Who are these Chinese people?

The main theme of this lesson is to present general facts on similarities and differences between two Chinese ethnic groups – Han, the majority and Hui, one of Chinese minority. Then, students will do a one-page paper on another minority group in comparison with the majority Han group.

This lesson introduces students to the idea that China has multi-ethnic groups. Within various ethnic groups, the majority group Han and one of minority groups – Hui will be introduced in the lesson. The contents of lesson will include the geographic locations, religious beliefs, eating habits, languages, political power, living styles and cultural customs of Han and Hui people. The students will utilize the China map, living artifacts, written articles and books to study where and how Han and Hui people live. The lesson takes four periods of twenty minutes each.

The assignment of the lesson for students is to do a one-page paper in studying another China’s ethnic minority other than Hui people.

Goals:

The goal of this lesson is for students to understand that China has multi-ethnic populations. In addition, they will learn and understand the similarities and differences of residential geography, living styles, religions, language usage and political power between Chinese majority and minority groups.

Geography Standard:

1. National Geography Standards

Understand how to use maps and other geographic representation, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective.
Understand how human actions modify the physical environment.

2. World History Standard

The History of Peoples of Many Cultures around the World.

3. Thinking and Reasoning Standards

Effectively uses mental processes that are based on identifying similarities and differences.

4. Writing Standard:

Learners write effectively and analytically for a variety of purposes and context.

Objectives

To identify the ethnic majority group Han people and at least two of minority groups in China by utilizing the China map.
To learn the cultures, languages, customs, living styles, and politics of Han and two of other minorities in China by showing photos of Han and Hui people in general living condition, artifacts from both of ethnic groups and articles about who are in Chinese dominant political party.

To compare and identify between Chinese majority Han and Hui minority groups. After students learning the geographical locations, photos and related articles of Han and Hui people, they will join the discussion about what they found the similarities and differences between Han and Hui.

Materials

• Maps of China
• Geographic Maps
• Computer labs with Internet access
• Information Office of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, National Minority Policy and Its Practice in China, September 1999, Bejing
• Mackerras, Colin, The New Cambridge Handbook of Contemporary China, Cambridge University Press, 2001

Websites

www.orientaltravel.com.hk/people.htm
www.askasia.org/
www.lib.utexas.edu/libs/PCL/Map_collection/china.html
www.columbia.edu/itc/eacp/webcourse/chinaworkbook/toc.htm
www.index-china.com/minority/minority-english.htm
www.china.org.cn/e-groups/shaoshu/
www.columbia.edu/itc/eacp/webcourse/chinaworkbook/geog/overhead.htm
www.library.thinkquest.org/

Procedures:

• Twenty minutes of four class periods.
• Day 1: Introduction of China: total population, general introduction of ethnic groups, map of China, rivers, mountains, and major cities.
• Day 2: Introduction of Han people: population, geographic locations, lifestyles, language religions and political power.
• Day3: Introduction of Hui people: population, geographic locations, lifestyles, language, religion and political power.
• Day4: Grouping the classroom of teams of two students and each team has to determine a specific minority group to do a paper. The focus of the paper is to research the differences and similarities between the minority group the team chose and the ethnic majority Han people.

Assessment:

1. Contribution

Collects a great deal of information – all relates to the topic 30 points
Share information -- all relates to the topic 15 points
Be punctual – hand in all assignments on time 10 points

2. Responsibilities

Fulfill Team’s Duties – perform all duties of assigned team role 15 points
Participate in the class – offers a fair amount of important information 10 points
Share Equally – Always does the assigned work without having to be reminded 5 points

3. Value Others’ Viewpoints

Listen to other classmates in the classroom 5 points
Cooperate with Teammate 5 points
Make Fair Decisions 5 points

Collaboration Rubric:

edweb.sdsu.edu/triton/tidepoolunit/Rubrics/collrubric.html

Extension Activities:

Comparing similarities and differences between Chinese multi-ethnic groups with and American multi-ethnic groups.