The West Lake in Hangzhou is famous not only for its beauty but also for its folk tales. Many of the traditional tales from this region describe how the surrounding physical features came into being. Fourth graders at Winchester Thurston School study American Tall Tales. Students learn about universal themes by comparing tales from the two cultures.
This unit will introduce students to the transformational changes occurring in the economy, culture and urban life in China over the past three decades, using the city of Hangzhou as the primary example. Students will begin by looking at the urban economic situation in China under Mao up through the Cultural Revolution. This will be followed an examination of three key events during the 1970s (Nixon’s China visit, the death of Chairman Mao, and the beginnings of the opening up of the Chinese economy with the rise of Deng Xiaoping as leader of China.
