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RIOT, REVOLUTION AND REFORM:
Revisiting the Tiananmen Square Massacre in the Global History Classroom Author(s): Overview of Lesson Plan: In this lesson, students examine the student protest and subsequent massacre at Tiananmen Square in 1989 and the current petition by victims' family members to open a criminal investigation of the responsible officials. After reading and discussing two New York Times articles about the events, one from 1989 and one from 1999, students will research the perspective of either a student protestor or government official and write a research-based diary entry relaying this person's point of view. Suggested Time Allowance: Two 45-minute class periods plus homework Objectives: 2. Examine the events occurring at Tiananmen Square in June 1989 by reading and discussing "Troops Attack and Crush Beijing Protest; Thousands Fight Back, Scores Are Killed." 3. Summarize the reasons for the protests at Tiananmen Square in 1989, the different sides involved in the conflict, and the results. 4. Assess the current attempts by the relatives of victims who died in Tiananmen Square in 1989 to open a criminal investigation of the responsible officials by reading and discussing "Kin of the Dead Seeking Inquiry on Tiananmen." 5. Investigate the protests at Tiananmen Square in 1989 through research focusing on the political "side" of either the protestors or the Chinese government officials. 6. Develop a research-based diary entry from the point of view of either
a protestor or government official discussing this person's views of
the massacre at Tiananmen Square.
Activities and/or Procedures: DAY ONE: TIANANMEN SQUARE 1989 1. WARM-UP/DO-NOW: In their journals, students respond to the following (written on the board prior to class): "Choose a revolution or protest from world history and explain the reasons for the uprising, the different sides involved in the conflict, and the results." Students then share their answers. What common reasons, "sides," and results exist among different revolts and protest, and why? 2. As a class, read and discuss "Troops Attack and Crush Beijing Protest; Thousands Fight Back, Scores Are Killed," discussing the following questions: a. Who were the protesters on Tiananmen Square, and why were they protesting? 3. WRAP-UP/HOMEWORK: Each student writes a brief summary of the reasons for the protests at Tiananmen Square in 1989, the different sides involved in the conflict and the results. DAY TWO: TIANANMEN SQUARE, 1999 1. WARM-UP/DO-NOW: Review the summaries of the massacre at Tiananmen Square written as the previous night's homework to ensure that the students understood the sides to the events that occurred and their causes and effects. 2. As a class, read and discuss "Kin and Dead Seeking Inquiry on Tiananmen," discussing the following questions: a. How are the relatives of victims of the massacre at Tiananmen Square
on 1989 attempting "to open a criminal investigation of the responsible
officials"? 3. Place the "P" and "G" slips of paper in a bag or hat, and ask each student to draw a slip. Then, explain that "P" stands for "protester" and "G" stands for "government." Each student will then conduct research about the protest at Tiananmen Square in 1989 focusing on the political "side" that he or she is representing. Students may choose to focus on the perspective of a specific person mentioned in one of the articles read in class. 4. WRAP-UP/HOMEWORK: After research information has been gathered, each student writes a diary entry from the point of view of either a protester or government official (based on the slip drawn in class) and discussing his or her views of the massacre at Tiananmen Square. Students should base most of their writing on information gained through their research. In a future class, students should present their reaction pieces in a round-table discussion in which they take the perspective of protestors and the Chinese government during and after the Tiananmen Square massacre. Evaluation and/or Assessment: Vocabulary Extension Activities 2. Examine the development, philosophy, and influence of Communism around the world. Investigate the different countries that adopted this form of government, the effects of Communism on the people of these countries, and any changes in the government that have since occurred. 3. Create a timeline documenting changes in Chinese government (leadership, form of government, and law) over the course of several centuries. 4. Investigate martial law and how and why it has been enforced in various countries throughout the 20th century. 5. Explore other revolts or revolutions around the world, such as Russian, French, Cuban, Mexican, and Haitian revolutions. What were the causes of the revolutions? Who lead the revolt, and how did he or she effectively (or ineffectively) lead the people in revolt against the government? What were the results of these revolutions? Create posters displaying the information about these revolutions. 