JAPAN UNIT STUDY

                                                                               (c) Daneille Snowden
                                     JAPAN UNIT STUDY
                          Assembled & Researched by Daneille Snowden

Welcome to a fun Unit Sudy on Japan. My girls and I enjoyed this so much that we really didn’t want to stop. The longer we studied the more we wanted to learn and find there is still so much yet to learn. Yet, I feel the first thing that you should do with a unit study that entails geography is do just that: map the country and it’s important cities, waters, mountains and such.
Honestly, from that point: Pick a particular subject and learn it.
I use to follow unit studies to the ‘T’; but now we find that we wind off getting into one area and want to veer onto another route from that particular one. For example; we were going to cover instruments generally. But; “Wow!” As we dug deeper and deeper we began to learn about the Koto & other amazing instruments, thus off we went.
Just make sure you cover the history, religion, vocabulary, economics, currency, foods, places to visit, dress, etiquette, science and on. Your children will love all the crafts, hopefully enjoy writing research papers on the various topics as well as the literature in some of the folk lore.
Get a folder out have the kids decorate it. As you do this unit just have them assemble their info and work. Later they can put it in a nice format. You can use lap booking here if you wish. We chose not to this time.
We also made a section of our dining room to display their crafts, maps and some of their work (like their Japanese words).
We made a small pretend Tea Room as well. It was educational and fun to use the knowledge we attained and the creativity God gives.
HAVE FUN!

---------------------
Unit Study Site Elementary-High School

http://happyhomeschool.familyclassroom.net/Archives/Geography/Japan.shtml?vm=r

Pretty good; got it laid out well. Unit Study by
Below are the links and activities plus books we used.
Geography:  archipelago of 6,852 islands.[10] The four largest islands are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, together accounting for ninety-seven percent of Japan's land area. Japan has the world's tenth-largest population, with over 127 million people. he Greater Tokyo Area, which includes the de facto capital city of Tokyo and several surrounding prefectures, is the largest metropolitan area in the world, with over 30 million residents.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_islands_of_Japan?vm=r
Islands of JapanNumber of volcano’s: 124.65


We like Okinawa= from Karate Kid! J
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okinawa_Islands
  Okinawa Islands (map)islands (from North to South) of Japan are:Hokkaidō Honshū Shikoku Kyūshū http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan?vm=r






As the children did their work I would play Japanese instrumental music for them. I had to use youtube.com which was wonderful! DESIGN A TIME  LINE:http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/hh/goplaces/article/0,28376,555136,00.html?vm=rTime linehttp://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/history/index.htmlTime line

4 BOOK MARKS:

- http://www.abcteach.com/free/b/bookmarks_japan.pdf
-

THE SAMURAI:
- - http://www.learningthroughhistory.com/newsletter/archives/82005.php?vm=r
 Japanese Samurai

Japan Printables-we did quite a few.http://homeschooling.about.com/od/unitssubjgeog/ss/japanprint.htm
-


Cherry Blossom Coloringhttp://www.fantasyjr.com/cherry-blossom-coloring-pages/?vm=r



Festival Coloring Page
http://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/print/japanese-nanakusa-festival-coloring-page/?vm=r
-

Japanese Personal Seals
-http://hararie-japan-tokyo-tokyo.com/japanese_culture/temporary-category-a/seal-of-japan/?vm=r


Japanese: Crafts and Coloring Pages
http://www.caslt.org/resources/modern-lang/japanese-resource-links-crafts-colouring_en.php?vm=r

Chrysanthemum Corsages
http://www.crayola.com/crafts/detail/chrysanthemum-corsages-craft/
-


Excellent Selection of Coloring Pages
http://www.dltk-kids.com/World/japan/posters/index.htm-



                                                                                                                                                             

                    
ORIGAMI








MAKE THESE: Origami
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/origami/








Folk Legends- http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/folk/index.html?vm=r
You read the story (as authentic music plays & colorful animation is playing.

BONSAI:
http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_4949_grow-bonsai-trees.html?vm=r

Instruments & Entertainment:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Japanese_musical_instruments?vm=r
                                          String/wind/percussion
- http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/instrument.shtml?vm=r
http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/kabuki.shtml     Kabuki theatre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67-bgSFJiKc
http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/noh.shtml       Noh theatre
http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/bunraku.shtml Bunraku, or Japanese puppet theater

KIMONOS:
 http://www.ehow.com/search.aspx?s=KIMONO%E2%80%99S
How to make; wrap; history of...etc. Accord Academy
  http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/?vm=r
       Japan web site for kids
http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/kimono.shtml
-
I love the diagram of the kimono and the history.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107666.html?vm=r

They made minni drums: minni Taiko


MAKE A TRAVEL BROCHURE:
http://teachers.ausd.net/antilla/japanbrochure.html
Tourist teaching. This was really good, they got real creative here.
LEARN THE PROPER WAY TO EAT AT A JAPANESE REST./HOME/GREETINGS…:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e622.html
Japanese etiquette

LIST THE HOLIDAYS AND PLACE THEM ON A THEIR CALENDAR:
http://www.chiff.com/home_life/holiday/childrens-day.htm

Japan Rice Paddy 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC7h-B7jy6k 
Research about rice.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4829375_cultivate-rice.html 
How to Cultivate Rice
Types of Farming in Japan
http://www.ehow.com/list_6912300_types-farming-japan.html

JAPAN FOLK TALES
http://japanese.about.com/od/folktales/Folk_Tales.htm?vm=r

Koi: Koi fish is a decorative carp (Cyprinus carpio) developed in Japan during the 19th century.
http://www.ehow.com/about_6733853_natural-habitat-koi.html#ixzz1GJgJHAVq




http://www.waldsfe.org/UnitStudies/countries/japan.htm?vm=r
Excellent site, laid out perfectly

