By Harumi Ozaki-Robertson

Grade/Content Focus: 10th-12, Japanese Language level III-IV
This lesson is a visual introduction to class structures in Japan in the 1600’s through individual portraits. With variations in presentation the lesson can be used in Japanese language classes as well as English literature and history classes.

Time period: 90 minute block
For the first 15 minutes of class, the students will read and copy the new vocabulary words (hiragana only) from the board. The next 15 minutes, the students will view the pictures (Japanese) in pairs and assign classes to them. The next 10 minutes teacher and students will practice pronounce the new vocabulary words. The next 15-20 minutes the teacher will demonstrate/model the writing order to the students in each vocabulary word in kanji. The next 15 – 20 minutes will be devoted to writing the sentences (at least 3 complete sentences ) using the new vocabulary words on Japanese Tokugawa social system. For the next 10 minutes the students will read their sentences in class. The 5 minute closure will be for explaining the continuation of this lesson.

Standards (Benchmarks, Standards, Indicators) from the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum

Social Studies: History
Student will examine significant ideas, beliefs and themes; organize patterns and events; and analyze how individuals and societies have changed over time in Maryland, the United States and the world.

SS: Geography
Students will use geographic concepts and processes to examine the role of culture, technology, and the environment in the location and distribution of human activities and spatial connections throughout time. Students will use geographic concepts and processes to understand location and it’s relationship to human activities.

SS: Economics
Students will develop economics reasoning to understand the historical
development and current status of economics principles, institutions, and processes needed to be effective citizens, consumers, and workers participating in local communities, the nation, and the world. Students will identify the economic principles and processes that are helpful to producers and consumers when making good decisions.

SS: Peoples of the Nations and World

Students will understand the diversity and commonality, human independence, and global cooperation of the people of Maryland, the United States, and World through a multicultural and historical perspective. Students will understand how people in Maryland, the United States and around the world are alike and different.

Reading: Fluency

Students will read orally with accuracy and expression at a rate that sounds like speech.
Indicator Statement: Use a rate when reading that reflects high accuracy and meaningful expression.

Reading: Vocabulary

Students will use a variety of strategies and opportunities to understand word meaning and to increase vocabulary.
Indicator Statement: Develop and apply vocabulary through exposure
to a variety of texts and visual stimulation.
Indicator Statement: Refine and extend a conceptual understanding of new words.
Indicator Statement: Understand, acquire and use new vocabulary.

Core Learning Goals: High School (Prince George’s County Public Schools)

Skills for Success
Goal 2
Thinking Skills: The student will think creatively, critically, and strategically to make effective decisions, solve problems, and achieve goals.

Expectation:
The student will generate and evaluate creative ideas in a variety of situations.

Expectation:
The students will evaluate ideas, information, issues and positions critically.

Expectation:
The students will demonstrate strategic thinking to make effective decisions, solve problems, and achieve goals in a variety of situations.

Goal 3
Communication Skills:
The student will plan, participate in, monitor, and evaluate
communication experiences in a variety of situation

Expectation:
The students will gather, manage, and convey information, using a variety of skills, strategies, resources, and technologies.

Goal 5
Interpersonal Skills:
The student will work effectively with others and participate responsibly in variety of situations.

Expectation:
The students will demonstrate effective interaction strategies in groups.

Expectation:
The students will work cooperatively with others in variety of group situation.

Reading/English Language Arts
Goal 2
Composing in variety of modes:
The students will demonstrate the ability to compose in a variety of modes by developing content, employing specific forms, and selecting language appropriate for a particular audience and purpose.

Expectation:
The student will student will compose oral, written, and visual presentations which inform, persuade, and express personal ideas.

Expectation:
The student will locate, retrieve, and use information from various sources to accomplish a purpose.

Goal 3
Controlling Language
The students will demonstrate the ability to ability to control language by applying the conventions of Standard English in writing and speaking.

Expectation:
The students will demonstrate understanding of the nature and structure of language, including grammar concepts and skills, to strengthen control of oral and written language.

Social Studies
Goal 1: Political systems
The students will demonstrate an understand of the historical development and current states of principles institutions, and processes of political systems.

Expectation:
The students will demonstrate understanding of the structure and functions of government and politics in the United States.

Goal 2: Peoples of the Nation and World
The students will demonstrate understanding of the history, diversity, and commonality of the peoples of the nation and world, the reality of human interdependence, and the need for global cooperation, through a perspective that is both historical and multicultural.

Expectation:
The student will compare and evaluate the effectiveness of the United States system of government and various other national and international political systems.

Goal 3: Geography

The students will demonstrate an understanding of geographic concepts and processes to examine the role of culture, technology, and the environment in the location and distribution of human activities throughout history.

Expectation:
The student will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship of cultural and physical geographic factors in the development of government policy.

Goal 4: Economics

The student will demonstrate an understanding of the historical development and current status of economic principles, institutions, and processes needed to the effective citizens, consumers, and workers.

Expectations:
The student will demonstrate an understanding of economic principles, institutions, and processes required to formulate government policy.

Standards for Japanese Language Learning

Goal 1: Communication
Communicate in Japanese
1.1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings, and emotions and exchange opinions.
1.2: Students Understand and interpret written and spoken Japanese language on a variety of topics.
1.3: Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
Goal 2: Cultures
Gain knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture
2.1: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of Japanese culture.
2.2: Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the products and perspectives of Japanese culture.
Goal 3: Connections
Connect with other disciplines and acquire information.
3.1: Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the Japanese language.
3.2: Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through Japanese language and culture.

Goal 4: Comparisons
Develop insight into the nature of language and culture.
4.1: Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the Japanese language and their own.
4.2: Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of Japanese culture and their own.
Goal 5: Communities
Participate in multilingual communities at home and around the world
5.1: Students use the Japanese language both within and beyond the school setting.
5.2: Students show evidence of becoming life-long learners by using Japanese for personal enjoyment and enrichment.

