Temples and Shrines: Miyajima Island
Part of the Virtual Japan Experience curriculum series.
The significance of statues and art in Buddhist temples in Japan
- Symbolism in Buddhist Temples and Shinto Shrines (Lessons and Resources)
- Google Earth Map Tour
- TOTS 2025 Lesson Plan Megan Kuns
Temples and Shrines at Miyajima Island Lesson Plan
Created by: Megan Kuns, Hull Prairie Intermediate School
Lesson Plan Background:
Demographics
- Theme/Topic: The significance of statues and art in Buddhist temples in Japan.
- Subjects/Grade Level: Middle School
- Suggested duration: 6 periods
Connection to Standards/Common Core
- Ohio Content Statement 6.6- Diffusion of agricultural practices and products, technology, cultural practices and major world religions (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism) impacted the Eastern Hemisphere.
- National SS standard NSS-WH.5-12.3: Students will be able to explain how major religions and large-scale empires arose in the Mediterranean basin, China, and India, 500 BCE-300 CE.
- National SS standard NSS-G.K-12.2: Students will be able to Understand how culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions.
Essential Questions
- What is the significance of statues and art in Buddhist temples?
- What types of gates and architectural design are used in Buddhist temples?
- What rules should be observed when entering holy sites?
Learning Objectives
- Students will be able to distinguish between a Shinto shrine and Buddhist temple.
- Students will be able to identify symbolism within a Buddhist temple.
Students will be able to describe elements you would expect to see in a Buddhist temple.
Ways to Use
- The ‘hook’ can be used as a project/research starter
- The ‘hook’ can be used as a way to introduce inquiry and questioning strategies
- The slidedeck can be used as an introduction to Buddhism and Shintoism
- The project can be used to reinforce researching, writing and inquiry.
- The Blooket and slidedeck can be used to introduce key vocabulary about Buddhism and Shintoism
Materials Needed
Lesson Plan Details:
Day One:
Introduction: Print pages 2-9 of this template. Divide students into groups of 2-4 and give each group one of the printed images to examine closely. They will use the image to brainstorm what they think the image is, its purpose and where they may find it. Then, they will generate 3 questions or key word searches they can use to find more information about this image. (10 minutes)
If time allows, each group can share their image with the class and the ideas they brainstormed.
This activity can be used simply as an introduction to give students practice observing details and generating questions or the teacher can collect the pages and use them as the starting point for a project at the end of the class presentation.
Vocabulary: Slides 3-10 contain 9 key vocabulary words that will help them understand the lesson. The students can use the student copy of the lesson to fill in blanks as the teacher review the words (10 minutes)
With the remaining class time, the teacher can use the link to practice these words. Blooket Link.
Day Two:
- Start with 5 minutes to review the vocabulary slides OR Blooket
- Start with slides 11-12 to give an overview of Buddhism and Shintoism in Japan.
- Slide 13 introduces the importance of Miyajima island.
- Slide 14 informs students about what to do if they visit a temple.
- Slides 15-17 discuss the shinto shrine Itsukushima shrine
- The remaining slides discuss the symbolism of Daishoin Temple.
- Slides 20-22 (Rakan Statues)
- Slides 29-31 (Interior of Maniden Hall) would be a great place to stop again and practice noticing and question generating as a whole class. The teacher can collect a list of questions and noticings that can later be turned into a research question.
Day Three – Day Six: Project-Based Learning Description
- Review the vocabulary words. (5 minutes)
- Introduce the project options:
- Option One: Use the questions generated from the opening activity worksheet to develop and research questions. Complete the attached organizer to complete the project.
- Option Two: Students select a question generated during the class discussions and use that to develop research questions. Complete the attached organizer to complete the project.
- Option Three: Students select one of the symbols or gates introduced in the lesson. They create a 3D project that represents the object they selected. Students create a “Museum Card” to display by their object and report out three facts about the object.
- Option Four: After examining the symbols at temples and shrines, students create a symbol that would hold a special meaning for them and represents something about their culture, family and beliefs. Museum card link can be used for this too.
- Option Five: Students create their own Ema tablet that represents them, their school or their town. They must write a paragraph describing what the symbols on their tablet represent
- Students may work on this in groups (especially options 1-3) or independently. Here are a few templates that can be used to facilitate the project. Depending on time, students could create a poster or slides to display their findings or they could just submit the organizer.
- Research Organizer
- Project Rubric
Resource Support:
This lesson plan was developed by Megan Kuns, who participated in the NCTA 2025 Building the Virtual Japan Experience: Tokaiko, Origami, Temples and Shrines (TOTS) . The seminar was funded in part by the Freeman Foundation and a U.S. Department of Education Title VI National Resource Center grant to the East Asian Studies Center at The Ohio State University. The content of this lesson plan does not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
Lesson plans are available online for classroom use worldwide and can be accessed at EASC's Resource page.