Part of the school curriculum for third grades at Mt. Washington Magnet School includes a study of nutrition. As a related unit in the FLES Japanese class, students study the American Food Pyramid. They have previously learned Japanese words for the fruits and vegetables and how to express their likes and dislikes. To introduce the unit, the teacher goes "shopping" to different food groups arranged around the room (plastic food and empty containers), telling the students which item he/she likes from each group. Students complete an activity sheet based on the teacher's actions. Students become familiar with the food group names and items in each though various games and activities. Students then focus on the food pyramid itself, learning the recommended servings and assessing their personal eating habits. They examine a variety of Japanese foods such as tofu and kon'nyaku, and determine in which food group they belong. Students also compare the Japanese diet to the American Food Pyramid and discuss the similarities and differences in English. As a final activity, students interview a family member and present that person's one day menu to the class, assessing its "healthfulness."

Reflections
1.1 Students provide and obtain information about food in the American Food Pyramid. Also they express likes and dislikes and exchange their opinions about the "healthfulness" of their eating habits.
1.2 Students understand and interpret written words for food groups in the pyramid and food items.
1.3 Students report on their interview about one person's eating habits.
2.2 Students observe and identify Japanese foods and discuss how they fit into the food pyramid.
3.1 Students reinforce and further their knowledge of food, nutrition, and the food pyramid.
4.2 Students compare and contrast similarities and differences between American and Japanese food pyramids.

Fourth-grade students at Santa Teresa Elementary School learn about some typical features of Japanese homes and proper manners when visiting a Japanese home. Photo panels are used to introduce basic vocabulary such as genkan, kodomobeya, daidokoro/kitchin, toire, tatami, futon, and beddo. Students discuss in English similarities and differences between American and Japanese homes and the existence of Western and Japanese styles in the same home in Japan. Students then review set phrases for greetings, leave taking, before/after eating, and thanking. After viewing some video clips depicting children visiting friends at their home, the teacher arranges for a Japanese guest to come to class and act as the Japanese host/hostess for a make-believe visit.

Reflections
1.1 Students use phrases for greetings, leave taking, before/after eating, and thanking.
2.1 Students use proper gestures and oral expressions for greetings, leave taking, before/after eating, and thanking.
2.2 Students look at photo panels and video clips to observe and identify authentic rooms and objects in a Japanese home. Students experience taking off shoes and wearing slippers appropriately during the make-believe visit.
4.1. Students realize that commonly used Japanese words (such as beddo and toire) are loanwords from English, and learn that English has borrowed some words from Japanese as well (such as futon).
4.2. By looking at objects in the Japanese home that are commonly found in American homes, students recognize that there are commonalties in Japanese and American life styles.
5.1. Students interact with a Japanese guest.

Students in an Indiana middle school Japanese class read a short article on hanami written by the teacher. Students then decide to have a hanami party. They divide into small groups to form committees, such as the scout committee, karaoke committee, games committee, invitation committee, record committee, and food committee, and discuss the various details of the party.

Before the hanami party, the scout committee finds the best spot for flower viewing and writes an announcement of the location. The invitation committee writes an invitation letter to Japanese people in the local community. The scout committee goes to the location prior to the party and spreads a large blanket (preferably red) to secure the site.

At the hanami party, the invitation committee greets the Japanese guests; the food committee serves food; the games committee leads the class in games; the record-keeping committee takes pictures; and the karaoke committee leads the group in singing Japanese songs.

After the hanami party, representatives from each committee get together and make a poster (including photos) about the party.

Reflections
1.1 Students discuss their plans for the party; students plan in groups the details of the party; students write an invitation letter; and students talk with Japanese guests.
1.2 Students read about hanami.
1.3 Students write an announcement and make a poster about the hanami party.
2.1 Students participate in Japanese games and songs.
2.2 Students eat Japanese food.
5.1 Students invite Japanese people in their community to the party.
5.2 Students sing karaoke.

