Targeted Standards:
1.1 Interpersonal Communication
2.1 Practices of Culture
2.2 Products of Culture
4.1 Language Comparisons
4.2 Cultural Comparisons
5.1 School and Community

Fourth-grade students at Santa Teresa Elementary School learn about some typical features of Japanese homes and proper manners when visiting a Japanese home. Photo panels are used to introduce basic vocabulary such as genkan, kodomobeya, daidokoro/kitchin, toire, tatami, futon, and beddo. Students discuss in English similarities and differences between American and Japanese homes and the existence of Western and Japanese styles in the same home in Japan. Students then review set phrases for greetings, leave taking, before/after eating, and thanking. After viewing some video clips depicting children visiting friends at their home, the teacher arranges for a Japanese guest to come to class and act as the Japanese host/hostess for a make-believe visit.

Reflections
1.1 Students use phrases for greetings, leave taking, before/after eating, and thanking.
2.1 Students use proper gestures and oral expressions for greetings, leave taking, before/after eating, and thanking.
2.2 Students look at photo panels and video clips to observe and identify authentic rooms and objects in a Japanese home. Students experience taking off shoes and wearing slippers appropriately during the make-believe visit.
4.1. Students realize that commonly used Japanese words (such as beddo and toire) are loanwords from English, and learn that English has borrowed some words from Japanese as well (such as futon).
4.2. By looking at objects in the Japanese home that are commonly found in American homes, students recognize that there are commonalties in Japanese and American life styles.
5.1. Students interact with a Japanese guest.

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Targeted Standards:
1.1 Interpersonal Communication
1.2 Interpretive Communication
1.3 Presentational Communication
2.1 Practices of Culture
2.2 Products of Culture
5.1 School and Community
5.2 Lifelong Learning

Students in an Indiana middle school Japanese class read a short article on hanami written by the teacher. Students then decide to have a hanami party. They divide into small groups to form committees, such as the scout committee, karaoke committee, games committee, invitation committee, record committee, and food committee, and discuss the various details of the party. Before the hanami party, the scout committee finds the best spot for flower viewing and writes an announcement of the location. The invitation committee writes an invitation letter to Japanese people in the local community. The scout committee goes to the location prior to the party and spreads a large blanket (preferably red) to secure the site. At the hanami party, the invitation committee greets the Japanese guests; the food committee serves food; the games committee leads the class in games; the record-keeping committee takes pictures; and the karaoke committee leads the group in singing Japanese songs. After the hanami party, representatives from each committee get together and make a poster (including photos) about the party.

Reflections
1.1 Students discuss their plans for the party; students plan in groups the details of the party; students write an invitation letter; and students talk with Japanese guests.
1.2 Students read about hanami.
1.3 Students write an announcement and make a poster about the hanami party.
2.1 Students participate in Japanese games and songs.
2.2 Students eat Japanese food.
5.1 Students invite Japanese people in their community to the party.
5.2 Students sing karaoke. Students may read English articles on hanami if their reading proficiency in Japanese is limited. If there are no cherry blossoms in the vicinity of the campus, you can view other blossoms such as dogwood, peach, apple, magnolia, etc. If a karaoke machine is not available, you can use a tape recorder.

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Targeted Standards:
1.1 Interpersonal Communication
1.2 Interpretive Communication
1.3 Presentational Communication
2.1 Practices of Culture
3.1 Making Connections
3.2 Acquiring New Information
4.2 Cultural Comparisons
5.1 School and Community

Students at Edison Middle School learned about world meteorological phenomena in their geography class, including tornadoes, blizzards, auroras, squalls and so forth. Students decide to learn about natural disasters and phenomena in Japan such as typhoons, tsunami, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. In this specific unit, students investigate typhoons. They divide into groups, and use a variety of resources (web pages, books and maps, interviews with Japanese people) to do research on when typhoons come to Japan; what path they take; what Japanese people do in preparation for them; and what damage they cause. Also, students compare typhoons with natural disasters that take place in the United States. Each group presents their research results to the class orally and using visuals.

