Part of the Geographic Education and Technology Program's collection of lesson plans.

Japan

J. Marie Holland/Jeffrey D. Potter

Table of Contents: Grade: K-1

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Physical Geography
The learner will: Basic Needs
The learner will: Festivals and Games The learner will: Language Arts and Art
The learner will: Math The learner will: Science The learner will:

TEACHER REFERENCES

Articles and Books Video

STUDENT REFERENCES

ACTIVITIES

    Physical Geography

  1. What is an Island?
  2. Making a Clay Volcano
  3. Legend and Symbol Map of Japan

    Basic Needs

  4. Role Playing with a Japanese Dollhouse
  5. Japanese Roles, Responsibilities and the Extended Family
  6. Having Fun with Chopsticks
  7. Play Japanese Restaurant
  8. Japanese Recipes
  9. Japanese Tea Ceremony (Chanoyu)

    Festivals and Games

  10. Papier-mache Daruma
  11. Doll Display/Festival
  12. Making a Paper Carp Kite
  13. Jan-Ken-Pon, Japanese Game
  14. Field Trips, Guest Speakers, Classroom Exhibits

    Language Arts and Arts

  15. Slotted Sculpture from Tagboard
  16. Making a Japanese Fan
  17. Big Book of Before the Picnic by Yoriko Tsutsui
  18. Wall Story of The Funny Little Woman by Arlene Mosel
  19. Japanese Drama
  20. Haiku Poetry
  21. Paper Cranes and the Art of Origami

    Math and Science

  22. Identification of Different Rice Varieties
  23. Individual Number Book with Japanese Characters
  24. Pearl Classification
  25. Counting with Pearls
  26. Estimation Game with Pearls

ACTIVITY 1 What is an Island?

Overview

This two-part activity teaches students that Japan consists of islands and shows them how islands are formed. The teacher will first demonstrate how volcanic eruptions created Japan. As a follow-up activity, the students can work at a center creating their own islands.

Teacher Background

Millions of years ago great movements of the earth and volcanic eruptions created what we call Japan. Japan is made up of four major islands and many smaller ones. These islands are actually tops of very tall mountains with bases that reach down to the bottom of the sea.

Although many of Japan's volcanoes are inactive, a few are still active. Mount Fuji, an inactive volcano, is familiar in pictures as the beautiful snow-capped peak rising in the distance beyond Tokyo. Many earthquakes, about 1,500, occur in Japan each year. The mountains in Japan are relatively young. With all this geological activity Japan is actually still being pushed up out of the sea, very gradually getting higher as time passes.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Showing students a world map or globe, point out the land and the water. Ask the students if anyone knows what an island is. If not, tell the students that an island is a body of land surrounded entirely by water.
  2. Tell students to try to find an island on the map or globe. If possible, have more than one map or globe so students can work in small groups.
  3. Show students Florida. Ask them if they think that Florida is an island. Why not?
  4. Show students Japan. Is Japan an island or islands? Why? At this point it might be helpful for students to trace a route with their fingers from Florida to Japan to give them a sense of direction and relationship between the two places.
  5. Begin to tell students about Japan. How many islands are there? If the class has a map or globe depicting mountain regions steer the class to looking at and identifying the numerous mountains that comprise Japan. Show students pictures and books on land and island formation involving volcanoes and earthquakes.
  6. With materials ready, tell the class they will see how Japan is actually the tops of mountains that rise out of the sea.
  7. Begin the demonstration with the clear tub half full of water (less if necessary). (This activity should be practiced beforehand.) Explain to students that great volcanic eruptions occurred at the bottom of the ocean. As these occurred, mountains began forming on the ocean floor.
  8. Begin putting clean rock (perhaps aquarium gravel) rising from the bottom of the tub. (Sand or dirt may make the water too cloudy for student observation). Explain that as lava pours out and cools, the tops of the volcanoes get closer to the surface of the ocean.
  9. Keep demonstrating and discussing this process of mountain build-up. When the mound is above the water's surface, put on the final rock(s), moss, and miniature trees to show that the passage of time allowed for many things to grow.
  10. At this point, sand and dirt may be added to fill in gaps and create a more realistic model. When things are settled, and if possible, prepare the water to add some small goldfish. Goldfish are a type of carp and a highly symbolized fish in Japan. Make sure there is some type of aeration system set up for the fish. Put setup in a secure place for the students to observe. A book on goldfish may be purchased for further explanation.
  11. The next part of this activity is setting up a center which will allow two or three students to work at making their own islands and island environments. This could be done in a number of ways: another large, clear tub; a sand/water table; a dish tub; etc.... Have available: different sizes of rocks, sand moss or fake turf, miniature artificial trees, twigs, etc.. This will encourage students to further explore how an island is formed as well as giving them time to play.

