Goals & Objectives
Students will learn about the various forms of Buddhism that developed during the different eras of the Medieval period in Japan and the reasons and ways Buddhism spread throughout the country. Students will identify several different variations of Japanese Buddhism and trace their development in each era. Students will also examine the reasons behind Buddhism's development throughout Japan.
California State Content Standards & Common Core Standards
7.5 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Medieval Japan.
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.6-8.9 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.
- 7.5.1 Describe the significance of Japan's proximity to China and Korea and the intellectual, linguistic, religious, and philosophical influence of those countries on Japan.
- 7.5.2 Discuss the reign of Prince Shotoku of Japan and the characteristics of Japanese society and family life during his reign.
- 7.5.4 Trace the development of distinctive forms of Japanese Buddhism.
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.6-8.9 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.
Lesson Introduction
The teacher will have the students to do a quickwrite activity in their journals answering the prompt "How would you define Buddhism? Do any specific images, iconography, or practices/rituals come to mind when you hear the word Buddhism?" After about 5 minutes, the teacher will engage the students in a quick class discussion to share what some students have recorded.
Vocabulary
Students will keep a vocabulary journal and record key terms from each lesson as the unit progresses. Vocabulary will be highlighted and explained during the lecture. Students must record each term, its definition, and either draw a picture or write a sentence to help clarify its meaning. Key terms for this lesson include:
- Buddhism
- Shinto
- sect
- mappo
- Zen
- esoteric
- Nichiren
- Amida (Pure Land)
Content Delivery (Lecture)
The teacher will deliver a lecture presentation on the development of Buddhism through the Asuka, Nara, Heian, and Kamakura eras of Medieval Japan. The different variations of Buddhism prevalent in each era and the reasons why Buddhism continued to spread will be presented and discussed. Students will follow along with guided notes.
Student Engagement
Students will follow and fill in the guided notes during the lecture in order to better record and organize the important information that's presented. The graphic organizer can be used in addition to the guided notes as an accommodation for ELs, Striving Readers, and Students with Special Needs.
Lesson Closure
The teacher will have the students turn to their neighbors and engage in a pair/share activity. The students must tell their partners 3 things they learned during the lesson and each pair will report their responses to the teacher and class when called on.
Assessment
Formative: The teacher will walk around the room to check students' answers on the guided notes in order to assess understanding and will frequently engage the students in comprehension and critical thinking questions throughout the lecture.
Summative: The teacher will use the pair/share activity to assess how well students have grasped the lesson's main concepts and student responses will inform what areas need re-teaching, if any.
Summative: The teacher will use the pair/share activity to assess how well students have grasped the lesson's main concepts and student responses will inform what areas need re-teaching, if any.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers, and Students with Special Needs
The guided notes and vocabulary journal will help scaffold and buttress concepts in the lecture for ELs, Striving Readers, and Students with Special Needs. Vocabulary terms will be explicitly explained and defined as they appear in the lecture. The graphic organizer will provide additional aid to these students by providing them with a clear and streamlined reference of the key points and concepts.