pre-2011 high school ideas

[Anonymous]

Creating the Warrior: Introducing New Warrior Mode of Samurai Warriors

Standards:
Reading: Understanding and following directions
Comprehension Strategy: Stay and Stray, Prediction
Writing: Preparing written directions
Writing Process: Revision
Synthesizing multiple texts and multimedia sources of information
Analyzing a multimedia source for its cultural and historical
accuracy and credibility

Prerequisites: Reading/Discussion of Japanese, specifically samurai, history
Reading/Discussion of the way of the samurai
Reading/Discussion of religions associated with the samurai
Workshop Use of Laptops, Internet, and Unit Specific Websites
Workshop Use of PS2 Game System and Controllers
Familiarity with format of stay and stray activity

Materials: PS2 with wireless controllers
Samurai Warriors: New Warrior Mode
KOEI Co., Ltd. Game Site
Unit Specific Website
Online Journal Forum
Laptops with Internet Connection
LCD Projector or TV
Poster Paper
Computer Paper
Markers

Before Class Procedure:
1. Set up laptops, PS2 and LCD projector.

In Class Procedure:
1. Introduce New Warrior Mode of game via (booklet) handout and website and have students preview information found in booklet and on website.
2. Have students break into groups. Each group will become an expert on a section and will prepare posters and a presentation for stay and stray. The posters will include both written and illustrated directions. (Focus: How to understand, prepare, and follow directions in multiple formats.)
3. Run stay and stray. Debrief.
4. Brainstorm, record, and post responses in online journals to the following questions:

What qualities or skills are most important to a samurai? Why?
What skills might a novice samurai need to learn?
What is the role of a Samurai Master or Instructor?
What makes a good teacher?
Possible Response: They should demonstrate, observe, and give feedback.
What makes good feedback? What would good feedback look like?
Possible Response: It is clear, and constructive. It tells the student what s/he is doing right/wrong and gives suggestions on how to improve.

5. Have students write (in on-line journal) what feedback they think the master warrior would give for a poor, fair, good, great, or excellent performance.

Assess them on their ability to predict, their use of vocabulary and language associated with the samurai warrior, as well as allusions or references to samurai history, teachings, or traditional culture.

6. Play Samurai Warriors in new warrior mode following the procedures outlined in stay and stray. After each play round, have students compare their predictions to the feedback messages that pop up on the screen and note these comparisons in their online journals.

Were their predictions correct or close? How?
Were their predictions off? How?
Which was better, their prediction or the game message? Why?

7. Then, have students rate the messages from the master warrior on their authenticity.

Would a samurai master really say that?
Does the message concur with what you know about samurai history, culture,
practices, beliefs and teachings? How?
How could you rewrite the message so that it did?
What would you add? Why?

8. Have students rewrite the text in their online journals, adding historical and cultural vocabulary, references and allusions as fit.

Follow-up:
Students read each other’s responses in the online journal forum. Students then respond to each other’s revisions and select a few to keep as the class’ documentation of their project on Samurai and Samurai Warriors. These posts are then copied to a host site where the class could share their work with others.

Stay and Stray

General Directions

- Students will break into groups of three and read a determined section of the text.

- They will become an expert on that portion of the text and create two visual and textual representations of the information they have learned.

- One of these posters will “stay” with two of the students, while the smaller (8.5’’ by 11’’) poster will “stray” with one student.

- Students will sit in a circle around the room in front of their posters, and both the students who “stay” and “stray” will teach each group they encounter about their section.

- This way each student in the class will be an expert on one section and have exposure to all of the rest.

Specific Directions

The manual will be divided into the following sections:

Game Controls and Game Screens Handout pgs. 1+2
Movements and Attacks Handout pgs. 3+4
Defense Handout pg. 5
Character Growth Handout pgs. 6-10
Creating a New Officer Handout pg. 11
Exercises Handout pg. 12
Trials of Acceptance Handout pg. 13

Students will work in groups of three to create concise yet specific written and visual interpretations of this material to share with their classmates.

Students will “Stay and Stray” with their representations until each group has been exposed to each section.

Once students return to their original group, the movement will stop. Students will take 5 minutes to discuss with their group what they learned.

Briefly, each student will share out to the class on their posters.

Students will then have the background knowledge to prepare them to participate actively in the live game play that will accompany the unit.

[Anonymous]

Samurai Warriors: A Historical and Cultural Evaluation

Target Students

This unit is designed to motivate below-grade-level ninth and tenth grade readers, who test below the 20th percentile on California state exams, to find excitement, pleasure, and value in reading, writing, forms of multimedia and cultural studies. This population of students are what are considered CAP students, meaning they were the overflow of numerous other, inner city, high schools in LA Unified. Because of this, they represent a relatively low socio-economic class, as documented by Title I reports, and one who primarily speaks a language other than English at home. Many of the parents of these children work two and three jobs to support a large family living in cramped spaces. Many do not have time to spend monitoring their child’s education, let alone bring them to bookstores, libraries or museums. Most have difficulty contacting teachers, and numbers are always low for parent-teacher conferences.

