Who Were the Samurai

Who Were the Samurai?

By Cate Sanazaro

* PRINT

* EMAILTHE ROLE OF TRADITIONAL ATTITUDES IN MODERN JAPAN

Aim

To what extent do traditional Japanese attitudes play a role in Japan today

Educational Objectives

1. Students will learn about contemporary Japanese culture.

2. Students will think critically about the affects of traditional Japanese attitudes on modern Japanese society.

Vocabulary

group solidarity

Motivation

Ask the class: What are some old traditions that are practiced by your family? Have any of your family traditions been discontinued? If so, why?

Development

1. Have the class read the selection either aloud or silently.

2. Discuss and/or have the students answer the following questions in writing.

Questions for review

1. According to Edwin Reischauer, how is Japanese group solidarity illustrated by their attitudes toward foreigners.

2. Why do the Japanese have a strong sense of separateness from other peoples?

3. What is unique about Japan as an industrialized country?

4. How did the Japanese integrate foreign ideas into their own culture?

5. Why might many industrialized countries find it difficult to hold onto ancient traditions?

Summary

How has Japanese history been driven by the two opposing forces of cultural change and the desire to maintain tradition?

Application (Writing Exercise)

Drawing from what you know of Japanese geography and history, what might account for some of the unique qualities of Japanese culture?

Homework

Look up the words adopt, adapt, and adept. How do these three words illustrate how the Japanese borrow from other cultures?

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Students conduct web-based research to discover information about the Samurai. After information has been gathered, students discuss their findings to compare and contrast information.

OBJECTIVE

Students Will:

1. Practice research skills using technology.

2. Locate information using a variety of resources.

3. Employ relevant pre-writing strategies and organizational techniques.

MATERIALS

1. KWL Research Chart (PDF)

2. Computers with Internet access

SET UP AND PREPARE

1. Compile a list of topics the students will research concerning Samurai and Haiku, write these on the board or use an overhead projector.

Suggested topics:

* Bushido – code of the Samurai

* Samurai Armor

* Shogun

* Samurai Quotations

* Haiku

* Basho – Haiku poe

* Samurai history

2. Make a class set of the handout KWL Research Chart (PDF)

3. Pre-determine partners for the research project

REPRODUCIBLES

1. KWL Research Chart (PDF)

DIRECTIONS

PART I (Day One)

Step 1:

Introduction: Generate interest and enthusiasm by announcing that today students will begin a journey into the mystical, magical Far East world of the ancient Samurai. Ask students to raise their hands if they are familiar with Samurai. Encourage students to respond with examples of where they have seen, or heard, of Samurai. Responses will most likely revolve around the warrior aspect of the Samurai. Ask students if they know that Samurai were also famous for their love of beauty and the arts.

Step 2:

Distribute copies of the KWL Research Chart (PDF)

Step 3:

Ask students to examine the words on the board. Say the words out loud. Ask the class if they know what country these words come from? What time period do they think these words are from? Ask students not to discuss what they know about the words just yet, but to choose 3, and list them in the boxes under the column marked “Topic” on the KWL Research Chart (PDF).

Step 4:

Ask students if they are familiar with a KWL organizer. Encourage students to predict what step they should take next.

Step 5:

Direct students to now write what they know about the three topics they chose in the first column, “What do I know?” Give students time to write their responses.

Step 6:

Encourage students to share responses in a class discussion, and compare and contrast the different entries.

Step 7:

Ask for predictions on what to do with the next column, “What do I want to find out?” Check for comprehension, and direct students to now write responses to this question for each topic.

Step 8:

Guide students to discuss appropriate responses. Encourage students to share their entries with the class. Ask the class if they can predict what will happen next? Explain to the class that the “What I Learned” column will be completed by conducting Internet research with a partner during the next class session. Assign partners, and collect papers to assess responses. It may be helpful to write suggestions on some papers.

