Exploring Japan A WebQuest created by Mrs. Ballard

Introduction Today we are going to continue our study of Japan and its physical charactertistics,human characteristics, and culture. This lesson however, will be different as you will be in charge of discovering new information and using that information to answer the questions contained in this activity.

Directions For this activity you will need the following items: Pencil or pen Loose Leaf paper To begin the activity click on this slide to move forward to the next and follow the directions on each slide after you have read the information and questions.

The Arts Haiku Haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry. Today we are going to learn about its origins and its form. Click on the haiku below to travel to your first destination. An old pond! A frog jumps in- The sound of water - Matsuo Basho At the top of the page on your first destination there are a variety of links. They will be useful in finding the information needed to answer the questions to the right. Questions Answer the following questions on your loose leaf paper. 1.How many total syllables are included in haiku? How are these divided by line (how many syllables should be in each line?) 2.What theme should be included in haiku? 3.Create a haiku of your own. Follow the rules regarding syllables – this haiku should not be nonsensical and should follow the examples presented on the haiku website.

The Arts Kabuki Kabuki theatre is a traditional form of Japanese drama. Click on the photo below to travel to your second destination where you will learn about kabuki theatre. Questions Answer the following questions on your loose leaf paper 4.What period does kabuki theatre date from? 5.Explain the kabuki stage – give any details that you think a friend would need to know before going to see a play in a kabuki theatre.

Japanese food The picture above shows a traditional Japanese dish, sushi. Some of you may already be familiar with Japanese food and others may not. Follow the chopsticks below to learn more about Japanese eating habits. Questions Answer the following questions on your loose leaf paper 6.What might a typical breakfast in Japan consist of? 7.How do Japanese restaurants advertise their food? 8.Imagine that you are writing to a friend in Japan and are describing a recent meal that you have eaten. Write a paragraph description of the meal and the utensils (such as a fork, spoon, knife) that were used for eating that meal. You should also describe any rules of etiquette that were followed (such as giving thanks before the meal, tipping the server, etc) during the meal.

Religion Religion in Japan As we have discussed previously, religion is an important aspect of culture. Religious beliefs vary from culture to culture and on your next stop in this webquest, you will learn about religion in Japan. Click here for your next destination Questions Answer the following questions on your loose leaf paper 9.In the first four paragraphs of this narrative on religion in Japan, four different religions are mentioned – what are they? 10.The final section of this website discusses religion in Japan today. Create three bulleted points about religion in Japan today that you believe would be useful in explaining this aspect of Japanese culture to another student.

The final stop! You have reached the end of this webquest Hopefully you now feel better acquainted with the aspects of Japanese culture that have been presented. NOTE: Please turn in your work at the conclusion of class today. If you have not completed some of the questions that require more detailed responses, please complete them for homework. Additional time will be given for work that is not completed but requires access to the websites