Students may read English articles on hanami if their reading proficiency in Japanese is limited. If there are no cherry blossoms in the vicinity of the campus, you can view other blossoms such as dogwood, peach, apple, magnolia, etc. If a karaoke machine is not available, you can use a tape recorder.

Students at Edison Middle School learned about world meteorological phenomena in their geography class, including tornadoes, blizzards, auroras, squalls and so forth. Students decide to learn about natural disasters and phenomena in Japan such as typhoons, tsunami, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. In this specific unit, students investigate typhoons. They divide into groups, and use a variety of resources (web pages, books and maps, interviews with Japanese people) to do research on when typhoons come to Japan; what path they take; what Japanese people do in preparation for them; and what damage they cause. Also, students compare typhoons with natural disasters that take place in the United States. Each group presents their research results to the class orally and using visuals.

Reflections
1.1 Students discuss typhoons and other natural disasters, and students may interview Japanese people on their experience of typhoons.
1.2 Students read web pages, weather forecasts in newspapers, Japanese atlases, and so forth; students view or listen to TV/radio weather forecasts.
1.3 Students present their research results.
2.1 Students learn how Japanese people cope with typhoons.
3.1 Students further their knowledge acquired in their geography class through the Japanese class.
3.2 Students acquire information through web pages, newspapers, and other sources.
4.2 Students compare people's reactions to natural disasters.
5.1 Students interview Japanese people in the local community or use e-mail.

This could be part of a larger unit that includes earthquakes, tsunami, and volcanic eruptions, or each of the small groups could pick a different type of natural disaster to research and present to the class.

Students at West High School work in groups to author children's books in Japanese. Students begin the project by examining Japanese children's books, viewing several model books from past years' classes, and discussing how their work will be assessed. Students plan their stories together, integrating themes studied during the quarter (professions, community, homes, family, etc.). Students co-author the text of their books. Students engage in peer editing prior to submitting their drafts for teacher feedback. Students complete their illustrated books and read them aloud to the class. Following the reading, listeners answer comprehension questions designed by each book group. Then students visit local elementary school Japanese programs to read their stories to students there. Photocopied books are made for each student to keep. Students complete a project evaluation form, contributing insights into what they learned and what they wish they had known to better complete the project.

Reflections
1.1 Students exchange opinions about Japanese children's books and previous years' books. Later they ask and answer questions about the contents of the books they wrote and presented to each other.
1.2 Students read Japanese children's books and books from previous years and listen to their classmates' presentations.
1.3 Students present their work to each other and to elementary school students.
2.1 & 2.2 Students may choose to write about Japanese topics or about a non-Japanese character negotiating life in Japan. Cultural insights are demonstrated in the books' layouts, character behavior, settings, and language choice.
3.2 Students learn about Japanese children's books, including their layouts, what type of language is used in them, and what characters and themes are common.
4.1 Students learn about how books written for children differ from standard Japanese writing and about how Japanese and American children's books are both different and similar to each other.
4.2 Depending on the topic they choose for their stories, students may explore the concept of culture by comparing Japanese culture and their own.
5.1 Students visit local elementary school Japanese programs to present their stories.

Standard 3.1 may also be addressed if students write about topics connected to other subject areas. This activity, used toward the end of a grading period, serves as an opportunity for students to review concepts learned throughout the term. The students enjoy the opportunity to personalize their language learning by focusing on topics of interest to them. Sharing their books with elementary school students gives the class a sense of tangible success and helps to publicize the Japanese program. Even if the elementary school students have not studied any Japanese, students can help them enjoy the readings and understand the stories by acting out and showing the pictures.

Students at Washington High School have a discussion about what they know about Japanese Americans and the WWII relocation camps. After this they read the book Farewell to Manzanar about the Manzanar relocation camp in Arizona. They divide into small groups to discuss in Japanese what they found most interesting about the book. Each group picks a topic that relates to the book, to their own interests, and to one of their other subjects (U.S. history, government, world history, etc.). They then research this topic using the Internet, books, and other resources. If there are Japanese Americans or other people who are knowledgeable about their topic living in the community, students can invite them to come talk with the class or go to interview them. After their research, the groups prepare presentations about what they have learned for the rest of the class and submit a written compilation of their research to a local or regional organization (Japan-America society, Japanese teachers' association, teachers' resource center etc.) for dissemination.

