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Japan: Past and Present
A Unit Study by Sharon Jacksack
I. Social Studies
A. Geography - The major stuff: http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/japan/index.html
1.
Islands
2. Mt. Fuji
Some photos: http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/img_fuji.html
On climbing: http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/1015/gfu.htm
3. Major
Cities
B. History
1. Timeline -
http://www.askasia.org/frclasrm/readings/t000013.htm
(See the related lesson plan, as well)
2. Japan in
WWII - Hiroshima and Nagasaki
National Peace Museum: http://www.csi.ad.jp/ABOMB/
C. Government
1.
Branches of Government
Website of the Prime Minister: http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/index-e.html
2.
Legislature v. Emperor
3.
Political Parties
4.
Emperor Past v. Emperor Present
D. Religion
1. Shintoism
http://www.bridgewater.edu/~dhuffman/soc306/I98grp3/
2. Buddhism
http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/buddhaintro.html
3. Christian
Missionaries - http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Japan_martyrs.htm
- A brief history of the Christian Martyrs of Japan.
http://www.keikyo.com/keikyo/kirishitan.html
- The Kirishtan were indigenous Japanese Christians who were martyred for their faith in the Kirishtan Holocaust over a 250-year period beginning February 5, 1597.
4. Festivals
a. Boys Day - May 5.
E. Culture
1.
Warriors - http://www2.kumc.edu/itc/staff/rknight/Samurai.htm
- Lots and lots here. Kids interested in the history of Japanese
marital arts of all types should start here for a great introduction.
a. Samauri
b. Martial Arts
c. Ninja - http://www.cisl.ie/mars/rory/ninja.htm
(lots on these Japanese spies!)
2. Ways
of Life
a. Rice farming http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/jmresources/rice/year.html
http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/calendar/june/rice.html
b. Fishing/Pearl Diving - http://web-japan.org/nipponia/nipponia16/tour-01.html
c. Houses and Homes - http://www.japancorner.com/japanese_home.asp
Some common elements to Japanese homes. Peruse the other lifestyle
selections for other information on Japanese lifestyle.
d. Fashion - See here for lots of information on Japanese fashion.
http://www.japanesekimono.com/index.htm
In ancient Japan, noble men and women wore kimonos, based
on traditional Chinese styles. You can sew your own kimono.
Directions here: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/5187/kimono.html
Another accessory was a fan. You can make a fan.
II. Language Arts
A. Folktales - Folktales are an excellent way to
introduce aspects of Japanese culture to children. Here are a few
lesson plans that use this idea. For stories, see Resources below
for a starting point.
http://www.indiana.edu/~japan/LP/LS25.html
http://www.smith.edu/fcceas/curriculum/peet.htm
B. Poetry, Letters and Novels - Haiku is a
favorite form of poetry. It has 17 syllables, arranged in three
lines. The first line has five syllables, the second has seven, the
third has five. Try writing haiku. A longer poem form is the
waka. It is written in 31 syllables. One famous poet was
Matuso Basho. He was famous for writing haiku. He also was a
great traveler. See resources below for some books on haiku and on
Basho.
Women prose writers were very important in early Japan. One
courtier, Sej Shonagon won praise for her Pillow Book (a kind of
diary.) Women writers were so famous in early Japan that at least
one man pretended to be a woman.
http://www.f.waseda.jp/mjewel/jlit/authors_works/premodernlit/makura_no_soshi.html
This one is kind of fun. Exerpts from Shonagon's Pillow Book,
with some modern, financial additions.
http://www.fool.com/specials/bestofthefool/bestofthefooltuesday.htm
Your student may choose to keep a journal near his or her
pillow and write their own pillow book.
III. Math
A. The Abacus - Build an abacus: http://www.ee.ryerson.ca:8080/~elf/abacus/popsicle/
Now how to use it: http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/mathline/concepts/asia/activity1.shtm
For an entire math curriculum utilizing the abacus, which many of my
homeschool friends use very successfully, check out ALAbacus Math
Curriculum: http://www.alabacus.com/
IV. Science
A. Life Sciences
1. Plants
a. Rice (See Rice Farming above)
b. Mulberry http://journeytoforever.org/edu_silk_mulberry.html
Scroll down to find links to some mulberry activities, and silk
activities, including where to write away for your own mulberry tree!
2. Animals
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~ud6m-kizm/Wildlife_Photo.htm
(lovely wildlife photography)
http://www.clevelandart.org/educef/asianodyssey/html/animaljapel.html
This is a lesson plan, but a good spot to start a study on Japanese animal
wildlife.
B. Earth Sciences
1. Volcanoes
2.
