2013 Communist China under Mao Lesson Plan
Dates:
Essential and Guiding Questions:
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Why is it important to develop an appreciation of other cultures?
How does religion affect the development of cultures?
What contributions did this culture make to world history?
What are the causes and effects of imperialism?
How has the process of modernization affected East Asia?
How do the cultures of East impact the global community?
How has Buddhism affected the development of culture in East Asia?
What events, figures, and processes have impacted East Asia?
What issues currently affect East Asia?
What internal conflicts have shaped the development of East Asia?
What factors influence East Asia’s position in the global community
Textbook Pages:
 Great Leap Forward---pages 1012-103
 Cultural Revolution---page 1014
Lesson:
Day One Block:
1. Quiet Question: Type Two Prompt---Working with your partner, you will examine the World War Two
Propaganda Posters from Japan and the United States.
Japanese World War Two Propaganda Posters:
United States Propaganda Posters About Japan:
Using your notes from the Japanese Militarism Lesson Plan and your Blue Propaganda Handout Packet, with
your partner answer the following questions:
a) What is the overall message or theme of the Japanese Propaganda Posters? Explain how this is represented
in the posters.
b) Provide a minimum of TWO different examples of actions Japan took that support the message of the
posters? Be sure to explain each.
1)
2)
c) What is the message or theme of the American propaganda posters about Japan? Explain how this is
represented in the posters.
d) Provide a minimum of TWO different examples of actions Japan took that support the message of the
posters? Be sure to explain each
1)
2)
2. Class: As we have seen the Chinese people suffered great atrocities due to Japanese aggression. And the
hope was that when World War Two ended and the Communists and Mao Tse-Tung rose to power, there would
be no more. But unfortunately, this was not the case. Mao was a Communist dictator who set out to establish
a “Cult of Mao” through his “reforms” that would wreck more havoc on the Chinese people. This is what we will
be examining in the lesson.
3. Class: Ms. Barben is going to do an Introduction/Overview Powerpoint Lecture on Mao, and you should take
notes in the provided graphic organizer. This will help you understand and follow the A and E Documentary we
will be watching on the next class period.
4. Individual: You will read the Textbook Pages identified on the first page of this lesson and take notes in the
provided graphic organizer. This will help you follow the A and E Documentary on Mao that we will be
watching in the next class period.
5. Homework: Work on your Political Cartoon Summative Assessment due on:
.
Day Two:
6. Class: We are going to watch the A and E Documentary on Mao and you should add to your notes. All of
these notes up to this point will help you with the Summative Assessment Mao Photo Essay you will be doing in
groups this week.
7. Homework: Finish your Political Cartoon Summative Assessment due tomorrow.
Days Three-Five:
8. Groups: Working in your groups, you will create a Photo Essay examining Mao’s Reign of China.
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The Mao Photo Essay is to prove the following thesis statement: “Mao sought to forcibly transform
China to his “Communist Vision” and did this at the expense of the Chinese people.”
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Since you are working in groups of four or five and there are twenty topics to be addressed, you must
have:
o THREE slides per topic
 If it is a group of four that means each person will have to do a total of 15 slides.
o Each slide must have the following:
 A title
 A well-developed paragraph explaining the historical change/event with historical
details, explanation of the included visual primary source, and explained how the
information supports the thesis statement.
 Either a written or visual primary source
 A written primary source: excerpt from a speech, law, government memo,
interview, excerpt from testimony, excerpt from a journal, a newspaper
article, a poem
 A visual primary source: photo, political cartoon, propaganda poster, map,
chart, or graph
Topics to be Addressed:
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Mao’s Political Ideology
People’s Liberation Army
First Five Year Plan
Second Five Year Plan/Great Leap Forward
Communes and Collectivization
Great Famine
Industrialization and Backyard Steel Campaign
Infrastructure Improvements
Thought Reform
Hundred Flowers Campaign
Anti-Rightist Campaign and Forced Labor
Repression and Terror
Trials of Landlords
Socialized Education Movement and Sent-Down Youths
Cultural Revolution
Destroying the Four Olds
Red Guards
Cult of Map and Little Red Book
Propaganda---Controlling the Arts and Media
Gang of Four
Work Days:__________________________________________________________________________
Due Date:_________________________________
First Work Day:
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Assign topics.
Go to Ms. Barben’s Powerpoints on Mao---There are four. Take notes adding to your graphic organizer
and filling in gaps.
Download and print up the Mao Supplemental Reading from the teacher page. Strong historical
content and includes visual primary sources.
Identify ideas for possible visual primary sources.
Homework: Finish research and note-taking.
Second Work Day:
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Begin to create Powerpoint Slides.
Should complete two of your four assigned topics.
Finish as homework.
Third Work Day:
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Create the slides for the other two of your four assigned topics.
As a group, merge the slides together.
Edit work.
Finish as homework.
Due next class period.