The Culture of Japan

By:

Patricia Clay, East High School, Salt Lake City School District

This is designed to be an introduction to Japan, including a brief history, basic information about the arts, and understanding of modern Japan, for teachers and students before learning specific arts and crafts of Japan.

Objectives:

At the end of this lesson students will be able to:

  • Have an understanding of modern Japan based on historical and artistic information.
  • Understand the importance of Japanese poetry and be able to write haiku.
  • Explain the purposes and uses of collected objects, such as tea bowls, kimonos, food trays, etc.
  • Explain some of the artistic elements in scrolls, ink drawings and ceramic pieces.

Standards addressed:

  • Standard #2 for 3-D Design (Crafts) from the Utah State Office of Education, Fine Arts, Core Curriculum: Students will find meaning by analyzing, criticizing and evaluating objects of art.
  • This includes perceiving and being able to critique objects which involves analyzing, examining the functions, and interpreting the art.
  • This also involves evaluating the objects, through analyzing and comparing using a variety of aesthetic approaches, and evaluating the cultural objects based on their forming techniques.
  • This includes effective discussion of the art elements and principles, fulfillment of functions, impact of content, expressive qualities, and aesthetic significance.
  • Content Standard #3 for the Visual Arts (9-12), from the Kennedy-Center Organization for Teaching Standards: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols and ideas.
  • Achievement Standard, Proficient: Students reflect on how artworks differ visually, spatially, temporally and functionally, and describe how these are related to history and culture.
  • Content Standard #4: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures.
  • Students differentiate among a variety of historical and cultural contexts in terms of characteristics and purposes of works of art.
  • Students describe the function and explore the meaning of specific art objects within varied cultures, times, and places.

Notes:

Focus of Lesson/Unit: To understand the culture and arts of modern Japan, based on historical information, using photographs and real life objects.

Grade level: Designed for grades 9-12 and teachers of secondary students.

Subject area(s): Visual arts, specifically, but can be used in Language Arts (world poetry) and World History (the study of Japan).

Featured student skills: Comprehending, comparing and understanding.

Suggested time: 90-120 minutes

Advance preparation: Teachers need photographs of Japan (cities, streets, stores, crafts, temples, art objects, baths, clothing, etc.) and they need a collection of real life objects, such as kimonos, tea bowls, paintings, books, newspapers, etc. (This is designed for people who have been able to gather photographs and real objects.)

Materials:

  • Include artifacts, books, photos, videos, PowerPoints, required handouts of poetry, objects purchases for use in the classroom, such as clothing, food items, art work, ceramics, etc.
  • Teachers need to gather their individual items for this lesson; can be a great deal of variety.

Plan for Assessment:

  • Students will be able to answer questions developed by other students based on the presentation and the objects for show, in order to determine that they have mastered the material and can demonstrate the understandings they have gained.
  • Students will pass the objects around to each other explaining the art elements and purposes; this can be done in groups by tables or as individuals.
  • Teacher can decide if a written quiz needs to be given at the end of the lesson.
  • Students will write a haiku based on teacher's lesson about poetry; this is to be about one of the concepts learned about Japan and/or one of the objects shared.

Implementation:

  • Teacher will present the visual show of the photographs on large screen in the classroom.
  • This can be done in any order, as a general journey through Japan, which is what I have done, or by grouping photos based on areas, such as temples and religion, food and meals, clothing, daily work and activities, and the art of Japan.
  • This can be done as a two lesson, with the presentation done on one day, and the sharing and explaining of objects done by students on the second day.
  • This is based on teachers that have traveled to Japan or have access to and the desire to put a presentation together.  After the teacher has completed the presentation and sharing of the materials and objects, the students complete their summarization of their learning by sharing with each other in groups of individuals.
  • Student performance is measured by the teacher through observation of details in sharing and the knowledge of each student as they share with other students.

Extensions and Cross-Curricular Ideas:

  • Activities for further study: includes on going writing of haiku if desired; art projects based on Japanese art
  • How could you use this topic to teach in another subject?  My plan is to teach specific art projects, such as origami, fish printing, watercolor with haiku, and fish kites.
  • Students could continue on in studying any aspect of Japanese art or culture, such as soldiers and the armies, kite flying, ceramics, food, public baths, clothing, teach ceremonies, etc.
  • This study leads to the next lessons of art and crafts of Japan.  See attached lesson of these activities.