Welcome to - Medieval Times of Japan - a unit for 7th grade
7.5 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Medieval Japan.
- Describe the significance of Japan's proximity to China and Korea and the intellectual, linguistic, religious, and philosophical influence of those countries on Japan.
- Discuss the reign of Prince Shotoku of Japan and the characteristics of Japanese society and family life during his reign.
- Describe the values, social customs, and traditions prescribed by the lord-vassal system consisting of shogun, daimyo, and samurai and the lasting influence of the warrior code in the twentieth century.
- Trace the development of distinctive forms of Japanese Buddhism.
- Study the ninth and tenth centuries' golden age of literature, art, and drama and its lasting effects on culture today, including Murasaki Shikibu's Tale of Genji.
- Analyze the rise of a military society in the late twelfth century and the role of the samurai in that society.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7 Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis reflection, and research.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Essential Historical Questions
- Which aspects of medieval Japanese culture, art, and politics can be traced back to Chinese and Korean influence?
- In what ways did Zen Buddhism play an important role in the formation of the samurai's warrior code and in what ways did it contribute to the development of Japanese culture?
Big Ideas
- The political turmoil during the medieval period in Japan had a major effect on the spread of various forms of Buddhism throughout the country, and was a major factor in Japan's shift toward a militaristic society.
- Japan's geographical proximity to China and Korea had a significant impact on many aspects of Japanese culture and society, chiefly the import of writing systems, Buddhism, Confucianism, architecture, art, and culture
- Many artistic forms that originated from medieval Japan (such as flower arranging, tea ceremony, Noh, rock gardens, etc.) are still a thriving part of modern Japanese culture and important works of medieval Japanese literature (such as the Tale of Genji) paint a very vivid picture of the culture of the time.
- The emergence of samurai and rise of the shogunate/bakufu system of rule developed the warrior code of bushido (the principles of duty, loyalty, honor, justice, and courage) which was what all samurai were expected to live by. This warrior code played a major role in modern world history, principally during World War II.
Assessment Plan
- Samurai brainstorm + quickwrite
- Concept Maps for Buddhism in relation to government
- Create a timeline
- Graphic Organizers for art and culture
- End of unit presentation and test