Download interdisciplinary, cross-regional and standard-specific units, Outreach World

Download interdisciplinary, cross-regional and standard-specific units, lessons and instructional aids designed by teachers and scholars and tested by practicing precollegiate teachers affiliated with the National Resource Center network.

1. Activities Based on Japanese Folktales

Lesson plan/outline designed to teach students some aspects of Japanese culture through folk literature.

2. Age of the Samurai

Warriors of Japan

3. Akutagawa: "In a Grove" and "Rashomon"

A lesson in literary criticism for high school students

4. An American Perspective on Japan: Oral History Memoirs of American Experiences in Japan

A lesson plan on the experiences of Americans in Japan.

5. An Introduction to Noh

Teacher/student resource on the oldest surviving form of Japanese theater, Noh drama.

6. Analyzing Japanese Imperialism

Lesson plan on Japanese imperialism.

7. Article 9 of the Japanese Consitution

Lesson plan evaluating the historical background and effects of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution.

8. Asia for Educators

A comprehensive website with links, resources, and lesson plans for teaching about Asia

9. Asia Tic-Tac-Toe

A game to study countries in Asia

10. Asian Educational Media Service

A search engine for locating descriptions and reviews of teaching materials plus information about how to obtain them

11. Ask Asia

A K-12 Resource of the Asia Society

12. Bashô's Narrow Road to the Deep North

Video unit on Matsuo Bashô's Narrow Road to the Deep North discusses the notion of travel as metaphor and the figure of Bashô as a symbol of spiritual freedom in Tokugawa Japan.

13. Being in the Noh

An Introduction to Japanese Noh Plays

14. Can You Haiku?

Traditional rules and conversations of haiku of Japan

15. Castle Town Maze Activity

Lesson plan offers an introduction to life in Japan during the late feudal period (1600-1868), known as either the Tokugawa or Edo Period.

16. Contemporary Japan: Culture and Society

Teacher/student resource from Columbia University describes the character of urban and rural life in Japan.

17. Contemporary Japanese Relief Painting

A lesson plan designed to teach students about Japanese relief painting through the artwork of Fumio Fujita.

18. Culture Clash

An introduction to Japanese culture for middle and high school students

19. Decision-making in the Japanese Government

A short essay describing the various organizations that influence Japan's political decisions followed by an extensive role play in which students debate whether income taxes should be raised or lowered.