Video summary
He Ruiqin lives in Chan'gou, a remote mountain village about three hours from the ancient city of Lijiang.
Her parents are subsistence farmers, making a living from the crops of wheat, potatoes and barley grown on the steep terrace slopes surrounding their house.
During term time, Ruiqin and her friends all board at school because their parents work so hard and spend long hours in the fields tending their crops.
The farms are sometimes high up in the mountains, making a daily trip to school and back very difficult. The area is famous for its fast running rivers and deep gorges.
Local people travel across the rivers by boat so that they can trade their produce. At home with her family, Ruiqin helps in the fields and spends time with her baby sister.
They grow their own food and love to eat the traditional spicy food associated with this region of China.
Teacher Notes
Pupils could consider the similarities and differences between their own town and the remote mountain village by presenting this information in a Venn diagram.
Using the clip as a stimulus, the children could complete further research on the Lijiang and Jinsha river and subsequently write a report about the different settlements, self-sufficient lifestyle and land-use shown in the clip.
The children could write a 'Day in the Life' diary of He Ruiqin the young girl presenting the clip, whilst at home and at school. This report or diary could be accompanied by a glossary explaining the key vocabulary.
The children can design their own poster or brochure advertising the 'Yunnan Province' using persuasive language.
This clip will be relevant for teaching Geography at Key Stage 2 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 2nd Level in Scotland.
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