However, despite the hardships that these students face, many of whom travel more than an hour via bus to school, they manage to make an impressive commitment to learning how to read and write at grade level. Because of this, they are extremely motivated in class and participate widely in reading at home. Yet, so much of their prescripted curriculum is word study, fluency builders and bookwork that they have trouble sustaining this dedication. Therefore, there is great need for more interactive and technologically based lessons that incorporate all the strands of their Language! program, a phonics based reading curriculum.

Unit Overview

This unit is a research-based, multi-cultural project that uses multimedia to stimulate narrative, expository, creative and persuasive writing, while working to improve student proficiency in reading and use of technology. Targeting students who fall below basic on state assessments of reading and language arts, this project will work to stimulate student interest in reading and acknowledgement of the great necessity for literacy, by transforming technology commonly used for entertainment into a medium for reading, discussion, evaluation and writing. While based upon something students do not consider rigorous activity, the work surrounding this project will be. Students will face challenging text, and be asked to synthesize their knowledge and understanding of multiple sources into critical discussions and writings.

In this unit students will research the history of the samurai in Japan and use that background knowledge to critique the teen rated video game Samurai Warriors by KOEI Co., ltd. Using a web site that I’ve created, students will read historical text, primary source documents, and game related materials. They will first complete a research project on both the samurai and Japan. Presenting these projects to the class, students will work on public speaking skills and further develop their background knowledge. From this point, students will research the game, its creation and connection to historical figures, costumes and events. Having thus acquired this information, students will read about game play and experiment with characters, battles, and game levels. The real connections between history, culture and game begin when students create their own warrior and play through the trainings, trials, and then ultimate test in order to be accepted into a warrior clan.

Throughout this process students will use strategies of prediction, summarization, and evaluation. As well, students will develop their reading and vocabulary by identifying word meanings through focus on affixes, roots, syntax and context clues. They will compose their predictions through creative, narrative writing and then analyze their work using expository writing. Determining whether or not their predictions supercede the game screen text, students will work on persuasive paragraphs.

Throughout the unit, students will participate in a web-based discussion forum and follow the six traits of effective writing as well as the revision process to create material for uploading to a class web page.

This unit will culminate with a final assessment. Students will compose either an expository or persuasive essay to post to the class’s web page. These essays will focus on the game’s ability to teach its audience about samurai and Japan. Some may also focus on the game’s ability to serve as a reading tool, and the ways in which it could be.

The following multi-media skills will be taught and assessed: Internet navigation, keyboarding and word processing, and basic web page design.

State Standards Addressed (In Standard Order)

2.0 Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials)
2.3 Generate relevant questions about readings on issues that can be researched.
2.4 Synthesize the content from several sources dealing with a single issue; paraphrase the ideas and connect them to other sources and related topics to demonstrate comprehension.
2.5 Extend ideas presented in primary or secondary sources through original analysis, evaluation, and elaboration.
2.6 Demonstrate use of sophisticated learning tools by following technical directions (e.g., those found with graphic calculators and specialized software programs and in access guides to World Wide Web sites on the Internet).
2.7 Critique the logic of functional documents by examining the sequence of information and procedures in anticipation of possible reader misunderstandings.
3.2 Compare and contrast the presentation of a particular theme or topic across genres to explain how the selection of genre shapes the theme or topic.
3.12 Analyze the way in which a work of literature is related to the themes and issues of its historical time period. (Historical approach)

1.0 Writing Strategies
1.1 Establish a controlling impression or coherent thesis that conveys a clear and distinctive perspective on the subject and maintain a consistent tone and focus throughout the piece of writing.
1.2 Use precise language, action verbs, sensory details, appropriate modifiers, and the active rather than passive voice.
1.3 Use clear research questions and suitable research methods.
1.4 Develop the main ideas within the body of the composition through supporting evidence.
1.5 Synthesize information from multiple sources and identify complexities and discrepancies in the information and the different perspectives found in each medium.
1.6 Integrate quotations and citations into a written text maintaining the flow of ideas.
1.7 Use appropriate conventions for documentation in the text, notes and bibliographies by adhering to those in style manuals.
1.8 Design and publish documents using advanced publishing software and graphic programs.
1.9 Revise writing to improve the logic and coherence of the organization and controlling perspective, the precision of word choice, and the tome by taking into consideration the audience, purpose, and formality of the context.

2.0 Writing Applications
2.2 b. Support important ideas and viewpoints through accurate and detailed references to the text or other works.
2.3 Write expository compositions, including analytical essays and research reports.
2.4 Write persuasive compositions.
2.5 Write business letters.
2.6 Write technical documents.

