Topic 2
East and West
Objectives
Knowledge 1. To revise names and location of the major continents and major European
countries
2. To introduce the view of the world in ancient times by studying an old map;
3. To discuss the idea of cultural similarities and variations by looking at
architecture, writing systems and dress styles as examples.
Skills
1. To study maps;
2. To make and write about comparison;
3. To make record of research results;
4. To express oneself with the help of pictures;
Attitude
1. To respect different cultures
2. To develop global perspectives
Teaching Flow
1
Format
Teaching Objectives
Content
1 Question to
ponder
A question & brief
introduction
Let students have a clear learning
focus
How do we understand
different cultures in the
world?
2 Task 1
Data based
questions and Map
reading
Let students compare the view of
world of people in ancient times
and nowadays
View of world in ancient
times
3 Task 2
Web-based
searching
To help students learn how to
understand different cultures
through architecture.
Different historic
architecture.
4 Task 3
Data based
questions
To help students learn how to
understand different cultures
through writing.
Different writings from
the countries around the
Mediterranean Sea
5 Task 4
Web-based
searching
To help students learn how to
understand different cultures
through clothing.
Different clothing styles
6 Conclusion
Summary chart
Revision and consolidation
Summary of the major
issues discussed in this
topic.
Items
Question to ponder
How do we understand different cultures in the world?
Task 1: Entry Point：View of the World in Ancient Times
Source A
This is a map of the 20th century.
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Source: Department of History, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Source B
This map was drawn in around 500 BC in Greece.
Source: J.G. Barthologmew LLD, A Literacy & Historical Atlas of Asia, London: J.M. Dent & Sons, Ltd.;
New York: E.P. Dutton & Co, unknown publishing year
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Topic 2 East and West
1.
Refer to a world atlas in our time in Source A, number the places/countries in the
following table.
1
America
7
Egypt
4
Europe
5
Africa
3
Mediterranean Sea
8
India
2
Britain
6
Libya
9
Australia
2.
Which continents are at the centre of the map in Source A?
Suggested answer: Europe and Africa
3.
Study the map in Source B.
a.) Circle Greece, Italy and Egypt on the map.
Hint: If you don’t know where they are, check them from the Atlas.
b.) Where is the centre of the map?
Suggested answer: the Mediterranean Sea
c.) Did ancient Greeks have the same view of the world as people do in the 20th century?
Suggested answer: No
4.
Compare the maps in Sources A and B. Find out some differences between them.
Complete the comparison table by choosing phrases from the box below.
Centred at the equator; Africa and India distorted;
With Britain;
No Americas, Australia;
the Mediterranean close to Greek map;
No Britain;
Quite accurate about the Mediterranean;
With Americas and Australia;
Africa and India correctly denoted;
Centred at the Mediterranean;
Suggested answers:
Greek map of the world
Modern map of the world
Centred at the Mediterranean
Centred at the equator
Africa and India distorted
Africa and India correctly denoted
No Americas, Australia
With Americas and Australia
No Britain
With Britain
Quite accurate about the Mediterranean
The Mediterranean close to Greek map
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Task 2: Understanding different cultures through architecture
Web-based searching
From internet, download a few pictures of (1) famous historic architecture from different
countries all over the world; (2) write a short account of the particular architecture.
Hints:
1. From internet, search for (1) Greek architecture, (2) Roman architecture, and others.
2. For making good research records, save the pictures you will download in Word as
shown in the following example.
Here are some examples for your reference.
Example 1
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Acropolis at Athens, Greece
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:AthensAcropolisDawn06034.jpg
Notes: Acropolis means "highest city" in Greece. Acropolis was formally proclaimed as the pre-eminent monument on the European Cultural
Heritage list of monuments on 26 March 2007.The Acropolis is a flat-topped rock that rises 150 m (490 ft) above sea level in the city of Athens.
Example 2
The Great Pyramid of Khufu Egypt
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Kheops-Pyramid.jpg
Notes: For thousands of years, the largest structures on earth were pyramids, such as the Great Pyramid of Khufu, Egypt which is the only
one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still remaining. It is still the tallest pyramid.
Topic 2 East and West
Task 3: Understanding different cultures through writing
1. Infer from the map in Source B and use your own knowledge, how do you think the different
parts of the Mediterranean were connected?
Hints: suggest means of transportation and activities
Suggested answer: travelling on foot/by boats; through trade, wars and books which were
brought around by soldiers and traders etc
2. Did the people around the Mediterranean Sea share a common culture? Study Sources C and
D, find out some ideas and share with your partner(s) and teacher.
Source C
Different writings from the countries around the Mediterranean Sea
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Source: Department of History, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Source D
People living around the Mediterranean Sea could be divided into 3
families according to their writings
Source: J.G. Barthologmew LLD, A Literacy & Historical Atlas of Asia, London: J.M. Dent & Sons, Ltd.; New York: E.P. Dutton & Co,
unknown publishing year
Suggested answer: a two-sided view is expected, i.e. students are expected to be able to
identify some similarities and differences
Task 4: Understanding different cultures through clothing
Look at dress styles in Source E (Pictures 1 to 4) and you can see that in different places,
people dress differently. In groups, discuss the special features of clothing in the aspects
such as head-dress, hair-style, costume and accessories.
References:
1.
http://www.siue.edu/COSTUMES/COSTUME1_INDEX.HTML.
2.
Carolyn G. Bradley, Western World Costume: an Outline History, Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2001, 1st published in 1954
Source E
(Picture 1)
(Picture 2)
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(Picture 3)
Source: Department of History, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
(Picture 4)
Topic 2 East and West
To know more
Dress styles tend to be determined very much by on-going practices and religion.
National costumes are often symbolic also of status and power. They may change with
government, but are often very resilient.
Conclusion
In this topic, we have shown that the East and West have different ways of doing certain
things, such as looking at the world, writing, dress and architecture. We have seen that the
diffusion of architectural styles, the use of writing, dress styles denote cultural regions
(such as “the West” or “East Asia”). There might well be other features that could
demarcate cultural differences, such as food, religion and customs. We do not really know
how and why these different features are brought together. It would seem that many of
these features might have been related to changes in technology, settlement and forms of
government. Further discussions will continue in topic 3.
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Summary Chart
Understanding different cultures
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