Current Events

Politics

Technology

The Media

Current Events

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Debate issues concerning current events.
• Express and exchange reactions to current events.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Identify pertinent information when listening to newscasts or reading selections.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Produce oral and written reports and articles on current events.
• Develop and explain opinions and reactions to current news events.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Explore traditional attitudes when reacting to current events.
• Explore differences in reporting current events.

Connections, Comparisons, and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Recognize a connection to various school subjects to include social sciences, history, government and science.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare and contrast attitudes of people in the U.S. and Chinese-speaking countries towards world events.

Communication Across Communities

• Locate and use authentic resources in Chinese to broaden understanding of current events.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary related to political systems
• Vocabulary related to geography and contemporary issues
• Expressions of conviction, opinions, and agreement or disagreement

Politics

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Participate in sustained conversation and/or debate about past and present political events.
• Debate merits of political candidates.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Read newspaper and magazine articles related to political events.
• Comprehend news broadcasts about political matters.
• Comprehend written and oral materials on elections.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Produce spoken or written presentations on varied political views.
• Give a detailed summary and/or critique of an article or news broadcast about politics.
• Produce spoken and/or written presentations on the various political parties in Chinese-speaking countries.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Examine the influence of history on the political systems of Chinese-speaking countries to include monarchies, democracies, dictatorships, etc.
• Explore the influence different political systems have had on cultural aspects of Chinese-speaking countries.

Connections, Comparisons, and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Relate knowledge of politics gained in government or social studies classes to information learned in Chinese class.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare the political systems in the U.S. and Chinese-speaking countries.
• Compare the world view of the U.S. to world views of Chinese-speaking countries (international law, conflicts, economic issues, etc.).

Communication Across Communities

• Access information on the Internet about political issues and events in Chinese-speaking countries.
• Investigate the various voting policies in Chinese-speaking countries.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary related to the legal system
• Vocabulary related to rights and responsibilities
• Vocabulary related to government, political parties, and elections
• Vocabulary related to economic issues
• Expressions used in negotiations

Technology

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Discuss the evolution of technology.
• Discuss the applications of technology in contemporary society.
• Describe how technology has influenced our society.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Comprehend oral and written information about the use of technology throughout history.
• Explore and understand the history of evolution of technology in today's society.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Describe how technology has created as well as solved problems in our society.
• Give a detailed summary and/or critique of an article or news broadcast about technology.
• Produce spoken or written presentations supporting the use of technology in our community.
• Use various technological techniques in a presentation to examine the use of technology in our community.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Discuss attitudes towards technology in education and the workplace.
• Examine and discuss how technology has changed social interactions in today's society.
• Compare and contrast historical achievements without the use of modern technology.

Connections, Comparisons, and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Discuss how technology is used in other disciplines, such as math, science, the humanities and vocational studies.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Increase awareness of the use of technology in Chinese-speaking countries.
• Identify cognates and other vocabulary related to technology.

Communication Across Communities

• Access information on the Internet about the evolution of technology.
• Use technology in the production of commercials, plays, recordings, menus, etc.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary related to technology

The Media

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Maintain a discussion related to the media.
• Discuss the media's influence on current events.
• Discuss the impact of the media's presentation of current events.
• Analyze and discuss presentational techniques of the media.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Identify pertinent information when listening to newscasts or reading selections from print news sources or the Internet.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Produce an oral or written report on the positive and/or negative influence of the media.
• Develop and explain opinions and reactions to the media.
• Produce spoken and/or written presentations on the variety of ways in which the media can be used to slant the news.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices and Products

• Explore authentic media sources and discuss cultural attitudes when reacting to the media.
• Explore differences in media reporting.
• Explore how media presentations reflect cultural attitudes.

Connections, Comparisons, and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Identify and/or demonstrate a connection to various school subjects to include psychology, history, humanities, government and biology.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare and contrast reporting techniques of the American media with those of Chinese-speaking countries.

Communication Across Communities

• Locate and use authentic resources in Chinese to broaden understanding of the media.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary related to the media, past and present
• Vocabulary related to contemporary issues
• Expressions of conviction, opinions, and agreement or disagreement

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