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...

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...

When your class thinks of medieval history, they probably think of European castles and knights. But they may not know that the Heian period in Japan, which coincided with the Middle Ages in Europe, saw a significant development in...

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.

What cultural influences were influential on Japanese tradition? Provided is a brief look at the Chinese traditions that shaped Japanese culture. This presentation also includes several images related to Japanese art, architecture, and...

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 theater, listen to a guest speaker,...

Create this beautiful koi pond scene using watercolor paper, crayons, and paints. This would be a fantastic project to link to a scientific study of pond life or a historical study of Japanese culture.

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.

What a wonderful way to meld art and culture! Learners create art work in the Suminagashi style using this detailed lesson plan. This art form, which is Japanese in origin, employs ink to create beautiful results. This will be a hit with...

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...

An excellent overview of historical Japanese culture, this presentation could carry through a world history unit or a lesson on the history of Japan. Especially interesting are the slides that compare Japanese armor and castles to other...

Discover the kabuki form of Japanese classical theater performance and its reflection of the historical evolution of Japanese government and culture. As the first dramatic performance form catering to the common people, kabuki is shaped...

Gagaku is music traditionally played in the Japanese imperial courts of long ago. Learners listen to this and other traditional Japanese music to gain an understanding of culture and music history. They work to identify Japanese...

Children around the world may have cultural differences, yet it is an important reminder that they also have many similarities! Designed for a class of first-graders in Hawaii, this library research project has learners compare and...

Students will be exposed to and come to understand Japanese culture through a presentation on Setsubun. They then become familiar with Japanese words that are related to Setsubun.

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...

Fourth graders will be able to reinforce learning and explore and learn new information about the Japanese culture. They will be able to write about some of the similarities and differences between our culture and the culture of Japan.

Chinese and Japanese calligraphy is beautiful and significant in both culture and tradition. Engage your class in this expressive fine art form through a lesson on using, holding, and creating brush strokes common to Japanese writing...

Zen Buddhism, the Tokugawa, bunraku, and centralized feudalism; sounds like it's time to study up on feudal Japan. Here are 10 cards. Each card contains a definition of a Japanese concept, cultural activity, or aspect of the feudal era....

Origami is an excellent way to combine Japanese culture, art, and geometric shapes into one engaging instructional activity! Scholars begin by listening to the story Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes and learn the origin of the...

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...

First graders learn about the traditional purpose of Japanese fans. They practice using two new brush strokes as they create nature-inspired fans, similar to those seen in Japan. A web link and basic background information is included. 

What would your class like to learn about Japanese culture? Prepare them for a novel unit about Kyoko Mori's Shizuko's Daughter with a KWL chart. After listing what they already know about Japanese culture, they write questions about...

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 determine...