Lesson Plan - The Cultural Revolution

Build Background Knowledge

As students watch the video “China and the U.S.,” have them think about this question: How has the relationship between China and the U.S. changed over time? Play the video a second time and ask students to take notes about at least three key dates. Have them write responses to the question and discuss them.

Preview Vocabulary

Use Words to Know to preteach the domain-specific terms propaganda, Communist, economy, famine, professional, peasant, intellectual, elite, persecution, medallion, barracks, cadre, mandate, adobe, humanity, exporter, liberty, democracy, censor, and ethnic. Have students refer to the Skill Builder as they read.

Read the Article

Read the article aloud, have students read it independently, or have pairs read together, alternating paragraphs for the introduction and sidebars and taking a part for the interview. As students read, ask them to jot down ideas about the “As You Read, Think About” question.

Answer Close-Reading Questions

Have students write their responses or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.

• Summarize what happened during the Cultural Revolution. (Summarizing)
The Cultural Revolution was a plan that China’s leader, Mao Zedong, launched in May 1966 to encourage people to continue believing in Communist principles. He wanted people to break with old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits. The government organized students into Red Guards, and the groups attacked intellectuals, teachers, and parents. Chaos ensued, so Mao had the military round up the Red Guards and send them to work in rural areas. Children of the elite classes were also sent to remote areas for “reeducation.” The Cultural Revolution continued until Mao died in 1976. Then the country started new economic reforms.

• How did the Cultural Revolution affect Xi Zhao? (Cause and Effect)
Zhao was 17 when the Cultural Revolution started. As doctors, her parents were considered enemies of the Revolution. Zhao says “joy was gone.” At school, she was isolated from other students and saw some of her teachers beaten or shaved half bald. At night, her family slept under their beds to avoid bullets. In 1968, Zhao was sent to a faraway village where food was scarce. The Cultural Revolution tore her family apart. Her two brothers were sent to work in factories while a younger sister was left to care for their sick mother. Zhao couldn’t return to her hometown until 1981. She was able to get a college education but had to let go of her dream of becoming a doctor.

• What lessons does Zhao say she learned from her experiences? (Text Evidence)
Zhao says that she warns herself “to never lose my conscience and always be kind to others.” Even though she witnessed violence and saw people at their worst, she still think it’s important to always treat others well and try to do what’s right.

• What are two other questions you would ask Zhao? Why? (Asking Questions)
Responses will vary.

• What do you notice about the poster on page 24? How it is an example of propaganda? (Domain-Specific Vocabulary)
The poster shows a large portrait of Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong and a group of happy farmers. It is propaganda because it is trying to send the message that Chinese people admire Mao and are happy with his reforms. The farmers are shown moving forward, which is probably meant to communicate the idea of progress. The large portrait suggests that Mao was the most important person and he is overseeing everything.

• How does the sidebar “China Today” support the interview? (Text Features)
The sidebar supports the interview by explaining some of the results of the “new economic reforms to improve people’s living standards” that Zhao mentions. After a decade of chaos in which millions of people like Zhao suffered persecution, China’s leaders loosened the government’s strict economic controls. Farmers were allowed to plan and take ownership of their crops, and the government set up “special economic zones” where business owners were able to make more of their own decisions and employees could earn a profit from their work. In the past 40 years, 850 million Chinese people have been lifted out of poverty. Today, China has the second-largest economy in the world. However, the Communist government still limits people’s freedoms, imprisons critics, censors some content on the internet, and treats certain minority groups—like the Uighurs—unfairly.

Analyze a Timeline

Assign the Skill Builder Timeline: Communist China to help students understand key events in China’s history from 1949 to 2020.

Enter This Year’s Eyewitness Contest

Read about the 2021 Eyewitness to History contest on page 32 of the magazine. Use the Skill Builder Get Ready for Your Interview! to help students prepare for their conversations. Discuss the difference between open-ended and yes/no questions and brainstorm interview subjects together. Download the Eyewitness to History Contest Entry Form and Rules. Entries must be postmarked by January 22, 2021.

Assess Comprehension

Use Quiz Wizard to assess students’ comprehension of this article and three others from the issue.