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My Childhood Portrait

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students practice descriptive writing by viewing auto-portraits of young children.  In this art analysis lesson plan, students examine an auto-portrait of their teacher as a young child and ask him/her questions about their youth....
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Japanese Inspired Activities for the Classroom

For Teachers K - 8th
Young scholars become more aware of cultural differences by reading a variety of multicultural books about social issues. They assess various Haiku's by Lee Bennett Hopkins, Kamishibai stories by Dianne Clouet and snapshots from Japan by...
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The Art and Writing of Estelle Ishigo, Heart Mountain Internment Camp, 1942-1945

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students view images of the Heart Mountain Internment Camp created by Estelle Ishigo. They discuss the time and place portrayed in the images and create a timeline recording events related to the internment of Japanese Americans.
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Japanese Music-Some Songs for Children

For Teachers K - 5th
Students explore songs from Japan. In this music lesson, students listen to four Japanese folk songs and identify the characteristics of the music.
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Japan: A Pacific Rim Neighbor

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students descirbe everyday events typical in the lives of contemporary, young, Japanese school-age children and understand some of the underlying reasons for various practices. They see that Japan and the state of Washington have many...
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Japanese Folktales

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students listen to examples of Japanese folktales and identify universal themes. Students construct a 'kamishibai' - a traditional Japanese storytelling prop - and dramatize a folktale through puppetry.
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Experiencing Japanese Feudalism

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students identify that a system of feudalism similar to that of medieval Europe developed in Japan by 1300. Students identify the social hierarchy of feudal Japan. Students identify what the cultural basis for the relationships among...
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Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet: A Novel

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Jamie Ford’s historical novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, explores the relationship between a young Chinese American boy and a Japanese American girl set against the backdrop of Seattle during World War II. The teaching...
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Japanese Carp Kites

For Teachers K
Students listen to the story A Carp for Kimiko and discuss its theme/lesson. Then they identify and are introduced to the Japanese holiday, Children's Day, formerly known as Boy's Day. Students also design and create their own carp kite....
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Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore their culture in comparison to Japanese culture by reading the book, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. They identify islands of Japan, create a Venn diagram comparing Japanese culture to American culture, and...
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Sadako: A Tribute to a Girl with Cancer

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore the story of Sadako, a young girl, who had leukemia as a result of a bomb being dropped on Hiroshima in 1955. They create a chain of paper cranes and design a fund-raising event. They write poems in the Japanese style of...
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The Bracelet: Five Senses

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students investigate the 5 senses by reading children's literature. For this descriptive writing lesson, students read the story The Bracelet by Yoshiko Uchida, analyzing the story and characters as they go. Students identify the use of...
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Writing Japanese Stories (Grades 6-8)

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students listen to several Japanese stories and write their own Japanese-style stories, which they share with the class.
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Incorporating Japanese Music into the Music Classroom

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders experience the music and arts of Japan as they explore the language and culture of the country in this lesson. A variety of musical elements from the culture are demonstrated.
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Japanese Festivals and Celebrations

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers investigate the importnce of celebrations anf festivals in Japanese culture and then create a story based upon an image from the instructional activity. Resource links are provided for images of events.
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A Journey To Japan Through Poetry

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders gain an appreciation for writing, analyzing, reading and listening to poetry, viewing poems as a motivation for studying Japanese culture and tradition. They study and create their own haiku and tanka poems with illustrations.
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Yoko and the Sushi Party

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students listen to a read aloud of Rosemary Wells, Yoko as they begin a study of Japanese culture and customs. They experience Japanese food, geography and culture. They write a friendly letter to the author.
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World War II

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders read Under the Blood Red Sun (UBRS), V is for Victory (V), and Number the Stars(NS). They examine WWII through the eyes of Japanese, Danish, and American students and complete at least two projects: a radio broadcast and a...
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Shizuko’s Daughter: Graphic Organizer

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Help young readers align character relationships in an activity for Kyoko Mori's Shizuko's Daughter. After kids discuss the characters and how they relate to each other, they use index cards and a graphic organizer to outline the...
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Foods and Languages of the World

For Teachers Pre-K - 3rd
Students explore Japan. In this Japanese culture lesson, students listen to stories regarding Japan, view Japanese art, learn Japanese words, and make Origami.
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Put on a Happy Face!

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students explore using recycled materials. In this ecology/art lesson, students use recycled materials to create a Halloween mask. Students view folk art made of natural and available resources, and discuss possible cultural uses for...
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Heart (and Arm) of Darkness

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers read and translate a 19th-century American ghost tale into a Japanese hanging scroll in this exciting lesson for middle-level Language Art classes. The lesson can be completed in four or five days.
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A First Look at the Garden

For Teachers Pre-K - K
For any teacher who is planning a field trip to Missouri's Botanical Garden, this activity packet is a must-have! In it, young learners engage in pre-visit activities so they will be prepared to get the most out of their trip. There are...
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Band of Brothers

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
What is a community? Explore the idea of community by investigating countries that have experienced severe damage. Learners discuss the horrible aftermath the 2011 earthquake had on Japan's infrastructure after the tsunami it caused....