ACTIVITY 2 Making a Clay Volcano

Overview

Students will be impressed and amazed at their own pretend volcanoes. Students can see an actual chemical reaction take place when baking soda and vinegar bubble up out of their volcanoes.

Teacher Background

A volcano is formed when hot, melted rock called magma pushes up through the earth's layers and bursts through the surface. The magma or melted rock that reaches the surface is called lava. The lava cools and becomes solid rock. In time, the erupting lava may build up to become a cone-shaped mountain. One famous volcano in Japan is Mt. Fuji. Japan contains 10 percent of the world's volcanoes.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Show pictures and/or read a book on volcanoes. Discuss this process.
  2. Show students a map of Japan.
  3. Find Mt. Fuji on the map.
  4. Explain and demonstrate how to make a small pretend volcano out of clay.
  5. Give each student a handful of clay. Have students mold it into a cone-like shape.
  6. Each student is to make the center of the volcano by pushing his/her finger down the middle but not through to the bottom.
  7. (Optional) If possible, have these fired in the kiln. The art teacher may be able to help out here.
  8. Place a teaspoon or two of baking soda into each volcano's hole. Put a small amount of vinegar into a Dixie cup for each student and mix in a few drops of food coloring.
  9. Ask students to pour the mixture into their volcanoes.
  10. The mixture will bubble up and flow over the top.
  11. Talk with the students about the chemical re-action that takes place.
  12. This could be extended to a center activity with students practicing making their volcanoes "erupt" again.

ACTIVITY 3 Legend and Symbol Map of Japan

Overview

This activity introduces students to a legend and its symbols using a map of Japan. The map will show crops, industry, and resources of Japan. The students can then become familiar with the legend symbols and see where in Japan food and other items are produced.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Orient students to where Japan is and where it is in relationship to the United States and to their homes using the large world map. This is a difficult concept for students at this age to understand but exposure will be beneficial to them.
  2. Explain to the students that Japan is a country. Show the students the transparency on the overhead of the legend/symbol map or the enlarged version.
  3. Ask the students what they see. What do they think the pictures are on the map? Write their answers on the chalkboard or, if space is available, on the overhead.
  4. Explain to the students that these pictures are symbols of what Japan produces. The pictures (symbols) are placed to show where in the country the crops and resources are located.
  5. Discuss the symbols and what they represent. Show the students the legend containing the symbols and their names.
  6. Give to each student or small group of students a legend/symbol map of Japan.
  7. Explain that they will be working to see how many of each symbol they can find.
  8. As the students are counting they may record the number they find next to the picture on the legend or on another recording sheet that has been devised.
  9. This activity lends itself to the teaching of various concepts. Feel free to create other opportunities for learning from this map exercise.

Extensions

ACTIVITY 4 Role Playing with a Japanese Dollhouse

Overview

Students will love to play with this Japanese dollhouse. It will be especially meaningful if students are involved in the process of making and setting up the dollhouse.

Teacher Background

Japan is a small country with a very large number of people. Land is expensive, and there is little extra space even for rich families.

People in Japan may live in a traditional house made of wood or clay, or, more often, in a large modern apartment building. Most houses do not have a yard or even a sidewalk separating the house from the street.

Whether in a house or an apartment, rooms are very small and a single room can have many uses. For example, at night the living room may become a bedroom. A futon, or bed mat, is brought out of a closet and placed on a tatami straw mat on the floor. In the morning the futon is rolled up, placed back in the closet, and a large table may be placed in the center of the room. This is where the family will now have breakfast.

Japanese people believe in being very clean. Upon entering a Japanese home, shoes are taken off and replaced with indoor slippers. Some people even have little outdoor boots for their dogs, which are removed when the dog comes home from a walk.

The bathroom in a Japanese home is very different from an American bathroom. The floor contains a drain so that people can wash before entering the tub. Most Japanese people sit on a small stool in the middle of the bathroom. They wash with soap and then pour buckets of warm water over themselves. After getting clean, they sit in a deep tub and soak in warm water.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Roll out enough butcher paper to go around a small rectangular table. Place the paper flat on the floor.
  2. Have students paint a window or open sliding door on the butcher paper. When the paper is dry, students can paint an outdoor Japanese garden scene.
  3. Tape butcher paper around the edge of a rectangular table. The paper should reach the floor.
  4. Cut open a large doorway. This is where students can sit and play with the dollhouse.
  5. Turn a cardboard box upside down to use as a small table. Paint or cover with fabric.
  6. Place box in the center of the dollhouse. Put small pillows on each end of the box. Students can sit the dolls on the pillows to have a pretend Japanese meal.
  7. Gather small doll-size cups, chopsticks, bowls, teapot, etc. to put inside the dollhouse.
  8. Roll fabric scraps to use as futons.