Earthquakes
V. Art
A. Visual Arts
1. Origami - The
art of paper folding in Japan was done for both practical and enjoyment
purposes. Here are some websites that give some directions and
history of origami. For books, see resources below.
http://www.origami.gr.jp/People/OKMR_/history-e.html
http://web-jpn.org/kidsweb/virtual/origami/origami.html
http://www.origami.as/home.html
http://tqjunior.thinkquest.org/5402/index.html - Cute site!!
2.
Calligraphy -
3. Painting
and Woodblock prints (Ukiyo-e prints) - The most famous artists from the
Edo period were Hokusai and Hiroshige. Examine the subjects
and influences of these artworks. Try your hand at hand-carving
stamps. Speedball makes carving erasers and tools, both can be
purchased at Michaels and Hobby Lobby.
A Hokusai activity: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/artists/hokusai/activity.shtml
I wasn't sure where to put this. It is 24 views of Mt. Fuji by
Hokusai. A really, really neat site with fantastic artwork. http://www.stmoroky.com/reviews/gallery/hokusai/24views.htm
4.
Kites - Kites were sometimes used for signaling during times of war.
Now Japanese people enjoy playing with kites as children in the U.S.
do. Build a kite. Learn about kites here: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~et3m-tkkw/
5. Make a
"furoshiki" (Cloth wrapping scarf) To make one, use a square of white fabric, sponges that
are cut out into hearts and other shapes, fabric paint, and markers. Dip the damp sponges into paint, and stamp onto the fabric square. When paint is dry, use markers to trace around the shapes and make colorful.
Wrap a gift by placing the item in the center, bringing two opposite sides together and tie, then the other two sides together and tie.
B. Music
C. Gardening and Floral Arrangement - Ikebana, the complex art of Japanese floral arrangement, takes easily a decade to master. There are as many schools of ikebana as there are floral varieties. Yet generalizations still emerge. For example, while Westerners prefer denser bouquets (think fillers like baby's breath and roses by the dozen), ikebana pares everything down. A single flower? Hai! Abundance doesn't figure into the end result. Instead, spatial relations, symbolism, and the contemplation encouraged by white space are paramount.
http://www.holymtn.com/garden/Ikebana2c.htm
Step-by-step instructions
http://www.wafu-ikebana.org/gallery.html
(some examples)
http://japan.chez.tiscali.fr/Culture/Japan/Ikebana.htm
(A little history)
D. Theatre
1.
Kabuki
2. No (Noh)
Theatre
3. Bunraku
VI. Physical Education and Sports
A. Sumo wrestling
B. Baseball - The #1 sport in Japan!
C. Martial Arts
D. The Olympic Games - Japan has a formidable
Olympic team. A team of 312 Japanese athletes competed in the 2004 Athens Olympics, and 109 took part in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. The Olympics have been held in Japan three times: Tokyo hosted the Summer Games in 1964 - the first Olympics ever to be held in Asia - while the Winter Games were hosted by Sapporo in 1972 and by Nagano in 1998.
VII. Food
A. Rice
B. Soya Beans
C. Sushi/Sashimi
http://www.edb.utexas.edu/japanese/index.php
D. Meals and Manners
E. Tea
Resources
Modern Japan
Japan, by Lesley Downer, (Part of the Modern Industrial World
Series), 1995.
Folktales
Lily and the Wooden Bowl by Alan Schroeder, ill. by Yoriko Ito,
1994.
Bamboo Hats and a Rice Cake by Ann Tompert, ill. by Demi, 1993
The Fisherman Under the Sea by Miyoko Matsutani, ill. by Chihiro
Iwasaki
The Shining Princess and other Japanese Legends, retold by Eric
Quayle, ill. by Michael Foreman, 1989.
Japanese Fairy Tales, Retold by Juliet Piggot, 1962.
The Samurai's Daughter, by Robert D. San Souci, ill. by Stephen T.
Johnson
On-Line Folktales
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/japan.html
http://www.isc.senshu-u.ac.jp/~thb0309/MinwaDB/English/ekatari/eIndexkatari.html
Haiku
Haiku: The Poetry of Nature, Edited by David Cobb, 2002
Art
Art Of Japan by Carol Finley, 1998
On-Line
Japanese calligraphy
http://www.kanzaki.com/art/callig.html
http://www.takase.com
http://www.japaneseshodo.com
http://www.japanese-name-translation.com/site/creating_japanese_calligraphy.html
Activity Books (That is, books with crafts
and information, etc.)
Step Into Ancient Japan by Fiona Macdonald, 1999.
