Foreign Policy Research Institute A Nation Must Think Before it Acts Japan: Exploring Different Cultural Components of Japan Through Education, Declining Population, and Immigration

Japan: Exploring Different Cultural Components of Japan Through Education, Declining Population, and Immigration

*CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1 — Reading
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

*CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.2 — Reading
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

*CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.6 — Reading
Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.

*CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.10 — Reading
Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

*CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.1 — Writing
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

*CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.2 — Writing
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

*CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.4 — Writing
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

*CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.9 — Writing
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

– Students will be able to comprehend and explain how Japanese and American education systems affect their culture.
– Students will be able to explain how Japan’s culture has affected their population decline.

● Students will already have background knowledge about their own culture and have identified cultural aspects of different cultures prior.
● Students will reflect on a connection between their education and their culture
● Students will learn about the Japanese educational systems and draw connections to how it influences their culture.
● All sources are web-based and cited. Links provided directly where used
● Student instructions and activity follow:

Day 1
1. Bell Ringer: Discuss research findings on how Japanese Education System affects their culture
a. Hand formative assessment from yesterday

2. Map of Japan handout: Looking at your maps, star two places you believe would have the most population in Japan and explain why.
a. Find a partner and compare your answers
b. Class discussion
c. Show students an actual map of the most populated cities

3. Explain to students that though Japan’s major cities have a large population density; the
population of Japan, overall, is declining.

4. Watch clips of the film, World in a Balance
a. As students watch they will fill out the handout ‘World in a Balance’
b. Discuss video questions

5. Exit Slip: What action should Japan take to fix their declining population?

Homework: Read article below – https://newsela.com/articles/japan-smallschools/id/8844/

Day 2:
1. Bellringer: Pick three of the strongest exit slips from yesterday to show the students have them think, pair, and share why one of them would work or not work for Japan

2. Reflect on how your educational experiences in American public schools affects your personal culture. Discuss as a class student responses.

3. Read article, “How are Japanese schools different from American’s”
a. Find the main idea, support main idea with reasoned evidence

4. Find a partner and make a T-Chart comparing and contrasting school differences and similarities and choose two ideas and explain how this may affect Japanese or American culture.

5. Class discussion of main idea and reasoned evidence.

6. Using the whiteboard create a class chart that depicts differences in education system and have students explain their ideas of how this may affect culture
a. Focus on American culture to give students ideas for their formative assessment

7. Formative Assessment: Using the ideas posted on the board, students will research one of the ideas to explain the inquiry question: How has the Japanese Education System affected their culture.

Day 3
1. Bell Ringer: Discuss research findings on how Japanese Education System affects their culture

2. Students will read article, “Immigration is Tough for Japan”
a. Students will answer questions on handout

3. Students will brainstorm why Japan does not want to change their immigration laws.
a. Discuss as a class
b. Teacher will lead into the discussion of reasons why Japan doesn’t want to change their laws including cultural homogenous etc…

4. Give students inquiry question and have them research their stance on the following question.
a. Inquiry Question: Will Japan’s culture be affected by changing Japan’s strict immigration laws?
b. Remind students to look at the feedback on their formative assessments to help guide them in their writing

Day 1: Articles from newsela can be read in different lexile scores to meet the needs of students with different reading levels.

Day 2/3: Students can create T-charts with a partner or if they need more of a challenge can do it on their own. Teachers can pre-group students into mixed level groups. Articles can be read to students by teacher or google doc read. For the formative and summative assessment, students who struggle with writing, provide a graphic organizer to help students organize their thoughts. These students can also be provided different pieces of evidence that support the inquiry question. Struggling students can provide 2 pieces of evidence and reasoning instead of 3. For students who are high fliers, ask them to come up with their own inquiry question that will connect Education and Culture.

Students who complete the final task early will work on reading the article link below and will find the main idea and reasoned evidence to support the main idea. They can use the article link below to explore a different solution to the immigration problem that Japan is facing.
https://newsela.com/articles/japan-refugees/id/11953/.

Author
  • Ana Baker and Padi Kong
  • Wauwatosa West High School
Grade Level
  • High School: 10
Time Frame
  • Three 50 minute class periods

If you have any questions about this lesson plan, or if you wish to contact the author, please email us at history@fpri.org