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Shogunate Japan (c.794 – 1867)

Year 8 History: The Asia-Pacific World

Learning Module

Abstract

This learning element explores Shogunate Japan from 794 - 1867. Students will explore the feudal system, looking at the role of the Shoguns, with particular focus on the Tokugawa Shogun/Edo Period. Knowledge Domain History Topic The Asia-Pacific World: Shogunate Japan (c.794 – 1867)

Keywords

Japan, Shogun, Feudal System, History, Research

Knowledge Objectives

As a result of completing this module, students will be able to:

EXPERIENTIAL OBJECTIVES

Chronology, terms and concepts

Sequence historical events and periods (ACHHS148)

CONCEPTUAL OBJECTIVES

Historical Knowledge and Understanding

The way of life in Shogunate Japan, including social, cultural, economic and political features (including the feudal system and the increasing power of the shogun) (ACDSEH012)

Historical Skills

Historical questions and research

Identify and locate relevant sources, using ICT and other methods (ACHHS151)

Analysis and use of sources

Identify the origin and purpose of primary and secondary sources (ACHHS152)

Locate, select and use information from a range of sources as evidence (ACHHS153)Draw conclusions about the usefulness of sources (ACHHS154)

Perspectives and interpretations

Identify and describe points of view, attitudes and values in primary and secondary sources (ACHHS155)

APPLIED OBJECTIVES

Historical Skills

Explanation and communication

Develop historical texts, particularly descriptions and explanations that use evidence from a range of sources (ACHHS156)Use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written) and digital technologies (ACHHS157)

1. Remember

For the Student

In this module, we will explore these big questions:

What was life like for all people in Shogunate/Medieval Japan?

What role did the Tokugawa Shogunate have in shaping the feudal system?

How did modernisation and westernisation destroy the Shoguns?

Learning intention

Social skill - To contribute actively discussing in pairs

Understanding - To compare the Medieval Europe feudal system with the Shogunate Japan feudal system, locating similarities and differences

Remind students of the Medieval Europe Feudal system by showing them this image:

Fig. 1: Feudal System

In a think/pair/share discuss what you remember about the European Feudal system. Some pairs will be asked to report back to the class.

Have a look at the Japanese Feudal System. In a Venn Diagram list the similarities and differences.

Feudal_System_-_Comparison.pub
Venn_diagram.pub

For the Teacher

The Medieval Europe Feudal System

Pre-required

Students have previously studied Medieval Europe and the Black Death, they have an understanding of the Feudal System in Europe and how it worked.

Resources

'Feudal system - comparison'

'Venn diagram'

Teaching tips

Think-Pair-Share

Attempt to tackle a new question or problem by silent thinking, comparison with another learner’s attempt to answer the same question, and share this dialogue with other learners.

  • Think: Take a few minutes to think in silence about a new idea or a difficult question. Make mental or written notes.
  • Pair: Talk about your thoughts with a neighbor or partner. Compare notes: What are the most original, most convincing or most accurate ideas?
  • Share: Present the best ideas of the pair to the group or class.

Adaptations of this strategy include Think-Write-Pair Share and Timed-Pair-Share.

Venn Diagram

What are the different and overlapping common features of two things?

  • Item A: Distinctive Features
  • Items A and B overlap: Common Features
  • Item B: Common Features

Reflections

Learning activity 1 should take approximately 30 minutes. This activity allows students to discuss what they remember, but it is important not to spend too much time on it, as students will be researching the Japanese feudal system in the next activity.

2. Expert Jigsaw

For the Student

Learning intention

Social skill - To contribute actively in your expert group to discuss and locate important information. And then to lead and share your ideas in your cooperative group.

Understanding - To research, discuss and analyse the role of one group in Shogunate Japan.

Your group will be given a data set of information about one of the following groups:

  • Emperors
  • Shoguns
  • Samurai
  • Daimyo
  • Peasants
  • Chonin

Read the information given to you. Individually record 4 - 6 dot points. As a group decide on the 4 - 5 most important points.

You will be moved to new groups. In your new group you should have one of each. It is your role to share information about your group and to listen and record information from the other groups. Complete the retrieval chart.

Group:

Role/Job:

Power:

Home/Residence:

How do I feel about my position in society?

Retrieval_chart_-_Expert_Groups.docx
Fig. 2: Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun (1192–1199) of the Kamakura shogunate.

