Know Suzhou Creek, know Shanghai!
The G10 Chinese Curriculum Activity of BC Program
Last Friday morning, the “Suzhou Creek – The Past and Present of Shanghai” PBL activity for Grade 10 Chinese Curriculum of the BC Program at our school came to a successful end. From in-depth on-site explorations in the early stage to wonderful presentations of achievements later, students measured the city’s history with their footsteps and interpreted their learning gains with creativity, writing a vivid footnote for this interdisciplinary practical journey.
At the beginning of the activity, students voluntarily formed five research teams and went to four core locations along the Suzhou Creek. They launched immersive learning in real scenarios.
In Mengqingyuan Wetland Park, students turned into “little researchers” and engaged in water purification experiments and botany research. At the Sihang Warehouse, they deeply understood the preciousness of peace amid the echoes of history. In the former residence of the Rong family, the context of the rise of modern national industry emerged clearly. Along the banks of the Suzhou Creek, they held cameras to record the images of the city’s changes. While cruising on the Suzhou Creek, they comprehended the urban code of Shanghai, which balances historical inheritance and innovative development in the tide of the times.
After adequate preparation in the early stage, on the morning of December 12th, students transformed their research results into vivid, perceptible and interactive content.
The plant specimen exhibition attracted everyone’s attention. The plant specimens brought back from the research in Mengqingyuan were carefully mounted with labels indicating their names, growth habits and other information, demonstrating both the rigor of natural science and artistic beauty.
The DIY souvenirs designed inspired by the history of Sihang Warehouse combined creativity and commemorative significance, enabling the passing down of red memories.
In the drama room, performers wore costumes that matched the historical era and used vivid lines and body language to reproduce key scenes in the entrepreneurial process of the Rong family, vividly interpreting the striving spirit of national industry.
At the documentary photography exhibition, excellent works taken by students along the Suzhou Creek were displayed one after another. The texts beside the photos told the stories behind the lenses, allowing visitors to understand the changes of Shanghai through the images.
The screening of Suzhou Creek-themed film clips followed. The short films shot by students showed the history and current situation of the Suzhou Creek from different perspectives. Both the camera language and narrative logic demonstrated the students’ solid practical ability and innovative thinking.
From on-site exploration to achievement presentation, this activity not only enabled students to gain a deep understanding of the history and culture of the Suzhou Creek and Shanghai, but also improved their comprehensive abilities in teamwork, independent inquiry and creative expression through interdisciplinary practice. In the future, the BC program will build more bridges connecting classrooms and real life, enabling students to explore the world, gain growth through practice, and write more wonderful learning stories!