Area of Study: Humanities:
Geography Level 5
LEARNING,
TEACHING
and ASSESSMENT
Year:
8
Duration of unit:
Focus Question/Unit Title:
Feudal Japan
Contact Teachers:
Rhiannon Beck (Shogun Beck) Janice Lindsey(Ronin Lindsey)
Standards
Multiple Intelligences
 Linguistic
 Mathematical
 Spatial
 Musical
 Kinaesthetic
 Interpersonal
 Intrapersonal
 Naturalistic
Thinking Skills
 Habits of Mind
 Debono’s Hats
 Debono’s DATT
 4 – MAT
 Bloom’s
Taxonomy
 Play Based
Learning
Co-operative Learning
 Think/Pair/Share
 Roundtable
 Send/Pass a
Problem
 Jigsaw
 Information Gap
 Keys to Life
Graphic Organisers
 Mind Maps
 Venn Diagrams
 Analogy Charts
 5 W’s
 Fishbone
 Start/Middle/End
 PMI Charts
 KWL
 Decision Charts
 Data chart
Diamond Ranking
Sources of evidence
 Documents
 Artefacts
 Graphics
 Contemporary
media
 Online resources
 av
Assessment
 Annotated
timeline*
 Media report*
Analyse and describe key events in ancient and medieval societies
Compare key aspects of past and present societies such as daily life, social and political ideas and
structures, and cultural values and beliefs 
Use a variety of sources to describe aspects of these past societies 
Describe aspects of daily life such as work, the division of labour, family, clothing, housing and
education
Explain features of community life including myths and legends, religious beliefs and practices and cultural
expressions such as art and drama
Analyse ways societies were governed, identify political features and explain the nature of the political
system, the dominant groups and how they established and maintained power 
Describe the roles of key individuals and evaluate their contributions and legacies
Analyse change and continuity over time
Compare aspects of past societies with the present
Demonstrate understanding of key concepts of democracy, governance, the rule of law, justice, religion,
liberty, authority, leadership, culture and feudalism 
Explain the influences of such societies on contemporary societies
Learning Focus
Understand how ancient and Medieval societies have provided a foundation for the modern
world 
Consider why the Age of Exploration began, investigating voyages and New World Discovery.
Enhance concepts such as time, chronology, sequencing, change and continuity, and cause
and effect, and develop a broad historical map to locate periods of history in a timeframe 
Explore origins of written law, democracy, the calendar, limitations on the power of a monarch,
and origins of worlds major religions
Historical reasoning and interpretationFrame key research questions to guide their investigations
Plan investigations and locate sources
Report on their findings
Use a range of primary and secondary sources, including visual sources 
Identify content, origin, purpose and context of historical sources 
Evaluate historical sources for meaning, point of view, values and attitudes
Identify some strengths and limitations of historical documents 
Use appropriate and relevant historical evidence to present a point of view
Use relevant historical conventions such as bibliographies 
Use a variety of forms to present their understanding: annotated timelines, multimedia
presentations, posters, charts, diagrams, reports , case studies, biographies and oral reports 
Civic knowledge
* identify and discuss the qualities of leadership through historical and contemporary examples. 
Tuning In Activities (ie; Pretests, KWLH)
ENGAGE
Lesson one
1.
Feudal Japan PowerPoint to initiate discussion about what the helmets and
warriors tell us about the society; (H drive/allkla materials/SOSE 2010/year
8/Japan
discussion points; warlike, value warriors, protect warriors, high status of warriors,
discuss use of animal symbolism; antlers; why?
Note the protection around the neck; why? (protect against shame of decapitation: take head as
battle trophy,)
Compare armour to that of knights in medieval Europe; metal plates tied together with cord;
lighter and less rigid; enabled a lot of movement when fighting. Allow about 5 ,mins; engage only
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timeline*
Mulitmedia
presentation*
Research Report*
Case study*
Biography*
Poster or chart*
Historical
Conventions*
Oral report*
Test
Authentic Tasks
Rich Task
Presentation
Image analysis
Product
Group Tasks
Performance
Self-Assessment
Portfoliosdigital/paper
Brief
Investigations
Rubrics
Peer Assessment
Negotiated
Personalised
OTHER (specify)
Unit Outline/Activities:
EXPLORE
Lesson one
The focus of today’s lesson is to find out about this society The task will be to write
a historical description about feudal Japan.
Ref:Medieval Japan handout based on Big Issue part 2
Heading in students books: Life In Feudal Japan
Student read handout about Feudalism and Japan and write an introduction to Feudal Japan.
Use the writing cycle process;
1. tell students we need information to answer these questions
What When, Where, Who, Why and How it worked.
2. Read document through: as reading look for words that will answer the questions
3. Ask class for words that will answer the questions AND list the words on board;
Check with class that there are enough words to answer the questions
4. Students write a paragraph in their book to introduce Feudal Japan. Show use of words from
the board by underlining them. Some student may have trouble composing their answer,
suggest they write a sentence that includes what, where and when. The another describing
who and how it worked. Finish with a sentence saying why.