Written and Oral Language Conventions
1.2 Understand sentence construction.
1.3 Demonstrate an understanding of proper English usage and control of grammar, paragraph and sentence structure, diction, and syntax.
1.4 Produce legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct use of the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.
1.5 Reflect appropriate manuscript requirements, including title page presentation, pagination, spacing and margins, and integration of source and support material.

Listening and Speaking
1.1 Formulate judgments about the ideas under discussion and support those judgments with convincing evidence.
1.2 Compare and contrast the ways in which media genres cover the same event.
1.3 Choose logical patterns of organization to inform and to persuade, by soliciting agreement or action, or to unite audiences behind a common belief or cause.
1.4 Choose appropriate techniques for developing the introduction and conclusion.
1.5 Recognize and use elements of classical speech forms in formulating rational arguments and applying the art of persuasion and debate.
1.6 Present and advance a clear thesis statement and choose appropriate types of proof that meet standard tests for evidence, including credibility, validity, and relevance.
1.7 Use props, visual aids, graphs, and electronic media to enhance the appeal and accuracy of presentations.
1.8 Produce concise notes for extemporaneous delivery.
1.9 Analyze the occasion and interests of the audience and choose effective verbal and nonverbal techniques.

2.0 Speaking Applications and Their Genres
2.1 Deliver narrative presentations.
2.2 Deliver expository presentations.
2.3 Apply appropriate interviewing techniques.
2.5 Deliver persuasive arguments.
2.6 Deliver descriptive presentations.

[Anonymous]

I found some great websites to pull primary source material from. The Internet Modern Sourcebook@ http:www.fordham.edu/halsall/ and Boondocks.net.com@http://www.boondocksnet.com/search.html.

From these sources I pulled a copy of a Pears soap advertisement picturing Admiral Perry washing his hands with the caption reading: [the soap] "brightening the dark corners of the earth as civilization advances while amongst the cultured of all nations it holds the highest place--it is the ideal toilet soap." The picture feature the Admiral washing his hands with Pears soap surrounded by civilization, while also featuring natives in the corner of the advertisement lacking this progress.

This is a great resource to teach imperialism, stereotypes, and the concept of the "white man's burden." I also use the poem "White Man's Burden,"written by Rudyard Kipling, in conjuction with the Pears advertisement to teach Imperialism from the colonizers point of view.

This lesson satisfies the 10.4.3 requirement of the California State Standards.

The Pears soap advertisement is found on the Boondocksnet.com
The poem, "White Man's Burden" is found of the Internet Modern Sourcebook.

[Anonymous]

Two Day Lesson

California State Standard:
10.4.4 Imperialism from the perspective of the colonizers and the colonized and the varied immediate and long-term responses by the people under colonial rule.

Objective:
*Students will understand early views of Europeans from the perspective of China
*Students will understand China's response and reaction to European Imperialism.

Materials
*The reception of the 1st English Ambassador to China, 1792
*Qian Long: Letter to George III, 1793
*Primary sources may be downloaded from the following website:
Modern History Sourcebook@http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook.html
*Butcher paper
*Markers

Procedure
*QW: How do you thnk the Chinese view the Europeans? How do you think they will respond to Europe's pressure to trade?
*Students will spend about 5 minutes responding to this prompt. Then discuss the prompt with the class.
*Have the clas read the reception of the 1st English Ambassador to China, 1792
*Discuss the following:
1. What was the attitude of the Chinese monarch to the British ambassador?
2. How did the British ambassador comport himself in the presence of the Chinese monarch?
3. What was the purpose of the visit to the royal court?
4. What was the result of the visit?
*Have the class read the letter to George III, 1793. (It is long--the class may read only portions of it).
*Discuss the following:
1. What does king George want from China?
2. What does Qian Long state in his letter to King George?
3. How does Qian Long view the British? What language is used to convey this sentiment?
4. How do both of these sources reflect the feelings of the Chinese ruling class in regard to foreigners?
*Hand out a map of China to the students. Have them identify the city of Canton (Guangzhou). What is the significance of the city?
*On butcher paper, students may choose to construct a poster or T-chart illustrating the differences between the thinking of the Chinese and the thinking of the British in the late 1700s, early 1800s.
*Additional activity: Students respond to this question:
What would you do if you were advisor to the Chinese monarchy? Would you advise the monarchy to continue in isolation from the West, or would you advise the monarchy to become modernized?
Follow-up
Have students read the sources listed on the following websites:
*Emergence of Modern China, The Opium War 1839-42
http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/CHING/OPIUM.htm
*History of the Opium Trade in China
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/History/om/ommenu.htm

[Anonymous]

re: footbinding
The students are really fascinated by the whole footbinding ritual. There is an awesome documentary on A & E from time to time interviewing the last of the bound ladies. Good for taping if you can catch it. Also works as a great bridge between ancient vs. modern body modification. The ramifications of it then and now (piercing/tattooes/hair) especially in regards to treatment in the workforce and limitations because of it. Helps the 12 graders to see their near future. Also, how about the Japanese skin museum where they preserve tattooed skin?! Must be bonafide MD or artist (ie;Don Ed Hardy) to enter.

