Unit Plan – Grade Eight: Medieval Japan, 1185-1600
Rationale: This unit is integral to the grade 8 Social Studies curriculum, which explores various world cultures. It addresses Japanese history and culture with a focus on the medieval period and will meet the prescribed
curriculum goals listed below. As Prince of Wales is made up primarily of students with an Asian background, it is important that the history of Asia is explored and the activities encourage students feel a personal connection to
the material. As this is a grade 8 class, the activities in this unit will be well-scaffolded so students are supported in their development of critical thinking and collaboration skills that will prepare them for the follow years of study.
The activities in this lesson also focus on multiple intelligences and learning styles so that everyone is encouraged to feel comfortable and engaged in the material being introduced. This unit aims to cover a significant amount of
material and to interest students in an important period of Japanese history while also exposing them to many different learning-based activities.
Prescribed Learning Outcomes:
 Gather and organize a body of information from primary and secondary print and non- print sources, including electronic sources
 Describe a variety of diverse cultural traditions and world religions
 Describe how physical geography influenced patterns of settlement, trade, and exploration
 Analyse how people interacted with and altered their environments, in terms of: population, settlement patterns, resource use, and cultural development
 Compare daily life, family structures, and gender roles.
Unit Goals:
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Describe the conditions that gave rise to feudalism, as well as political, economic, and social characteristics of feudalism, in Asia
Investigate the Japanese feudal structure and how it influenced daily life
Develop critical thinking and collaboration skills
UNIT LESSON OVERVIEW GRID
Lesson Title
Lesson 1: Introduction to
Medieval Japan
Lesson Critical
Question
How can we relate
Japanese feudalism to
European feudalism?
Specific Lesson Objectives
 Analyze the way Japanese
aristocratic life was
portrayed in the fictional
work, The Tale of Genji, by
Murasaki Shikibu
 Provide a basic introduction
to Japanese history
 Introduce the unit on feudal
Japan and set the tone for
the following classes
Methods/Activities
Introduction of unit
Hook: interactive Japan time-map use time maps to
introduce students to the geography of Japan and a brief
overview of Japanese history between the years 750 and
1648 AD.
http://www.timemaps.com/history/japan-1648ad
Activity: The Tale of Genji
Have students read sections from the Tale of Genji out
loud from their textbooks and excerpts that have been
handed out.
Unpacking Images from The Tale of Genji: show students
images on Scrolls from the story; scaffold analysis of
images in connection to pieces of the story read
previously; in small groups, have the students determine
what life was life in aristocratic feudal Japan based on their
knowledge from the story; what role did women play? Was
Murasaki Shikibu an anomaly?
Exit Slip ask students to fill out a handout and write
about one aspect of the class routine that they really
enjoy, and something new that they would like to see
Resources
Interactive Timemap
Pathways textbook
Excerpts from the Tale of
Genji
Images of scrolls from the
Tale of Genji
Assessment
Strategies
Formative: exit slip will
be collected to check
for understanding and
to assist in structuring
future lessons
implemented and their favourite part of history to learn
about
Lesson 2:
Geography of Japan
(link to BC geography?)
Lesson 3: Experiencing
Japanese Feudalism
How has the geography
of Japan influenced its
development?
 Demonstrate an
understanding of the
physical geography of Japan,
it’s physical relationship to
surrounding countries and
evaluate how geography has
influenced patterns of
settlement and trade
How is the history of
 Describe the basic social,
Japanese feudalism
political, and economic
different or similar from
structure of feudal Japan
other societies we have  Recognize the different roles
studied before? OR
people in feudal Japan were
How does the social
placed in and assess how
structure of feudal
these roles determined their
Japan define
lifestyles
individuals’ lives?
Hook: Have students discuss their diet here compared to
what we know about Japanese diet; then have the class
analyse these areas in which these foods are produced—
exploring the use of terraces, rice paddies, etc in Japan
(how the diet is determined by geography)
Activity: Teacher lead discussion on the main points of
Japanese geography—including the large percentage of
mountainous areas, high population density in the cities,
the uniqueness of the different regions, the islands, and
the agricultural practices
Activity: Case study of Himeji castle and its surroundings
provide students with photographs of Himeji castle
alongside geographical maps; have students collaborate in
groups to group the photographs with their descriptions
and then fill out a handout describing the relation between
the structure of Himeji and its geographic position; discuss
with students how this castle was similar to the European
medieval manor and the sustainability of the Himeji castle
commune
Closure: video providing further explanation on Himeji
castle
Hook: Fruit Ninja in Real Life video
Activity: students are given role cards for emperor,
shogun, daimyo, samurai, and peasants and arrange
themselves around the classroom to depict a model of
feudal Japan; based on the cards and the different stations,
students will act out the basic roles of the society so that
they can visualize the social, political, and economic
structure of Japan at this time (Medieval Japan job
descriptions)
Activity: Ninja vs. Samurai + role of samurai women
Show clip from The Last Samurai where the ninjas attack;
Have students analyse the film for differences between the
samurai and the ninjas; have students come up with as
many characteristics of both in pairs (alternating pairs
between ninjas and samurai)
Homework: divide the class in half and have each side
research either ninjas or samurai; inform them that they
will be participating in a brief class-wide debate over which
was more influential in feudal Japan. Go over research
techniques and sites that would be appropriate so that
students are prepared; students should also be aware of
the information on samurai in their textbooks (pg. 190191)
Powerpoint—potentially
using interactive Timemaps again
Folders with photos of
Himeji castle and its
surroundings with
worksheets for each
students
Summative: students
will be assigned a map
handout that they will
need to complete for
homework and which
will be graded for 5
marks
Himeji Castle Video
Real Fruit Ninja YouTube
video
Sets of role cards (with
station markers)
Ninja battle scene from
The Last Samurai movie
Formative: students
will be assessed for
learning based on their
participation during the
main activity
Lesson 4: Continuity and
Change in Feudal Japan
Which changes,
between the early and
late feudal Japan, most
significantly influenced
Japanese society at the
time?
