Dear Esteemed Colleague:

This lesson is designed to align with the Common Core Speaking and Listening standards. However, equally as
important, I wanted to get my students actively involved in groups. My class was really excited about this!

It takes about 2 hours, depending on pace. However, hour one could be done at home!

Part 1 - 45 minutes to an hour:

A. Students annotate the reading. I had my students highlight the golden text, define or infer definitions in the margin
for five mystery words and provide a short summary with a made up web address after each paragraph. See
annotation sheet. I like to model the first paragraph with the students to show them what proper highlighting
looks like. They seem to want to highlight everything! The key is to highlight only key words and phrases. The
students then read the rest on their own or in groups.
B. Divide the class up into 9 groups with 3 or 4 students per group.
C. Assign each group an innovation listed on the “Inventions of China Shark Tank Notes”.

Part 2 - Approximately an hour and 20 minutes:

A. Introduce the Shark Tank handout. Have students explain what is common in the show for other students that may
not know the format. Read directions and display “shark” rubric. Show students the poster examples.
B. Students are provided a Shark Tank organization chart to brainstorm as a group for about 10 minutes.
C. Students are provided markers and poster paper to begin the poster and create their presentation. It took my class
about and 30-40 minutes to prepare. I put a timer up for students to see, but frequent time reminders would work.
D. Select 5 sharks and provide rubrics for sharks. I made a rubric copy for all sharks and had them use that copy as a
template for all nine presentations on their own paper. That way, sharks were able to have all evaluations on one
page. You can always copy the rubric too at one per presentation, per shark. The sharks still participated in their
group presentation, I just filled in as a shark for the students that had to present. I did not formally grade this
assignment with the Speaking and Listening rubric...but that’s always a great option for accountability!
E. Student handout “Inventions of China Shark Tank Notes” is given to class before presentations. After the
presentation, presenting students address the answers in their portion of the handout for the class to write down.
F. Consider if you would like to give a prize for winning presentations!

Have fun and thanks for your support!

Tony and Erika at Instructomania

Your group will be provided an innovation to present for potential investors to scrutinize. Create a
presentation that shows the value in the product, detailing its purpose, benefits, and possible
economic impact.

An organization handout, large piece of poster paper, and

markers will be provided to each group. The presentation
should have a model or picture that shows the product and
reveals the purpose, benefits, and economic impact. Every
person in your group is responsible for a portion of the
presentation. You may write a script, but lines need to be
completely memorized. Each presentation should include the
following:
1. An enthusiastic inventor who relays the purpose and how the product works
2. A co-inventor who explains the product benefits, making sure to provide evidence from class text
3. A marketing and sales team that reveals pricing, how the product will be packaged, and where it
will be sold to consumers. Create a prototype on paper!

A group of five selected class investors will evaluate your presentation based on-
1. Group enthusiasm
2. How well the presentation showed the purpose of the product
3. How well the presentation used class text and convincing language
to show the benefits of the product
4. Product packaging proposal, prototype, pricing, and selling strategy
was well planned and showed promise for success

Copyright © 2016, 2020 Instructomania

 __________________________________
______________________________________________
Circle from 1-10, 10 being the highest rank!
1. The presentation showed the purpose of the product and how it works:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2. The presentation showed the benefits of the product in a convincing way and used the class text as
evidence:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
3. Product packaging proposal, pricing, prototype and selling strategy was well planned and showed
promise for success: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

4. Group enthusiasm: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ___________

__________________________________
______________________________________________
Circle from 1-10, 10 being the highest rank!
1. The presentation showed the purpose of the product and how it works:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2. The presentation showed the benefits of the product in a convincing way and used the class text as
evidence:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
3. Product packaging proposal, pricing, prototype and selling strategy was well planned and showed
promise for success: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