Students are to pay attention to the use of complete sentences and correct sentence
punctuation.
This will be the first assessment task; Historical Knowledge and
Information
A sample answer:
Japan had a feudal system between the 12 and 17 th centuries. The Emperor was really a
figurehead. The Shogun was his chief warlord. The shogun gave land to nobles called daimyo, and
they swore that they would be loyal to him. The landholders had warriors called samurai who
would fight for the shogun. This system gave power and protection to the Shogun .
EXPLAIN what Japan was like at the end of the Feudal period
*specified in VELS
ICT
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GIS
Word
Paint
Excel
Publisher
brochure
Publisher Flyer
Publisher
newsletter
PowerPoint
Producer
PhotoStory
Movie Maker
Web Page
CD ROM
Email
Internet research
Interactive
Internet activity
*
Lesson two Find out more about life in Feudal Japan Use Movie “Last Samurai”
Give a little background to movie;
In the 1870s, Captain Nathan Algren, a cynical veteran of the American Civil war who will work for anyone, is hired by
Americans who want lucrative contracts with the Emperor of Japan to train the peasant conscripts for the first standing
imperial army in modern warfare using firearms. The imperial Omura cabinet's first priority is to repress a rebellion of
traditionalist Samurai -hereditary warriors- who remain devoted to the sacred dynasty but reject the Westernizing policy
and even refuse firearms. Yet when his ill-prepared superior force sets out too soon, their panic allows the sword-wielding
samurai to crush them. Badly wounded Algren's courageous stand makes the samurai leader Katsumoto spare his life; once
nursed to health he learns to know and respect the old Japanese way, and participates as advisor in Katsumoto's failed
attempt to save the Bushido tradition, but Omura gets repressive laws enacted- he must now choose to honor his loyalty to
one of the embittered sides when the conflict returns to the battlefield..
Scene 4 :
Algren’s arrival into Japan at Tokyo (capital city)
Scenes 9-20
battle scene and scenes of village life. (9-20) allow about 15 mins
1. Students collect information on data chart about life in the 1870 in Japan,
(H drive)
2. Lesson three Research a comparison with a western country: add to data chart
ELABORATE
Lesson four. The structure of Feudal Society
a. Read p 90-91 “Humanities Alive” while making notes on role of
daimyo and samurai using fishbone diagram – Aim for at least5 points
about each
b. Worksheet: Recreate the table in pairs (need to cut up prior to lesson) and stick into
books.
c. Prepare a diagram showing the structure of the feudal triangle of Medieval Japan. (You
can give them a template if you think they need it, but it might be a good thinking task to
see how they go on their own.) template below.
Alternative activity
FEUDAL HIERARCHY OF JAPAN
Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hierarchical_structure_of_Feudal_Japan and design a diagram
that reflects the power and status of each class.
It should contain shogun, daimyo, samurai, peasants, farmers, craftsmen, merchants and women.
Assessment Task(s)
EVALUATE
Lesson five.
Assessment Piece; Writing about leadership
Describe the responsibilities of 4 groups within Feudal Japanese society.
Include leadership. Your writing should include as many of the listed terms
from the marking scheme as you can. Look them up in a dictionary then
underline the terms as you use them. The more you use appropriately, the higher your rating
Lesson six.
Select two images for study. Complete these activities for the images:
Write a heading to show which level of Japanese society is being represented, then answer these
questions for each:
For each image,
1. What type of document is it? Is it primary or secondary evidence?
2. Describe what you see in the image. Include details about people, setting, location,
action, events, time in history.
3. Study the people in the image. Identify their position in feudal Japan.
4. Use evidence from the image to justify your decision.
5. Evaluate the image for it’s use as an historical source.
a. Make a suggestion about why this document was created
b. Who do you think the intended audience was?
c. Do you think it is an accurate representation of life in feudal Japan? Why? Why not?
Students are to hand in an assessment folio that includes
1. Historic description of feudal Japan
2. Data chart comparing life in feudal Japan and a western society in the 1870s
3. Society jigsaw chart and diagram
4. Leadership description
5. Image analysis.
Assessment Rubric attached below
Resources: Class sets
Humanities Alive 2
Audio visual: VCR/DVD
“Last Samurai” movie starring Tom
Cruise
Other student references
ICT resources
Feudal Japan powerpoint
Samarai facts and worksheets available at
http://samuraikids.com.au/samuraifacts.html and
http://samuraikids.com.au/articles.html
These worksheets include
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Legendary Samurai – Miyamoto Musashi
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Legendary Samurai – Sasaki Kojiro
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Legendary Samurai – Minamoto Yoshiie
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Legendary Samurai – Taira Masakado
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Castle defences
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Gutsy Girl Samurai – Hangaku
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Gutsy Girl Samurai – Nakano Takeko
