Overview of Lesson		Activity One and Student Assessment
Connection to the Curriculum,Standards and Skills		Activity Two and Student Assessment
Grade Level		Activity Three and Student Assessment
Purpose of Lesson		Activity Four and Student Assessment
Primary Geographic Question		Activity Five and Student Assessment
Secondary Questions		Assessment of Lesson
Materials		References
Body of Lesson - Procedure & Assessment

Overview of the Lesson

China will have another man made object to be seen from space. (The first is the Great Wall.)  Three Gorges Dam will be the largest dam built in the world, generate one-fifth of China's electrical needs and displace 1.3 million people.  This dam is the starting point to a better future for China.

Geography Standards

Standard 4:  The physical and human characteristics of places.

Standard 16:    The changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution and importance of resources.

Alabama Course of Study:  Social Studies Content Standards (Grade 7)

Standard 7:   Evaluate the impact of human activity on landscapes over time using maps, graphs, and satellite-produced images.

Standard 10:  Relate the use of  technology to the way culture groups perceive and use places and regions.

Standard 17:  Relate economic activity of a region within its geographic context.

Standard 30:  Evaluate the geographic impact of using major energy sources in the twenty-first century.

Geographic Skills

Acquiring geographic information:  analyze maps, charts, and develop graphs to determine the impact of building dams on the physical and human environments.

Grade 7

To analyze maps, charts, and graphs in determining the most efficient method of selecting the site for the construction of dams.

How will the Three Gorges Dam impact China as it prepares for the 21st century?

Where is the dam?

What are the economic possibilities?

What were the factors in determining site selection?

How will China handle the displacement of the people?

What are environmental impacts?

What is the monetary impact?

• 5' x 5' Cardboard poster board
• Markers
• Atlas
• Glue
• Newspaper
• Paint (water color)
• Map of China
• Use of Internet for information gathering
• Poster Board
• Population density map of China
• Agriculture map of China
• Energy source map of China

Activity One

Secondary Question # 1:  Where is the dam?

Divide students into small groups.  Five groups are needed for the entire lesson.  Group #1 will need the 5' x 5' Cardboard poster board, markers, atlas, glue, newspaper, and paint.

Tell students to use reference materials to create a map of China.  Students will only need to place the major physical features on the map, such as large rivers, mountains, and location where the dam is being built.  Make sure they create a scale for the map.  Each feature should be labeled.

Assessing Student Learning: Activity One

Have group display the map.  Students should be able to identify the major physical features in China.  Students should also be prepared to share information learned and to write a paragraph about the physical features of China.

Activity Two

• Secondary Questions # 2 & #3:  What are the economic possibilities of the dam?  What were the factors in determining site selection?
• This will be group two.  Give students web sites that they may use to find all information necessary.  Remind students to gather as much material they deem necessary to successfully complete the activity.  Note:  Make sure you explain to students what an adequate amount of material is.
• Students will use the information to create a charts which will graphically list all economic possibilities, and show why the site chosen.

Assessing Student Learning: Activity Two

How thorough were students in finding information and presenting it graphically?  Students will present their chart and explain the information.

Activity Three

• Secondary Question #4:  How will China handle the displacement of the people?
• Give the group poster board, map of China, and relative information about question.  Teacher should have information in folder for students.  Teacher will retrieve information from Internet and other sources.  This will be group three.
• Students will use information to create a chart that will give the number of people being displaced, number of total population, and jobs most affected.
• Students will use maps to create a color coded chart to display areas of population displacement.

Assessing Student Learning: Activity Three

Have students display their charts and presentations to share information gathered.

Activity Four

• Secondary Question #5: What are the environmental impacts?
• Students will use the information found in the activity folder.  Students will create charts showing the positive and negative effects it will have on the environment.

Assessing Student Learning: Activity Four

Students will display their charts.  Students will present the information via group presentation.  Students should have adequate lists for negative and positive effects.

Activity Five

Secondary Question #6: What is the monetary impact?

Students will use information in activity folder to do activity.  Students will create graphs displaying cost of dam, projected income from dam, number of years it will take to pay loans acquired during project.

Students will need to also include a year by year analysis over a 20 year period.

Assessing Student Learning: Activity Five

Did students use al information necessary to create graphs?  Students will display graphs and present information via a group presentation.

Ask students to write an essay in response to the primary question as well as the secondary questions.

http://www.exim.gov/3gorges.html

Pathfinder

The Sierra Club

Discovery On-Line

Brown University

Welcome to China

http://wwwln-jcenter.com.enviro2/en511e.html

http://www.uaw.org/workernews/dam.html

http://www.ips.org/Critical/Environ/env1403010.html

http://twist.lib.uios.edu/gec/gec-password/cases/ThreeGorges.html

http://www.igc.apc.org/hric/reports/3gorges.html

The China Report

The Univeristy of Texas

Global Learn

http://tgl.geology.muohio.edu/Focus/RebuildingChina.html

China Embassy

http://www.easc.indiana.edu/pages/easc/c...hina.1996/EACPWorkbook/geog.M_outline.htpl