National Geographic's May 2008 Special Issue was just put in my mail box today. It's an entire issue just on one topic: China. It has everything from it's expected amazing photography, archeology, names, the Olympics, faith, space, and environmental changes. It's a great issue (haven't read much yet, it just arrived).
Check out the web site that goes along with the May issue. Students will love it! All the video and photography pulls you into the stories.
Thanks for the tip....I am doing a module on China now with my students and this integrates really well
If you go to the National Geographic web site, you can sign-up for membership and get their magazine for $1.00 a month.
They also have great videos for sale.
It was a great issue, and Im still working my way through it. I found a few things fascinating. First, the fact that most Chinese don't seem to concern themselves with issues that do not directly effect them. War in other countries, global warming (in its current stage) do not seem very important. Second, The policy of one child plus the emphasis on education seems to have created a very spoiled, individualistic, rebellious youth movement in the big cities of China.
The May 2008 issue of National Geographic does help the reader understand that tradition
in any culture sets the foundation for the family unit. If you want to apply this key element
in literature it would be useful to include the section: "The Village on the Edge of Time." Students can parallel their own culture with that of the Chinese.
Have fun with it, and enjoy.
I think one of the most important qualities of the May 2008 National Geographic issue on China is its attempt to help Americans understand the economic powerhouse China has become, its rapid growth, and the implications for the US. Pictures of the assimilation of Western dress or fashion or consumer products has great value for our students to begin to identify with the Chinese, but the economic growth will create the world our students will have to live in.
I am a subscriber to Nat Geo I was surprised to hear about some of the responses that readers had to this issue (China) in the subsequent issue. One person wrote in furious that they had focused an entire issue on China. He claimed that he wanted a magazine on the world, not just China. I couldn't help but scoff at this response. Not only was this just one issue out of hundreds, but it also took on a HUGE country with a very diverse and interesting geography, culture, political situation, etc.
I say bravo to Nat Geo!