ACTIVITY 5 Japanese Roles, Responsibilities and the Extended Family

Overview

Many Japanese values and beliefs are illustrated in folktales. This activity is based on a Japanese folktale concerning a very lazy boy and a frustrated mother. The concept of the extended family is depicted as well.

Teacher Background

In Japan the extended family household is common even today. An extended family household may include grandparents, uncles, aunts, and other family members. Crowded and expensive conditions contribute to the continuance of the extended families. The elder family members perform certain functions like child-care, cooking, and taking care of other household needs. They are a very important part of many families in Japan.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Read The Boy of the Three-Year Nap by Dianne Snyder.
  2. Discuss and bring to light different values that emerge from this story:
  3. Discuss with the students how decisions are made within the extended family.
  4. Ask the students if any of them have their grandparents or other extended family members living with them. Since many of the students probably do not, talk about what it would be like if they did.
  5. Have the students draw the shape of a large house on their paper (demonstrate and draw for them if necessary). The students then draw, inside the house, all family members plus the extended family members they have or would like to have living with them.
  6. While each student is drawing write down a sentence or two of his/her own words about their new extended family: who is in the family, what it would be like, etc.. This is a good opportunity for a language experience activity.

ACTIVITY 6 Having Fun with Chopsticks

Overview

The Japanese are as adept at using chopsticks as we are with forks. This activity will allow the students to have fun with chopsticks while developing more fine motor control in their hands. The literature used here will also look at two adults from different cultures dealing with the problem of not knowing how to eat, so to speak...

Teacher Background

The Japanese enjoy using chopsticks made of wood so that the metallic taste of a fork is not present. Chopsticks are not difficult to use; they just require some patience and practice. First, the bottom chopstick is held so that it is pressed between the tip of the ring finger and the base of the thumb and index finger, supporting it with the middle finger. The top chopstick is held between the index finger and thumb. The top one moves up and down so that the far end taps the top of the bottom chopstick. The bottom chopstick does not move. Food is always cut into bite-sized pieces, making it easier to pick up with chopsticks.

Materials

Procedures

Extensions

ACTIVITY 7 Play Japanese Restaurant

Overview

This is a good center activity to use following the chopsticks activity and, if possible, before visiting a Japanese restaurant.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Set up a play restaurant for students. There may be waiters and cooks also. The more authentic the items found, the greater the appeal.
  2. Show students pictures of Japanese food, restaurants, etc. Explain that the Japanese generally still sit on pillows on the floor to eat.

ACTIVITY 8 Japanese Recipes

Overview

Involve the students as much as possible when cooking in class. Many foods can be cut using butter knives, and students can learn a lot through measuring, combining, following directions, etc. A rebus-type class chart showing the recipe being prepared is recommended.

Different foods require different utensils. These recipes do not list all the necessary items but it should be easy enough for you to decide what is needed.

Recipe 1- Tempura

Materials

Procedure

  1. Make tempura batter according to directions on box.
  2. Heat oil for frying.
  3. Dip shrimp or halibut in batter and fry until golden brown.
  4. Fried tempura may be dipped into sauce before eating.

Recipe 2- Rice Balls

Materials

Procedure

  1. Cook rice, water and salt in a covered pit.
  2. Steam rice until soft. Let cool.
  3. Give each child a small bowl of water, paper towel, and a half-handful of cooled, cooked rice.
  4. Wet hands to keep rice from sticking.
  5. Form rice balls
  6. Wrap rice with seaweed or spinach. Tuna may be put in the center. Cinnamon may be added for a desert rice ball. Or come up with other ideas to add flavor.
  7. Eat with fingers.

Recipe 3- Sushi

Materials

Procedure

  1. Combine vinegar, honey and salt in a stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
  2. Combine rice and sauce while both are hot.
  3. (Optional) Add chopped cooked carrots, peas, mushrooms, celery or cucumber.
  4. Place a sheet of dried seaweed on waxed paper or a sushi mat.
  5. Spread rice mixture firmly and evenly about 3/4" thick on the seaweed to within 1/2" of the edges.
  6. Roll with or without adding on top: fish, scrambled egg, pickled ginger, or thinly sliced vegetables.
  7. Hold paper or mat and roll seaweed and rice into a tight roll. Keep as tightly rolled as possible.
  8. Cut rolls into 1" thick sections. It helps to dip knife in hot water before each slice.
  9. These may be chilled and/or served with soy sauce.