 Understand the chronological
progression of Japan through
the feudal period
 Recognize the differences to
female roles
 Assess the impact that the
continuity and change of
specific aspects of feudal
Japan had on society
Hook: Begin class with short debate over which was more
significant to feudal Japan: samurai or ninjas. Then show
short videos on both (have students fill out a Venn diagram
comparing ninjas and samurai during videos that students
can use as notes)
Activity: Provide students with handout/overview of the
Historical Periods during feudal Japan (in folder):
Kamakura Period (1185-1333)
Muromachi Period (1336-1573)
Azuchi Momoyama Period (1568-1603)
Continuity and Change based on the handout and a
folder with images depicting political, social, military, and
geographical aspects of Japan, have students fill in the TC2
Continuity and Change handout; include images and
discussion of the role of women—images of Hojo Masa-ko,
“mother shogun” and Samurai women
Lesson 5: Feudal Culture
How does the study of
Japanese cultural
practices during the
feudal period help us
better understand the
more violent aspects of
the history?
 Review the importance and
range of the arts and
cultures in Japanese
feudalism
 Assess the intersection of
Japanese politics and culture
Exit Slip: students will be asked to write an exit slip about
the role of women in feudal Japan. They may ask questions
or write what they learned in class or outside of class
Hook: Have students close their eyes and listen quietly to
the video clip: The Zen Mind – An Introduction to Empty
Mind Films. After the clip, have them consider what points
of the video they would consider “religion.”
Activity: set up stations with pieces of art/poems for the
students to walk around and observe; provide worksheet
for students to complete during the gallery walk
Activity: group students and pass out briefs of the 3 major
religions in Japan (Shinto, Buddhism, and Zen Buddhism);
Jigsaw: have students read one of the briefs and then
explain it to their group mates; students listen as each
section is explained and fill out handout as notes; ensure
role of women in each religion is illustrated
Lesson 6:
What was the most
significant aspect of
Japanese feudalism
based on our study of
the period?
 Review and consolidate
information in preparation
for assessment
 Understand the main points
of the unit as a whole and
summarize those points in
relation to others
Closure: give students list of vocabulary for quest/review
session
Review (Jeopardy with Study stacks) +
Quest (Small test/big quiz)
Venn Diagrams
Informative
Samurai YouTube video
Ninja YouTube video
Overview of historical
periods of feudal Japan
TC2 Continuity and Change
Chart
Set of political, military,
geographical, and social
images from early feudal
Japan and late feudal
Japan
The Zen Mind video clip
(introduction)
Station markers
Art/poems for gallery walk
Gallery walk worksheet
Summative: Venn
diagrams will be
marked as homework;
exit slips will also be
collected
Formative:
participation in debate
will be assessed for
comprehension and as
learning to ensure
students are enjoying
themselves as well as
understanding the
material
Summative and
Formative: Students
will hand in their
religion handout for a
homework mark in
class or next day
Briefs on 3 Buddhism, Zen
Buddhism, and Shinto
Handout
Computer with study
stacks
Quest
Formative: a check for
understanding will be
taken during the
review session to
predict how students
will do on the quest
Summative: students
will be given a quest
(long quiz/short test)
about the unit
Notes:
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Research Japanese castle towns, like Himeji; compare to Medieval European castles
Investigate Japanese cultural practices—tea ceremony, Zen Buddhism, no dram (peaceful aspects)
Watch samurai film
Assess parallels between samurai military practices and training with the contemporary Japanese business community
Global Ed—The Japan Project; Enrique Rodriguez at Brooklyn Technical High School
Ninjas vs. Samurai (?)Info on How Stuff Works; class-wide debate: have students assess which were more important to feudal Japan; Venn diagram for notes
o Videos—Fruit Ninja in Real Life
 Division of classes by time period or by theme?
 Final review—study stacks; jeopardy
 A Case Study of Medieval Japan through Art: Samurai Life in Medieval Japan—from The Program for Teaching East Asia website; set up stations with pieces of art/poems for the
students to walk around and observe; provide worksheet for students to complete during the gallery walk
 SPAM lesson Samurai, Peasants, Artisans and Merchants; Mr. Donn’s lesson plan for feudal Japan
 Samurai Spiders video
 Memoirs of a Secret Empire on PBS
Note-taking lessons ensure students know which handout are considered “note-taking tools” so they know what to study for the test