WideH Ancient China

Ancient China-WideHorizon Education Resources

Mathematics and World History In the ancient world, different civilizations led the way in different branches of mathematics. For example the ancient Greeks had a genius for geometry. 

Do your students know that in the ancient world it was the Chinese that excelled, above all others, in handling numbers and algebra? Very early in their history the Chinese recognized place value and this put them ahead of the rest of the world.

Are your students aware that the Chinese used a calculator (based on place value) as early as the Shang Dynasty (1750 – 1027 B.C.E.)? The WER Unit China teaches students to use the counting board. This was used in the Shang Dynasty and it was the forerunner of the abacus. They also learn to use the abacus, giving them valuable experience in place value which is essential to understanding mathematical concepts. The abacus was developed in the Han Dynasty and is still used in China today.

The Great Wall A study of the Great Wall is incomplete without the myths and legends that surround the building of it. One such story is the Pumpkin Girl; a sad tale of a young girl, newly married. Her husband has been conscripted into the labor force to work on The Great Wall. She travels long distances to find him and the story tells of her bravery and determination. The story is an ideal one for a Reader’s Theatre exercise, or a dramatization and it gives students an insight into the values and attitudes that the ancient Chinese people admired.

A variety of topics
Module 2 of the WER Unit Ancient China introduces students to a variety of topics. They examine silk making , the Silk Road, mathematics, the role of women, social class, the invention and manufacture of paper, and the seismograph of ancient China. All these are accompanied by activities and assignments.

Qin Shihuangdi 
The First Emperor, responsible for completing the Great Wall so that it stretched more than 1500 miles across the mountains of northern China.

WideHorizon Education Resources – Ancient China
Module 1: Early China and the Shang and Zhou Dynasties
Module 2: The Qin and Han Dynasties

Example of content from Module 2 Lesson 2
Legends associated with the Great Wall are read and dramatized by the students. Through these legends, they discover the human qualities that the people of Ancient China valued. In particular they discover the qualities that the Ancient Chinese admired in women.

Language Arts: The assignments ask students to read the text critically by making inferences and drawing conclusions.

Cooperative Learning: Performing and writing the drama requires students to work cooperatively.

Writing Skills: Students work in the genre of drama, learning the form and skills involved in writing in this mode.

Historical Literacy: Students learn the role of legends and mythology in society.

China (2 Modules) includes 6 stories with readability levels, 4 guided reading assignments, 1 drama, 1 readers theatre, 18 activity sheets, 2 assignments targeted for monitoring and assessment, 3 map activities, 20 illustrated information sheets, 21 blackline masters, 1 review exercise, 2 colored reproductions, 9 teacher lesson guideline sheets, 2 monitoring and assessment sheets.

Starter Packs
WideHorizon Education Resources (WER) material is in two formats. Firstly  as a Starter Pack. Secondly as a Classroom Pack. Both Packs include a Teacher Guide containing all the material from the MLA Teaching Packs, with occasional refinements for the USA market. The ONLY difference between a Starter Pack and a Classroom Pack is that the Starter Pack contains just one Student Reference Book (SRB) while a Classroom Pack contains 35 (thirty-five) SRBs. The Starter Pack is available as a pdf (no postage or processing fee). A physical copy (postage/processing fees apply) can be provided at additional cost.  Classroom Packs are ONLY available as physical copies and only for USA teachers. All physical copies are in USA and cost of sending abroad is prohibitive but please contact MLA if you have any queries (contact details at bottom of page).

WideHorizon Education Resources (WER) Teaching Packs are designed to appeal to the heart, head and hands. Original material is the Mollet Learning Academy (MLA) Teaching Packs (written initially for New Zealand teachers). On request from USA teachers, monitoring and assessment procedures were added and renamed WER Teaching Packs to distinguish them from MLA Teaching Packs.

Early Humankind, Ancient Israelites, Ancient India, Ancient China – USA $59.95
Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Kush, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome USA $79.95
Classroom Packs
Early Humankind, Ancient Israelites, Ancient India, Ancient China – USA $199.95
Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Kush, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome
USA $299.95
Sets
Set of Nine Starter Packs – USA $599.95
Set of Nine Classroom Packs – USA $1999.95
Set of 10 non-consumable SRBs – Prehistory, Israelites, India, China – USA $59.95
Set of 10 non-consumable SRBs – Egypt, Kush, Greece, Rome – USA $79.95
Set of 10 non-consumable SRBs – Mesopotamia – USA $89.95
7% S&H applies unless other arrangements made – thanks.

Dr. David Mollet davidmetis@gmail.com
NZ: h 09-555-2021 m 022-101-1741, 41 Hilling St, Titirangi, Auckland 0604
USA: 619-463-1270, 6656 Reservoir Lane, San Diego, CA 92115 (Skype waldorfedu)

1) The material was initially written for New Zealand teachers but on request from USA teachers, monitoring and assessment procedures were added. To view this material please visit https://molletacademy.com/
WideHorizon Education Resources (WER) https://molletacademy.com/widehorizon-2/ Waldorf Education Resources (WER) https://molletacademy.com/waldorf/
2) MLA is also involved in researching on an international basis, what works and what doesn’t work. Most of the research results can be seen at https://molletacademy.com/research-reports/ while a draft of a book The Task for New Zealand Education is at https://molletacademy.com/the-task-for-nz-education/
3) Blogs at http://www.molletlearningacademy.blogspot.co.nz/
4) Business Plan at http://molletlearningacademy.com/corporate/MLABusinessPlan.pdf
5) Papyrus https://molletacademy.com/papyrus/

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