I teach online courses to middle and high school students in Level 1 and Level 2 Japanese. Due to the online set up, I am unable to change the daily lessons that students see, but I can host meetings, post information, and host lessons with additional content to supplement and engage my students. Many of my lessons are a web based resource that students can explore on their own time. I also create videos with information, guest lectures, and in-person group and 1-1 teaching sessions.
My students expresses a lot of interest to learn more about the people of Japan today, demographics of Japan, issues that the people are experiences, and the daily life of people in Japan.
From this course, I learned more about the Jomon and Yayaoi populations via objects they left behind.
I already had some material on the Jomon and Yayaoi people in a massive PowerPoint that I used in a synchronous lesson where students got to pick the topics we discussed. They selected “People” (by an overwhelming majority) so we started with Jomon and Yayaoi populations as examples of indigenous populations to the island of Japan. We discussed the use of the Flame-Rimmed Bowl, and the difference in aesthetics between Jomon and Yayaoi pottery. This PowerPoiht was then posted for students to access at a later time.
ACTFL Standards (World Language Standards used by Common Core)
Relating Cultural Practices to Perspectives: Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the cultures studied.
Acquiring Information and Diverse Perspectives: Learners access and evaluate information and diverse perspectives that are available through the language and its cultures.
Cultural Comparisons: Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
Lifelong Learning: Learners set goals and reflect on their progress in using languages for enjoyment, enrichment, and advancement.
Japan PPT (PDF was too large to attach, so here is a link that I would give to students interested in learning more after the lesson): https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/10IYpBs_nbbj6_gxr2ta37hkZ2HXX2M3F/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109504633900218394444&rtpof=true&sd=true