Asian Studies Course

Course description

18 week course designed around 9 major themes including place, movement, civilization, economics, petroleum, class, imperialism, ethnicity, and religion. These themes were taken from the Georgia Quality Core Curriculum Asian Studies course standards.

Course organization

9 two week units with each unit addressing one of the major themes

Course outline

Each unit will include 10 individual 55 minute lessons. The lesson topics are listed below.

Unit 1
Theme: Place
Standards: 1 and 2

Lesson 1 Asia's physical geography Lesson 6 The Gobi Desert
Lesson 2 Climate regions in Asia Lesson 7 The impact of temperature on the cultures of Asia
Lesson 3 The distribution of resources in Asia Lesson 8 Barriers to movement: Physical geography and the development of Asia cultures
Lesson 4 Land and sea: How physical geography influences people Lesson 9 Asia rivers: The Ganges, the Indus Rivers, the Huang He, and the Yangtzi
Lesson 5 The Himalayas Lesson 10 Conquering the summit: Climbing Mount Everest

Unit 2
Theme: Human Interaction
Standards: 2, 6, 7,a and 11

Lesson 1 Population and the quality of life in Asia Lesson 6 The Indian independence movement
Lesson 2 Creating a new Lesson 7 Mao and the Chinese Communist revolution
Lesson 3 Colonialism in China Lesson 8 Indonesia's struggle with democracy
Lesson 4 Colonialism in South Asia Lesson 9 People Power: Democracy in the Philippines
Lesson 5 Colonialism in Southeast Asia Lesson 10 Tibet and China: A recent history of conflict

Unit 3
Theme: Civilization

Standards: 4 and 5

Lesson 1 Ancient river Civilizations in China Lesson 6 East Asian interdependencies
Lesson 2 Indus River Civilization Lesson 7 The growth of Hindu Culture
Lesson 3 Mesopotamia Lesson 8 Buddhist influences in Asia
Lesson 4 Chinese Dynasties Lesson 9 Japan and Korea: One path
Lesson 5 Kublai Khan Lesson 10 India and Pakistan: Two paths

Unit 4
Theme: Economic Interaction
Standards: 10, 11, 12, and 13

Lesson 1 Capitalism in Asia Lesson 6 The Pacific Rim: Engine of the world?
Lesson 2 Communism in Asia Lesson 7 Business in Singapore
Lesson 3 Communist China: The economic picture Lesson 8 Business in Hong Kong
Lesson 4 Capitalist Japan: the economic picture Lesson 9 Petroleum in Asia
Lesson 5 American business in Asia Lesson 10 The new China?

Unit 5
Theme: Political Interaction
Standards: 8 and 9

Lesson 1 Comparative governments Lesson 6 Revolution in China
Lesson 2 Communism systems Lesson 7 Independence in India
Lesson 3 Imperial systems Lesson 8 Korea: North and South
Lesson 4 Democracies Lesson 9 The struggle for democracy in Vietnam
Lesson 5 Japan's big change: The development of the modern Japanese democracy Lesson 10 Tibet and China

Unit 6
Theme: Social Interaction
Standards: 14 and 15

Lesson 1 Confucian Society Lesson 6 One Korea?
Lesson 2 The Caste system Lesson 7 Tradition in Singapore
Lesson 3 Japanese tradition Lesson 8 Separate paths: Life in mainland China and Taiwan
Lesson 4

The "real" China

Lesson 9 Islamic fundamentalism
Lesson 5 Side by Side: Khasmir, Pakistan and India Lesson 10 Calcutta: A study of life in one of the poorest places in the world

Unit 7
Theme: Imperialism
Standards: 8, 9, and 10

Lesson 1 Chinese Dynastic expansionism Lesson 6 The Boxer Rebellion
Lesson 2 Marco Polo Lesson 7 India: A study in Imperialism
Lesson 3 "Trading" cities Lesson 8 War in Southeast Asia
Lesson 4 The East India Company Lesson 9 Indochina and America's trap!
Lesson 5 The growth of European influence in Asia Lesson 10 Lingering influences?

Unit 8
Theme: Ethnic Interaction
Standards: 3 and 16

Lesson 1 Outside China: Mongolian influences in China Lesson 6 Korea and China
Lesson 2 Inside China: The many different Chinese cultures Lesson 7 Pakistan and India: Shared experiences
Lesson 3 India: Hindu and Muslim culture Lesson 8 Japan's monoculture?
Lesson 4 Japan and Korea Lesson 9 British influences in Hong Kong
Lesson 5 The development of modern China and the Cultural Revolution Lesson 10 Indonesia

Unit 9
Theme: Religious Interaction

Standards: 17, 18, and 19

Lesson 1 Confucianism Lesson 6 India: Hindu and Muslim religion
Lesson 2 Shintoism Lesson 7 China: religion in the People's Republic
Lesson 3 Hinduism Lesson 8 Gandhi's spiritual journey
Lesson 4 Buddhism Lesson 9 Christianity in Asia
Lesson 5 Islam Lesson 10 The Dahli Lama