Part II (Day Two and Three)

Step 9:

Now that students have examined what they think they know, it is time to begin the Internet research part of the project. Direct students to team up with their partner and compare the three topics each has chosen. It will be necessary to research all chosen topics, and each student is responsible for completing the information on their chart.

Step 10:

Direct students to search online for information on their topics, and to record important facts. Students should note the web sites where information was collected in the last column on the chart.

Step 11:

After all information has been gathered, students will share information with the entire class. Write all the facts on a master list. This can be accomplished on the board, or compiled as a handout and given to the students. Discuss the findings with the class.

Step 12:

Closure: Explain to students that the Samurai, while famous as warriors, enjoyed hundreds of years of peaceful time. During those years, the Samurai dedicated themselves to cultural enrichment. One such Samurai, Basho, (1644-94) is credited for creating Haiku as we know it today.

SUPPORTING ALL LEARNERS

Students may be partnered to benefit those in need of help with the research phase of the project. ESL students can write the information in their primary language.

LESSON EXTENSION

1. View the PBS Documentary Empires: Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire in class. This is an excellent media source to learn about the renaissance period of Japan as told by different people of the era; the Shogun, the Samurai, the Geisha, the poet, the peasant and the westerner.

2. Students can compile a list of other topics involving Samurai that they encounter during their research to share with the class.

ASSESS STUDENTS

This section of the lesson is best assessed through completion of the KWL Research Chart.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Complete sections of the KWL Research Chart (pdf)

2. Work with a partner to perform Internet research

HOME CONNECTION

Encourage students to ask parents/guardians what they know about the topics the student chose for research.

EVALUATE THE LESSON

1. Do you think any section of the lesson was unclear?

2. What could you do to generate greater understanding and enthusiasm?

3. What information do you think would be helpful for the student to know beforehand?

4. What would you add or change to make the lesson more meaningful to your students?

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Technology-Supported Lesson Template

Your Name: Jayna Eichelberger

Lesson Number: 1

Title: Shinto, Japan’s First Religion

Content Area/Grade Level: History/5th Grade (Core Knowledge Sequence)

Content Area Objectives Addressed:

The students will be able to :

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the geography and natural phenomena of Japan and the development of the Shinto religion through table and graph interpretation, activities, and projects.

2. Access prior knowledge to understand the unpredictability of Japanese weather and geology in order to realize how important it was for the early people of Japan to try to find a way to control forces of nature.

3. Use the knowledge gained from this lesson to perform satisfactorily on the Japanese Religion Quiz in order to help his/her group obtain moves, koku (wealth), and armies in the War Lords of Japan simulation.

4. Participate in centers activities that enrich understanding of Japanese culture, history, geography, art, and religion.

Technology Objectives Addressed:

1. Students will use Excel’s table and graphing features to show relationships between the natural phenomena of Japan and its earliest religion.

2. Students will use a teacher created accounting sheet to enter assignment results to determine moves, koku (wealth), and armies in the War Lords of Japan simulation.

3. Students will be able to instantly view their castle team standings on an Excel chart after completely entering data on the accounting sheets. They can also view graphs that compare each castle team’s strengths and weaknesses.

4. Students will be able to use the Internet site as a multimedia center to explore Japanese culture.

5. Students will use a Power Point essay to gain knowledge about Japan’s origins and it’s first religion.

6. Student will use Microsoft Word to create poetry, descriptive paragraphs, and proverbs.

Activity Description

What was the process that your students went through to complete this lesson?

Students are divided into six castle groups (Hokkaido, Shikoku, Edo, Nagasaki, Sendai, Osaka) and are participating in the War Lords of Japan simulation. The three-week simulation involves learning information about Feudal Japan through multimedia essays and activities and taking quizzes to earn wealth, moves, and armies on the game map. The objective is to become wealthy, buy many armies of Samurai warriors, and attack weaker castles in the goal of becoming Shogun of Japan. Each day offers a different topic. This lesson is for Day 3 of the simulation. Students have already learned about Japan’s mythical beginnings and the geography and geology of the Japanese islands.

