Required parameters are missing or incorrect.
Grade Level Curriculum Overview
GAKKO 2013
First Grade: My Family and Me
Students will learn the dynamics of the immediate and extended family members in
Japan. Food staples found in Japanese homes such as rice, soybeans, and seaweed
will be explored and tasted. Students will be allowed to showcase their family and share
with others what makes his/her family special.
Buddy students from 6th grade will provide learning support in various class activities.
Daily
Radio taiso, singing, recess, tasting
Weekly
Cooking, library, origami, Japanese language lesson
Week 1
Gakko facilities tour, rice, undokai
Japanese: parts of face & body, colors
Week 2
Sharing time, foods from the sea, storytelling, origami class, decorate happi coat, field
trip
Japanese: family members, counting 1-10
Week 3
6th grade presentations, noodles, obon odori, chopsticks, gakugeikai
Japanese: animals (pets), simple greeting
Class songs: Musunde, hiraite
Atama, kata, hisa
2013 JKPG Curriculum Overview
Rev. 9/2012
Required parameters are missing or incorrect.
Grade Level Curriculum Overview
GAKKO 2013
Second Grade: Matsuri/Festivals
Students will learn about major holidays and festivals celebrated in Japan. They will be
given the opportunity to compare and contrast how celebrations differ from those in the
United States.
Buddy students from 5th grade will assist the class from time to time.
Daily
Radio taiso, singing, recess, tasting
Weekly
Cooking, library, origami, Japanese language lesson
Week 1
Summer festivals -Tanabata & Obon, make fans and kachi-kachis, undokai
Japanese: undokai vocabulary, numbers 1-20
Week 2
Fall and Winter festivals -Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year, storytelling, dharuma,
Japanese games, kite making, origami class, Japanese zodiac, field trip
Japanese: days of the week, months, animals (zodiac)
Week 3
Spring festivals – Boys’ Day & Girls’ Day, carp streamers, emperor & empress craft,
obon odori, gakugeikai
Japanese: write name in Japanese, simple self introductions
Class song: Kirakira boshi (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
Third Grade: Decorative and Performing Arts
2013 JKPG Curriculum Overview
Rev. 9/2012
Required parameters are missing or incorrect.
Grade Level Curriculum Overview
GAKKO 2013
Students will learn taiko drumming; learn about Japanese instruments and performing
arts such as bunraku and noh. Decorative arts will include projects such as tie-dye,
ikebana, and calligraphy.
Daily
Radio taiso, singing, recess, tasting
Weekly
Cooking, library, origami, taiko, Japanese language lesson
Week 1
Japanese musical instruments – taiko, shamisen; make bachis, learn tradtions of taiko,
undokai
Japanese: review of Japanese from grades 1-2, undokai vocabulary
Week 2
Storytelling, Japanese theater, noh (mask making), bunraku (puppets), origami class,
field trip
Japanese: Kanji numbers 1-10, counters, write first and last names
Week 3
Decorative arts - ikebana, sumi-e, calligraphy, make hachimakis, obon odori, gakugeikai
Japanese: beginning conversation (greetings & self introduction)
Class song: Sakura, Sakura
Fourth Grade: Japanese geography and culture/traditions
Students will learn about the islands of Japan, and well-known Japanese cities and
sites. Elements of Japanese culture such as ikebana, calligraphy, martial arts, and
traditional symbols and icons will be explored.
2013 JKPG Curriculum Overview
Rev. 9/2012
Required parameters are missing or incorrect.
Grade Level Curriculum Overview
GAKKO 2013
Daily
Radio taiso, singing, recess, tasting
Weekly
Cooking, library, origami, Japanese language lesson
Week 1
Japanese geography, famous sites, major cities, creation of a travel brochure or poster,
undokai
Japanese: undokai terms, review of Japanese grades 2-3
Week 2
Elements of a Japanese home and garden, make zabuton and zen garden, storytelling,
origami class, field trip
Japanese: simple home & garden terms, asking & giving simple directions
Week 3
Japanese good fortune symbols, wall hanging, ikebana, calligraphy, obon odori,
gakugeikai
Japanese: self-introductions, useful expressions
Class song: Do Re Me
Fifth Grade: Japanese/American History
Students will be learning the history of the Japanese Americans in the United States.
History will span from first generation immigrants to the mid 1900’s. Social issues
brought on from the camp experience will be discussed. Students will read a biography
of Mary Tsukamoto, one of the founding members of Jan Ken Po Gakko.
5th grade students will be serving as buddies for 2nd graders for some joint activities.
2013 JKPG Curriculum Overview
Rev. 9/2012
Required parameters are missing or incorrect.
Grade Level Curriculum Overview
GAKKO 2013
Daily
Radio taiso, singing, recess, tasting
Weekly
Cooking, library, origami, Japanese language lesson, read selections from biography
Week 1
Issei immigration, Wakamatsu colony, undokai preparation
Japanese: grades 3-4 language review
Week 2
Kirigami, storytelling, make furoshiki, identify camps, Nisei in WWII, origami class, field
trip
Japanese: words associated in the J/A experience, telling time
Week 3
Guest speaker, camp arts and crafts, calligraphy, camp food, obon odori, gakugeikai,
Japanese: beginning conversation
Class Song: Don’t Fence Me In
Sixth Grade: Cultural and economic influences between the US and Japan.
Japanese-American role models/heroes
Students will research famous Japanese or Japanese/Americans that fit the meaning of
heroes or role models. A biographical presentation will be created as a final project.
Students will also learn how cultural and economic exchanges between Japan and the
United States have made an impact on each country.
6th graders will serve as student role models for 1st grader as classroom buddies.
2013 JKPG Curriculum Overview
Rev. 9/2012
Required parameters are missing or incorrect.
Grade Level Curriculum Overview
GAKKO 2013
Daily
Radio taiso, singing, recess, tasting
Weekly
Cooking, library, origami crane folding, Japanese language lesson
Week 1
Select role model/hero report/presentation, undokai review, art project with 1 st grade
Japanese: basic conversation
Week 2
Work on presentation, share Japanese items, storytelling, origami class, explore
American & Japanese economic & cultural ties, field trip
Japanese: American words assimilated into Japanese language & culture
Week 3
Guest speaker, biography presentation for 1st grade, calligraphy, Obon odori,
gakugeikai
Japanese: Money and exchange rate
Class song: TBD by Sensei
2013 JKPG Curriculum Overview
Rev. 9/2012