4. Group enthusiasm: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ___________

Copyright © 2016 Instructomania

 Name______________________________ Period____

Speaking and Exceeds Requirement Meets Requirement Did not meet requirement
Listening Rubric
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6-8.1 Students worked extremely Students were on task Students did not work well
Engage effectively in a range well collaboratively, building collaboratively, creating a collaboratively. Time was not
of collaborative discussions on each other's ideas, well organized, clear used wisely.
(one-on-one, in groups, and creating a well-organized, presentation.
teacher-led) with diverse clear presentation.
partners about history
content topics, texts, and
issues, building on others'
ideas and expressing their
own clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6-8.1.A Students referenced readings Students referenced readings Students did not reference
Come to discussions and showed a excellent and showed a good readings, creating a weak
prepared, having read or understanding of the understanding of the presentation.
researched material under material, making outstanding material and made
study; explicitly draw on that thoughtful connections with appropriate connections with
preparation by referring to the content and presentation the content topic.
evidence on the topic, text, topic.
or issue to probe and reflect
on ideas under discussion.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6-8.4 Students used appropriate Students used appropriate Students used little eye
Present claims and findings, eye contact, had appropriate eye contact, had appropriate contact, had low volume and
emphasizing salient points in volume and clearly volume and clearly content was hard to
a focused, coherent manner pronounced content. pronounced content. understand. Students
with relevant evidence, Students showed great Students were enthusiastic showed a general lack of
sound valid reasoning, and enthusiasm and excellent and showed good command command of the content.
well-chosen details; use command of the content of the content with well-
appropriate eye contact, with well-supported claims. supported claims.
adequate volume, and clear
pronunciation. Frequent dependency on the
Students memorized lines Students depended little on
script created a weak
and were well-prepared. the script and were well-
presentation.
prepared.
Teacher Notes (circle all that apply):
Generally a great Great job! Excellent eye contact! Well practiced and it
presentation! showed!
Enthusiasm could have been Students could have worked Practice, practice, practice! Make sure to give eye

An overly read script made Readings were not Claims were not supported See teacher.

______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Directions: Use the chart to organize your thoughts. Understand that an enthusiastic delivery, humor, and
revealing positive results often work to the presenters’ advantage.

____________________________________
___________________________________
____________________________________
___________________________________
____________________________________
___________________________________
____________________________________
How it works:
Evidence from text:
___________________________________
___________________________________ ____________________________________
___________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________
How will you sell it convincingly?
_____________________________

Consider where it will be sold and how

you will generate buyers through
advertising and/or marketing.
____________________________________
____________________________________
Price: ____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
How will you sell it convincingly? ________________________________
Make a prototype.

Copyright © 2016 Instructomania

Common Core Writing 6-8.1, Common Core Literacy 6-8.2,4 & 10

D
uring the Tang (618 CE - 907 CE) and Song Gunpowder was another invention created during
Dynasties (960 CE - 1279 CE) China became one the Tang Dynasty. Originally gunpowder in China
of the richest, most advanced countries in the was made by
world. This era is called “the Golden Age” alchemists searching for
because China experienced a period of prosperity a potion for immortality.
inspiring many new technological achievements. Like Soon, they found the
most periods of innovation, formula made from a
China’s success came as mixture of saltpeter
food became more readily (sodium nitrate), sulfur,
available to its people. A and charcoal that could
new fast-ripening rice, be used as an explosive propellant. Initially it was used for
imported from neighboring fireworks and rockets. Eventually, guns and cannons
Vietnam, fueled a rise in would be created by Europeans, which would change the
food production. Farmers produced up to two to three way war would be conducted forever.
times the amount they could in the same amount of time
Perfected during the Tang Dynasty, the magnetic
it took to grow one traditional rice crop. Not surprisingly,
compass would revolutionize the way navigators traveled
this led to a rise in population. As the people of China
the world. The magnetic compass used
thrived, more attention could be focused on innovation.
the earth’s gravitational pull to show
The Tang and Song Dynasties produced some of direction. Explorers all over would use
the most incredible inventions in human history, this technology to navigate incredible
influencing the way things were done all over the world. distances. The compass had a
One of the ways China influenced the world is by tremendous impact on how sea travel
facilitating written communication. The invention of paper would be conducted and is responsible
in the Han Dynasty (105 CE), coupled with the invention of for some of the most successful sea
wood block printing, allowed printed pages to be created voyages throughout history.
quickly. Wood block printing is a form of printing that
Luxury goods invented in
used wood to create carved pages that were ink soaked
China were demanded all over the
and stamped. Later, in the Song Dynasty, the idea of
world. First created in the Tang
movable type would make
Dynasty, porcelain is a thin white
it so individual characters
pottery that was traded with
could be arranged to make
Europe. The Chinese kept the
sentences. In this way, the
production of porcelain secret so traders would be forced
world’s first book was
to trade with China. Although the soft cloth named silk
printed in China in the year
was produced and traded hundreds of years before the
868 CE. Also during the Song Dynasty, this same
Tang and Song
technology would be applied to make paper money,
Dynasties, it remained a
which enabled the Chinese to manage their growing
vital contributor to the
wealth more conveniently. Europeans would adopt this
wealth of China during
technology, making carrying money lighter and trading
the Golden Age. Like
easier. Today, paper money is a standard across the
porcelain, silk was a
world.
luxury good that was
kept secret and was in high demand.
Copyright © 2014, 2020 Pavlovich
Common Core Writing 6-8.1, Common Core Literacy 6-8.2,4 & 10

