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.

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...

Sixth graders are familiarized with the Japanese culture. They note the similarities and differences between our culture and the Japanese culture. They view slideshows and websites in order to view pictures and information about the...

Students examine the Japanese writing form of Haibun. They identify the elements of Japanese prose and poetry, analyze a haibun for writing devices, complete a graphic organizer, and compose an original haibun as a form of journal keeping.

Haiku poetry is explored in this language arts instructional activity. Yong readers identify the characteristics of haiku and read several examples. Learners make connections between their study of Japan and the poetic form of haiku, and...

Learners explore the structure and content of the Tanka form and to arrive at a definition of the structure in English. They analyze a tanka to determine its structure and intent and compose two Tanka; one in traditional form and one...

First graders explore what life in Japan is like including, home and daily life, food and eating customs, school life, games and sports, holiday customs, and religion.

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. 

One of the most intriguing eras in world history was the shift to Feudalism in Japan. Examine the causes and effects of Japan's religion, culture, borrowing from China, and rise to Feudalism. Facts are given about the Shogunate, Samauri,...

Students improve motor skills through careful folding, a discipline necessary in the practice of origami. They develop multicultural awareness by exploring Japanese history.

Students write an in-class essay on whether they agree/disagree with Lippmann's article concerning Japanese-American internment

Third graders "take a trip" to Japan. They discover what life is like for a typical Japanese child and compare/contrast it to life in America. They give an oral presentation of Japanese holidays and festivals.

Students become familiar with the sound of Japanese by singing familiar songs in Japanese.

Students become familiar with family crests in general and Japanese family crests in particular. Students become familiar with the history of Japanese family crests.

Students engage in studying Jewish culture through the experience of tasting and eating different foods. They answer key questions that are used to guide the lesson plan. The foods of Americans is contrasted with the Jewish foods.

Students create artistic representations of various cyclical patterns after analyzing the importance of cyclical psychology in Japanese culture. This lesson can be done in an Art class or as part of a unit in a History or Language Arts...

Explore Japanese society and national identity. Class members share ideas about the Japanese economy and then investigate a series of resources, including an article, a film, a lecture, and a poem, to learn about Japan's Bubble Economy...

Young scholars are introduced to the traditional form of lacquerware painting in Japan. Students imitate Japanese lacquerware techniques using paper plates, gesso and tempera paints.

Fourth graders explore Japanese customs and history. They create their own works that reflect these traditions. They identify and use primary and secondary sources to learn and communicate about the past.

Students research the culture of feudal Japan. They discuss shoguns, emperors and clans. They practice writing Japanese letters.

Make origami ducks with your class to reinforce geometry concepts and vocabulary; develop fine motor and visual translation skills; and enrich study of Japanese culture, the pond habitat, or migration. Create a whole group "worksheet"...

Students analyze artist's themes and means of communication, think critically about their sources of information, and weigh claims of national security against the civil liberties of diverse groups.

Students continue to examine the topic of stereotypes. In groups, they role-play the roles of the "in-group" and "out group". Using the internet, they research the role of polarized stereotyping in war situations and read an article to...

Momoyama and Edo are periods in Japanese history that can be defined culturally and artistically. Learners explore and discuss how the samurai used sword guards and grip enhancers. Pupils read the story "The Inch-High Samurai," examine...