China: The workshop of the world
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain why so many things are made in China and describe some of the impacts of this on people and the environment.
Key learning points
- More than a quarter of the products manufactured globally are made in China.
- China manufactures a wide range of products such as electronics, clothing, toys and machinery.
- Cheaper labour, good infrastructure and a large population are some of the reasons why so many things are made in China.
- Manufacturing in China impacts people and the environment in different ways.
Keywords
Manufactured - made by humans, not nature, usually in large quantities for selling
Raw materials - things that can be grown or dug out of the ground and processed or used in the manufacture of goods
Economy - the way money in a particular area is made and spent
Migration - moving from one place to another with the intention of staying there
Greenhouse gas - gases in Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat
Common misconception
Everything made in China is exported to other countries.
China manufactures products for people to buy and use in China and countries around the world.
Teacher tip
Spend more time discussing possible impacts of manufacturing in China. Some impacts, such as rural to urban migration, are investigated in other lessons in this unit. If possible, complete the consequence wheel in groups. Simplify the activity by considering just one of the manufacturing impacts.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the population of China?
Q2.What is the capital city of China?
Q3.Which of these is China’s largest city by population?
Q4.What is the most widely spoken language in China?
Q5.What is the longest river in China?
Q6.What major mountain range runs along China's southwestern border?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Why is China called the workshop of the world?
Q2.What is one key reason why many companies manufacture goods in China?
Q3.Which of the following is a major export of China?
Q4.Does China export everything it produces?
To help you plan your 7 geography lesson on: China: The workshop of the world, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 geography lesson on: China: The workshop of the world, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 geography lessons from the China: a global superpower? unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.