Jennifer Armenia

EDUL 6020/6021

Term Project

 

Major Objectives:

 

1. The students will be able to locate Japan on a map.
2. The students will be able to identify landforms in Japan and the effect it has on their lifestyle.
3. The students will create a menu for 1 day using typical Japanese foods.
4. The students will compare and contrast the Japanese and American clothing and schools.
5. The students will describe the characteristics of a Japanese home and compare it to a home in the U.S.
6. The students will be able to name Japanese fine arts.
7. The students will be able to identify natural and man-made resource that are from Japan.
8. The students will apply what they learned about Japan to create a travel brochure.

 

Organization of Unit:

 

1. As a whole class use the world map to locate the United States and then Georgia.  Once our location is found on the map show the students where Japan is located.  Tell the students we are going to be learning about Japan.  Discuss Japan’s location and size in comparison to our location.  Show students pictures of landforms in Japan.  Review the names of these landforms.  Have students make a venn diagram comparing landforms in Japan to landforms in the U.S. 

 

Evaluation: venn diagram of landforms in Japan and the U.S.

 

2. Read students Food in Japan.  After the book is read, as a class create a chart of Japanese foods and classify them as breakfast, lunch or dinner foods.  Discuss the characteristics of Japanese foods: very healthy, fresh, lots of rice and vegetables.  Have students create a menu for 1 day using typical Japanese foods.

 

Evaluation: menu for 1 day using Japanese foods.

 

3. Read aloud This Place is Crowded.  After reading the book review landforms in Japan.  Discuss how all the mountains in Japan limit the housing.  Play population game to emphasize the number of people living in Japan.  Discuss how the population and landforms effect how Japanese live.  Show students pictures of Japanese houses.  Discuss how their houses are different than ours.  Empahsie the size of their houses compared to ours.  Have students draw a picture of a Japanese house and write 3-4 sentences about the characteristics of a Japanese house.

 

Evaluation: Picture of Japanese house and description

 

4 -5.  Split the class into 3 groups.  Provide each group with information about one of the categories of Japanese clothes (traditional, modern and school clothes).  Have the students read the information about the characteristics of their category of Japanese clothes.  Have the students draw pictures and complete a venn diagram comparing their category of Japanese clothes to clothes in the U.S.  After all the groups are finished have them share their information so the other groups can learn about the different types of Japanese clothes.

 

Evaluation: pictures of clothes, venn diagram, and presentation to the class on Japanese clothing.

 

6. Read students information about Japanese schools.  Discuss how the Japanese schools are different to schools in the U.S.  Give partners cards with statements of information about Japanese schools.  Have them write advantages, disadvantages, how it is different than the U.S. and how it is the same as the U.S.

 

Evaluation: paper with advantages, disadvantages, how schools are different and the same as the U.S.

 

7. Discuss the types of art, music and literature associated with Japan.  Do fine art centers: Kanji Characters (writing), Kabuki mask (theater), origami (art), haiku poem (literature/writing)

 

Evaluation: participation in fine art centers and the products from each center

 

8. Disucss the difference between natural and man-made resources.  Discuss natural and man made resources in Japan.  Play what’s in the bag game.  Put resources/goods from Japan in the bag and have students try and guess what is in the bag by using yes/no questions.  Use items from the bag to begin a chart listing natural and man-made resources from Japan.  Have students cut out pictures from magazines to add to the list of natural and man-made resources.  Ticket out the door: name a resource or good produced in Japan.

 

Evaluation:  magazine pictures of natural and man-made resources, ticket out the door

 

9-10.       Show students examples of travel brochures.  Discuss what type of information is in the travel brochure and how it is organized.  Brainstorm ideas of what you might put in a travel brochure about Japan.  Have students create their own travel brochure using what they learned about Japan. 

 

Evaluation: The students will apply what they have learned about Japan to create a travel brochure.

 

These activities address standards from language arts and social studies.

These activities are designed to allow students the opportunity to compare the Japanese life style to the American life style.  The activities are designed to allow students hands-on experiences and complete activities that demonstrate the knowledge they have gained.  The final activity was designed so students could apply what they learned to create the final end product from what they were presented and learned on their own throughout the unit.