Japan Lesson Plan
Comparing/Contrasting Japanese and American Education
Course: 7th Grade Social Studies, The Eastern Hemisphere
Lesson Overview: Students will use a variety of resources to learn how education in Japan is similar and
different to education in America. A highlighted difference is the practice of souji, a time at the end of
each school day when Japanese students clean their school. At the conclusion of the lesson, students
will write an argumentative essay where they argue either for or against American schools adopting the
Japanese practice of souji.
*This lesson is aligned to the new Common Core Literacy standards. The writing prompt uses
Argumentation Template Task 3, Comparison.
Materials Needed:
1. Cluster Map Graphic Organizer,
http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/cluster_web3.pdf
2. Pictures/video clips of students/schools in Japan
3. Short story from the Japanese perspective, “An Average Day in the Life of a Japanese Girl Named
Ayako” (Attached at the end of this lesson plan.)
4. Venn Diagram Graphic Organizer, http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/venn.pdf
5. “Education in Japan Webquest” (Attached at the end of this lesson plan.)
6. U.S. News and World Report article, “Communing Through Cleaning”
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070318/26pitchin.htm
7. T-Chart Graphic Organizer, http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/tchart_eng.pdf
8. Writing Prompt (Attached at the end of this lesson plan.)
9. Persuasion Map, http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/persuasion.pdf
10. Grading rubric for essay. (See separate pdf file.)
Procedure:
1. Have students brainstorm, using the cluster web, what they know/think about education in
Japan.
2. Lead a class discussion inviting students to share their ideas.
3. Show students pictures and/or video clips to give them a visual overview of education in Japan.
When possible, affirm or correct students’ ideas from brainstorming.
4. Read the short story, An Average Day in the Life of a Japanese Girl Named Ayako.
5. Have each student complete a Venn diagram to compare/contrast Ayako’s average day to an
average day in their own life.
6. Arrange students in small groups of 3-4 students. Have students share their similarities and
differences with each other.
7. Assign students the “Education in Japan Webquest.” This assignment will require the use of a
computer lab or students’ own technology.
8. As a class, discuss student responses and reactions to the webquest.
9. Tell students that they will be assigned a writing prompt related to the Japanese practice of
cleaning their school each day.
10. Give each student a T-Chart. Have them label one side Arguments FOR Souji, and the other side
Arguments AGAINST Souji.
11. Read and discuss the article, “Communing Through Cleaning.” Students should use the article to
add arguments to their T-Chart.
12. Show students several YouTube videos showing Japanese students during their souji time.
a. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd7tWufNX_Y
b. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3Gi5i_w-4w&feature=related
13. As a class, discuss the arguments for and against souji. Students should add these arguments to
their T-Charts.
14. Assign the Writing Prompt.
15. Give each student a Persuasion Map Graphic Organizer for them to use to organize their essay.
16. As time permits, allow time in class for students to work through the writing process.
An Average Day in the Life of a Japanese Girl Named Ayako
(based on “Families of Japan” video script from
http://www.familiesoftheworld.com/teachers.html)
While mother and father are at work, I arrive at school by 8am. We go to
school for three terms: April through July, September through December and
January through March, for a total of 200 days with a winter break in December.
We each have a locker where we keep our indoor shoes. There are also plastic
slip-on shoes in the bathroom that we use when we go to the restroom. I arrive
at class where I find my seat with my friends. There are forty children in my class.
This morning in physical education class we’re practicing our cheering for
Sports Day, which is next week. We’ll also perform a traditional dance from
Okinawa in our Social Studies class. We also have classes in English, Japanese,
and on some days we have art, music and vocational training.
Right now I am in my Japanese class. Because there are forty students, the
teacher usually lectures and we take notes. We use these notes to study for our
tests. The entrance exam to high school is very important to us since most of us
want to go to a good school so that we can eventually get into a good college.
While we practice, cooks are making lunch in the school kitchen. When we
come back to our classrooms, lunch is delivered there, and students take turns
serving and cleaning up. Today, we’re having squash soup, rice, and pork slices.
In the afternoon we take a math test. Then each of us works on an electric
car we’re putting together from kits for science class.
After school, we take turns cleaning the school. Then most students take
part in some kind of club after school. There are a lot to choose from. My club is
learning to communicate with deaf people using sign language. The cooking club
is voting on what to make next week. They’re tied between pancakes and french
fries, so the group decides to make pancakes one week and french fries the next.
We also have a cartoon club, science club, sewing club and all kinds of sports
clubs like baseball, tennis and soccer.
After clubs are finished, I ride my bike to a special private school for my
high school entrance exam. Many of my classmates are also attending, so I feel I
need to attend as well so I can be as prepared as everyone else. I know it costs
my parents a lot of money for me to attend, about 10,000 yen, which is about
$1,000. But my parents also want me to attend a good high school, so they work
hard so I can do this special program.
After the juku, I go home and do my homework for school. For homework
tonight we’re supposed to look at our family’s water bill to figure out how much
water we used and how much it cost. Then we have a late dinner after my father
gets home at about 8 or 9 pm. Now I am very tired so I will go to bed. Good
night!
Education in Japan Webquest
Directions: Go to the website: http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/schools/index.html.
Read the information on the page and answer the questions below.
1. How many years of school are required (compulsory) in Japan?
2. What do many students have to do in order to go to high school in Japan?
3. What are some pros and cons of having to take entrance tests for high school?
Pros
Cons
4. What do Japanese students typically wear to school?
5. What types of clubs do many Japanese middle school students participate in?
6. Some Japanese middle schools require all students to participate in an after-school club.
Why do you think this is required?
7. Use the “Q and A” at the bottom of the page to identify more similarities and
differences between school in Japan and America. Fill out the chart below with your
findings.
Similarities
Differences
8. Go to http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/schools/q9.html. Organize the similarities
and differences between the typical daily schedules of schools in Japan and the United
States.
9. Out of ALL the similarities and differences you learned about, which surprised you the
most? WHY??
Writing Prompt
After reading “An Average Day in the Life of a Japanese Girl Named Ayako” and
“Communing Through Cleaning” and after researching Japanese education on
Kids Web Japan, write an essay that compares American education to Japanese
education and argues for or against American schools adopting the Japanese
practice of souji. Be sure to support your position with evidence from the texts.