Reflections
1.1 Students discuss typhoons and other natural disasters, and students may interview Japanese people on their experience of typhoons.
1.2 Students read web pages, weather forecasts in newspapers, Japanese atlases, and so forth; students view or listen to TV/radio weather forecasts.
1.3 Students present their research results.
2.1 Students learn how Japanese people cope with typhoons.
3.1 Students further their knowledge acquired in their geography class through the Japanese class.
3.2 Students acquire information through web pages, newspapers, and other sources.
4.2 Students compare people's reactions to natural disasters.
5.1 Students interview Japanese people in the local community or use e-mail. This could be part of a larger unit that includes earthquakes, tsunami, and volcanic eruptions, or each of the small groups could pick a different type of natural disaster to research and present to the class.

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Targeted Standards:
1.1 Interpersonal Communication
1.2 Interpretive Communication
1.3 Presentational Communication
2.1 Practices of Culture
2.2 Products of Culture
3.2 Acquiring New Information
4.1 Language Comparisons
4.2 Cultural Comparisons
5.1 School and Community

Students at West High School work in groups to author children's books in Japanese. Students begin the project by examining Japanese children's books, viewing several model books from past years' classes, and discussing how their work will be assessed. Students plan their stories together, integrating themes studied during the quarter (professions, community, homes, family, etc.). Students co-author the text of their books. Students engage in peer editing prior to submitting their drafts for teacher feedback. Students complete their illustrated books and read them aloud to the class. Following the reading, listeners answer comprehension questions designed by each book group. Then students visit local elementary school Japanese programs to read their stories to students there. Photocopied books are made for each student to keep. Students complete a project evaluation form, contributing insights into what they learned and what they wish they had known to better complete the project.

Reflections
1.1 Students exchange opinions about Japanese children's books and previous years' books. Later they ask and answer questions about the contents of the books they wrote and presented to each other.
1.2 Students read Japanese children's books and books from previous years and listen to their classmates' presentations.
1.3 Students present their work to each other and to elementary school students.
2.1 & 2.2 Students may choose to write about Japanese topics or about a non-Japanese character negotiating life in Japan. Cultural insights are demonstrated in the books' layouts, character behavior, settings, and language choice.
3.2 Students learn about Japanese children's books, including their layouts, what type of language is used in them, and what characters and themes are common.
4.1 Students learn about how books written for children differ from standard Japanese writing and about how Japanese and American children's books are both different and similar to each other.
4.2 Depending on the topic they choose for their stories, students may explore the concept of culture by comparing Japanese culture and their own.
5.1 Students visit local elementary school Japanese programs to present their stories.

Standard 3.1 may also be addressed if students write about topics connected to other subject areas. This activity, used toward the end of a grading period, serves as an opportunity for students to review concepts learned throughout the term. The students enjoy the opportunity to personalize their language learning by focusing on topics of interest to them. Sharing their books with elementary school students gives the class a sense of tangible success and helps to publicize the Japanese program. Even if the elementary school students have not studied any Japanese, students can help them enjoy the readings and understand the stories by acting out and showing the pictures.

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Targeted Standards:
1.1 Interpersonal Communication
1.3 Presentational Communication
3.1 Making Connections
4.2 Cultural Comparisons
5.1 School and Community

Students at Washington High School have a discussion about what they know about Japanese Americans and the WWII relocation camps. After this they read the book Farewell to Manzanar about the Manzanar relocation camp in Arizona. They divide into small groups to discuss in Japanese what they found most interesting about the book. Each group picks a topic that relates to the book, to their own interests, and to one of their other subjects (U.S. history, government, world history, etc.). They then research this topic using the Internet, books, and other resources. If there are Japanese Americans or other people who are knowledgeable about their topic living in the community, students can invite them to come talk with the class or go to interview them. After their research, the groups prepare presentations about what they have learned for the rest of the class and submit a written compilation of their research to a local or regional organization (Japan-America society, Japanese teachers' association, teachers' resource center etc.) for dissemination.