ACTIVITY 9 Japanese Tea Ceremony (Chanoyu)

Overview

Give students a true taste of Japanese culture in this traditional tea ceremony. Everyone will leave feeling rested and refreshed having experienced this tradition dating back to the 7th century.

Teacher Background

This ancient practice blends together art, nature, and man. It is a time for silence, meditation, and rest when the mind can concentrate on harmony, respect, purity, and tranquillity.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Arrange a large area in the classroom where all the students can gather on the floor. Cushions may be arranged for students and guests to sit upon.
  2. Set up all materials used for the tea ceremony at the front of the group so that students can watch the process. You should have the water heating at this point.
  3. To authenticate this ceremony even more wear a kimono.
  4. Invite students and guests to come and sit upon the cushions.

    Directions for tea ceremony:

    1. Bow to the students and welcome them. "Yopku irasshaimashita" means welcome.
    2. Call each student by their last name, always adding the word SAN, a term of affection. Example: Marie Holland's name would be Holland-san.
    3. Serve guests and students a small rice cake or sweet. When the teacher says, "Orakuni," or "Please relax," the students and guests begin to eat their sweets.
    4. Prepare utensils:
      1. Clean the ladle (chashaku) with a red silk napkin.
      2. Wipe the rim of the pottery bowl (chawan) with a white linen cloth.
      3. Warm the pottery bowl with hot water. Pour out the hot water.
    5. Spoon the powdered green tea (ocha) into the pottery bowl.
    6. Ladle the boiling water into the bowl and stir vigorously with the stirrer until the tea foams.
    7. Ladle the tea into cups or bowls for the students.
    8. Students bow and sip the tea.

Extension

ACTIVITY 10 Papier-mache Daruma

Overview

Small groups of students can work together to papier-mache and decorate a daruma (a variation of the American punching bag). In Japan, the daruma is thought to bring good health.

Teacher Background

Shogatsu, New Year's Day, is the favorite holiday in Japan. Adults and children stay up until midnight on December 31st to hear the 108 chimes of the gong which, according to Buddhist belief, cleanse the soul and drive away evils of the past year. Families celebrate by decorating entrances to homes with fine trees, which denote hardiness and long life, and bamboo stems, which represent constancy and virtue. Other decorations include an orange, fern leaves for good fortune, and a small lobster tail which suggests old age because of its curved back.

Families gather during this festive time for special traditional foods. Mochi, or rice cakes, are traditionally made by the man of the house. He pounds the steamed rice and the woman shapes it into small round rice cakes. Japanese drink toso, spiced sake, during this time to toast good health.

Japanese children play many indoor games, fly kites, and play with the New Year's toy called a daruma. The daruma is a weighted oval doll which bounces upright after being pushed down. This symbolizes the ability of people to bounce back after suffering bad luck. Darumas are named after the Indian monk Dharma, who, according to legend, sat cross-legged for so many years that his legs withered away.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Tear newspaper into strips.
  2. Inflate balloon and knot the end.
  3. Mix 1 cup flour to 2 cups water for a thick wheat paste or mix according to package directions.
  4. Dip newspaper strips into mixture and apply to balloon. Smooth out any wrinkles.
  5. Cover balloon with newspaper strips. Allow to dry overnight.
  6. Add second layer of newspaper strips. Allow to again dry overnight.
  7. When papier-mache is hard and dry, pop balloon.
  8. Cut a hole large enough to fit the rock inside the daruma.
  9. Coat the flat surface of the rock with glue. Set rock in the balloon at the bottom and allow to dry.
  10. Patch the hole with newspaper and paste. Allow to dry completely.
  11. Paint a face, arms, and clothing on the daruma. Fabric, yarn, ribbon, etc. may be used instead of or with the paint.

ACTIVITY 11 Doll Display/Festival

Overview

Students will really feel a part of the Japanese Doll Festival as they bring their own dolls from home to be displayed in the classroom.

Teacher Background

Hina Matsuri, or Doll Festival, is celebrated on the third day of March. Originally this was a girls' festival but is now enjoyed by the whole family.

