The 2012 SPICE catalog is now available.  SPICE developed five new curriculum units in 2011.

Nuclear Tipping Point: A Teacher's Guide

The documentary Nuclear Tipping Point tells the story of how four Cold War-era leaders—former Secretary of State George Shultz, former Secretary of Defense Bill Perry, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and former Senator Sam Nunn—came together to address the threat of nuclear power falling into the wrong hands. Produced by the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), the film is narrated by actor Michael Douglas and earned wide media attention when it came out in 2010. 

Now, through a partnership between SPICE and NTI, the film is accompanied by a new teacher’s guide for classroom use of the documentary. The guide underscores the importance of teaching for critical literacy and addresses specific connections to the National Standards for History in the Schools. Student activities include multiple choice quizzes, persuasive writing and analysis, and ideas for creative projects. 

China in Transition: Economic Development, Migration, and Education

China in Transition introduces students to modern China as a case study of economic development. What are the characteristics of the development process, and why does it occur? How is development experienced by the people who live through it, and how are their lives impacted? How do traditional cultural values—such as China’s emphasis on education—contribute to and/or evolve as a result of modernization? Students examine these questions and others as they investigate the roles that migration, urbanization, wealth, poverty, and education play in a country in transition.

Legacies of the Vietnam War

The 20-year war in Vietnam was a prolonged and devastating conflict. In its aftermath, South Vietnamese civilians fled from the Communist takeover on perilous boat journeys that led to the formation of diasporic communities. Others faced lengthy detention in post-war re-education camps. This unit aims to help students learn and appreciate these and other important legacies that have shaped Vietnam and the world at large.

Angel Island: The Chinese-American Experience

Angel Island: The Chinese-American Experience is a graphic novel that tells the story of Chinese immigrants detained at Angel Island Immigration Station in San Francisco Bay between 1910 and 1940. It offers a stark contrast to the more celebrated stories of European immigrants arriving at Ellis Island on the East Coast and poses important questions about U.S. immigration policy, both past and present.

An Introduction to Ukraine

As the second-largest country in Europe, Ukraine has always stood at a crossroads of cultural influences. It is a key part of Europe–and the management of its relationships with other countries (in particular, Russia) is key to the future of the whole of eastern Europe. This unit seeks to provide high school teachers and students with a broad introduction to Ukrainian history with activities that touch upon Ukrainian culture.

During a recent trip to Seoul, May 23–31, 2010, SPICE Director Gary Mukai gave a guest lecture on "19th and Early 20th Century Asian Immigration to the United States" to Hanyang University students enrolled in "Introduction to Comparative Education," which is offered through the College of Education. Professor Rennie Moon (Stanford, PhD ‘09, International Comparative Education) is the instructor of the course. Mr. Mukai encouraged the students to think about similarities and differences between Asian immigrant experiences in the United States with immigrant experiences in contemporary South Korea. Mr. Mukai was especially impressed with the students' comprehension of English. He said, "South Korea should be proud to have students of the caliber of those whom I met in Professor Moon's class."

In addition to her professorship, Professor Moon serves as a curriculum consultant to SPICE. She and others on the SPICE staff (Joon Seok Hong, HyoJung Jang, Se-Woong Koo, and Rylan Sekiguchi) are developing a comprehensive curriculum unit, "Inter-Korean Relations: Rivalry, Reconciliation, and Reunification," for U.S. high school students. This curriculum unit is part three in a three-part Korea-focused series. Part one is titled "U.S.-South Korean Relations" and part two is titled "Uncovering North Korea." Shorenstein APARC and Korean Studies Program Director Professor Gi-Wook Shin, who serves as the primary advisor of the series, is confident that the three-part series will heighten American students' knowledge of and interest in Korea-related issues. He stated, "This series is the first of its kind for U.S. high schools. Educating young Americans about the Korean peninsula and U.S.-Korean relations is critical to the future of the United States." 

Mr. Mukai commented, "When I think about people making a difference in U.S.-Korean relations, I think of scholars like Professor Moon and Professor Shin who educate students on both sides of the Pacific about the critical importance of U.S.-Korean relations." Mr. Mukai hopes that some of Professor Moon's students will consider attending graduate school at Stanford University.