For the Teacher

Resources

'Retrieval chart'

Teaching tips

Jigsaw

This activity is characterised by participants within a home group each becoming expert on different aspects of one topic of study.

  1. Students are formed into home/cooperative groups.
  2. Students in home/ cooperative groups are assigned to a different expert group. (as per diagram)
  3. Together, expert partners study their topic and plan effective ways to teach important information when they return to their home/ cooperative groups.
  4. Participants return to their home/ cooperative groups and teach all members of their group as they are now the experts.

It is important that the teacher allows for students agency, where students share their information to the group as opposed to the teaching telling the students the information.

Reflections

Learning activity 2 - 3 should take 2 lessons. Approximately 1 lessons should be spent researching and allowing students to compile their information and 1 lesson for students to share their answers and reflect on their learning. At the end of the 2nd lesson, students should have time to create their visual representation.

3. What does It Look Like?

For the Student

Learning intention

Social skill - Work individually

Understanding - Represent your knowledge about the feudal structure and people in Japan.

Using the information provided create a visual representation of the Japanese Feudal System.

Your teacher will give you pictures of the groups, you are to glue them into the triangle, if you prefer you can draw the pictures.

Add 3 - 4 significant words that describe their role, job, power and position in society.

Teacher_example.pub
Images.pub
Social stratification in feudal Japan (12th - 19th century)

For the Teacher

Visual representation

Resources

'Teacher example'

'Images'

Teaching tips

Students should be encouraged to be as creative as possible. The resources added showcase a basic representation of the feudal system. Students need to add at least 5 dot points that distinguishes the group.

4. What did They Think of Each Other?

For the Student

Learning intention

Social skill - To contribute actively in a circle time, sharing your ideas and listening to others

Understanding - To discuss, theorise and analyse the role of each group in Shogunate Japan.

Move into a circle time, your original group should sit next to each other. In a circle time explain what you think about your group. What is your relationship with the other groups?

Summarise your through in a PEC paragraph response. Your response should be 200 words.

Fig. 4: Peasants working on the Watermill at Onden, (tributary of the Shibuya River) by Hokusai, part of the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series.

For the Teacher

Assessable piece: PEC Response

Teaching tips

Circle time or Socratic Dialogue

Using a circle time format, sitting in a circle, no furniture obstructing students or teachers views, students complete a socratic dialogue.

Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher who developed a method of investigation through conversation involving deep questioning. Socratic dialogue involves an interlocutor or questioner who:

  1. Starts with a question: what is the philosophical problem we want to tackle? (For example, ‘Is it possible to be completely honest all the time?’)
  2. Leads us to discuss our own concrete, personal, everyday experience of this problem and asks critical, leading questions about that experience. Don’t be afraid to express your doubts and uncertainties. Do not use examples which are not from your own experience or which are hypothetical. Listen, be patient.
  3. Clarifies the deeper meanings that lie underneath this experience in a key generalisation, including the limitations of personal experience. This requires that you talk honestly and do not pass judgment. It also requires a certain level of openness and sensitivity to other people’s feelings.
  4. Strives to create a reasoned understanding that can be shared between the members of the dialogue, and a deeper level of knowledge than everyday or commonsense knowledge. What are the supporting arguments? What does the key generalisation presuppose or require? You need to respect other people’s points of view and be willing to change your view.
  5. Concludes with a statement of philosophical principle. Try to bring the conversation to a point of agreement—it’s not about one person in the conversation proving they are right.

Reflections

Learning activity 4 should take 1 lesson. It is important to give students a strict time allocation for this assignment.

5. When did This Happen?

For the Student

Learning intention

Social skill - Work individually and then compare your timeline with your table group

Understanding - To represent the information in a timeline. Looking at the important dates in Medieval Europe and discussing what was happening in Japan

Look at the table and read the information about the Shogunate Japan.

On your table add some of the important dates that you learnt in the Black Death and Medieval Europe.

  • Fall of Rome
  • Battle of Hastings
  • Domesday Book created
  • Start of the 100 year war between France and England
  • Start of the Black Death (in Europe)
  • End of the Black Death (in Europe)

In a circle time discuss your timeline, looking at the important dates in both Medieval Europe and Shogunate Japan. Ask questions to help extend your knowledge.