Reflections:
1.1 Students use Japanese in small group discussions.
1.3 Students use spoken and written Japanese to present information to each other and to others in the community.
3.1 Students research a topic that relates both to Japanese Americans and to one of their other school subjects.
4.2 Students compare the Japanese and American cultures and consider how they are intertwined in Japanese American culture during WWII.
5.1 Students communicate with individuals in the community present their research findings in writing to a community group.

Students at South High School make a plan for some Japanese guests who will be visiting their school. Students read a fax message containing introductory information about the guests and questions related to their visit. The students discuss the questions and write appropriate responses. In their responses, they welcome the guests, answer their questions, and inquire about their interests and food preferences so they can plan activities for the visit. After the guests' responses are received, the students create a plan for the visit using their knowledge about Japanese customs and cultures to make the guests feel welcome. For example, the students may plan to give the guests a yosegaki or a special memento of their school. The students consider what type of food they should provide for the guests. Some students may try to cook Japanese dishes they have learned about in class or find American dishes they think Japanese may like for a picnic, barbecue, or dinner party. When the guests come, students give them an initial briefing in Japanese. Their briefing uses some visual aids and includes general information about the school as well as specific details about the schedule planned for the guests. After the briefing, the students host the guests in the planned activities.

Reflections
1.1 Small groups of students discuss their plans and how to respond to the initial fax. Students interact in Japanese with the guests.
1.2 Students interpret faxes in Japanese.
1.3 Students give briefings in Japanese.
2.1 Students consider Japanese cultural practices, such as writing a yosegaki, in planning for their guests.
2.2 Students may learn about certain Japanese cultural products, such as specific foods or shikishi.
5.1 Students interact with Japanese from outside of their school.
5.2 Students may cook Japanese food for the guests.

Standard 4.1 could also be addressed by including study of Japanese conventions for writing letters and faxes. If there is no way to arrange for actual guests to visit the school, this activity can be adapted by having the teacher write the fax for imaginary guests and roleplay a guest visiting the school. If only a single guest can come, the small groups could each answer one of the guest's questions and each group could propose a visit plan to be voted on by the class.

University students read a Japanese article on the Japanese education system and then have a discussion comparing the education systems in Japan and their home countries. Following the discussion, students form groups to identify an aspect of education in Japan in which they are interested and make a list of interview questions. The students learn appropriate ways, using keigo, to approach a previously unknown Japanese person, start a conversation, and then ask him or her to participate in an interview project. After practicing the interview procedure, students approach Japanese people on campus and in the community and conduct interviews with those who agree to participate. Following the interviews, students learn how to summarize the interview results. They then present the results to an audience of classmates, interviewees and/or other invited guests from the community, allowing time for questions and discussions after the presentations. Student groups are responsible for writing an article summarizing the results of their research and their reactions to the information learned. A newsletter or pamphlet is generated from these articles and distributed around campus to relevant locations (e.g., student union, study abroad office, and Asian student associations).

Reflections
1.1 Students discuss the Japanese and other education systems and interview Japanese on Japanese education.
1.2 Students read an article on the education system in Japan.
1.3 Students present their findings from interviews, write a summary article, and create a newsletter or a pamphlet.
2.1 Students learn about the educational system in Japan.
3.2 Students acquire information from Japanese people.
4.1 Students analyze the use of keigo when they address an unknown person.
4.2 Students compare the Japanese educational system with their own.
5.1 Students interview Japanese people and distribute their newsletter or pamphlet to the local community.

Similar activities can be implemented using topics other than education, such as environmental, social, and political issues. How the interviews are conducted (in person, by phone, via written correspondence including e-mail) is dependent upon the availability of native speakers in a given community.