Aim: How did China’s Geographic Isolation Influence it’s culture?

Asian Geography China’s physical geography is very diverse. EAST- Yellow Sea North- Gobi Desert West- Taklimakan Desert and Icy Plateau of Tibet. South- Himalayas How could this information be both a benefit and a hindrance to the people of China? ****Take a Minute to discuss possible answers with the person sitting next to you.

#1#2#3 How could this information be a benefit and a hindrance to the people of China? Student Responses:

Rivers, Soil and Climate China’s first River Valley Civilization developed along the 2 major rivers.  Yangtze River-3 rd longest river in the world.  Huang He ( yellow River)- It flows East from Tibet to Yellow Sea. LOESS Annual Floods deposit rich soil called loess, on flood plains. Valley of Huang He is very fertile  Fine dusty soil.

Huang He River The Huang He has a history of flooding. As a result the Chinese built Levees to keep the flood waters under control. In addition to that because of the Yellow rivers location further North, the climate is cooler and drier making it suitable for growing grains, wheat and millet. Before rice and wheat became popular, millet was a major food source in China. Millet is still popular in Asia and Africa. Millet grows in long spikes and has a mild flavor. Millet is usually baked into flat bread or made into porridge. Many different flavors such as curry, orange, ginger, garlic, and rosemary are added to give millet more flavor.

Group Assignment Working in pairs, you are asked to complete an essay organizer based on the following question: Compare the geographic challenges and benefits of 2 River Valley Civilizations and give an example of how that distinct physical geography influenced parts of the culture and interaction.  Mesopotamia  Egypt  Indus River Valley  China

Rubric Score 5- Student has properly addressed all parts of the question. There are multiple (6-5) examples of historical facts and a highly proficient understanding of content area. Score 4- Student has addressed all aspects of the task and has presented at least 4 examples of historical facts. Student shows a proficient understanding of content area. Score 3- Student has addressed most aspects of the task and has presented 3 examples of historically relevant facts. Thesis or relevancy is weak and needs further development. Score 2- Student has only addressed parts of the task, and has provided minimum historical facts as proof. Flow of logic is underdeveloped. Score1/0 – Student has not addressed the task and there is no evidence of historical accuracy. Lack of a thesis. Shows no effort.

Informal Assessment Which Theme of Global History can we connect to today’s lesson? Explain why?