Ceremonial dolls, which may be handed down from generation to generation, are placed on display in the best room of the house.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Ask students to bring to school dolls which can be displayed in the classroom.
  2. Build, out of different-sized cardboard boxes, a three-tiered shelf or stand. Place the largest boxes at the back followed by medium and small boxes.
  3. Cover the boxes with a red tablecloth or red fabric. Use straight pins to hold the fabric in place.
  4. Display all the dolls on the shelves.

Extensions

ACTIVITY 12 Making a Paper Carp Kite

Overview

Students will enjoy making this carp kite in celebration of Japan's Children's Day. This also has been known as the Boys' Festival.

Teacher Background

On the fifth day of May, the Boys' Festival or Iris Fete is celebrated. On this day a tall bamboo pole is erected in the front of homes where boys live. At the top of the pole are brightly colored cloth or paper streamers in the shape of a carp. One streamer flies for each boy in the family, the largest one being for the eldest and others ranging down in size for the youngest. Legend says the carp was chosen because of its energy, power, strength, and determination.

This festival has been expanded to include girls and is now called Children's Day or Kodomo-no-Hi. The carp is still flown for boys, but the real purpose of the holiday is to teach all children the importance of being good citizens, courageous and strong.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Make tagboard fish patterns for students to trace around, or have two matching fish patterns pre-made.
  2. Demonstrate for students how to make a carp kite:
    1. cut two matching fish shapes out of lightweight paper
    2. glue or staple around edges, leaving the mouth and tail ends open
    3. decorate one side of the carp with paint, sequins, glitter, wiggle eyes, tissue paper streamers from the tail, etc.; when dry, flip over and decorate the other side.
    4. attach a string to the mouth of the carp so that when the kite is pulled the wind will pass through the fish.

ACTIVITY 13 Jan-Ken-Pon, Japanese Game

Overview

This traditional Japanese game has been gaining popularity in the United States among young children. It has been used as a way to break ties and to make decisions for allotting privileges. This game also helps to develop fine motor control and understanding of probability concepts.

Procedures

In unison, two players shout "Jen-Ken-Pon", and on "Pon" both thrust out one hand with either an open hand (representing paper), a closed fist (representing a stone) or two extended fingers (representing scissors). Determining the winner is as follows: stone wins by breaking scissors; scissors win by cutting paper; and paper wins by enveloping the stone. If both players have the same hand motion, the game is quickly repeated until a decision is reached.

ACTIVITY 14 Field Trips, Guest Speakers, Classroom Exhibits

ACTIVITY 15 Slotted Sculpture from Tagboard

Overview

After you read Umbrella by Taro Yashima, the students will make a tagboard version of Momo using the technique of slotted sculpturing.

Teacher Background

Slotted sculpturing entails taking sheet material such as tagboard, designing a figure, and then slotting the cut pieces together to produce a sculpture that stands. This idea opens up many possibilities for projects in the classroom. A good resource book on this subject is Slotted Sculpture from Cardboard by Jeremy Comins.

Although it is not known whether the Japanese invented slotted sculpturing, they did use paper in many ways- windows made with paper, clothes, and the umbrella, which the Japanese invented.

Materials

Procedures

Teacher Preparation
  1. Read Umbrella by Taro Yashima.
  2. Talk about how Momo felt waiting to use the gifts her parents gave her... the anticipation, etc..
  3. Tell the students they can make Momo always have her umbrella and boots on. They will be making a slotted sculpture. Explain what that is and show example.
  4. Explain how they are to trace on tagboard from the patterns. Ask what color the boots are to be.
  5. When the students have completed the figure, give them each a miniature umbrella to attach to Momo so she can always be happy and always walk on her own.

Extensions

ACTIVITY 16 Making a Japanese Fan

Overview

Students will use paper plates to make beautiful Japanese fans. Fans can be painted or made more elaborate with sequins, feathers, glitter and ribbon.

Teacher Background

Fans have been used in Japan since ancient times. They were once used as an indication of a person's rank in society or profession. Fans have a variety of uses: cooling off, decoration, dancing, and use in ceremonies.

Folded fans were invented in Japan over twelve hundred years ago to brush the flies away from the sacred vessels in temples and for use in ceremonial dances.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Read The Badger and the Magic Fan by Tony Johnston. Ask the students if they would like to make their own "magic fan".
  2. To make each fan, glue a tongue depressor to one of the plates, extending from the edge.
  3. Glue or staple two paper plates together with the tongue depressor between them.
  4. Decorate the paper plates with paint, ribbon, glitter, sequins, feathers, etc..