6. Research other examples of student protests. What methods, both effective and ineffective, were used? 7. Write biographies on Chinese leaders mentioned in the articles read in class. Interdisciplinary Connections: 2. Examine other events in American history in which protests turned violent or deadly. What were the causes of the protest? What effects did violence have on the protestors, the American people, the morale of the country, and the government? 3. Geography: Research landmarks or monuments that are associated with historical events in a country. Create posters or other visual displays focusing on how these structures preserve history. 4. Journalism: Imagine that you were a bystander at Tiananmen Square in June 1989. Write an eyewitness account of what you saw. 5. Media Studies/Teaching with the Times: Analyze how the media, particularly newspapers and television news, use images to cover a news story. Find news photos or footage from the past and present international events and create a scrapbook documenting the power of photojournalism. 6. Social Studies/Civics: Learn about the rights of citizens, in the United States and around the world, to protest. What rights are guaranteed to citizens in different countries? What events have occurred in which these rights were violated? Additional Related Articles: Other Information on the Web Reactions to the Tiananmen Square Massacre discusses the events of Tiananmen Square, provides images, and links to a RealAudio song "Blood is on the Square." National Content Standards: Historical Understanding Standard 2: Understands the historical perspective. Benchmarks: Understands that specific individuals and the values those individuals held had an impact on history; analyzes the influence specific ideas and beliefs had on a period of history; analyzes the effect that specific "chance events" had on history; analyzes the effects specific decisions had on history Language Arts Standard 1: Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process. Benchmark: Uses style and structure appropriate for specific audiences and purposes; writes narrative accounts Language Arts Standard 7: Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies for reading a variety of informational texts. Benchmarks: Applies reading skills and strategies to a variety of informational texts; uses new information to adjust and extend personal knowledge base; identifies techniques used to convey viewpoint; draws conclusions and makes inferences based on explicit and implicit informational texts; differentiates between fact and opinion in informational texts Language Arts Standard 8: Demonstrates competence in speaking and listening as tools for learning. Benchmarks: Plays a variety of roles in-group discussion; asks question to seeking elaboration and clarification of ideas; conveys a clear main point when speaking to others and stays on the topic being discussed Grades 9-12 World History Standard 44: Understands the search for community, stability, and peace in an interdependent world. Benchmarks: Understands the role of political ideology, religion and ethnicity in shaping modern government; understands common arguments of opposition various countries around the world, common solutions they offer, and the position of these ideas with regard to Western economic and strategic interest; understands how specific countries have implemented social and cultural changes Historical Standard 2: Understands the historical perspective. Benchmarks: Analyzes the values held by specific people who influenced history and the role their values played in influencing history; analyzes the influences specific ideas and beliefs had on a period of history and specifies how these events might have been different in the absence of those ideas and beliefs; analyzes the effect that specific "chance events" has on history and specifies how things might have been different in the absence of those events; analyzes the effect specific decisions had on history and studies how things might have been different in the absence of those decisions; understands that the consequences of human intentions are influenced by the means of carrying them out; knows how to perceive past events with historical empathy Language Arts Standard 1: Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process. Benchmarks: Writes compositions that are focused for different audiences; writes compositions that fulfill different purposes; writes fictional, biographical, and observational narrative compositions Language Arts Standard 7: Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies in a reading a variety of informational texts. Benchmarks: Applies reading skills and strategies to a variety of informational texts; summarizes and paraphrases complex, implicit hierarchic structures in informational texts, including the relationships among the concepts and details on those structures; uses new information from texts to clarify or refine understanding of academic concepts, determines the effectiveness of techniques used to convey viewpoint Language Arts Standard 8: Demonstrates competence in speaking and listening
as tools for learning. Benchmark: Asks question as a way to broaden
and enrich classroom discussions |
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