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Free Lesson Plans for Teachers
Alpha Stage
China's Economy
October 17, 2006








MSNBC is reporting that Walmart is bidding $1 billion to acquire a
chain of 100 hypermarket stores in China. Hypermarkets are full
service supermarkets combined with general department stores. This
acquisition could make Walmart China's largest food and department
store network. The article states:

With China’s economy growing more than 10 percent a year, the retail
market is booming. Retail sales surged 12.9 percent in 2005 over the
year before, to 6.7 trillion yuan ($847 billion). By 2020, industry
forecasts say the market could expand to about $2.4 trillion.

If you haven't read Thomas Friedman's book The World is Flat: A
Brief History of the Twenty First Century, now is the time to read it.
It's unbelieveable to stop and think about the globalization discussed in
this book as Walmart continues to globalize.


Discussion Starters

  • Ask students what it means for Walmart to acquire stores in
    China. Ask if they've ever acquired anything. Do they know of
    any stores in the United States that have acquired other stores.
    You might have students write a poem explaining what it feels
    like to acquire something. Students could even blog these
    poems.

  • China's economy continues to grow. Ask students what they
    know about the United State's economy (or the economy of
    your own nation.) How does it stack up against China. The
    White House's Economic Statistics Briefing Room contains
    useful statistics. But ask students if they think the White House
    might have reason to slant these statistics in one way or
    another.

  • You could have students develop graphic organizers comparing
    China's economy to the U.S. economy, or the economy of your
    own nation. In order to do this effectively they will first have to
    investigate different economic indicators.

  • You might consider showing your students the Powerpoint
    presentation posted by the blog The Fischbowl. It's entitled Did
    You Know. (I would strongly recommend removing aspects of
    the Powerpoint specifically detailing the blogger's local context.
    But much of the Powerpoint is valuable for everybody) Ask
    your students how Walmart's latest acquisition attempts figures
    into the message of the Powerpoint.

  • Tell students that in 1900 England was considered to be the
    most powerful nation in the world. Their economy flourished;
    they had a strong military; they had colonies throughout much
    of the world. Today England is no longer one of the most
    powerful nations in the world. Tell students to imagine the year
    2030. What nation do they think will be the most powerful
    nation in the world? Why?

  • Within a few years, China will likely have the largest number of
    English speakers within its borders of any country in the world.
    Ask students if they think it's important for Chinese to know
    how to speak English. Is it important for them to know how to
    speak another language? Encourage students to support their
    opinions. In a world where the place that you live doesn't
    matter to the place where you work, ask students what they
    can do to insure that they will always have a job. Ask them
    what they think that they need to be able to do.
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