ACTIVITY 17 Big Book of Before the Picnic by Yoriko Tsutsui

Overview

Students will relate to this book about a family getting ready to go on a picnic. Although the child in the story is younger than the students, they will be able to see similarities to their own lives. Students will see signs of traditional Japanese culture blended in the home of a modern, Westernized family.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Read Before the Picnic by Yorido Tsutsui. Discuss the sequence of events with the students.
  2. Ask the students if the story looks as though it could be here in the United States. Why? Gear discussion to how the clothing looks like ours; how the activities are similar to ours; etc..
  3. Ask the students if they notice anything different in these pages (e.g., the food, utensils, shoes being left at the door, etc.).
  4. The pictures appear to be of a Caucasian father and a Japanese mother. Discuss the apparent blend of the two cultures.
  5. Tell the students they will be making a big book version of this book. The students will illustrate and the teacher will write out the text.
  6. Group the students into small cooperative groups of two or three. Assign each group at least one page. The students are to understand they are to illustrate as similarly as possible to the book. This big book will then be a student-made reproduction of the original.
  7. Cover and title pages will need to be made as well. Bind the completed book and read to the students. They will enjoy seeing their own work and comparing it to the original.

ACTIVITY 18 Wall Story of The Funny Little Woman

Overview

Students will work in small cooperative groups to construct a wall story about this humorous story of The Funny Little Woman by Arlene Mosel.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Read The Funny Little Woman by Arlene Mosel to the class. Point out details such as: the style of the house the woman lives in; the types of clothes the characters wear; the food the woman makes; and the wicked oni.
  2. When the students are familiar with the story, explain that they are going to paint scenes and characters from the story which will be used to make a wall story.
  3. Decide with the students the scenes and characters to be painted. List these on the chalkboard or chart paper.
  4. The teacher and students together can divide the work among small groups of students. One group may paint the house, adding details such as the stove, table, and cooking utensils with construction paper. Another group may be responsible for painting the wicked oni or the underground scene. There are numerous way in which to divide the work among the students.
  5. Use a wall or large bulletin board to display the story.
  6. Have students dictate sentences that tell about the story. Write the sentences on sentence strips or construction paper. Place the sentences to go with the pictures on the wall story.

Extensions

ACTIVITY 19 Japanese Drama

Overview

After reading the exciting Japanese tale The Warrior and the Wise Man, the class will act it out. The class can learn about the types of Japanese drama and then act out this tale through a combination of these different types. This tale also has some important messages for all.

Teacher Background

In Japan, drama of the past is still popular today. The three main forms of traditional Japanese drama are still being performed on television: Noh, Bunraku, and Kabuki.

Noh plays date back to the 14th century. The stories involve gods, warriors, and heroic deeds which often end in tragedy. The cast, all men, wear masks and combine chants, poetry, drums, and flutes with slow, formal dancing.

Bunraku involves puppets dramatizing the lives of ordinary people. The puppets are about half life-size and are moved by three men who are seen by the audience but never heard. Dancing and music are combined while a narrator stands at the side of the stage.

The Kabuki drama was supported by wealthy merchants. With lots of physical action, Kabuki is less formal than Noh plays. Heavy costumes with some masks, and face painting in black, white and red are used.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Read The Warrior and the Wise Man by David Wisniewski. Discuss the story and messages coming from the story. You may wish to read the story two or three times prior to continuing with the activity.
  2. Briefly discuss the three types of drama used in Japan with the class. Pictures found to go along with this explanation would be very helpful. Check for these in the school's library or the local public library.
  3. Tell the students they are going to perform a Kabuki-type play with this story. Discuss the story, the main characters, the sequence of events, etc. This would be a good opportunity to list these things on chart paper such as: the five eternal elements, the characters, the events in sequence, etc.
  4. Students may be grouped cooperatively to perform the play. Set up approximately three groups. Each group will decide who will be what character. Generally it is good to have one or two of the more advanced students in each group to be the leaders. The group could also choose its own leader. Different methods for cooperative grouping and management may be used. Above all, be flexible. This is not an easy task for these youngsters.
  5. Encourage each group to think about what props they want and need. Possible backdrops may be made.
  6. Groups will need to make their character masks and possibly costumes. Masks can be made using paper plates and yarn. All characters should have masks. Clothing can be made from old sheets or butcher paper, if desired.
  7. Allow time during the day for each group to practice its version of the play. This would be a good activity for a parent volunteer to help with. Encourage the sequence of events to be followed but allow for some variation of the theme.
  8. When members of each group feel ready, they should be allowed to perform their kabuki play for the class.

Extensions

ACTIVITY 20 Haiku Poetry

Overview

Poetry is an excellent means of teaching language to children. The Japanese created haiku and from this many things can be taught to children even in kindergarten. This activity will look at some ways to expose children to the art of haiku.