*JAPANESE SKIN SPECIALIST COLLECTS HUMAN TATTOOS FOR TOKYO MUSEUM    1950 magazine article, on two-and-a-half pages, about Dr. Sei-ichi Fukushi, a specialist in skin diseases and considered to be the world authority on tattoos, at that time.  Photographs of the skin of a Japanese gangster mounted on museum doors, members of the Tattoo League in a bathhouse, examples of designs and a Japanese tattooist at work.  Published in Life Magazine, 1950.
Wow- would love to see a copy of it.

re: Compare & contrast essays for the ELA/SPA "low stakes assessment" (LOL) & syandards.
Some kids dig comparing and contrasting Anime to American cartoons. High interest!

[Anonymous]

Like you, I haven't had much experience teaching East Asian concepts. I have taught Romeo and Juliet and found an article about an Indian-American (culture of India) who chose to go into an arranged marriage, even after she lived in the U.S. for several years. After reading East Asia, A New History (Murphey), I have a greater appreciation of the role family allegiance plays in the East Asian culture. I could compare that idea with Romeo and Juliet's times...and with the Latin culture.

I also have taught the novel Bless Me Ultima (Anaya) and one of the themes was the intermarriage of a family of herders with a family of farmers. The two sides of the family seemed in conflict about how to raise their son. I could see the historical conflict (perhaps more extreme in China than in Mexico) that has the mostly farming Chinese culture rejecting anything related to the nomadic people on the North. The farmers even disliked keeping goats and sheep -- and drinking the milk -- because they were associted with "the despised nomads." I think it would be interesting to help students see that these divisions have been found in a broad range of societies.

[Anonymous]

if there are any english teachers out there that teach modernist poetry you can use a few ezra pound poems to connect the students to asia. pound translated three li po poems (Jewel Stairs' Grievance, Taking Leave of a Friend, and The River-Merchant's Wife). i have taught The River-Merchant's Wife and have found success-both as a model of imagist poetry as well as a bridge to Chinese history, geography and culture. comparing the pound and waley translations might be interesting too. also, when teaching In a Station of the Metro, it is nice to introduce the hokku, as it appears to have influenced pound greatly. i also believe asian art compliments these poems.

[Anonymous]

I did visit the website, interesting. I would like to page through the middle school sexology textbook.

Frank =:O

[Anonymous]

Thank you for this information. These two topics are very high interest, especially tattoos and body modification/piercing. They are so young and making a decision to alter your body is not one to be taken lightly. Additionally, I think the students think their generation invented these things. I like how you tie this into how it will affect their future job prospects and I think I could tie some information in, while teaching them resume writing (on the securing employment, interviews) etc. The students think by modifying themselves they are setting themselves apart, being an individual, however, sadly they are only conforming to a current fad (or resurrgence).

[Anonymous]

Since punk rock has returned with a vengeance you might consider teaching the terrors of Pol Pot and/or/versus the cushy American life via this classic punk rock song by the Dead Kennedys at

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/deadkennedys/holidayincambodia.html

There are some naughty bits but you can cut/paste around them. P.S. Don't forget to mention lead singer
Jello Biafra's failed bid for San Francisco mayor! nice to see a punk musician w/brains.

[Anonymous]

I put together a website and course which may be beneficial to teachers at the high school level. It has some ideas on different topics of interest regarding East Asia. It shows an example of a webquest you can use to teach abot East Asia's geography. You can also craete other webquests in similar formats on virutally any topic.
http://international.ucla.edu/asia/lessons/kmilton/

[Anonymous]

I came across the 'Travels of Marco polo'. It's very interesting. The only problem is how I would make it fit in the high school history standard. I think we should be given a say in formulating the standard. There is much history about Asia which has been left out in the California High school standard.

[Anonymous]

One of the topics in High school World history is Imperialism. I have been teaching imperialism in East Asia. I wonder if there is any person who also teaches Imperialism to share some ideas with me.

[Anonymous]

Japan the second largest economy in world is part of Asia I will be teaching next semester. Please feel free to give your comments. See the attachment

[Anonymous]

Collins...one of the most important things I have learned through this seminar is the importance of relating different topics to one another...maybe you could include some arts of Japan and other cultural stuff to connect when they are making their posters?[Edit by="bklank on Aug 16, 12:22:27 PM"][/Edit]

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