGHAI
HONG KONG
WUHAN
CHONGQING
Find these cities on a map of China and give 5 reasons why their
temperatures may be so different.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Written by JAN CAPOMOLLA
VELS UNIT OVERVIEW
Asia Education Foundation PROJECT
OCTOBER 2010
Appendix 3: Schooling in China
SCHOOLS IN CHINA
Look carefully at the pictures above. What can you see? Do you think that Chinese
schools are very different from our schools? Write about things that may be the same or
may be different.
THINGS THAT MAY BE THE SAME
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THINGS THAT MAY BE DIFFERENT
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Written by JAN CAPOMOLLA
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VELS UNIT OVERVIEW
Asia Education Foundation PROJECT
OCTOBER 2010
Appendix 4: Chinese Opera Mask – Instructions and hyperlinks to the templates
Chinese Opera Mask
Make and design your own paper Chinese opera mask in a few easy steps.
Materials Needed
Printable white card stock
Crayons or paint
Scissors
Craft knife
Hole punch
Rubber bands
Steps
1.
Print-out either the blank mask template or the ready-to-colour mask template
from our Chinese Opera Mask templates.
2.
If you chose the blank mask template, draw designs to create a character for
your mask. Click here for some samples of Chinese opera mask designs.
3.
Color or paint your mask.
4.
Cut out the mask including the eyeholes.
5.
You may cut a slit along the bottom of the nose to allow for some breathing
room when you wear the mask.
Punch holes on opposite sides of the mask. These holes should be at the same
level as your ears.
6.
Attach a rubber band on each hole and wear the
mask.
Reference: Chinese Opera Masks at http://www.firstpalette.com/tool_box/printables/Chineseoperamask.pdf
Written by JAN CAPOMOLLA
VELS UNIT OVERVIEW
Asia Education Foundation PROJECT
OCTOBER 2010
Appendix 5: Chinese Spring Blossoms – Instructions and hyperlinks to the templates
Old Chinese Scrolls
Print out these Chinese scroll painting templates, colour them and learn how to make them look authentically ancient.
Materials Needed
Printable paper (A4 or Letter size)
Coffee
Colored pencils
Paint brushes
Palette
Steps
1.
Choose either the Chinese temple or Spring Blossoms picture from these Printable
Chinese Scroll templates.
Print out your chosen template onto A4 or Letter size paper.
2.
Colour the picture with coloured pencils the gently crumple your picture into a
ball.
3.
Carefully open up your picture. Run your hand over the picture to straighten out
the paper.
4.
Measure out about a teaspoonful of coffee into a bowl or cup then add just enough
tap water to dissolve the coffee. Stir the mixture thoroughly.
Test the colour intensity of your coffee mixture on any piece of white paper. If you
think it's too dark, add a little bit of water until you achieve a light to medium
shade of brown. Once you're satisfied with the colour, brush over the entire
picture with the coffee mixture.
5.
When the picture dries, you'll have an authentic-looking ancient Chinese
scroll painting.
**For added effect, the pictures could be pasted onto bamboo slats – cut the right sized backing from bamboo blinds.
Reference: The template can be found at Chinese Spring Blossoms
Written by JAN CAPOMOLLA
VELS UNIT OVERVIEW
Asia Education Foundation PROJECT
OCTOBER 2010
Appendix 6: An example of a PowerPoint slide that each student could create as part of a whole grade presentation on
facts about China.
There are also other ABCs published on the internet with China as their theme. They include: Discovering China ABC
Written by JAN CAPOMOLLA
VELS UNIT OVERVIEW
Asia Education Foundation PROJECT
OCTOBER 2010
Appendix 7: Assessment Grid – What I now know about China.
Things I now know about China
by ____________
THE PEOPLE
FAMOUS PLACES
FOOD
THE COUNTRY
Written by JAN CAPOMOLLA