GLOBAL ASIA: YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW
9
LESSON FOUR
GLOBAL ASIA: YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW
Pair with “China/Asia Rules the World?” by Anand Yang. (The article appears in The Seattle Times on May 21, 2015.)
INTRODUCTION
The article paired with this lesson introduces students to the changes that have taken place across Asia in recent decades. “Once again,” as
the author concludes in his article, “Asia stands at the center stage of the world, its reemergence returning it to the primacy it once enjoyed
for more than 1,500 years.” This lesson encourages students to explore Asia’s economic takeoff and its present and future global impact.
OBJECTIVES
• Students will examine how Asia is portrayed in the news today.
• Students will consider how Asia’s “success story” has impacted the lives of the people.
• Students will explore how economic development has physically, culturally and/or environmentally changed specific countries.
FOCUS QUESTIONS
1.
Asia is in the headline news every day — what are some specific examples of this coverage? How does one decipher facts from opinions?
2.
How have development and growth physically and culturally transformed different regions of Asia?
3.
What are some opportunities and challenges that Chinese, Indian, Japanese and other Asian leaders and citizens face today?
4.
Are there ways to globalize and develop economically and still include all segments of society?
MATERIALS
• The Seattle Times article “China/Asia Rules the World?”
• Computer/Internet access
• Projector
ACTIVITIES
Before Reading
1.
Asia is in the news every day. Ask students to reflect on what they have heard about “Asia as an emerging economic or global power.”
Ask students to think about how a rising Asia is portrayed in the news, books, movies, magazines, online, in social media and in their
community. Encourage them to give concrete examples of something they have recently seen or heard. Write “Asia — In the Headlines”
on the board and then create two columns under this heading. At the top of one column write “Fact” (a statement that can be proven);
at the top of the other column write “Opinions or Views (a belief or way of thinking about something).
Ask students to discuss and
choose under which column to record their examples. How does one decipher facts from opinions when reading about Asia’s
reemergence on the world stage? Ask for a volunteer to record this information. Keep this information on the board.
2.
Share with students the author’s first sentence: “ ‘China/Asia rules the world’ is a declaration heralded by many a headline today and
not just in the West.” Why do you think the author uses this as his opening line (for his final article in this series)? Do you agree that
China/Asia rules the world? Why or why not?