A Day in the Life of a Japanese Child
http://www.cusd.chico.k12.ca.us/libraries/elementary/japan/
--Webquest by-Nancy Leeka 

Popular Japanese

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2035.html

How to Hold Chop Sticks
- http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2039.html?vm=r

After School Jap. Clubs-
http://www.chicousd.org/libraries/elementary/japan/clubs.html?vm=r

Famous Japanese TV and Movie Characters
- http://www.cusd.chico.k12.ca.us/libraries/elementary/japan/famousjps.html

MAKE LANTERNS:
http://familycrafts.about.com/od/chinesenewyears/ss/eplantern_2.htm
Japanese Lantern Craft  Meaning of the Japanese Lanterns
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5563088_meaning-japanese-lantern.html?

JAPAN TODAY:  (Current Events)

WRITE A STORY/BOOK:

http://www.cusd.chico.k12.ca.us/libraries/elementary/japan/
A good assignment to do.
http://www.babynamescountry.com/origins/japanese_girl_baby_names1.html?vm=r
Japanese Names for girls.http://www.babynamesfamily.com/nationality/japanese_boys_names_1.html?vm=r
Japanese boy names.Japanese ‘surnames’ last names according to prefectures.-----
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~jpnwgw/Names.html?vm=r
'okasan' (mother) and 'otosan' (father)

Virtual Japanese Rest.-shows the etiquette, the foods and where they come from
…:fun
http://library.thinkquest.org/20013/?tqskip=1
YUM!!!




Haiku:  Wrote several poems; can be quite a challenge.


Seikan Tunnel :
 under water tunnel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seikan_Tunnel

Mt. Fuji: 富士山 上空

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Fuji?vm=r


Tokyo :
geography & history…older kids need to do their own research as well.

Kyoto:

Ven Diagram : Import & Exports  

geography & history…older kids need to do their own research as well.
on the differences and likes of US and Japan.
Favorite Product that we may use or buy. Research about it.

Suzuki Violin  Violin Research: 
 http://en.allexperts.com/q/Violin-2164/f/Nippon-Violin.htm?vm=r
http://www.collectibleviolins.com/history-of-the-violin.html?vm=r 
history of the Nippon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinichi_Suzuki_(violinist)
Shiniki Suzuki (info). (My daughter Felecia plays the violin both girls the piano using the Suzuki method).

 

  

Hiroshima:
Used American History book on WWII all on Japan’s part in the war & US bombing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9lwvImJqT0

snow monkey :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Macaque?vm=r

Our personal missionary to Japan: Joyce Kitano

Japanese Wedding-

Abacus wikipedia

Budhism/Christianity
http://gospelway.com/religiousgroups/buddhism.php?vm=r

Missions:-
http://japanmission.org/?vm=r
http://japanmission.org/?vm=r http://www.missionjapan.com/?vm=r-http://japanmission.org/?vm=r
these people really touched our hearts…good example on why there are still missionaries working to spread the Gospelvery good got the ‘feel’ of missions and the heart of God for the lost in Japan.
Japan.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQzhhB1feBo

Japanese Tea Ceremony

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoYZqd5tHN8&feature=related   

Bit educational.

Tea house or tearoom
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Tea_house?vm=r  

Brands of tea in Japan
http://coffeetea.about.com/od/advancedtea/ig/Japanese-Green-Tea-Images/

LESSON PLAN – THE TEA CULTURE

http://www.pardeehome.org/TeaCulture_Module.pdf?vm=r   

Japanese tea ceremony: A critique for screens and scrolls
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/3527?vm=r  

Tea Ceremonies
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Japanese+Tea+Ceremony&aq=o

--------------------------

BOOKS WE ENJOYED FROM THE LIBRARY

Count Your Way Through Japan 30183031370628

Shipwrecked     31806001188831    (true story really learned a lot about the culture, history and shipping, whaling and then U.S. History)

Commodore Matthew Perry     30183031784992

Karate   30183032926816

Welcome to Japan 30183031371675

JAPANESE THINGS by Basil Hall
Chamberlain Pub.by Charles E.Tuttle Co.
1971 (reprint 1994)
Title K is for kabuki: a Japan alphabet

"I Live in Tokyo" by Mari Takabayashi,"31806001564015

Japan JapanJapanSamurai;

Warlords of Japan

Traditional Crafts from Japan

Felecia & Tabitha with all their hard work and fun study!
WE LOVE JAPAN!



Tabby-My 3rd Grader

 

Felecia-My 7th Grader

Japanese Celebrations: Cherry Blossoms,Lanterns and Stars!" by Betty Reynolds
"Japanese Celebrations: Cherry Blossoms, Festivals and Flying Carp by Tazuko Inui
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuaqMf2VoO8Counting to 10+  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CGUhPisa4U

http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/japan/index.htmlhttp://japanesegeta.com/


Free Earthquake Lap Book Unit Study
Up-to-date info in all categories
*March 11, 2011 A terrible tsunami hit Japan (the last day of our study 3/11/11) the worse hurricane in record of Japan.
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke02W2gazUk

http://cp.c-ij.com/en/contents/3152/03349/index.html?vm=r

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110311/ap_on_re_as/as_japan_earthquake
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_earthquake  

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/earthquakes.php %20  

2012 and still have a passion for Japan. Here are the girls at the Japanese Stroll Garden in Springfield, MO. Included an authentic tea house. What a treat!