WebQuest:
Set Up a Samurai
Training School
(Middle and Upper Primary)
Samurai Kids 1: White Crane Text © 2008 Sandy Fussell Illustrations © 2008 Rhian Nest James Reproduced by permission of Walker Books Ltd, London SE11 5HJ
1. Introduction
Niya teases Sensei and says he might
start his own ryu training school.
The bath is filled with cool mountain spring water. I sink
until, like a frog, only my eyes are visible. Fear of failure
floats away with the mud. There is nothing wrong with
being a frog. Maybe, when I am Sensei, I will build the
Frog Ryu.
‘Maybe you will,’ the wizard says inside my head. ‘But
now it is time to hop out and let someone else bathe.’
(chapt. 11 p. 105)
Your task is to help Niya set up the Frog
Ryu by becoming one of the teachers.
2. Task
Your team must find out about samurai training – what
did the students learn, how did they learn, what
equipment did they need?
Each team member will assume one of the following
roles:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Archery Teacher
Wrestling Teacher
Haiku Teacher
Zen Master
Ikebana Instructor
Sword Master
One person may teach more than one subject.
Unfortunately you won’t get paid. The samurai teacher
was considered invaluable so a price could not be put
on his/her services. However, your students might bring
you offerings.
3. Process
1.Choose one or more roles
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Archery Teacher
Wrestling Teacher
Haiku Teacher
Zen Master
Ikebana Instructor
Music Teacher
Sword Master
Origami Teacher
2.Click on your role (listed above) to see which websites you
will be visiting to research your new job
3.Prepare a report on what you will be teaching, and how you
will teach it.
4.Prepare an exam of 5 questions to test your students’
knowledge.
5.The team’s reports and exam paper will form the new Frog
Rye teaching program.
The Calligraphy Teacher
Sample report
Japanese calligraphy is called shodo, ‘the way of writing’. It is
considered an art.
The strokes of the characters have to be done in strict order.
Straight lines should be strong and clear, and curving lines
should be delicate and mobile. The shape and position of the
characters drawn, the gradation of the ink, and the force of
the brushstrokes are all important.
Kanji is one of the three character sets. Traditionally, kanji are
written in vertical columns from the right to the left side of the
page. Calligraphy is signed with a red seal – the artist’s name.
Calligraphy is best taught in the classroom where there is a
stable flat surface. The materials needed are a black mat, a
bamboo and animal hair brush (fude), black ink, special paper
(washi) and a metal weight to hold the paper down.
The ink, called sumi, comes from charcoal sticks which must
be rubbed with water on an inkstone until the right
consistency is achieved.
The Calligraphy Teacher
Sample Exam
1.What is the Japanese name for
calligraphy?
2.In what direction is calligraphy written?
3.How many character sets are there?
4.What materials are needed?
5.Where does the ink come from?
The Archery Teacher
The archery teacher will visit:
Samurai Longbow
Samurai Arrows
Wikipedia – Yabasume archery
Kids Web Japan – Yabasume & Kyudo
How Stuff Works: Samurai: Training for Life and War
(excellent picture)
Mounted Samurai Archers in Japan today (recreation
with photos)
The Wrestling Teacher
The wrestling teacher will visit
Jujitsu (samurai unarmed combat)
Wikipedia – Jujitsu
You Tube – samurai and jujitsu
The Haiku Teacher
The Haiku teacher will visit
Wikipedia - haiku
Haiku and poems by samurai
Haiku – A definition
Matsuo Basho – famous samurai haiku poet
Haiku – ‘how to’ especially for kids
The Zen Master
The Zen Master will visit
Samurai and Zen
Wikipedia - Zen
Wikipedia – koans
A list of popular Zen koans
David Suzuki – the man who brought Zen to the West
(Japan Times article 2006)
The Ikebana Instructor
The Ikebana Instructor will visit
Wikipedia – ikebana
Kids Web Japan – Ikebana
The Basic Styles
Japan Lifestyle – Picture Gallery
The Music Teacher
The Music Teacher will visit
Wikipedia – the koto
Wikipedia – the shamizen
Wikipedia – the taiko drum
Riley Lee – Australian Grand Master of the shakuhachi
flute (listen to samples)
The Sword Master
The Sword Master will visit
Samurai katana
Samurai Sword making
Samurai Sword Facts
Castles of Japan Thinkquest
War, warfare & Weapons in medieval Japan
How Stuff Works: Samurai: Training for Life and War
(excellent picture)
The Origami Teacher
The Origami Teacher will visit
Wikipedia – Origami
Kids Web Japan – origami overview
Easy origami
History of Origami
Joseph Wu – Origami Master (visit the gallery)
4. Evaluation
Simple evaluation.
Max
Points
Research
Thoroughly researched topic
10
Effectively used technology
10
Collaboration
Worked well as a team member
10
Presentation
Neat and edited
10
Accurate
10
Submitted on time
10
Identified equipment needed (rpt)
10
Produced teaching scenario (rpt)
10
Created exam test
10
Demonstrated solid knowledge of topic
10
100
Self
Assess
Teacher
Assess
5. Conclusion
Congratulations.
You have not only helped
Niya establish the Frog Ryu,
but learned some interesting
information about samurai
training.