Presents a conversation among a teacher from Shanghai, China, and two professors from the University of Victoria, Canada, on the topic of life in China. Subjects discussed include the importance of traditional values and food in Chinese life and of maintaining them in the face of overcrowded cities, pollution, and other problems of the modern…

Presents an introductory activity for a unit on the People's Republic of China. Students identify the country through four sets of clues about China's cultural characteristics, such as, where in the world would you find books being printed for Ghana schools, barefoot doctors, and Peonybrand toilet paper. (Author/KC)

Australians are known for their egalitarian spirit, manifested by a dislike of social pretension and affectation. A brief history of the country from the time of its establishment in 1788 as a dumping ground for Britain's unwanted criminals to the present is presented. (RM)

Reconsiders the Caribbean as an origin-point of the modern global system. Discusses the conquests and colonization of the Caribbean; the slavery system and racial distinctions; the post-emancipation society; and culture, Creolization, and the concept of movement as features of Caribbean society. Provides a bibliography. (CMK)

Describes the German health insurance system which is mandatory for nearly all German citizens. Explains that, along with pension, accident, and unemployment insurance, health insurance is one of four pillars of the German national social security system. Asserts that controlling costs while maintaining high health care standards is a national…

Ten classroom activities introduce elementary and junior high school students to Asian culture by investigating the uses of bamboo. Students are directed to read about bamboo, investigate bamboo's roles (food, building material, clothing, tools), and construct artifacts such as a fishing pole and a flute. (Author/DB)

Describes a student exchange program in which 8 Canadian and 80 U.S. high school students visited Germany for 3 weeks. Contends that the students came to understand and believe that a unified Europe was part of their future. Argues that studying Germany and Europe helps prepare students for life in an interdependent world. (CFR)

Presents a series of class activities designed to counteract stereotypes of other people. Includes a hilarious parody of an anthropological study of the Nacirema (American spelled backwards). Satirizes American personal hygiene rituals, modern medical practices, and ethnocentric assumptions. (MJP)

Presents an analysis and personal reflections on social and political changes in Russia between 1970 and 1994. Discusses how the social and economic changes have had a profound impact on elderly Russians. Concludes that the changes in Russia are a microcosm of those taking place throughout the world. (CFR)

Contends that the English coffee house was a social and economic institution that served as a daily newspaper and a center of commerce. Discusses coffee house origins, development, significance, and decline. Concludes that the coffee house served as a transition from medieval society to an age of rationality and industry. (CFR)

Maintains that the number of immigrants from India to the United States has risen dramatically. Asserts that the cultural gap between the immigrant parents and their children is largely the result of their school experiences. Contends that it is important that teachers understand the effects of the educational system on students from other…

Discusses the "Epic of Sundiata" which chronicles the rise of the Empire of Mali in the grasslands of northwestern Africa in the 13th century. This work is a compelling drama that bears comparison to such other hero tales as "The Iliad" and the Arthurian legend. Includes suggested teaching activities. (MJP)

Suggests the variety of Christmas songs (sacred, secular, traditional, and nontraditional) recorded since 1940 offers enormous potential for use in social studies classrooms. Argues these songs provide insights into cultural history and social change. Suggests several classroom activities discussing and classifying Christmas songs. Includes a…