Introduction

    Our group for EDCI 385 wanted to do a lesson on a topic that students probably don't know too much about.  We decided to do our web quest about Japan.

    We supplied links to different web sites about Japan for the students to explore and find all sorts of information about this country.  The class will be divided into five groups and each will be given a specific topic to look up about Japan.  The groups will have to orally present the information to the class, and answer some worksheets which correspond to their research and their classmates' research.  At the end, this information will be combined and made into a class book.

Content Area and Grade Level

    The lesson is for a fifth grade class.  It involves geography and language arts.

NTEQ Lesson Plan Criteria

Objectives:  The students will be divided into five groups.  Each group will be given a different topic about Japan which they will look up.  The students will be given a web site to go to which contains links to information about Japan.  They will use these web sites to find their information.

Matching Objectives to Computer Functions:  The students will use the web sites provided to do their research.  Students will be given access to a computer during class time, in which they will use the web to look through provided links and other resources.

The Problem or Issue:  The students will be culturally aware that there are other countries in the world that are different from the one they are accustomed to.  The students will record the information that they find in their journals.  These rough notes will later be turned into a short paper.  The students will do all of the research themselves and will also be responsible for presenting it to the class and brining in related items. The following is a list of resources that can be used:

Kids web japan
http://www.jinjapapn.org/kidsweb/

Global Friends- Discover Japan
http://www.globalfriends.com/html/world_tour/japan/japan.htm

Kids Window
http://www.jwindow.net/KIDS/

Destination Japan
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/dest/nea/jap.htm

Japanese Culture
http://miyake-es.town.kaminaka.fukui.jp/english/japanese1.htm

World Safari Japan
http://www.supersurf.com/japan/

Japan Guide
http://www.japan-guide.com/

Six Different Parts of Japan
http://www.sover.net/~johnd/categories.html

Information Manipulation:

    1. Integration Strategies:  This lesson can be integrated with other lessons on different countries around the world.
    2. Organizational Strategies:  Students will work in groups and collect information.  After, the groups will compare and contrast this information and figure out how this relates to our country.
    3.  Elaboration Strategies:  Each group will be given a think sheet:

        Food and Clothing
        Holidays and Festivals
        School and Education
        Home and Family Life
        Recreation and Transportation
 

Results:  The students will have a basic knowledge of Japan.  Each group will submit the summary of their findings which will then be put into a class book.  They will then give an oral presentation where they will have the opportunity to bring in items related to their topic.

Activities While Using the Computer:  Students will use the think sheets provided to look up the information they need about Japan.  Think sheets are designed for the five groups.

Activities Prior to Using the Computer:  The students will have to know how to get on the internet, type in a web site, and how to write a short paper of one to two pages.  The teachers will have to know how to create a web page, how to link web sites and other information, and how to add graphics.  It is fairly easy for a novice teacher, in that this lesson allows the teacher to take on the role of facilitator.

Activities After Using the Computer:  After this lesson, the students will have some knowledge of Japan and they will compare their customs to those of America.  They will give an oral presentation and submit their summary for a class book.

Support Activities:  This lesson can fit in with history and geography.  It can be part of a lesson of countries around the world, countries of the far east, or it could just be a lesson on cultural differences.

Possible Variations:  Another variation of this project can be each group would be given a separate country, (instead of one), and they will have to find out all five topics about their country and put this into a five to six page paper (instead of a one to two page paper).  This project will be done outside of class instead of in class and a longer period of time will be given to complete the project.

Conclusion

    At the end of this lesson, the students will have an awareness that there are other countries different than what they are accustomed to.