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Gutsy Girl Samurai – Tomoe Gozen
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Sword testing on criminals
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Seppuku
The Samarai Duel – An Eye Witness Account
and more worksheets coming soon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Japan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hierarchical_structure_
of_Feudal_Japan
http://samuraikids.com.au/articles.html
There are interactive maps at the following
locations…
http://www.japanwelcomesyou.com/cssweb/display.
cfm?sid=1294
http://samuraikids.com.au/interactivemap.html#
Teacher references
Resource people(include contact details)
LIBRARY RESOURCES
Odijk, Pamela, 1989, The Ancient World: The Japanese,
Macmillan Co, Melbourne, VIC.
Located at 952.01
ODI
Tames, Richard, 2003, Exploring History: Japan, Belitha Press,
London UK.
Located at 952 TAM
Scott, Don and Dann, Lindsay, History in SOSE 1: ancient and
medieval, Macmillan Society and Environment Series, South
Yarra, VIC. Chapter 8, pp.208-225
Located at 930 SCO
Other Teacher resources (Imperial Democracy and
Colonial Expansion, 1890-1945) located at
http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/content.cfm/imperial_ja
pan_1890-1945_1
LITERACY
note making
answering questions
extended answers
essay
summarising
close exercise/matching
interpretation
analysis
constructing arguments
oral presentation
listening to guest speaker
annotations\
writing cycle
NUMERACY
interpreting statistics
calculating percentages
interpreting graphs
constructing graphs
rank ordering
INTERDISCIPLINARY
links to:
English Novel.
Maths
Science
Geography
Economics
The Arts
Design, Creativity and
technology
Civics and Citizenship
HPE
COMMUNITY
LINKS
Lesson four: Jigsaw Task – Cut up and give out to pairs.
Social Class
Social, Political and Economic Context
Emperor The chief of several
clans or family groups called ubi
became the Emperor when one of his
class took political power.
The __________ and the imperial family had the highest social status. He was
a figurehead, a leader in name only. He was the religious leader, but had little
political power, and in reality was under control of the shogun's clan.
Economically, the people of all other classes of society provided for the
_________ and his court.
Shogun The shogun was part of
the warrior class, and considered to
be a noble.
The __________ was the military leader of the most powerful of the
Emperor's clans. The clans often fought to acquire this high social status. The
_________ was the actual political ruler. He had a high social status and those
of the other classes provided for his economic needs in return for protection
and privileges (e.g., a small portion of land, some of the produce of the land).
Daimyos The daimyos were part
of the warrior class. They were
nobles at the top of the samurai
class. Daimyo translates to mean
"great names."
The ___________ were the shogun's representatives. They ran the estates
according to the shogun's rules. Their swords were their most valuable
possessions because they were required to use them often to demonstrate their
loyalty to the shogun. They had high social status as members of the warrior
class. They lived in huge castles surrounded by moats.
Samurai The samurai were
members of the warrior class.
The ___________ were professional warriors of the military aristocracy. They
were loyal to the shogun and daimyos, in whose castles they resided. Their
position gave them fairly high social status, but little political power. Their
economic needs were met by lower classes similar to the arrangement with the
daimyos and the shogun.
Ronin The ronin were paid
soldiers whose loyalty was with the
leader they defended at the time.
The ________ were wandering samurai who had no daimyos. They worked as
body guards for rich merchants or as paid soldiers during civil war. They had
low social status, no political power and depended on others for their
economic well-being.
Peasants The peasants were the
largest class, constituting 90% of the
population.
The ____________ included farmers and fishermen. They had very low social
status, no political power and were very poor. They were valued because they
produced the food for all other classes, and often made the material for
clothing. The ____________ paid taxes to the daimyos and shogun in the form
of rice and work. Often _________ starved when they had to give up more
than two-thirds of the year's crops to the upper classes in return for being able
to remain on the land.
Artisans The artisans were the
craftspeople who made a variety of
wood and metal products to meet the
needs and wants of the other classes.
The __________ crafted a variety of products including art, cooking pots, fish
hooks, farm tools, utensils, ship anchors and swords. The __________, who
were well-known for their exceptional swords, were highly respected.
However, on the whole, this class was not as respected as peasants because
they did not produce food.
Merchants
The merchants sold goods and
produce made by others.
The ___________ were of very low social status and seen as unimportant
because they produced nothing of value and lived off the efforts of others'
work. So low was the respect for these sellers that, often, they were made to
live in separate locations and not allowed to mix with other classes except to
do business.
Feudal Japan Assessment Rubric
Name..........................class.............
Historical Knowledge and Understanding
Tasks
4.25

