Curated Video
It’s Never Turtles All the Way Down
New ReviewSeveral mythologies from around the world imagined that the world sits on the back of a turtle. Centuries later, we end up with the whimsically iconic phrase “it's turtles all the way down.” Let's explore the origins of the phrase, some...
Crash Course
Japan in the Heian Period and Cultural History: Crash Course World History 227
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...
TED-Ed
Kabuki: The People's Dramatic Art
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...
Geography Now
Geography Now! Japan
Japan is home to the world's largest city, Tokyo, but its use of the natural landscape is also remarkable. The Japanese have harnessed their seismically active area to enjoy hot springs, and the country is home to a plethora of wildlife....
TED-Ed
The Upside of Isolated Civilizations
How was physical isolation an incredible opportunity for the ancient Egyptians, the Mayans of Mesoamerica, and the Medieval Japanese? Show your class three distinct civilizations that, while isolated from other nations, experienced great...
TED-Ed
Gyotaku: The Ancient Japanese Art of Printing Fish
An art form rich in cultural significance and historical ties, gyotaku is the ancient Japanese art of printing fish. Your class will not only learn about the competitive fishing culture of nineteenth century Japan and an important...
Curated OER
Intro to Japanese Religion
Shinto and Buddhism are two Japanese religions introduced in this short video. Author, Rushton Hurley, describes the differences between the two religions with fantastic visuals.
Curated OER
How to Make an Origami Paper Hat
This video shows you and your class how to make an origami hat. Why would you do such a thing? If you think about it origami builds eye hand coordination, is fun, is culturally significant, and this hat, is full of measurable angles....
Crash Course
World Cinema Part One
Hollywood is the place to go if you want to make movies—right? Not necessarily. A fascinating video about the history of 20th century Asian cinema discusses the reflections of Japanese culture in the works of directors Yasujiro Ozu,...
Crash Course
Japan, Kabuki, and Bunraku: Crash Course Theater #23
Kabuki and Bunraku may sound like new age exercise routines, but they're actually types of Japanese theater. An informational video describes the history of theater in Japan during the nineteenth century. The resource includes a...
Curated OER
Origami - Eagle
What would be better than a class full of quiet engaged children? Perhaps this origami video will be the quiet activity you've been looking for. Your class will watch and learn how to fold an origami eagle. A great skill to have when...
Curated OER
Origami - Tulip
Ah what a dreary world this would be, if not for the lovely blooms. Construct a paper tulip with the help of this origami video clip. This flower folding technique could come in handy for making Mother's Day gifts to send home, paper...
TED-Ed
Why Should You Read “Kafka on the Shore”?
Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore was selected as one of the 10 Best Books of 2005. A short video provides insight into the many threads that form the tapestry of the prize-winning novel.
British Council
Much Ado 1: A Beautiful Trick
Two people hate one another, and then fall in love. The common romantic movie formula first appeared in the play Much Ado About Nothing. As part of the Shakespeare English Exercises series, a video uses the popular play to help teach...
Curated OER
Korean War Overview
Your students will be able to understand the dynamics and details of the Korean War after viewing this video, which discusses the political and economic influences over Korea after WWII. From General MacArthur to Kim Il Sung, all of the...
TV411
How Many Languages Do You Speak When You Speak English?
What do the words pizza, broccoli, and ciao have in common? Why they are all English words that originally came from Italian. Ask your middle schoolers to guess the origins of a list of words by matching the word with the language from...