Han Dynasty Typically made from flattened and dried Paper allowed for easy record keeping and
105 CE mulberry and hemp plant fibers. promoted reading and writing. As you
know, paper is still widely used today as a
medium to keep and relay information.
Late 700s A white ceramic made of a clay and China kept this technology secret so
minerals only found in China. merchants had to trade with China in order
Tang Dynasty
to fill this highly demanded product. Today,
people still call formal dishes “china,”
indicating that the Chinese created the
most prestigious ceramics.
Woodblock Woodblock printing was created from With this technology, China was able to
printing: 700s carved wood that would create a page print the first book in 868 CE. It allowed
Tang Dynasty “stamp” of text that could be duplicated. written communication to be mass-
Later, this technology evolved into movable produced. Movable type was also
Movable type:
type that allowed individual characters to developed later in Europe.
1040
be arranged and reused in pages of text.
Song Dynasty
800s An explosive powdery material made from First used for fireworks and rockets, then
a mixture of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal. weapons such as guns and cannons.
Tang Dynasty
Gunpowder would revolutionize the way
wars were fought forever.
1020s Paper currency issued by the Song was Helped China to manage their growing
used by merchants to make trade easier wealth. Paper money would be adopted by
Song Dynasty
and manage wealth. Europeans. Today, most countries only deal
in paper currency.
1100s Used the earth’s magnetic pull to show China become a sea power. Became a
direction on land for centuries before it navigational tool in the west responsible for
Song Dynasty
was adapted by sailors for use at sea. some of the most successful sea voyages in
history.

Early Song Fast-ripening rice is a type of rice that Fast ripening rice fed a growing population
Dynasty circa ripens faster than other strains. It is also was from 60 million in the Tang to 100 million in
1000 better able to withstand harsh weather the Song dynasty. New Rice enabled farmers
conditions. Fast-ripening rice was discovered to grow two to three times the amount they
in China during the Song Dynasty. could in the same amount of time it took to
grow one traditional rice crop.

Early Song Rice grows in wet, water-saturated fields. This pump increased rice production,
Dynasty circa Used in irrigation, this pump simplified rice allowing an increased population to be fed.
1000 production by taking water from canals and
scooping it into rice fields with a turn of a
handle. Previously, this was done by hand.

Copyright © 2016 Instructomania

Common Core 6-8.4

Annotations are done in the margin and are used to help the reader interact with the text in order to
make the text meaningful. Annotations that are done correctly should enable the reader to look back and
remember important information from the text without having to re-read the entire text. Here are a few
annotations that will be used this year. Your teacher will specify annotations used for each reading.

1. Mystery Words Word Put a box around any word/s if you are uncertain of the
definition.
I:
I: Write what you can infer (guess) about the meaning
or from cues in the surrounding text.

D: D: If you cannot infer anything, look up the definition

and write it down.

2. Key Terms Place a circle around key people, dates, vocabulary and
circle
ideas.

3. Strike Gold! (or highlight Highlight small chunks of “golden text” that you think
underline) have the most important information.

Caution: Make sure not to abuse this idea. Try to discern

which text represents the most important information
only. Usually only a few parts of sentences will be
highlighted per paragraph.

4. Star Key Points Put a star and write notes in the margin a of text that
represent the most important thought or idea in the
whole reading. Star points are given to content that is
related to class discussions, classwork or any course
learning.

5. Short summary Hashtag (#) OR Hashtag: Just as in the digital world, hashtags are used
to summarize the main idea. The hashtag is followed by
for each reading Billboard Advertisement OR text that summarizes key points of each paragraph. Ex:
subheading. #shortenedkeysummary
Web Address OR Billboard: A quick ad or ad re-phrase that summarizes
the main point. Ex: Got Milk?
A License Plate
Web Address: Create a .com web address summary of
the main idea.
Ex: www.summarizethisarticle.com
License Plate Summary: A seven letter summary
Ex: SUMARIZ

Copyright © 2016, 2020 Instructomania

 Name_____________________________ Period____
Common Core Speaking and Literacy

Chinese Inventions