Chapter 18 China’s Contact with the Outside World Skit Guidelines Your group’s skit…  is 3 minutes or greater in length.  includes equal speaking roles for all group members.  uses at least 2 props (not counting the visual explained below; props supplied by students).  states the foreign contact policy of the group’s chosen dynasty.  includes 3 points/pieces of information arguing for the foreign contact policy of your group’s chosen dynasty.  includes 3 points/pieces of information arguing against the foreign contact policy of your group’s chosen dynasty.  presents historically accurate information.  demonstrates complete preparedness, with clear, obvious signs of rehearsal.  demonstrates an effective use of class time, with strong focus and no distractions. Your group’s visual…  includes a title for the skit.  depicts the setting of the skit.  is hand-drawn, neat, and colorful. Checklist for Success Objective Students will be able to argue the benefits and drawbacks of the foreign contact policies of China during the Tang, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties through the creation, performing, and viewing of skits. General Information Chapter 18 investigates China’s foreign contact policies during the Tang, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties. Sometimes China demonstrated an open-door policy, when it opened its borders to foreigners and allowed free-exchange of goods and ideas into and out of the country. Other times, China operated under a closed-door policy, isolating itself from the outside world. Still yet, there were times when China was neither exclusively open-door nor closed- door, and wavered from one option to the other at different times in a dynasty’s reign. No system was perfect, and each had its benefits and drawbacks. During our study of Chapter 18, we were presented with a series of dialogues which argued the strengths and weaknesses of the foreign contact policies of the Tang, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties. Now it is your turn to present the arguments for and against the foreign contact policies of one particular dynasty – in the format of a skit. During the course of the next few days, you and a group of classmates will exercise your creativity to design a skit to perform for the rest of the class. Your group has complete creative freedom in the development of your skit’s format and storyline. You may set your skit during the time of Imperial China, but perhaps you would rather it be set in the modern day, or maybe even the future? Maybe it will be in the form of a news broadcast, a game show, a meeting, a debate, a dream, a documentary, commercial, or even skit-within-a-skit – the choice is yours!

Questions to Guide Your Thinking for Skit Preparation 1.Which dynasty will be the focus of your group’s skit? 2.What is the foreign-contact policy of your group’s chosen dynasty? 5.What is the setting of your skit? 6.Who are the characters in your skit? Which group members will play each character? At least 3 points/pieces of information arguing for the __________-door policy of the __________ Dynasty. At least 3 points/pieces of information arguing against the __________-door policy of the __________ Dynasty (You are encouraged to make more points in this space!)