Reflections:
1.1 Students use Japanese in small group discussions.
1.3 Students use spoken and written Japanese to present information to each other and to others in the community.
3.1 Students research a topic that relates both to Japanese Americans and to one of their other school subjects.
4.2 Students compare the Japanese and American cultures and consider how they are intertwined in Japanese American culture during WWII.
5.1 Students communicate with individuals in the community present their research findings in writing to a community group.

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Targeted Standards:
1.1 Interpersonal Communication
1.2 Interpretive Communication
1.3 Presentational Communication
2.1 Practices of Culture
2.2 Products of Culture
5.1 Language Beyond School
5.2 Lifelong Learning

Students at South High School make a plan for some Japanese guests who will be visiting their school. Students read a fax message containing introductory information about the guests and questions related to their visit. The students discuss the questions and write appropriate responses. In their responses, they welcome the guests, answer their questions, and inquire about their interests and food preferences so they can plan activities for the visit. After the guests' responses are received, the students create a plan for the visit using their knowledge about Japanese customs and cultures to make the guests feel welcome. For example, the students may plan to give the guests a yosegaki or a special memento of their school. The students consider what type of food they should provide for the guests. Some students may try to cook Japanese dishes they have learned about in class or find American dishes they think Japanese may like for a picnic, barbecue, or dinner party. When the guests come, students give them an initial briefing in Japanese. Their briefing uses some visual aids and includes general information about the school as well as specific details about the schedule planned for the guests. After the briefing, the students host the guests in the planned activities.

Reflections
1.1 Small groups of students discuss their plans and how to respond to the initial fax. Students interact in Japanese with the guests.
1.2 Students interpret faxes in Japanese.
1.3 Students give briefings in Japanese.
2.1 Students consider Japanese cultural practices, such as writing a yosegaki, in planning for their guests.
2.2 Students may learn about certain Japanese cultural products, such as specific foods or shikishi.
5.1 Students interact with Japanese from outside of their school.
5.2 Students may cook Japanese food for the guests.

Standard 4.1 could also be addressed by including study of Japanese conventions for writing letters and faxes. If there is no way to arrange for actual guests to visit the school, this activity can be adapted by having the teacher write the fax for imaginary guests and roleplay a guest visiting the school. If only a single guest can come, the small groups could each answer one of the guest's questions and each group could propose a visit plan to be voted on by the class.

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Targeted Standards:
1.1 Interpersonal Communication
1.2 Interpretive Communication
1.3 Presentational Communication
2.1 Practices of Culture
3.2 Acquiring New Information
4.1 Language Comparisons
4.2 Cultural Comparisons
5.1 School and Community

University students read a Japanese article on the Japanese education system and then have a discussion comparing the education systems in Japan and their home countries. Following the discussion, students form groups to identify an aspect of education in Japan in which they are interested and make a list of interview questions. The students learn appropriate ways, using keigo, to approach a previously unknown Japanese person, start a conversation, and then ask him or her to participate in an interview project. After practicing the interview procedure, students approach Japanese people on campus and in the community and conduct interviews with those who agree to participate. Following the interviews, students learn how to summarize the interview results. They then present the results to an audience of classmates, interviewees and/or other invited guests from the community, allowing time for questions and discussions after the presentations. Student groups are responsible for writing an article summarizing the results of their research and their reactions to the information learned. A newsletter or pamphlet is generated from these articles and distributed around campus to relevant locations (e.g., student union, study abroad office, and Asian student associations).

Reflections
1.1 Students discuss the Japanese and other education systems and interview Japanese on Japanese education.
1.2 Students read an article on the education system in Japan.
1.3 Students present their findings from interviews, write a summary article, and create a newsletter or a pamphlet.
2.1 Students learn about the educational system in Japan.
3.2 Students acquire information from Japanese people.
4.1 Students analyze the use of keigo when they address an unknown person.
4.2 Students compare the Japanese educational system with their own.
5.1 Students interview Japanese people and distribute their newsletter or pamphlet to the local community. Similar activities can be implemented using topics other than education, such as environmental, social, and political issues. How the interviews are conducted (in person, by phone, via written correspondence including e-mail) is dependent upon the availability of native speakers in a given community.

