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National Symbols of Japan: The National Flag and Anthem
Students explore the traditions and cultures of Japan. Classmates identify national symbols in the United States and Japan. They listen to the lyrics of Japan's National Anthem.
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Haiku - Poetry of the Samurai Warrior
Students research the Samurai and their Haiku Writings. Students use internet research to gather information about the ancient Japanese Samurai. The students then create individual Haiku writings, and a cultural day is designated when...
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East Meets West: The Art of Simplicity
Fifth graders examine the influences of Japan on American life through this three lesson plan unit. Feudal Japan with its traditional arts and culture is contrasted with current developments of the country.
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To Live
Students explore Chinese life during the Cultural Revolution. They read and discuss a brief historical essay on 20th century China as well as viewing a fictionalized film account of the time period titled, "To Live". They write a...
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Langston Hughes: Artist and Historian
Young scholars examine the life and works of Langston Hughes. In groups, they research the characteristics of the Harlem Renaissance and how Hughes' poems relate to the era. They use the themes in his writings and relate it to the...
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What's In A Name? Non-British Surnames
Young scholars investigate the origins of Non-British surnames that exist in modern America. They examine the meanings of these surnames.
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Word Play
Students explore the work of Xu Bing. In this visual arts instructional activity, students examine the art piece "Monkeys Grasp for the Moon" and compare it to the Buddhist folktale on which it is based. Students create animated flip...
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The Clothing of the Buddha
Learners discuss the idea of cultural diffusion by examining how the sculptural portrayal of the Buddha's clothing evolved in Japanese and Chinese art. This instructional activity concludes with a group project and presentation.
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United States-Japanese Relations in Post World War II Era
Ninth graders analyze political cartoons and posters relating to the United States and Japan in the period following World War II. They discuss the positive and negative consequences of the United States occupation of Japan.
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Mudras and Sign Language
Students compare the languages of the ancient Japanese people and the American deaf community, two cultures that utilize hand signs in this lesson for the early elementary classroom.
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Words and Music - Lesson 2
Students analyze the relationships among cultural values, freedom of artistic expression, ethics, and artistic choices in various cultures and historical periods.
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The Role of Monuments And Memorials
Students investigate the use of monuments and memorials in various cultures in this three day Language Arts or Social Studies lesson. Emphasis is placed on in-class discussions, research, and individual creative projects.
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A Comparative Bilingual Portfolio LessonAbout Japan and Latin America
Learners analyze issues and historical questions about Japan as they relate to similar events in Latin America. They use writing, reading, and comprehension skills in completing a research project. Students seek what is similar between...
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Dramatizing Tam's Slipper
Students investigate the Japanese version of the Cinderella tale. In this fairy tale lesson, students read Tam's Slipper and construct a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the tale with the American version.
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Two Haiku
Eighth graders, in pairs, discuss what they already know about Haiku poetry. They try to remember the rules, history, and focus of traditional Japanese Haiku. they read more examples of Haiku and then write and illustrate their own...
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Ukiyo-e
Students investigate and examine ukiyo-e, or Japanese woodblock prints, from the Edo period (1615-1868) in Japan and use this gained knowledge to compare Japanese culture to American societal trends.
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International Festival: Japan
Students discover Japanese culture and the importance of Sakura to Japan. In this international festival lesson plan, students demonstrate an appreciation for the Sakura trees beauty by creating Sakura trees from white and pink dyed...
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Heart (and Arm) of Darkness
Middle schoolers read and translate a 19th-century American ghost tale into a Japanese hanging scroll in this exciting lesson for middle-level Language Art classes. The lesson can be completed in four or five days.
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Create a Family Crest
Students create their own family crest using prior knowledge and Japanese and Native American examples of symbolic art. Lesson extensions include the creation of a school crest or woodblock examples of crests.
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Social Studies: Bombing of Hiroshima
Students read a first person account of the bombing of Hiroshima written by a Japanese physician. By reading Michihiko Hachiya's journal, they discover the fatalities caused by the bomb itself and later by radiation poisoning. To...
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"Lista Negra-The Black Lists"
Learners review the history and political motivation behind the U.S. adoption of the Monroe Doctrine and how national security measures collide with the issues of due process and human rights during times of war. They learn about how the...
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Japan: A Pacific Rim Neighbor
Young scholars descirbe everyday events typical in the lives of contemporary, young, Japanese school-age children and understand some of the underlying reasons for various practices. They see that Japan and the state of Washington have...
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Navajo Code Talkers
Learners investigate the Navajo Code Talkers and their role in World War II. They complete a Webquest, explore various websites, encode a short message, analyze maps, answer discussion questions, and read newspaper articles about secure...
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The Role of Japanese Women through Art
Students examine the role of women in Japan through Art and create collages using learned knowledge that depict the role of women in America today in this exciting Art or Social Studies lesson plan.