Units and Lessons

Each unit is composed of resources for both the educators and their students.

An introduction to the theme of the unit.
A set of lesson plans which can be carried on or adjusted to your needs.
For each lesson, a kit including basic information on the topic, a detailed teaching plan with the necessary sources and handouts.

For each unit and lesson, this platform will walk you through the content and suggested flow of the lesson.

The complete lesson kits (lesson plans, sources and handouts) can also be downloaded for use in the classroom. The kits are available in multiple languages.

For most lessons, a presentation in PowerPoint format (.PPT) can also been downloaded. The presentations can be used as a guide throughout the lesson. They include the core content and also introduces discussion topics and activities. Although the presentations can be used in their current format, it is recommended that you adjust and customize the content to your needs, time and level of your students.

You are welcome to customize the lessons to your resources, available time, level of students. You can also include new sources to contextualize the lesson. Consult the Teacher’s Guide for tips on customization and teaching.

When adjusting the lessons, keep in mind the main objective: Promoting peace and mutual understanding

and adhere to the principles of the project:

To foster a historical mindset and cultivate historical inquiry skills;
To nurture a sense of tolerance and an appreciation for cultural diversity;
To cultivate “historical empathy”; and
To initiate a love for history.

Units

Unit 1

People and Places

People and Places examines interaction between Southeast Asian peoples and their various environments across time and space.

LESSON 1: Flood plains and river systems: The case of the Irrawaddy and
the Kingdom of Bagan

LESSON 2: Way of life and wet rice agriculture in the lowlands: The case of Java

LESSON 3: Highlands and agriculture: The case of the Kingdom of Lanna

LESSON 4: Highland houses: The case of honai and tongkonan

LESSON 5: West Coast Malay Peninsula: The case of the Kingdom of Melaka

LESSON 6: Living on the coastlands: The case of the Sama-Bajau in the Coral Triangle

Unit 2

Early Centres of Power

How did early cities grew into kingdoms? Explore their governance systems, technology and culture.

LESSON 1: How did prehistoric peoples interact in Asia?

LESSON 2: How were ancient kingdoms organized?

LESSON 3: What was the relationship between rulers and their subjects in ancient times?

LESSON 4: How big were the ancient kingdoms?

LESSON 5: How did cultures mix in ancient Southeast Asia?

Unit 3

Rice and Spice

It’s not gun; it’s rice and spice that holds social, cultural and political leverage in Southeast Asia all along.

LESSON 1: Introduction to rice cultures: How significant is rice in the cultures of Southeast Asia?

LESSON 2: Food cultures and the cuisines of Southeast Asia: What is the significance of spices and fermented fish products in Southeast Asian cuisines?

LESSON 3: Food, health and healing

LESSON 4: Spirituality, myths and legends

LESSON 5: Spice, rice and the economic histories of Southeast Asia

LESSON 6: The spice trade, European domination and regional response

LESSON 7: Rice, capital, debt and rural hardship in Southeast Asia from the nineteenth to twentieth centuries

Unit 4

Envisioning Southeast Asia

From institutions to culture and sports, explore how our today and tomorrow are the results of our historical formations.

LESSON 1: ASEAN

LESSON 2: The Southeast Asian Games: History, sports and Ccmmunity-Building in Southeast Asia

LESSON 3: From fragmented to shared histories: Sepak takraw

LESSON 4: Cultural heritage of Southeast Asia: Why does cultural heritage matter to us?

LESSON 5: Contemporary Art of Southeast Asia

LESSON 7: Southeast Asia, film, and empire

Quiz Yourself (for Teacher)

At the end of several lessons, you will encounter the button “Quiz yourself”. By clicking on it, you will be redirected to a page with a short interactive game.

This game will cover one small aspect of the lesson, often an activity that you could propose to your students. It is a fun way to warm up before your actual teaching.

You do not need to do the games to access all other materials related to the lesson.

These are lessons with quizzes for teachers.

Unit 4 Lesson 1

Unit 4 Lesson 2