Objectives

In this lesson, students will:

• Research modern and traditional clothing styles in Japan using the World Wide Web and other secondary sources available in a media center
• Compare modern and traditional clothing styles in Japan
• Make an inventory of where students' clothes were made
• Research festival celebrations in China, Japan and Korea
• Compare the differences and similarities in modern and traditional costumes in China, Japan and Korea
• Draw, design or make (out of paper) an accurate, colorful costume with paper and colored pencils

Appropropriate Grade Level: 4-7

Duration, 1-2 class periods

MSPP Outcomes:

Peoples of the Nation and the World

• Analyze the diverse cultural contributions that influenced the development of communities in Maryland, U.S. and the world.

Skills and Processes

• Obtain, interpret, evaluate, organize and use information from observing, investigating, listening, and reading.

Valuing Self and Others

• Recognize the dignity and worth of people from cultural, racial, religious, ethnic and other diverse groups.

Peoples of the Nation and the World

• Investigate and gain appreciation for various cultures throughout the world.
• Examine contributions resulting from interactions among individuals and groups from various ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds.

Valuing Self and Others

• Develop an appreciation of American society as a pluralistic one consisting of diverse cultures, customs, and traditions.

Teacher Background Information:

In this lesson, students will research and take notes on modern and traditional clothing styles in China, Japan and Korea. Your students will be more successful with this lesson if they use both electronic sources (the World Wide Web, CD-ROM encyclopedias, etc.) and print sources (from the media center). Perhaps you can decorate the room with a display of photographs of modern and traditional Asian clothing styles from magazines.

Vocabulary to introduce prior to lesson:

Materials Needed:

For the lesson, each individual student or group of students will need:

• copies of Clothing Styles of Asia Worksheet
• paper, pencil
• colored pencils
• drawing paper
• a world map
• overhead transparency or chalkboard for Venn Diagram in Part V

Teaching tips and options for this lesson

In this section of the lesson, students will think about the kinds of clothes they like to wear and the reasons they like to wear them. Students can complete this activity alone, or with a partner, or as a class discussion. They will complete Part #1 of the Clothing Styles of Asia Worksheet as they answer the questions.

Students will then visit a Web site created by Japanese students. (Remember that English is not their native language, so you might see some spelling mistakes on their Web site.) Students will use this site to complete the first column on Part #2 of the Clothing Styles of Asia Worksheet - "Modern Japanese Clothing

Students will return to Part #2 to complete the second column, "Traditional Japanese Costumes," later on in this lesson.

Part II

In this section of the lesson, students will check the labels on their shirts to find out where their shirt was made, and think about why clothing might be made overseas. If they're not sure whether their shirt was made in Asia, we suggest that they look up their shirt's origin on a world map. At this point in the lesson, students will read a short paragraph explaining some simple reasons why clothes are made overseas. You may stop the lesson at this point to investigate this issue further, or simply discuss it. We suggest that students talk to their parents, their friends and their teacher about different opinions about "buying American" goods.

Students will complete an inventory of their own closets, and record the information in Part #3 of the worksheet. This would be a terrific homework assignment after the class period with the computers.

Part III

In this section of the lesson, students begin to investigate traditional, ethnic costumes in Japan, China and Korea. Students will re-use the first Web site they used to obtain information about traditional costumes in Japan. Their notes will go in Part #2 of their worksheet . Then, they will visit web sites which provide information about costumes, festivals and customs in Japan, China and Korea. AT THIS POINT, YOU WILL NEED TO PROVIDE OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION THAN THE WORLD WIDE WEB. Encyclopedias, books on costumes, books on Japan, China and Korea will be very helpful to your students. They should take notes and draw sketches in Part #4 of their Clothing Styles of Asia worksheet .

Part IV

We begin with the Chinese web sites. Students can research all three countries, or you can divide them into groups and have each group research one country. (NOTE: We have found that if you divide the research up by groups so that each student is not trying to go to the same Web site at the same time, the speed of viewing the graphics increases tremendously!) Students will view the Web site from an Ethnology Museum in Wuhan, and a written description of traditional Chinese costumes.

The Japanese Web sites provide information on costumes and festivals celebrated in Miharu. If you would like more information about Japan, students can visit a terrific web site on Japan, but there isn't much information on traditional costumes here. The Korean sites were created by the city of Seoul. They have good information about traditional customs and holidays. STUDENTS WILL HAVE TO USE OTHER SOURCES TO FIND OUT ABOUT TRADITIONAL COSTUMES IN ALL ASIAN COUNTRIES.

Part V

Before students complete the rest of this lesson, take a few minutes to compare the traditional ethnic costumes of these countries with modern clothing styles. Draw a Venn Diagram on the board or on an overhead to help students compare the two types of clothing.

When you compare the traditional costumes with the modern clothing, ask students to think about these questions:

• Are the traditional and modern clothing made from the same materials?
• Are they made in the same way?
• Who wears the traditional clothing?
• Who wears the type of modern clothing you looked at on the Web?
• Is there a special reason or purpose for wearing the traditional clothing?
• Is there a special reason or purpose for wearing the modern clothing?

Now that students have gathered some information about traditional costumes and special festivals or customs in these Asian countries, they are ready to draw, design or make their own costumes. Using their notes and sketches, and the photographs on the World Wide Web, colored pencils, and some 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper, have students create their own costumes to wear at an ethnic celebration in China, Japan or Korea.

How will you know if the students have done a good job?

• compared modern and traditional clothing styles in Japan
• completed the worksheet "Clothing Styles of Asia" by taking notes and an inventory of where their own clothes were made
• taken notes about festival celebrations in China, Japan and Korea
• drawn, or designed, or made an accurate, colorful costume with paper and colored pencils

Closure

• sponsor a paper doll fashion show
• create a gallery exhibit to display everyone's designs
• plan your own Asian ethnic celebration or festival
• celebrate International Children's Day with food and real costumes!

Possible Extensions

To celebrate International Children's Day, which is traditionally held in the early spring, you could hold your own celebration. Students, teachers, and parents would participate in many activities: tasting foods from other lands, learning dances and songs, and exploring the handicrafts and arts, and a parade showing off students' costumes they have made.

Additional Teacher Resources

DiFranco, Toni L., Chinese Clothing & Theatrical Costumes, San Joaquin County Historical Museum, 1981

Everix, Nancy, Ethnic Celebrations Around the World, Good Apple Publishing Company, Carthage, IL, 1991

Westridge Young Writers Workshop, Kids Explore America's Japanese-American Heritage, John Muir Publications, New Mexico, 1994

Cobblestone Magazine, Japanese Americans, Cobblestone Publications, April 1996

Mathews, William, South Korea in Pictures, Lerner Publications Company, Minnesota, 1989