The Japan Forum > Click Nippon > Class Ideas

Students read the interview article about Aoyanagi, a tatami maker who makes bags with tatami, and explore traditions in their own environment and how they have been passed down. Students then create a commercial or flyer for the tatami bag.

Read the interview article about Mr. Sato, a member of the staff of Kanagawa Animal Protection Center, and learn about an animal protection center in Japan and Mr. Sato's efforts to protect animals' lives. Students then reflect on their own relationship with animals and develop greater empathy for animals through discussion. Students also create a poster to promote animal welfare.

Cara Fletcher, a student at Yokohama National University, interviewed Mr. Sato, a staff member at the Animal Protection Center for a Tokimeki Shuzaiki project. In this issue, students read about Cara’s personal experiences with animals as a child and her motivation to learn more about animal care in Japan.

Study the importance of preparing ourselves in case of disaster, especially storing emergency food, which leads to a discussion of what we can do to protect ourselves. Then, by studying some simple recipes, learn about some examples of traditional Japanese dried ingredients. Compare these with ingredients familiar to students, then have students create their own recipes for emergencies.

Students will read the article of a stationary designer, and explore the culture and meaning of personalizing stationary and other items as well as making handmade items.

By reading an article of a father who makes Kyara-Ben, students will learn about Kyara-Ben as a Japanese food culture and understand what he wants to express through making them. Students will also design their own Kyara-Ben and explain their thoughts for each item. The recipes of Kyara-Ben are available to expand the lesson to cross curricular learning.

Students explore Japanese values and culture emerging from the Japanese concept of uniform.
Students consider the roles of uniform and effects on different points of views; those who wear them, those who make their staff/students wear them and the public. Comparing Japanese uniform culture and that of Australia, students realize Japanese high school students consider their uniform as a form of fashion.

By reading a poem, Dear Fukushima, students will become aware of various global issues and comprehend the issues of Fukushima as close to home, not just someone else’s problem. Students will be lead to take the ‘far away Genpatsu issue’ to the personal level. Students will also connect people, people’s emotions and the issues which we are all responsible for. In the process of studying this unit, students will notice and cultivate ‘Power of words’.