Political Change as Seen Through Posters

Grades 9-12 Government, History Lesson or Unit Plan

  • Cultural revolution poster

In this lesson, students will identify shifts in themes and values represented in Chinese political posters ranging from the Mao Zedong era to the Deng Xiaoping era. They will learn about the dominant political ideology of each time period. Students will leave this lesson better able to analyze themes within propaganda posters, and with a better knowledge of the different political values espoused during the Mao Zedong and the Deng Xiaoping eras.

Title: Political Change as Seen Through Posters
Author: John Gowan
Subject Area: Global 4
Grade Level: 9-12
Time Required: One 50-minute period
Standards: Common Core Standards: Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 6-12:
Standard 1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
Standard 2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.(Source:http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf)
Keywords/Vocabulary: Mao Zedong, Great Leap Forward, Red Guards, Cultural Revolution, Deng Xiaoping, Four Modernizations, Reform
Essential Question(s):
  • How do Chinese political posters reflect the values of their respective eras?
  • How did the posters change as a result of changes after the death of Mao Zedong and the rise to power of Deng Xiaoping?
  • What elements (if any) remained the same from one era to the next? How do you account for that?
Learning Objectives/Goals/Aims:
  • tudents will be able to identify changes in the themes and values represented in Chinese political posters from the Mao Zedong era to the Deng Xiaoping era. They will be able to identify specific imagery that demonstrates the shift in values.
  • Students will be able to identify the values that were promoted by the CCP during the Maoist era and the reform era.
Introduction: In this lesson, students will identify shifts in themes and values represented in Chinese political posters ranging from the Mao Zedong era to the Deng Xiaoping era. They will learn about the dominant political ideology of each time period. Students will leave this lesson better able to analyze themes within propaganda posters, and with a better knowledge of the different political values espoused during the Mao Zedong and the Deng Xiaoping eras.

As a Do Now activity the class would view a poster from the Maoist era and be directed to write down any images they notice on the poster. Poster will be projected on the Smartboard.

Procedure/Pedagogical Technique/Instructional Strategy:  1. Have students discuss the Do Now. What do they see?

2. Have students read 974-975 and 1059-1060 in the textbook World History; Patterns of Interaction published by McDougall Littel.

3. Have students complete a T Chart listing the most important values of the Maoist and Reform Era.

4. Have students view four posters and (a) identify the imagery used in each, and (b) write a paragraph explaining why they believed that each poster was from the Maoist era or the Reform era. http://chineseposters.net/gallery/e13-557.php

Discussion Points/ GroupInteraction: After the writing is completed, have the students discuss which posters belonged in which era and explain their reasoning. This can be done as a whole class activity.
Assessment: Assessment will be conducted as students discuss each work.
Closure:  As a whole class, revisit and update the T Chart as needed.
Instructional Resources/ Materials: 1. Textbooks.
2. Smartboard connection to various web sites such as chineseposters.net to display posters
Extending the Lesson/ Follow-up Activity: Include a poster on a quiz and have students identify the era from which it came.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Caterogy: Grades 9-12 Government, History Lesson or Unit Plan
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Teach China Team

Teach China is a comprehensive professional development program offered by China Institute to provide a wealth of opportunities for K-12 educators to enhance their knowledge of China, past and present. We take an interdisciplinary approach consistent with national and state-mandated standards in order to help educators incorporate the teaching of China into all subjects and grade levels, including Mandarin language learning, the humanities, social studies, and the arts. Teach China promotes cross-cultural understanding through the use and creation of authentic materials, the presentation of balanced perspectives, and the fostering of enduring connections between educators around the world.

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