Reading 2 Learn Strategy (R2L)
Paragraph by Paragraph Planning Sheet
Name of Text: History Alive , page 246
8.10: The Edo Period
Topic Overview – background knowledge that students require:
We are studying Japan under the shoguns (c. 794-1867). It is important for us
to know the history of Japan as Australia shares an important relationship with
Japan.
Text Overview – a quick summary of the text:
This section tells us about the Edo period – a period where many people had
begun to live in bustling towns and where art and culture was becoming
much more important.
Paragraph Summaries:
Paragraph 1: Life in the Edo period
The first paragraph explains the different population distribution of Japan during this period.
Paragraph 2: Homes of the Rich and Poor
The second paragraph describes the towns in this period as well as describing the different
houses of various Japanese people.
Paragraph 3: Art and Culture in the Towns
The third paragraph tells us why art and culture had become more important to some people and
which types of art people had grown to love.
Reading 2 Learn Strategy (R2L)
Notes – Highlighted words from the text to be written on board:
Paragraph 1:
1850/Japan/30 million people
constant/ births and deaths/in balance
towns/grown steadily/hundred years/population distribution/changed
Edo/1.2 million
Next largest/Osaka/ Kyoto/ emperor lived
Paragraph 2: Homes of the Rich and Poor
Town streets/narrow-fronted wooden houses/ shops
Merchants and craftsmen/ carried out businesses from home/ work/ at/ front/
living/ back.
Samurai/ large mansions/ tiled roofs.
Veranda/ whole house/ timber floors/ rush mats called tatami
Sliding screens or shoji/ instead of walls
Poor farmers/ earthen floor/shingled roofs
Hearth/cooking/warmth
Small Buddhist alter/prayers/honouring ancestors
Paragraph 3: Art and Culture in the Towns
Art and culture/reaching/peak/Gonroku period
Townspeople or chonin/grown wealthier/afford/art, clothing and
entertainment.
Bustling ports/pleasure districts/busy markets
Kabuki theatre/popular pastime
Combining drama and dance/elaborate costumes
Plays/stories of ordinary life/attracted all classes of people
Reading 2 Learn Strategy (R2L)
Joint Construction – use the notes to write new paragraph to help you guide
the class during the Joint Construction phase:
In 1850 Japan had a population of thirty million people. The population was
constant because births and deaths were in balance. The towns had grown
steadily over the last hundred years so the population distribution had
changed. Edo was a city of 1.2 million people. The next two largest cities
were Osaka and Kyoto, where the emperor lived.
The town streets were made up of narrow-fronted wooden houses and shops.
Merchants and craftsmen carried out businesses from home and worked at
the front while living at the back of their houses. Samurai lived in large
mansions with tiled roofs. They had verandas around their whole houses and
timber floors on which they kept rush mats called tatami. Instead of walls
they had sliding screens (shoji). The poorer farmers’ houses had earthen floors
and shingled roofs. They had a hearth for cooking and heating. They had a
small Buddhist alter for prayers and honouring ancestors.
Art and culture reached a peak during the Gonroku period. Townspeople (or
chonin) had grown wealthier and could afford more art clothing and
entertainment. Towns were a place of bustling ports, pleasure districts and
busy markets. Kabuki theatre was a popular pastime. This theatre combined
drama and dance and involved elaborate costumes. The plays told stories of
ordinary life and attracted all classes of people.