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Introduction | Table of Contents
Unit One: Japan’s Heritage
National Symbols of Japan: The National Flag and Anthem
Purpose: Increase knowledge of Japanese traditions and compare to American traditions.
National Symbols of Japan: Cherry Blossom
Purpose: Increase knowledge of Japanese traditions and compare to American traditions.
Japanese Folktales
Purpose: This lesson is designed to enable students to appreciate cultural diversity by introducing them to Japanese folktales.
Famous People of Japan
Purpose: Become familiar with some Japanese people.
Literature, Politics, Film,Television, and the Imperial Family
Purpose: Students will become familiar with some famous Japanese and their contributions to Japan and the United States.
Tezuka Osamu
Purpose: To become familiar with famous Japanese people.
Katsushika Hokusai
Purpose: To become familiar with famous Japanese people.
Tetsuko Kuroyanagi
Purpose: To become familiar with famous Japanese people.
United-States Japanese History
Purpose: The chronology of events occurring in any one culture (the United States) are related to simultaneous events in other cultures (Japan).
United States-Japanese Relations in Post World War II Era:
Impact of the End of World War II on Japan
Purpose: United States’ occupation in Japan affected Japan’s political, economic, and social systems.
United States Decisions About Japan
Purpose: Analyze United States-Japanese policies after World War II.
Expectations Based on Historical Precedent
Purpose: The relationship of United States and Japan was affected by the past of both countries.
General Douglas MacArthur in Japan
Purpose: Examine the role of General Douglas MacArthur in the United States occupation of Japan.
The End of United States’ Occupation of Japan
Purpose: Examine the end of the United States’ occupation of Japan.
Japan Recovers Economically
Purpose: Provide students with the opportunity to explore Japan’s economic recovery during the post World War II Era.
Peace
Purpose: Students will understand how the Japanese embody the spirit of the term peace. Students will relate peace to today’s global relationships.
Unit Two: Contemporary Culture
An Introduction to Japanese Food
Purpose: Students will be introduced to a typical Japanese meal and the use of chopsticks.
Cultural Differences in the Diet of American and Japanese Families
Purpose: Students will learn to appreciate cultural diversity by comparing diets in Japan and the United States.
Religion in Japan
Purpose: This lesson will enable students to clarify understandings of Japan’s two main religions.
Japan Day
Purpose: Students will learn that Japanese students and American students share common elements in their school days through this simulation of a Japanese school day. Students will also learn that there are some differences in their school day and the Japanese school day.
Japanese Writing
Purpose: This lesson is intended to introduce students to the three writing systems of Japanese: Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji.
Making a Karuta Game
Purpose: This lesson will enable students to appreciate the culture of Japan expressed in the playing of a traditional Japanese game.
Women in Society
Purpose: Students will learn about similarities and differences in the role of women in Japanese and American culture and how these roles have changed over time.
Elderly in Japanese Society
Purpose: Students will learn about changes in age demographics of Japanese society and the impact that these changes are having on the economy, healthcare, family structure and workforce.
Recycling in Japan
Purpose: Students will learn about recycling in Japan and the factors that have influenced this practice.
Unit Three: Japan’s Place in the World
Geography of Japan
Purpose: This lesson will enable students to develop basic knowledge of Japan’s physical geography including absolute and relative location, factors contributing to climate, and temperature comparisons with the United States.
Comparative Geography I
Purpose: To have students use population density and other statistics to compare countries.
Comparative Geography II
Purpose: To help students to understand that physical geography affects population density.
The Effects of Limited Space on a Culture
Purpose: To help students to understand that physical geography affects population density.
Economic Miracle
Purpose: Japan’s economic rise and stagnation give opportunities to gain insights into economic education and to understand how a culture can contribute to its economy’s success and decline.
Part 1: How Japan’s Culture Helped its Economic Recovery Surplus funds for investment
Purpose: Japan’s economic rise and stagnation give opportunities to gain insights into economic education and to understand how a culture can contribute to its economy’s success and decline.
Importance of the goals of the group over the individual
Surplus of well-educated workers
Part 2: Factors due to Governmental Policies
Part 3: Factors due to Company Procedures
Part 4: Factors due to World Happenings To Market, to market
Part 5: Causes of Stagnation Money and Land Problems
Unit Four: Decision Making in Japan
Comparative Government: Japan and the United States
Purpose: Compare the parliamentary system of Japan to the presidential system of the United States.
Disasters and Decision Making
Purpose: Compare the parliamentary system of Japan to the presidential system of the United States.
Moral and Ethical Beliefs: Proverbs
Purpose: Students will look at the cultures of Japan and the United States by comparing proverbs from each country.
The Concept of Wa:
The Concept of Wa I
Introduction
Purpose: Students will look at the cultures of Japan and the United States by comparing proverbs from each country.
The Concept of Wa II
The Concept of Wa III
The Ideal Judge
Purpose: Students will look at the cultures of Japan and the United States by comparing proverbs from each country.
The Importance of the Group in Japan
Purpose: Students will look at the cultures of Japan and the United States by comparing proverbs from each country.
Mediation/Conciliation
Purpose: Students will look at the cultures of Japan and the United States by comparing proverbs from each country.
The Role of Lawyers
Purpose: This lesson is designed to enable students to compare the role of lawyers in Japan and the United States.