Third, fourth, and fifth graders read the book The Bracelet by Yushiko Uchida and examine the events of Uchida's life. They participate in a guided discussion of Japanese culture, perform a reader's...

Bring the excitement and beauty of Japanese festivals into your classroom. Kids with special needs create calendars that reflect special festivals and holidays common to Japanese culture. They start the project by creating a list of...

Japanese tea gatherings are the inspiration for a great lesson. Learners are provided with an image of a tea caddy made for thick tea and asked to describe what they notice and what that might mean. This leads into a larger lesson about...

As part of the study of Japanese cultural history, introduce your class members to Chanoyu, the Way of Tea. After a discussion of the history and key elements of Chanoyu, class groups perform the ceremony.

Students complete a study of Japanese culture through haiku. They read and interpret haiku poetry and write haiku of their own.

A lesson plan originally designed around the short story "Mr. Saito of Heaven Building" by Yamanokuchi Baku, this resource provides historical background, discussion questions, and brief writing assignments that help your class explore...

Upper graders use the potter's wheel to make Japanese style tea cups, which they will use in a Japanese style tea ceremony. They hone their sculpting techniques while exploring Japanese cultural and the history of tea. There are two...

Twelfth graders are introduced to the concept of wa in the Japanese culture. In groups, they compare and contrast the way disputes are handled in both countries. They are given a case in which they state the facts and the issues involved.

Students discuss a the places to gain financial help when starting a business. With a partner, they calculate the amount of interest and the total amount being paid back. they brainstorm a list of things the government can do to help...

Students write from differing points of view, and act out stories in pantomime as another student narrates.

Middle schoolers listen to several Japanese stories and write their own Japanese-style stories, which they share with the class.

Students investigate the life and influence of Tet suko Kuroyanagi upon the world. They conduct research into her life from the 1st grade to adulthood. Students read excerpts from her book for information and inspiration.

Students are introduced to several traditional Japanese sports and games. Students organize an 'Undokai' - a sports day in which they compete in teams.

Learners explain that Japanese and Americans have different values concerning behavior, education, and work. They fill out questionnaires which ask about their family practices and compare their answers with Japanese families.

Students brainstorm a list of qualities that make a good leader and a bad leader. In groups, they create and perfrom a commercial about how to act when you are a leader and following directions. They discuss the activity and how it was...

Learners research various perspectives on Japan's commercial whaling industry and formulate position papers representing these views. They read the Times article, Yuk! No More Stomach for Whales. Groups present their perspectives on...

Students read an article about tourism in Hokkaido, Japan and address the impact of global warming on world wide tourist destinations. They make posters predicting the impact of warmer temperatures on various tourist attractions

Students investigate the 1950's pollution tragedy in Minamata, Japan. The elements of dose, response, individual susceptibility, potency, and threshold of toxicology are explored in this lesson plan.

How was your year? Create an individual timeline that document learners' personal history from the previous year. After reading an article about celebrating New Year's in Japan, pairs interview each other to gather information about...

Students examine the U.S. stance regarding the Sino-Japanese conflict. In this diplomacy lesson, students analyze the sanctions employed by United States on Japan when they took over  Manchuria. Students determine how actions...

In this English Schools worksheet, students read the article, answer true and false questions, complete synonym matching, complete phrase matching, complete a gap fill, answer short answer questions, answer discussion questions, write,...

Young scholars make estimates on how many people they believe live on Earth. While watching a video, they take notes on the issues facing Kenya, Japan and India. In groups, they calculate how long it takes for a country to double in...

High schoolers video tape a sports function of their choice. They work together to discuss how a sporting event can be an expression of a country's culture. They view a video about basketball in Japan and discuss.

Students list the steps an epidemiologist takes to detect a pathogen. They role-play as scientists as they investigate the cause of the outbreak in Japan during 1996.