Modern China, The Peoples Republic of China, was founded on October 1st, 1949 and continues to be the longest reigning single partly state. That said, the history of China and its people, stretches back almost 4000 years.  In this unit we unfortunately not be able to give you the complete history of China but we will attempt to give you an introduction to its history and help you understand how it will shape our global future.  Our unit will be focused around the below key questions:

11. What are the current SPICE realities in China in 2019 and what moral dilemmas do they poise for China and the World?

2. How has the geography of China impacted its past, present and future?

3. How did the forced opening of China by the West lead to the collapse of the dynastic system?

4. How was the current Communist government established in China?

5. How did the rule of Mao Zedong fundamentally change the society?

6. How did Deng Xiaoping open China and modernize China?

8.Does the current government of China and its Premier Xi Jing Ping reflect more the influence of Mao or Deng?

9. How do we critically evaluate news media in order to draw reliable conclusions?

10. What are the elements of critical analysis and strong argumentative writing?

Resources:
Our resources for this unit will be drawn from the variety of news sources (for Modern China) and class resources that will all be made available on the website. We will also be accessing articles about modern China through Newsela, either electronically or printed. Students are expected to keep all provided resources in their binders. If you ever miss a class and do not receive a hard copy of a resource, please download and print one from the unit calendar.

Assessment
Throughout our unit you will learn content and practice historical skills to help demonstrate mastery of the below standards. These standards will be used to design assessment rubrics and to report on your attainment in World History.
Argumentative Writing (Assessment = Analysis of Modern China)

Writing 1: Focus/Thesis/Theme: I can clearly develop and identify the main point of my writing.
Writing 2: Evidence/Historical Details: I can use a variety of types of evidence to support my main point. 
Writing 3: Historical analysis: I can create a cogent and compelling argument.
Writing 4: Social Studies Writing: I can organize my ideas, write using proper citations, and use a variety of writing strategies. 

Historical Thinking/Concepts (Assessment = Historical Skills Assessment)
HT1: Significance (Identifications): I can define key terms and explain how they are important to the understanding of the historical topic.
HT 2: Cause and Effect: I can explain the causes and effects of complex historical events.
HT 3: Perspectives (OPVL Source Analysis: I can analyze the value and limitations of a variety of types of sources in regards to studying history.HT 4: Change & Continuity: I can explain how themes in history have remained the same and how they have changed.

Life Skills (2)
LS 1: 21st Century Life Skills: I can collaborate with my peers to discuss and support complex ideas, and use technology responsibly to explore the past and present. (Formative Tasks/Research Skills)
LS2: 21st Geography: I can effectively apply geographic and skills to better interpret the past


Unit Calendar
The calendar outlines the plan for our day to day in class activities and the homework that will be assigned. The expectation is that students complete all homework assignments for the next lesson unless otherwise indicated on the calendar. While we would like this to be set in stone, unforeseen events and intriguing tangents might change the plan so if you are ever in doubt about what is due and when, please ask!