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Targeted Standards:
1.1 Interpersonal Communication
1.2 Interpretive Communication
1.3 Presentational Communication
2.1 Practices of Culture
2.2 Products of Culture
3.1 Making Connections
3.2 Acquiring New Information
4.2 Cultural Comparisons
5.1 School and Community

Students in a Japanese class at Arizona College do a unit on tea. The students do group research projects to study topics such as how and when tea was introduced into Japan; the relationship chanoyu has had with Japanese art, architecture, philosophy, and religion; what roles tea played in the history of Japan; and what function tea drinking has in contemporary Japanese society. The students use a variety of resources to research their topics, including reading Japanese and English materials, viewing videos borrowed from the Japanese Consulate, searching for information on the Internet, interviewing local Japanese residents, and obtaining information from Japanese pen pals through letters or e-mail. They present their findings in Japanese, answer questions from classmates, and lead discussions related to what types of tea people in the world drink, what roles tea and other beverages have in countries other than Japan, and the health benefits of drinking tea. Students compile their written reports into a booklet about tea.

Reflections
1.1 Students use Japanese to interview and write e-mail to Japanese people. They work in groups to prepare their presentation, and they discuss their findings.
1.2 Students read materials and watch videos related to tea.
1.3 Students present their findings orally and in writing.
2.1 Students learn about the custom of tea drinking in Japan.
2.2 Students learn about tea and its relationship to Japanese perspectives.
3.1 Students make connections to the disciplines of architecture, art, history, philosophy, and religion.
3.2 Students use various sources of information available in Japanese to prepare their presentations.
4.2 Students compare the custom of tea drinking in various regions of the world. 5.1 Students communicate orally and in writing with Japanese people outside school regarding tea. This scenario can serve as a basis for content-related language learning. Research and discussion topics, ranging from traditional customs to contemporary society, are intellectually challenging to university students and stimulate their interest in learning about Japan. Similar scenarios could be designed around other products associated with Japanese culture, such as rice or paper.

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Targeted Standards:
1.1. Interpersonal Communication
1.2. Interpretive Communication
2.1. Practices of Culture
2.2. Products of Culture
4.2. Cultural Comparisons

Japanese language students at California State University read materials in Japanese and in English on gift-giving customs in Japan. They learn about several aspects of this tradition, including ochuugen, oseibo, wrapping, noshigami, and okaeshi. They examine several Japanese department store catalogues that feature ochuugen and oseibo gift items. They discuss issues such as the functions of ochuugen and oseibo in Japanese society and what items Japanese people give as ochuugen and oseibo depending on the hierarchical relationship between giver and recipient. They also compare their own gift-giving customs with those of Japanese, including the price of gift items and occasions on which gift-giving occurs (weddings, nyuugakushiki, etc.). Then, students decide what items they would send to their friends, colleagues, superiors, and teachers based on their relationship to the recipients, the recipients' taste, and other factors. They fill out an order form for gifts and/or do a role-play in which they order the gifts by telephone. As a final activity, they practice writing thank-you notes for gifts.

Reflections
1.1. Students talk about Japanese and their own gift-giving customs, order gifts by phone, and write a thank-you note.
1.2. Students read about gift-giving practices in Japan and examine gift catalogues of Japanese department stores.
2.1. Students read about and discuss gift-giving practices in Japan.
2.2. Students learn about common gift items used in Japan.
4.2. Students compare Japanese gift-giving customs and their own. Using gift-giving customs in Japan as a central theme, students can learn about many different aspects of Japanese culture as well as practice a basic daily activity--shopping and ordering. Authentic materials serve as a springboard for discussions on Japanese customs, human relationships in Japan, and comparisons between Japanese culture and the students' own. Teachers can easily adapt this activity to students at the high school level by changing the content of discussions and the level of speaking, reading, and writing practices.

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