Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating Scrolls Based on the Illustrated Tale of Genji

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Now these are learning activities full of fun, art, and cultural exploration. Kids consider the art of storytelling through comic book images. They then look at the Tale of Genji as it was written in the 11th century. They discuss...
Lesson Plan
3
3
Cleveland Museum of Art

Japanese Folktales (Asian Odyssey)

For Teachers 4th - 10th Standards
The Cleveland Museum of Art presents this interdisciplinary model unit that asks class members to explore how the same themes are presented in the folktales and art of several cultures.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Story Development through Japanese art

For Teachers 7th
A classic Japanese print is attached to this lesson and its up to your class to write a story about it. Pretending the image is an illustration, they use what they know about Japanese mythology to compose a short story describing the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Say Hi to Haibun Fun

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
What is a haibun? With this interesting lesson, writers will experience the Japanese writing form haibun, identify elements important to Japanese writing styles, analyze a haibun, and compose their own. Different from the typical journal...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Japanese Internment--How Point of View Influences Attitude

For Teachers 11th
How does background and experience influence one's point of view? Dwight Okita's famous poem about the Japanese internment is the text used to explore this essential question. Class members study primary documents to gain the necessary...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gyotaku Lesson Plan

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students study the Japanese art of fish painting called Gyotaku while examining the lifestyle of Japanese fishermen at the end of the Edo period. They make a Gyotaku fish print and write a haiku poem using the proper number of syllables...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: Creating With A Purpose

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Discovering the creative process can be done through critical analysis. Upper graders examine a hand -carved Shinto Deity, discussing purpose, technique, and artistic expression. They then read a poem about the creative process. and...
Lesson Plan
NPR

Civil Rights of Japanese-American Internees

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Prompted by a viewing of Emiko and Chizu Omori’s Rabbit in the Moon, a documentary about the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, high schoolers examine a series of documents, including the Bill of Rights and the UN’s...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Japanese Poetry: Tanka? You're Welcome!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore tanka, a form of Japanese poetry. They read and analyze tankas to determine the structure and intent, and compose a traditional and a non-traditional tanka.
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Building Background Knowledge: The Internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII, Part 3

For Teachers 8th Standards
Check those sources carefully. Scholars learn to analyze and critique primary sources with the work they completed in the previous activity. Learners compare and contrast sources that agree and disagree about Japanese-American internment...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shizuko’s Daughter: Before, During, After Lesson Plan

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Shizuko's Daughter by Kyoko Mori presents a vivid picture of Japanese culture and history. As kids read through the third chapter, they find novel-specific vocabulary to enhance their understanding and use context clues to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Developing Writing Skills Through Japanese Folk Music

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Young scholars listen to Japanese folk songs to get inspired to create a writing piece about Japan.  In this writing lesson, students use primary and secondary sources to add information about Japan. 
Lesson Plan
UTSA Institute of Texas Cultures

Teaching Through Kamishibai and The Art of Chinese Calligraphy

For Teachers 2nd - 8th Standards
Young learners discover kamishibai, a popular Japanese storytelling art, and explore how these Japanese folktales illustrate the country's cultural themes and values through discussion and storyboarding. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Plan: The Tour Starts at Noon

For Teachers 6th - 12th
The Eleven-Headed Bodhisattva is a piece that represents characteristics, meanings, and ideals common to those who practice Buddhism in Japan. Learners fully analyze this piece, then take a virtual trip to examine the Buddhist...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dorothea Lange and the Relocation of Japanese Americans

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners consider the relocation of Japanese Americans during World War II. In this Japanese relocation lesson, students examine photographs by Dorothea Lange, the "Pledge of Allegiance," and a US government flyer from 1942. They use...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Paper Cranes

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Paper folding is a great art form that can be incorporated into cultural, mathematic, and art lessons. This resource includes the full instructions needed to fold a paper crane, as well as a Haiku poetry idea. Tip: This activity would be...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Japanese Festival Mask Making

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students learn about Japanese culture and make a mask. In this lesson about Japanese mask-making, students use research and art to explore the Japanese culture. Students research Japanese masks. Students design their own Japanese mask....
Lesson Plan
2
2
Japan Society

Changing Times, Changing Styles: New Japanese Literary Styles of the Late Nineteenth Century

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Focusing on Doppo's "Unforgettable People" and late nineteenth century Japanese literature, this resource also leads to discussions of form being dictated by content. Explore the development of new literary styles first-hand by...
Activity
Poetry4kids

How to Write a Cinquain Poem

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
A lesson challenges scholars to create a cinquain poem. Writers begin by choosing a topic and brainstorm details, then compose their original poem making sure to count syllables. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Japanese-Inspired Sea Animals

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the Japanese influence on Cincinnati artist Maria Longworth Nichols Storer, by examining her metal works, Basket and Chalice. They research a sea creature using nonfiction books or Internet resources. Students write a...
Lesson Plan
Denver Art Museum

Descriptive Haiku

For Teachers K - 5th
Even though this is technically an art activity, haiku poetry is actually the main focus! Learners view photographs of Japanese tea caddies. They list five descriptive words for the caddies, then write haiku poems using the caddies as...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Japanese Empire: The Beginning

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders explore empires by researching Japan's history. In this Japanese research lesson, 9th graders discuss the history of Japan and the elements of World War II that caused Japan to become an enemy of the United States. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Japanese Garden

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils use the internet to gather information on the Japanese Gardens. They discuss topics with a horticulturist and build a replica of the gardens at their school. They work together to identify different types of plants.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is a Haiku? How Do You Write a Haiku?

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Haiku poetry is explored in this language arts lesson. Yong readers identify the characteristics of haiku and read several examples. Students make connections between their study of Japan and the poetic form of haiku, and they write...