Asia was a particularly fun unit of study for my ninth grade geography students. In particular, a couple of my girls were big time fans of Japan and Korea and the anime culture found there. But Asia is of course, more than just anime, and more than just sushi. Asia includes a rich and dynamic culture, and a lengthy history. After reading about Trump’s recent meeting with Xi Jinping, during which the Chinese President sat down with our president and explained some things to him about the long and storied past of China and her relationships with neighboring countries, Trump was pretty surprised. It’s true! Korea and Japan and China have had a long and sometimes complicated history. That’s one of the things we discussed in our class: the relationship between them, how they’ve gotten along (or not) during this time, and how they relate to each other now. We looked at how communism and capitalism have both affected China in recent years, how North and South Korea have been cruelly divided and why, how the Silk Road affected travel and trade over the centuries, and what trade goods were available in Asia that were shared with the rest of the world. So much to learn, and such a rich history.
Here are some resources I’ve found useful when teaching this unit: