Using diary excerpts from a teacher's trip to Japan in the summer of 1985, this article provides four lesson plans for involving elementary through high school students in the study of cultural values, critical thinking skills, leadership, and international understanding. (JDH)

This collection of essays offers an overview of contemporary Japanese culture, and can serve as a resource for classes studying Japan. The 28 essays offer an informative, accessible look at the values, attitudes, behavior patterns, and communication styles of modern Japan from the unique perspective of the Japanese people. Filled with examples…

Create a variety of activities related to the country you are studying--Japan, for example--and arrange them by such subjects as art, games, creative writing, maps, dress and greetings. These activities can be tied in with classroom learning centers or stations. Here students make passports, learn about traditional styles of dress in Japan, learn…

This secondary level unit, designed for use in a social studies or introductory economics course, has students participate in decision-making activities about global auto production. Although Japan-United States interaction is emphasized, the concepts, terms and activities employed in the unit apply to other countries as well. The unit includes 11…

Seventeen instructional units on Asian and Pacific culture, society, and economic life are provided in this handbook, the result of a workshop entitled "Pacific Rim Cultures in the Classroom." Most of the lessons include suggestions for classroom activities, quizzes, and supplementary reading matter. The instructional units are organized…

The goal of this unit is to increase student awareness of current issues regarding relations between the United States and Japan. Eleven activities are designed to increase cultural awareness. The unit is introduced by discussing the reasons for study of other nations for multicultural understanding. Students complete a questionnaire concerning…

Lists some of the citations in the ERIC database dealing with teaching global studies in elementary school. Includes teaching methods, works on individual countries, curriculum suggestions, and student activities. Suggests that students need a foundation for a consciousness and acceptance of multicultural realities. (DK)

Developed for the Carroll County Public Schools, this Learning Activity Package (LAP) for grade 8 offers a way to provide individualized learning about the modernization and industrialization of Japan. The unit focuses on comparison of the traditional and the new modern Japan and shows how Japan has developed in the areas of agriculture,…

This publication contains 20 learning activities for developing basic skills while teaching about Japan at the secondary level. The activities are self-contained and each consists of a short description, followed by a five-item true or false test and five open-ended questions for student practice. The learning activities are followed by a…

The curriculum projects in this collection focus on diverse aspects of China, the most populous nation on the planet. The 16 projects in the collection are: (1) "Proposed Secondary Education Asian Social Studies Course with an Emphasis on China" (Jose Manuel Alvarino); (2) "Education in China: Tradition and Transition" (Sue…

Describes the educational system in Japan and outlines a secondary level social studies unit. Topics include the agricultural, industrial, artistic, and religious aspects of Japan. The author observed a genuine "term spirit" among Japanese students, greater respect for school property, and a heightened awareness for the value of…

This collection of supplementary lessons about Japan is organized into four sections: writing skills; visual arts; games, music, and other arts; and social studies. Each lesson lists appropriate grade level, objective, materials needed, time required, and procedure. The following titles from each section are representative of the lessons: Writing…

This activities unit for teaching about Japan is designed for use with elementary students. The activities reflect the growing importance of Japan in today's world, and the belief that the social studies curriculum should reflect principles of global education. The unit is intended to explore seven major goals included in the social studies…

This document is a compilation of 30 lesson plans for teaching about Japan in elementary grades. Produced by "Japan Alumni," North American classroom teachers who became acquainted with Japanese society through a program of travel/study fellowships, the lessons are divided into the following categories: motivational activities, land and…

Designed to provide students and teachers with opportunities to investigate the social, cultural, and historical traits of Japan, this study unit can be adapted to the needs of any group within the social studies curriculum (grades 4-12). An overview and outline on Japan covers the areas of geography, population, history, unique features (e.g.,…