Make it Work! Old Japan: The hands on approach to history. There are some really great things in it, especially if you sew and are into crafts. They show you how to make a kimono, and who wore them. The best is they show you how to make clogs! They call them Japanese Shoes but they are exactly like the clogs in the book. They talk about the way the women wore their hair and makeup, men's hairstyles and Samurai warriors. How to make Japanese fans, a Samurai Sword, masks, the list goes on and on.
The ABC's of Origami, by Claude Sarasas.
A to Zen: a book of Japanese culture, by Ruth Wells.
A Family in Japan, by Judith Elkin.
* In the Eyes of the Cat: Japanese Poetry for all Seasons, selected and illustrated by Demi.
* Little Oh, by Laura Krauss Melmed. This is an absolutely charming story about a Japanese woman who folds herself a daughter. Her origami comes to life! Really sweet story.
* Taro and the Tofu, by the same author as APORC. I thought this was a wonderful story. I liked the fact that it was a story about a boy who made the RIGHT decision. In Red Clogs, Mako made the wrong decision. We had a great discussion about our actions and how God wants us to behave. I felt it was a great pair of books by the same author and illustrator.
* Pink Paper Swans, by Virginia Kroll. This wonderful book talks about oragami and some Japanese culture. There are even directions for doing the swan in the back of the book.
* A Trip Around the World, from Carson-Delosa publishing. From this great resource, we learned lots of Japanese words, including colors. My kids loved the fact that they can call their dad Chee-Chee (father) and me Ha-Ha (mother)!
* World Neighbor Series: Japan[/i], authors are Karen Bauer & Rosa Drew, put out by Creative Teaching Press, gr. K-3. This is a great hands-on resource with maps, foreign words, cooking ideas, book recommendations, lots of crafts, and songs.
* Playful Origami by Reiko Asou. You have got to see this one! It has beautiful color pictures and displays the finished product in very creative ways. If you are looking for an inexpensive project to give as gifts, this is it. Hoping some others will try their hand at this really fun craft.
* Suki's Kimono, by Chieri Uegaki, tells the story about an American (U.S. or Canadian ???) little girl in the 1st grade who wants to wear a kimono and a pair of red clogs (given to her by her grandmother) on her first day of school much to her sisters' chagrin. Cute story with a few good lessons.
Miscellaneous Websites
http://www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/global/entertainment/papercraft/
-- a nicely done website with information on animals and symbols of Japan,
and how to construct them in paper (as well as some Yamaha motorcycles!)
http://webtech.kennesaw.edu/jcheek3/japan.htm
- a long list of links. Mostly un-annotated, and I have no idea if
they all work, or if they are "friendly." Still, there is
an awful lot of stuff here. Too much to list here.
http://web-jpn.org/kidsweb/index.html
- A good kid's website. If you are looking for a quick answer or a
general overview, a good place to start.
http://www.japan-zone.com/index.shtml
- Japan travel guide, information on Japan and Japanese culture.
http://www.culture-at-work.com/jpnlinks.html
- Another great launch site for anything Japan!
Fiction books for Kids
The following are some fiction books that take place in old
Japan. I have tried to find some that evoke the atmosphere and
details of old Japan, and are appropriate for a younger audience. As
always, you will want to preview the books to be sure they fit with your
family's values.
Night of the Ninjas by Mary Pope Osborne (part of the Magic
Treehouse Series), 1995.
The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn, by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler, 1999.
(Ages 6 to 13 or so)
The Demon in the Teahouse, by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler, 2001.
(Ages 9 to 13 or so)
In Darkness, Death, by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler, 2004. (Ages 9 to
13 or so)
Sayonara, Mrs. Kackelman, by Maira Kalman.
For the younger set
Resources
How My Parents Learned to Eat, by Ina Friedman.
Coloring Pages
http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/japan/posters/index.htm
http://www.coloring.ws/japan.htm
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/artists/hiroshige/coloring/kanaya.shtml
http://www.abcteach.com/japan/color.htm
Other Sites
http://www.kids-japan.com/index.htm
For the Grownups:
Lesson Plans:
http://www.easyfunschool.com/article2156.html
http://edtech.suhsd.k12.ca.us/inprogress/gjh/becomingjap/bejap
http://www.smith.edu/fcceas/curriculum/outlines.html - A listing of
very detailed lesson plans covering many aspects of Japan.
Fiction for the Grownups:
Some of this I've read, others are on my to read list.
Mystery Fiction by Laura Joh Rowland (Definitely not for the kiddos!!)
Rashomon Gate, by I. J. Parker, 2002 (This is a very engaging
mystery. Fairly clean, too)
The Hell Screen, by I. J. Parker, 2003
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