Objectives:
Students will
Closely observe the clothing in a variety of pictures and make preliminary status assignments
Learn Kanji for vocabulary words
Take notes on the class structure in the Tokugawa System
Review pictures for details
Compare pictures of Tokugawa Japan and Elizabethan England
Discuss similarities and differences of class structure in Tokugawa Japan and Elizabethan England using Japanese language
Extrapolate to modern-day United States
View modern pictures of Japanese and United States fashions and discuss similarities and differences in Japanese.
Gather data (pictures) for future discussions (homework)

Vocabulary/Concepts
Tokugawa Japan (Edo Period) 1600-1867
Tokugawa Shogun ???? (??) ????? (??) (military leader), Tennou
???? (??) (emperor), kizoku???( ??) (nobility), daimyo ?????(??) (minor chiefs), samurai ???? (?)/ ??/bush (??) (warriors), ronin???? (??) (master less soldiers), katana ??? (?) (sword), noumin / hyakushou ???? (??)/ ??????(??) (farmer), shokunin ????? ??(artisan),shounin ???????(merchant), Shi,nou,kou,shou ? ?? ?? ??? (????) (Tokugawa social system) yuujo ???? (??) (courtesan, prostitute), geisha ????(??)(educated, talented, beautiful female companion), ukiyoe ???? (???)(woodblock art: “floating world”), Kyoto ???? (??)(where emperor lived), Edo ??(??)(Tokyo ????? (??)(the shogun’s new capital), kimono ??? (??)(robe worn by men or women), sakoku ??? (??)(national seclusion), shiro ?? (?)(castle), Edo jou ????? (???)(Tokugawa castle)

Elizabethan England 1558-1603
Aristocracy (nobleman, lord, duke, duchess, earl, viscount, queen, king, prince, princess), peasant (usually a farmer or landless laborer), pauper (poor person),
Merchant, soldier, clergy, craftsman, apprentice, journeyman, indenture (promise to work in return for instruction), beggar, courtesan

Materials/Resources (Specify if for Teacher or Student use)
1.Text Sources
2.Web Sites
For Tudor England
http://www.uvm.edu/~hag/sca/tudor
http://www.costume.de.net/content.html
http://wwwburbage-jun.leics.sch.uk/education/forfun/tudorchallenge/en/

For Tokugawa Japan
http://ic.ucsc.edu/~naso/hist159b/presentations/tokugawa%tension%20pres/
http://www.openhistory.org/jhdp/intro/node23.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e2128.html
http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/TOKJAPAN?TOKJAPAN.HTM

3.Student worksheets
Hand outs
4.Objects: The pictures

Lesson Abstract
The purpose of this lesson is to visually introduce the class system of Tokugawa Japan by using pictures of how representatives from each of the levels were dressed. Examples were taken from various internet websites. The pictures have been printed onto cardstock and laminated so that they may be used over again in other content areas. First the students will pair up, examine the pictures and try to assign the people to different “classes”. There will be no prior preparation concerning labels or terms used during the Tokugawa time period. The teacher will record on the board the names that the students will use. Then descriptions and quotes will be handed out and the students will use the Japanese terms for the people in their pictures.
The teacher will briefly discuss the levels of society and living conditions in Tokugawa Japan. Students will take notes according to instructions. Japanese language classes will have one worksheet, history and British English classes will have others. Students may raise their hands with questions during the lecture and time is built in for discussions. The teacher will ask students to sum up their understanding of class system. Students will compare the Tokugawa system with what they know of Elizabethan England. Students will find similarities between East and West. (A worksheet of suggested questions for students to consider is included.) Students will be cautioned about oversimplification and stereotyping. (Examples: All samurai wear silk kimonos. A peasant could not change his class in Elizabethan England.)
As a closing activity, a few modern pictures will be shown of Japanese students imitating American fashion (boys with droopy drawers showing boxer shorts and Japanese girls with hair dyed blond or red and sporting cornrows and extensions) and also a current US fashion magazine for women that borrows heavily from Japanese traditional clothing. Students will be asked to find one or more photos that show modern fashion trends and bring the examples in to the class.

The questions to ponder:
Is class status as easy to determine based on clothing today as it was in Tokugawa Japan or Elizabethan England? Why or why not? Cite specific examples.
What classes are there in modern United States? Name them. Give examples of members of each class.

* Lesson Development
Motivation/Warm Up
Students choose from a pile of pictures which are face down. Each student picks one or two pictures and a partner.
Modeling
Teacher will show a picture of Ieyasu Tokugawa and identify him as the shogun.
Guided Practice
The students will examine their pictures and assign them a particular social status and perhaps a job description. The teacher records the students’ answers on the board. She then gives a brief lecture on the Tokugawa social system. Students write the new vocabulary words from the board and take notes noting vocabulary terms.
Independent Practice
Students re-examine their pictures and use newly-learned terms (vocabulary words) to describe status. Descriptions of clothing should be used to explain why or why not a person should be assigned to one group or another. The Elizabethans are compared and contrasted with the Japanese of the Edo period (Tokugawa’s reign),
Assessment
Students pass the Tokugawa period pictures two seats to the left. Cards are left face up. Students try to identify one of the “new” pictures they see by status and give a reason. Students write in their journals 1) One fact I learned. 2) One area I would like to know more about.
Closure/Summary
Modern Japanese and American photos are shown. Allow time for a brief discussion of cross-cultural influence on fashion. Assignment will be given to bring in one photo for discussion.

* Include integration of reading, writing, and thinking skills and processes

Lesson Extensions: Pictures can be used in a variety of subjects and the format used to spark discussion of culture, history, and literature.