Activity 1-Students view Power Point presentation that portrays information from

Warlords of Japan Background Essay 2: Shitoku and Japan’s early religions.

Activity 2-The Japanese Natural Disasters database and its graphs are projected onto Smart Board while teacher points out relationships through guided questioning strategies.

Activity 3-Students will rotate through two centers. Hokkaido, Shikoku and Edo

work on completing the spreadsheet student worksheet at the computers while Nagasaki, Sendai, and Osaka participate in their simulation role-play activities of Strategy Leader, Accountant, Writer, Calligrapher, and Artist. Accountants from each castle will access one of the three remaining computers to enter the Emperor’s rewards from the previous day. After twenty minutes the groups will switch.

Activity 4-Discussion

Activity 5-Quiz

Activity6-Strategy Leaders place their purchased armies and move on the game board.

Activity 7-Students view castle team standings on Excel projected to the Smart Board for the whole class to view. Teams have a few minutes to discuss their next strategy.

How did you monitor student progress? Teacher observation

Was there a template or an example that students were expected to follow? Students had examples of the products they were to complete at center activities as well as descriptions of role assignments.

How much time did you dedicate to this project?

Total-3 weeks for entire Japan unit (The lesson shown on video only accounts for Day 3 of the Warlords of Japan simulation plus center activities.)

Daily (approximate)-1 hour and 30 minutes

How was the final product presented?

Students shared their database conclusions in the class discussion. The graphed results for Day 3 of the simulation were displayed for comparison. The Pilgrimage Book became part of a Japanese display. Parents will be invited to a Tea Ceremony where students share several Japan projects.

Who was the audience for the final product? Parents will be invited to attend “A Day in Ancient Japan” where students share several Japan projects completed during the Feudal Japan unit of study.

Learning Issues

What prior knowledge was required on the part of the students in order for them to be successful in this project? (include curriculum and technology knowledge)

Students have had much practice with Word Processing skills. We have had one introductory experience with a database integrated lesson and no spreadsheet introduction. I have trained them to work cooperatively and collaboratively since the first day of school. They had little or no background knowledge regarding Feudal Japan. We have also worked the Writing Workshop model often so the projects requiring the writing process allow more practice in producing a piece of writing according to a rubric.

Resource Management

What was the student to computer ratio? 1 computer for every student during center activity.

How did you schedule your students’ computer time? Rotational Centers (30 minutes each center with one center being 5 computers.

What was the location of the computers and other technology equipment used by students? Centers are located at the back of the classroom in a bank along the back wall. The Alphasmarts are available to all teachers in the school on a traveling cart that can be checked out. It was located in the front of the classroom. Each student checked out a computer according to the labeled number on the front of the machine. The TV used for the Power Point is also in the back of the room as it is hooked up to a computer by an Averkey.

How would you suggest beginning teachers obtain computer resources for their students? (Knowing some of your strategies would be valuable for our pre-service teachers.) Most of the equipment I have in my classroom is the result of aggressive district, school, or individual grant writing. As far as the tools used, I usually create those myself using original ideas, Internet sites, or commercial products.

Rate the level of access for students to use computers/other technologies as they needed --high

Rate the level of supervision required for students during the project, specifically for computer and other technology use –medium

Materials

What hardware was required for your project?

5 multimedia, networked computers with monitor, speakers (or headphones), and Internet access.

T1 line

1 classroom printer

1 network printer

1 TV/Averkey

What software was required for your project?

Microsoft Office 2000

Anything else? Warlords of Japan Simulation from Interact, Website listed above, origami directions and paper, Japan Enchantment of the World by Ann Heinrichs tradebook, Zen garden kit, charts,

Assessment

What kind of assessment did you use for this project? (Include a copy if you can.)