Teacher Background

Haiku is a form of poetry that dates back to 7th-century Japan. It is unique in that it is short (usually three lines), non-rhyming, and speaks on one event (usually concerning nature but not always).

Haiku will vary from one artist to the next, even in Japan. The traditional form involves two accented beats in the first line, three accented beats in the second, and two in the third. But, one does not have to write haiku the same each time.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Locate as many books of haiku as necessary to give students good and easy to understand examples. The more concrete haiku will probably be the most helpful.
  2. Tell students about haiku. Read many examples and show any pictures that may accompany them. Wind in the Long Grass by William J. Higginson is a very good illustrated book of haiku by various artists around the world.
  3. Write examples of haiku on chart paper. This gives a good opportunity to work with skills such as: identifying how many words there are, what are syllables, learning simple words, comprehension, etc. If nothing else, exposing the students to this form of literature will be beneficial.
  4. Many ideas can evolve from working with haiku:

ACTIVITY 21 Paper Cranes and the Art of Origami

Overview

After hearing the two stories listed in this activity the students will come to admire the crane. This bird and its paper version are symbols of long life and good luck to the Japanese. The students will also get a taste of origami through the fan and flower making exercise listed.

Teacher Background

Origami is an ancient Japanese art that has been practiced for over a thousand years and is still enjoyed today by adults and children alike. Origami involves paper folding without cutting. It was believed that by not cutting the paper the spirit of the object being made would be preserved.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Prepare a large origami crane. Directions may be found in most origami books such as Origami, Japanese Paper-Folding by Florence Sakade.
  2. Over a couple of days, read the two stories, The Paper Crane by Molly Bang and Perfect Crane by Anne Laurin. While reading these two stories have the paper crane available for the students to see.
  3. Discuss these stories and how they show the importance of the crane to the Japanese people.
  4. Tell about the art of paper folding called origami.
  5. Some students may want to make a paper crane. Tell the students they need to practice paper-folding before they can make a paper crane.
  6. Other items important to the Japanese are fans and flowers. With the directions below they may learn to make both a fan and a flower. They will be exposed to the art of origami through this simple exercise in paper-folding.

Extensions

ACTIVITY 22 Identification of Different Rice Varieties

Overview

This two-part activity teaches students about planting and growing rice. It requires them to observe and identify five varieties of rice.

Materials

Teacher Preparation

  1. Place a small sample of each variety of rice in a clear ziplock bag. Label each bag.
  2. Put additional rice into labeled containers. Set containers in a center area.
  3. Make a large chart showing different varieties of rice. Draw five circles on the tagboard. Glue a sample of each variety of rice on the inside of each circle. Write the type of rice below each circle.
  4. Make the same style of chart into a worksheet for students. As a center activity students will glue rice samples inside the circles. The teacher or students can then label each variety of rice.

Procedures

  1. Read Rice by Lynn Merrison.
  2. Discuss the book. Talk about the different varieties of rice, how it is grown, and where it is grown.
  3. Show students the bags of rice. Tell students the names of each variety of rice as the bags are passed around.
  4. Show students the large chart of rice samples.
  5. Discuss how the rice samples are alike and different. Discuss the different sizes, shapes and colors of rice. Which type of rice is the longest? Which type is the smallest? Do students think all the varieties would taste the same?
  6. Write a language experience story with the students describing how rice is grown and the different varieties there are.
  7. Explain to the students how to make their own chart of rice samples using the worksheet.

Extension

ACTIVITY 23 Number Book with Japanese Characters

Overview

Students can practice writing Japanese and making the English equivalent of the numbers one to ten. This is a great opportunity to bring in different skills, both in language and mathematics.

Teacher Background

The Japanese language is a complicated and difficult language to learn. In order to read their books and magazines the people need to learn a combination of their different alphabets, which are made up of pictures and characters.

Most writing is of two of the alphabets, kanji and kana. Kanji (kahn-jee) is composed of ideographs or picture symbols with each symbol representing a word. Kana (kah-nah) uses characters to stand for syllables. The third alphabet, romaji (ro-mag-jee), uses each letter to represent a sound.

