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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who? What? Why Does Your Family Do That?

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students explain that Japanese and Americans have different values concerning behavior, education, and work. They fill out questionnaires which ask about their family practices and compare their answers with Japanese families.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let's Go to Nagano!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students, individually and in groups, utilize Internet sites to access maps, scales, and information to assist them in calculating distances. They research modes of travel from their homes to Nagano, Japan, and write a travel agenda for
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music in Japan - Fine Arts

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders discuss various types of music. They identify and explore Japanese music, and instruments. They make a koto.
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eBook
Country Studies US

Country Studies: Japan

For Students 9th - 10th
An excellent source of information on Japan from The Library of Congress. Includes information on geography, society, economy, transportation, government and politics, and national security.
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Primary
ibiblio

Ibiblio: Address by Hideki Tojo, Premier of Japan

For Students 9th - 10th
Ibiblio.org offers the address of the Japanese Prime Minister on the opening of the Imperial Diet in 1942.
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Website
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Black Ships and Samurai

For Students 9th - 10th
Imagine seeing gigantic ships bellowing black smoke pulling into a harbor- the kind of ship you've never seen before! Perry and his black ships opened Japan and enabled two incredibly different cultures to meet. Authors provide fantastic...
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: Country Studies: Japan [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
A wonderful resource on Japan can be found here. It provides an in-depth study of the history of the country, their society and culture, education and arts, economy, relations with other nations, politics, national security, and much...
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Website
Digital History

Digital History: The Decision to Drop the Bomb [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
The day before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt gave the go-ahead to scientists to develop an atomic bomb. This site gives a good overview of the war in the Pacific against Japan, the increasing successes of the...
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Website
University of Illinois

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign: Asian Educational Media Service

For Students 9th - 10th
A tremendous resource for finding sites, multimedia, and other resources for teaching about or studying Asian countries. Search by country, media type, or grade level. Includes lesson plans and links to great online resources.
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Lesson Plan
US Navy

U.s. Navy Museum: Commodore Perry and the Opening of Japan

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson plan discusses the American initiative to open Japan to western trade. It also features a biography of Commodore Perry, an exploration of the Japanese class system, and various learning activities.
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Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Education: Japan Images of a People

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
A wonderful three lesson unit that examines the art of Japanese screen paintings. Following some valuable information on the culture and country student will have an opportunity to create their own screen.
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Article
BBC

Bbc: Japan to Pull Troops Out of Iraq

For Students 9th - 10th
Presents the Japanese role in Iraq and also explains the Japanese people's thoughts on the war. Explains why the Japanese government decided to leave Iraq in 2006.
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Article
Geographic

Photius: Japan's Economy

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides an economic overview for Japan. Other important facts about agriculture and industries are also provided.
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Website
PBS

Pbs: Commanding Heights the Battle for the World Economy

For Students 9th - 10th
A huge site dedicated to an understanding of the current global economic system. Includes the history, forces, values and perceptions that have shaped the world's economy. A comprehensive resource that includes a detailed economic report...
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Graphic
Other

National Diet Library, Japan: Portraits of Modern Japanese Historical Figures

For Students 9th - 10th
Portrait photographs of nearly two hundred Japanese statesmen, government officials, military officers, businesspeople, artists, and others who had an impact on the history of modern Japanese society. Each portrait is accompanied by a...
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Handout
Other

Japanese Porcelain Marks

For Students 9th - 10th
This site gives descriptions of marks on Japanese porcelain. It also discusses the types of porcelain, where and when made, etc.
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Handout
Other

Animal Info: Dama Gazelle

For Students 9th - 10th
This site contains a variety of information on the dama gazelle. Detailed statistics and trends on this endangered species.
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Article
Other

Jhti: Kojiki

For Students 9th - 10th
Discussion and commentary on the Japanese historical text, Kojiki, by Professor Emeritus, Dr. Delmer Brown. With links to Kojiki and information on Kojiki editions and copyrights.
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Website
Brown University

Brown University Library Center: Perry Visits Japan: A Visual History

For Students 9th - 10th
Showcases a beautiful Japanese scroll that depicts Commodore Matthew Perry's landing in Japan in 1854 and a set of lithographs by Willam Heine that illustrate Perry's expedition. These visual images accompanied by student essays are...
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Website
Other

The Japan Times Online: The World's Window on Japan

For Students 9th - 10th
The Japan Times is a daily newspaper published in Tokyo, Japan. Content includes top national and international news, business coverage, the arts and society coverage, sports, events, and more.
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Handout
The British Museum

British Museum: Explore World Cultures: Japan

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the Japanese art in this historical overview and image gallery of Japanese art with detailed descriptions, from the collection of the British Museum.
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Article
Other

Country Facts: Japan

For Students 9th - 10th
A text based article presenting the basic facts and figures relating to the country of Japan. Included are geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military, and national issues.
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Website
Other

Asia Society: Policy

For Students 9th - 10th
A comprehensive storehouse of all types of information on Asia, both current and past: maps and statistics, Asian food, travel guides, photographs, articles, timelines, and more. Asia Source is the work of the Asia Society, a national...
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Unit Plan
Enchanted Learning

Enchanted Learning: Japanese Artists

For Students 3rd - 5th
Here are coloring pages and student activities for three Japanese Artists.