China became a member of the WTO in December 2001. While the long-term effects of China’s entry into the global market are yet to be determined, some fear that liberalized trade policies and a greater involvement in the global economy will create more poverty and put much of China’s population at a disadvantage.

Using China as a case study, students will explore the entry of developing countries into the WTO and the effects of globalization. What is the WTO? Who gains and who loses from globalization? Students will focus on two perspectives:

The entry of developing countries into the WTO is hurting those countries.

The entry of developing countries into the WTO is empowering those countries.

Using the Academic Controversy model, students will develop skills in: creating and presenting arguments; researching; collaboration and communication; conflict resolution and consensus-building. Students will be evaluated on participation, use of student organizers, and a culminating project, which will demonstrate their understanding of the content and their mastery of the Academic Controversy process.

Grade Level: 9-12

Time Allotment

Longer Version: This lesson can span from one-two weeks. Ideally, two-three days of introduction to Academic Controversy, student research, and position-development should be allowed; one-two days for engaging in the Academic Controversy itself (presentation of positions, open discussion, reversal of positions); and two days for the synthesis of the positions and the preparation of a joint report. If the teacher chooses to extend the lesson by assigning additional case studies to individual students or small groups of students, the lesson could last for a couple of weeks.

Compressed Version: This lesson could also be completed in two-three days. This would include one day for introduction to Academic Controversy, student research, and position-development (with one-two homework assignments to supplement class time); one day for the structured controversy; and one day for the synthesis of the positions and the preparation of a joint report.

Learning Objectives:

Students Will

• Understand the history, purpose, and impact of the World Trade Organization.
• Explore the pros and cons of globalization, especially in relation to its impact on developing countries.
• Investigate the effects that entry into the WTO is having in China and in other developing countries.
• Understand the following terms and concepts: World Trade Organization (WTO), free trade, liberalized trade, exploitation, developing countries, third world countries, globalization/ anti-globalization, debt relief, global market
• Develop research, presentation, writing and conflict resolution skills that can be applied to numerous other content areas and case studies.

Academic Standards:

Historical Understanding Standard 1
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?
SubjectID=3&StandardID=1
Understands and knows how to analyze chronological relationships and patterns. Benchmark: Understands historical continuity and change related to a particular development or theme.

World History Standard 44
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?
SubjectID=6&StandardID=44
Understands the search for community, stability, and peace in an interdependent world. Benchmarks: Understands common arguments of opposition groups in various countries around the world, common solutions they offer, and the position of these ideas with regard to Western economic and strategic interests; Understands how global political change has altered the world economy.

World History Standard 45
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?
SubjectID=6&StandardID=45
Understands major global trends since World War II. Benchmarks: Understands causes of economic imbalances and social inequalities among the world’s peoples and efforts made to close these gaps.

Economics Standard 10
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?
SubjectID=15&StandardID=10
Understands basic concepts about international economics. Benchmarks: Understands that public policies affecting foreign trade impose costs and benefits on different groups of people and that decisions on these policies reflect economic and political interests and forces.

Civics Standard 22
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?
SubjectID=14&StandardID=22
Understands how the world is organized politically into nation-states, how nation-states interact with one another, and issues surrounding U.S. foreign policy. Benchmarks: Understands the idea of the national interest and how it is used as a criterion for shaping American foreign policy; Understands the purposes and functions of major governmental international organizations and major nongovernmental international organizations; Knows some important bilateral and multilateral agreements to which the United States is signatory.

Language Arts Standard 4
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?
SubjectID=7&StandardID=4
Gathers and uses information for research purposes. Benchmarks: Uses appropriate research methodology; Uses a variety of print and electronic sources to gather information for research topics; Synthesizes information from multiple research studies to draw conclusions that go beyond those found in any of the individual studies; Writes research papers.

In this lesson, students identify and analyze the positive and negative effects of China’s changing legal system. They examine the nation’s rule of law to determine its improvement potential and build on their findings to design a program to promote a just and efficient legal system in China.

Grade Level: 9-12

Subject Matter: World History, Behavioral Studies, Economics

Time Allotment: Activities as stand-alones (other than the introductory and culminating activities) take two 50-minute class periods. Entire lesson requires six to eight class sessions.

Learning Objectives:

As a result of completing the lesson, the students will be able to:

• recognize reforms China has made in its legal system
• identify the benefits and deficits of China’s legal reforms
• analyze the relationship between China’s government and legal system
• explain how China’s judges and lawyers function under varied law-related circumstances
• describe how China’s citizens understand, view, and negotiate the rule of law
• predict the future of China’s legal system
• design a project or program to further China’s legal reforms.

STANDARDS
McREL: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning
http://www.mcrel.org
Level IV (Grades 9-12)

Behavioral Studies

• Standard 4: Understands conflict, cooperation, and interdependence among individuals, groups, and institutions
  Benchmarks:
  2. Understands that social change, or the prospect of it, promotes conflict because social, economic, and political changes usually benefit some groups more than others (which is also true of the status quo)
  3. Understands that conflicts are especially difficult to resolve in situations in which there are few choices and little room for compromise
  7. Understands that even when the majority of people in a society agree on a social decision, the minority who disagree must be protected from oppression, just as the majority may need protection against unfair retaliation from the minority
  10. Understands that the decisions of one generation both provide and limit the range of possibilities open to the next generation

Economics

• Standard 2: Understands characteristics of different economic systems, economic institutions, and economic incentives
  Benchmark: 4. Knows that property rights, contract enforcement, standards for weights and measures, and liability rules affect incentives for people to produce and exchange goods and services
• Standard 9: Understands how Gross Domestic Product and inflation and deflation provide indications of the state of the economy
  Benchmark 5. Understands that economic growth can alleviate poverty, raise standards of living, create new employment and profit opportunities in some industries, but can also reduce opportunities in other industries

World History

• Standard 44: Understands the search for community, stability, and peace in an interdependent world
  Benchmarks:
  2. Understands rates of economic development and the emergence of different economic systems around the globe
  6. Understands the role of ethnicity, cultural identity, and religious beliefs in shaping economic and political conflicts across the globe
  Understands how global political change has altered the world economy
  14. Understands how specific countries have implemented social and cultural changes
• Standard 45: Understands major global trends since World War II
  Benchmarks:
  2. Understands causes of economic imbalances and social inequalities among the world’s peoples and efforts made to close these gaps
  3. Understands connections between globalizing trends in economy, technology, and culture and dynamic assertions of traditional cultural identity and distinctiveness

In this lesson, students will view the film “Turkey’s Tigers,” as well as explore these topics of religion and economy more closely through using articles and information available on the Internet. After gathering all of this information, they will draw together what they have learned to create a newspaper supplement and political cartoon.

Grade Level: 9-12

Time Allotment: Six 45-minute class periods

Subject Matter: Studies, Global Studies, Religion

Students will be able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of the history and background of Turkey;
• demonstrate an understanding of the basic beliefs and customs of Islam;
• explore the different points of view Turkey’s economy, traditions, and relationship with the West;
• gather information about the “identity crisis” in Turkey from video and Internet sources, record information, and respond to this information through discussion and writing.

Academic Standards:

From the National Standards for Social Studies http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/

1) Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of culture and cultural diversity. http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/2.1.html

3) Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and environments. http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/2.3.html