Print is written from right to left, and top to bottom on the page. Books begin at what we think of as the back. The Japanese write with a brush, called a fude (foo-dah), dipped in ink.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Discuss with students the different forms of Japanese writing. Explain that the Japanese take education very seriously, especially reading and writing. Hang a chart of numbers and their corresponding Japanese characters.
  2. Read, if available, The Park Bench by Fumiko Takeshita. This contains the Japanese characters on each page of the story along with the English equivalent. The students can then take notice of the two different forms of writing.
  3. Demonstrate on the chalkboard the Japanese number characters.
  4. Have students practice writing characters in the air using their fingers. Discuss what the characters look like as this is being done.
  5. Explain to students they will be making their own individual book of numbers 1 to 10. Show the class a blank book and discuss how they are to make it.
  6. Students should draw the Japanese character and write the English equivalent on each page. The teacher may wish to have the students also illustrate each number with a corresponding number of objects.
  7. A center can be set up for students to work on their books when finished with the other projects. At this center there may be the chart used in the demonstration and individual copies of the chart for students to copy from.
  8. The students need to also design a cover for their books.

Extensions

ACTIVITY 24 Pearl Classification

Overview

This activity works well as an independent center. Students will sort pearls by size, shape, and color.

Teacher Background

The oyster is a sea animal with a soft body inside a hard two-piece shell. Oysters live on the ocean floor, mostly in inlets near the shore. Oysters grow best in mild or warm water.

The Japanese were one of the world's first sea farmers of oysters. Oysters are farmed because they are in high demand in seafood markets. They grow rapidly and, since they do not move, fences or pens are not required. An oyster farmer can buy seed oysters to "plant" in the farming area. The oysters grow and are harvested in about two to four years. Oysters are harvested in the fall. Oysters in shallow waters are picked up with tongs, but those in deeper waters are brought up by machines called dredges.

Oysters are also farmed for pearls. In Japan, the pearl oyster is called "tear of the moon". These oysters are grown and harvested much the same way as those grown for meat. The one difference, however, is that when the oyster is young, a timely foreign substance, such as a pellet made from a mussel shell, is inserted into its shell. The oyster covers this pellet with successive, circular layers of nacre (mother of pearl), eventually forming the pearl.

Pearls come in many colors and shapes. Pearls may be pink, black, orange, gold, cream, or white. Black pearls, which are really a dark gray, are the most valuable. The shape of a pearl is as important as its color. Round pearls, suitable for necklaces, are the most valuable.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Request old costume pearls in different colors and sizes from parents, or purchase from thrift stores.
  2. Set up center area with "pearls" and containers.
  3. Students can work independently or in groups of two or three to sort and classify the pearls.
  4. Give suggestions to students of ways to sort and classify the pearls.

ACTIVITY 25 Counting with Pearls

In this center activity students will practice counting, number recognition, and one-to-one correspondence.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Request oyster shells from a seafood shop or purchase baking shells from a kitchen shop. (Be sure to wash oyster shells in a mixture of soap and bleach before using.)
  2. Place loose pearls in a container.
  3. Make a set of numeral cards (0-10).
  4. Set up a center with the pearls, shells and numeral cards.
  5. Students will take the numeral cards and place one below each shell.
  6. Students will place the correct number of pearls in each shell.

Extensions

Number of players:  2

Materials:  spinner card using numbers 1-5
	10 shells (5 for each player)
	2 sets of number cards (one for each player)
	pearls

Directions:
	-Make a spinner card using numbers 1-5.
	-Each student gets: 5 shells, 1 set of number cards, 1 cup of pearls.
	-Student spins the arrow and then fills the shell with the number of pearls the
	arrow lands on.
	-Student finds the correct number card that goes with the shell and places it
	below the shell.
	-The shells will only be filled with each different number on the spinner. The
	students turn must be passed if the arrow lands on a number that has already
	been used by that player.
	-The first play to fill all five shells wins.

Optional directions:
	-Use six pearls and shells and a die.

ACTIVITY 26 Estimation Game with Pearls

Overview

Students can gain practice in developing their estimation skills. This activity involves filling a jar with costume pearls and having the students guess or estimate how many there are.

Materials

Procedures

  1. Fill a small jar with costume pearls of the same size.
  2. Show the jar to the class. Tell students they are not to open the jar, but they can examine it for a few minutes. During this time they are to make a guess or an estimate of how many pearls are in the jar.
  3. Have recording cards available with the students' names on them.
  4. Bring the students together as a large group. Record each student's guess on his/her recording card.
  5. Line the cards up from the lowest guess to the highest.
  6. Together, count the pearls. (Paper cups or small containers are good to use to divide pearls into groups of five or ten.)
  7. When the class has determined the exact number of pearls that were in the jar, find the estimate or guess that is closest to the correct number.

Extensions

Part of the Geographic Education and Technology Program's collection of lesson plans.