4.50

4.75

5.00

5.25

Understands the role
of leaders
Evaluation of leaders
Analysis and
evaluation of leaders
Identify political
features and how
power is established
and maintained
Identification and
analysis of
significant events
and their
implications for
leadership
2. Data Chart
Knowledge of daily
life in the past
Comparison of daily
life in different past
societies
Comparison of daily
life in past societies
and present societies
Analysis of daily life
in a past society
Analysis of changes
to daily life in a past
society
1. Written Summary
2.Data Chart
3. Society Jigsaw
4. Leadership
description
5. Image analysis
Understand concepts
such as ‘monarchy’,
‘feudal’, ‘oath’,
‘loyalty’, ‘society’
and ‘civil war’.
Understand concepts
such as ‘power’,
‘governance’,
‘authority’ and
‘aristocracy’.
Analysis of concepts
such as ‘feudalism’,
‘democracy’,
‘imperial’,
‘figurehead’ and
‘mercenary’.
Demonstrated use of
terms such as ‘social
status’, ‘social
structure’, ‘class’,
‘vassals’ and
‘hierarchy‘.
Understand concepts
such as ‘liberty’,
‘culture’ and
‘justice’.
4.50

4.75

5.00

5.25

Identifies the
qualities of
leadership in the
past and the
present
Reflects on the
quality of
leadership,
comparing the
achievements of
leaders of the past
and present.
Identify and discuss
the qualities of
leadership using
examples from past
and present
4.50

4.75

5.00

5.25

Identification of
primary and
secondary sources
Question point of
view, values and
attitudes of sources
Locate a range of
sources
Use historical
evidence and
bibliographies
Use range of sources
including visual
sources
Evaluate range of
sources and identify
strengths and
weaknesses
Use a variety of
presentation forms,
utilizing historical
conventions
Synthesis of written
historical evidence
Use of concepts such
as change and
chronology
Locate a range of
sources and identify
gaps
Analysis of context,
purpose and
completeness of
sources
Use oral and written
presentation forms,
incorporating
evidence and
referencing
1. Written Summary
3. Society Jigsaw
5. Image Analysis
Civics and Citizenship
Tasks
4.25

4. Leadership
description
5. Image analysis
Identifies leaders
and their
achievements in
past and present
Historical Reasoning and Interpretation
Tasks
4.25

Image Analysis
Image Analysis
Image Analysis
Some new things I learnt included:
What I did well:
What I would like to improve the next time:
Identify strengths
and weaknesses of
sources
Selection and
evaluation of sources
for reliability and
completeness
Use evidence to
support opinions,
utilize historical
conventions