Review and critique a book, web-site (Asia Quest), curriculum unit (7th grade World Geography and Cultures or 9th grade world history sections on China), or collection of lesson-plans from the internet (get approval from professor for each) from the perspective of our studies, answering the following questions:

1. What are the stated and/or implied objectives of the material?
2. What historical period(s) is the material representing?
3. What approach(es) is the author(s) using in constructing the history or presentation?
   • Traditional Han Chinese
   • Modern Socialist Chinese
   • A Western view of Asia as the "other"
   • China as a diverse and integral part of Asia
4. How do elements in the materials represent the following themes in Chinese history:
   • family and gender
   • the scholar-official
   • religions and/or religious transformation
   • story-telling
   • Confucian/Legalist management methods
   • any other themes you discover.
5. What sort of internal conflicts and patterns of resolution do you see reflected in the materials?
6. What is your overall impression and assessment of the materials as a source for understanding Chinese history and culture from the perspective of the intended audience?
7. What would you do to alter the materials for the intended audience and why?
   • family and gender
   • the scholar-official
   • religions and/or religious transformation
   • story-telling
   • Confucian/Legalist management methods
   • any other themes you discover
8. If you are reviewing teaching materials, answer the following question with concrete examples of materials and methods (abbreviated lesson plans): Using your analysis of the materials, and your learning experience in our class, how would you design a unit or series of lesson plans to introduce public school students to the study of China?

I want to meet with each of you next week as you begin to formulate your projects. We may diverge from the above criteria somewhat, but let's use the above as a starting point for interpreting the materials.

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