In February 2019, two nations with the largest nuclear arsenals announced their withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Russia's interference in U.S. elections and the invasion of Ukraine has exacerbated tensions between the U.S. and Russia. These actions bring renewed attention to nuclear nonproliferation efforts…

Each year, seventh graders at Woodlawn School in Davidson, North Carolina, learn about Japan through a compilation of literature, history, and art. They are introduced to a wide range of ideas and materials: they study the Heian and Tokugawa Periods as well as modern Japan, the code of the samurai warriors, haiku and its components, and Japanese…

In recent years, haiku has become a widely adopted part of the language arts, social studies, and multicultural studies curriculum, particularly at the elementary level. Haiku became popular in the 17th and 18th centuries in Japan. Haiku remains popular because these poems describe nature and human experiences, as well as being simple and short.…

The Edo period in Japan (1615-1868) saw the flowering of many forms of cultural expression, colorful and boisterous, muted and restrained, that today is thought of as typically Japanese. These include kabuki and no drama, the tea ceremony, martial arts, woodblock prints, and porcelain. This culturally diverse and vibrant period gets its name from…

Presents an interdisciplinary unit for fourth-grade students that compares the Tokaido Road in Japan to Interstate I-75 in Michigan; students learned about the history and geography of the Tokaido Road, examined the travel prints of Ando Hiroshige, and created their own travel prints and haikus. Gives three accompanying handouts. (CMK)

This packet, written for teachers of sixth-grade art and language arts courses, is designed to inspire creative expression in words and images through an appreciation for Japanese art. The selection of paintings presented are from the Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution. The interdisciplinary approach, combines art and language arts.…

In recent years, haiku has become a widely adopted part of the language arts curriculum, particularly at the elementary level. Educators appreciate the simplicity and brevity of haiku as a poetic form that young students can grasp fairly easily and therefore express themselves readily. However, this focus on form has often been to the exclusion of…

Teachers at all academic levels can adapt the design and content of the sixth grade Japanese cultural festival detailed in this learning packet. Material is divided into 2 sections. Section 1 provides a step-by-step guide to planning and conducting the festival. These instructions, based on 5 years of experience, include a detailed planning…

Describes a middle school program that integrates history/social studies, language, and visual arts. Describes how the program links two different middle schools through electronic mail in their study of world cultures. Includes examples of student writing and descriptions of classroom activities. (CFR)