UCLA Center for East Asian Studies Educational Resources

Medieval Japan

Description of the Unit

This unit plan will focus on the literature component of a study of medieval Japan. It is part of a seventh grade program which integrates English and Social Studies curriculum. The novel I will use is The Sign of the Chrysanthemum by Katherine Paterson. The main character is a young man, Muna, who has never known his father, a noble samurai. When Muna's mother dies, Muna decides to go to the capital city, Kyoto, to fulfill his dream of finding his father. Twelfth century Kyoto is on the verge of a revolution, and Muna has to learn to cope with the problems of survival, loneliness, and inner conflicts.

The information students gain from reading the novel will enrich their understanding of many aspects of the Japanese culture, including respect for tradition, the Shinto and Buddhist systems of belief, and the structure of Japanese feudal society.

The over-arching theme throughout most of the seventh grade literature relates to the coming of age of young people in a variety of cultures. Not only do the students learn about different cultures and value systems, but they relate to these characters who belong to their same age group and face many of the same problems and questions.

In addition, the English component of the unit will be enhanced by a study of haiku and other Japanese poetry, and by readings from primary source material, such as The Tale of the Genji by Lady Murasaki, and The Tale of the Heiki .

Objectives

1. Students will gain a greater understanding of life in feudal Japan.

2. Students will reinforce the information they receive while studying the geography, history, and culture of Japan in their social studies class.

3. Students will increase their vocabularies, with emphasis on words related to Japanese history and culture.

4. Students will sharpen their writing skills through a variety of writing assignments related to their reading.

5. Students will use analytical thought processes to compare and contrast themselves with the main character of the novel.

6. Students will develop the ability to articulate a position, interact with others offering different views, and judge evidence.

Medieval Japan Index