Title: Japanese kitemaking

Japanese Kites

Ashlee Van Hout, Ginger Jay, and Jody Lindemann

Context: This lesson is intended for second or third graders within a larger unit about Japanese culture and customs. This would be the third or fourth lesson in the unit so students know the location of Japan and have a general idea about Japanese culture. In the previous lesson, the class discussed ChildrenÕs Day and its importance in Japan.

Time: 30 minutes

Objectives:

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the characteristics of a traditional Japanese kite by creating their own kite in the traditional Japanese style.
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the relationship between kitemaking and Japanese holidays by correctly explaining the relationship their kite has to a specific Japanese holiday.
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of Japanese New Year customs by comparing them to American New year customs.

Benchmarks (taken from the Oregon Social Studies and Arts benchmarks.)

Connect information in text to life experiences, text, and the world.

Understand an event, issue, problem, or phenomenon from multiple perspectives.
Identify an event or condition which inspired a work of art.
Create, present, and/or perform a single form of art, using experiences, imagination, artistic methods, and composition to obtain a desired effect.

Preparation:

Gather materials for making kites ( see attached).

Obtain an overhead projector.

Bring a computer and bookmark the following websites: http://japanese.about.com/library/weekly/aa123100.htm

http://www.tooter4kids.com/Japan/kites.htm

http://marian.creighton.edu/~marian-w/academics/english/japan/shrinetemple/temples.html

Lesson Introduction

Discuss and list American New YearÕs traditions (5 minutes)

Ask students what traditions their families do at New YearÕs

list on board and discuss

Ask students if they think Japanese traditions are the same/different:

What might be some Japanese New YearÕs traditions?

List and explain Japanese New YearÕs traditions

End of the year cleaning

Decorations

Food

Watch night bell

Kites and games

Visiting temples and shrines

Read and discuss Japanese New YearÕs song (3-5 minutes)

Sing in Japanese with students.
Read in English
Explain context of song
Refer back to other holiday activities

Show students kites on website

Discuss which kites are used for which holiday

Art Extension (see attached) (15 minutes)

Closure (3-5 minutes)

Have everyone come together on carpet and share kites.

Questions:

What kind of kite did you make?

Why did you choose it?

What holiday is it related to?

Would you make a kite for a holiday your family celebrates?

Assessment

The assessment for this lesson will be informal and will take place through observation. I will know that the students have understood the lesson if the kites they create some representation of traditional Japanese kites, and if they are able to explain which tradition or holiday their kite represents.

Japanese Kites- Art Extension

Context:

This activity will take place during a thematically integrated unit on Japan and following a lesson on the history of Japanese kite making.

Objectives:

During this lesson, students will have the opportunity to create a representation of a traditional Japanese kite using a variety of materials and mediums.

Benchmarks:

Grade 3- The Arts

* Identify an event or condition which inspired a work of art.
* Create, present and/or perform a single form of art, using experiences, imagination, artistic methods and composition to achieve desired effect.

Materials needed:

Picture books of Japanese kites

White paper/Carp pattern

Oil crayons, markers, colored chalk or watercolor

paints

Glue sticks

String

Hole punch/scissors

Streamers or ribbon

Process

* Set art materials up on tables in the back of the room prior to the activity.
* Briefly review the significance of carp kites in the Japanese culture and bookmark any pictures you wish to use as examples.
* Allow students to create their own kite on blank paper or use the pattern provided to make a carp kite.

*Explain the steps needed to complete the kite:

1. Choose the type of kite you will create.

2. If you are making a carp kite, you will need to decorate both sides.

3. Color your kite using paints or crayons (or both).

4. Glue or staple your kite together.

5. Punch holes at top for the string.

6. Glue or tie streamers along the bottom of your kite if you want.

Related web sites:

How to make a Japanese kite

http://www.sover.net/~johnd/kite.html

http://www.askasia.org/teachers/Instructional_Resources/Lesson_Plans/Japan/LP_japan_6.htm

http://www.askasia.org/frclasrm/lessplan/l000036.htm