Young scholars discuss the idea of cultural diffusion by examining how the sculptural portrayal of the Buddha's clothing evolved in Japanese and Chinese art. This lesson concludes with a group project and presentation.

Students compare and contrast Buddhist sculpture in varying materials through in-class discussions and small cooperative learning groups. This lesson includes possible lesson extensions.

Students creat personal timelines, marking key events in their lives. They discuss the different events with a small group. They analyze how Western Civilization influenced their timeline in comparison to Eastern Asia.

Students examine the Japanese folktale, Monkeys Grasp for the Moon. In this multicultural literature lesson, students discuss the theme of the folktale. Students choose animal folktales from other Asian cultures for comparison.

Students examine the Chinese and Japanese conceptions of "insiders" and "outsiders" and how this affects the attitude toward foreign traders from the 6th to the 16th centuries. Lesson extensions are included.