Fig. 5: Kinkaku-ji, Kyōto. 1397, in Kitayama period.

For the Teacher

Classical and Feudal Japan

Purpose

This activity helps students place the historical time period into perspective. It is important for the teacher to draw on their prior knowledge learnt in the Medieval Europe and the Black Death unit.

Pre-required

In the Medieval Europe unit students looked at part of this timeline. Although they may not remember it is important to remind them that they've seen this timeline before, as it will help put the information into perspective.

Teaching tips

Answers:

  • 476 - Fall of Rome
  • 1066 - Battle of Hastings
  • 1086 - Domesday Book created
  • 1337 - Start of the 100 Year War between France and England
  • 1347 - arrival of the Black Death in Europe
  • The Black Death - 1347 - 1352

Teachers may like to create this timeline around the classroom. Displaying the information visually will help remind students about the events. You may also like to have students to add information to the timeline throughout the unit.

In order to add the dates to the table, teachers may need to use the table that has additional lines so students can write in the dates from European history.

Reflections

Learning activity 5 should take approximately 30 minutes. This time would involve students guessing when the events took place but also allows for time to discuss and students to put them in the correct spot.

6. Beliefs and Values

For the Student

Learning intention

Social skill - Work individually and then contribute actively in a group, negotiating with each other

Understanding - To discuss and draw conclusions about beliefs and values in Shogunate Japan.

Read the data set on beliefs and values. Remember to read the information in and around the pictures, these will give you important information.

Individually, after reading write down 4 questions. Share these questions with your table group. As a table come up with the 4 best questions. You might like to merge, edit and re-write some of the questions.

Share your 4 questions with the class. The teacher will record all the questions on the board.

Individually pick 4 questions from the board. Answer these in your book.

Share your ideas with your table group. Add more detail to your answers if needed. Your book will be collected by your teacher.

Extension/Home-work: Shinto religious festivals are called matsure. They are celebrated throughout Japan as joyful occasions. Use the internet and your library to discover more about one of the following popular festivals.

  • Gion Festival in Kyoto
  • Okunshi Festival in Nagaski
  • Kanda Festival in Tokyo
  • Tenjin Festival in Osaka

Write a brief description of the festival you research and then explain how the festival demonstrates some of the main principles of the Shinto faith.

Fig. 6: Tanabata Festival, 1852.

For the Teacher

Resources

Beliefs and Values - This has been printed and laminated for classroom use. These can be found in the Shogunate Japan box in the Green staffroom.

Teaching tips

There is a extension/home-work option available for students. Students would need to complete this in their own time.

Reflections

Learning activity 6 - 7 should take 2 lessons. Students are required to read, research and then synthesise the information, as well as read and reply to others work.

7. Source Analysis

For the Student

Learning intention

Social - Work as a class, actively participating

Understanding - To observe, question and reflect on Primary Sources demonstrating knowledge about the beliefs and values of Shogunate Japan society

Refer back to the Beliefs and values sheets.

Looking at source 1, what is the significance of the fox statues?

Examine source 2. List four different actvities that might take place withing this shrine as part of the shinto worship.

Examine sources 3 and 4. What does eacah of these sources tell us about the core beliefs.

What is the purpose of the Zen koans shown in source 5.

Why is it unlikey that the Catholic Church shown in source 6 was built much before teh twentieth century?

Refer back to the sources. Analyse one of the primary sources as a class.

What did you:

Observe - Have students identify and note details

  • Describe what you notice
  • What did you see first?
  • What did you notice that you didn't expect?
  • What did you notice that you can't explain?

Reflect - Encourage students to generate and test hypotheses about the source

  • Where do you think this came from?
  • Why do you think somebody made this?
  • What do you think was happening when this was made?
  • Who do you think was the audeince for this item?
  • What tool was used to create this?
  • Why do you think this item is important?
  • If someone made this today, what would be different?
  • What can you learn from examining this?

Question - Have students ask question to lead to more observations and reflections

  • What do you wonder about ...?
  • Who?
  • What?
  • When?
  • Where?
  • Why?
  • How?

Using the AOCAMBUR method further analyse this source.

  • A: Author
  • O: Origin
  • C: Content
  • A: Audience
  • M: Motive
  • B: Bias
  • U: Usefulness
  • R: reliability

For the Teacher

Teaching tips

It is important that teachers model the analysis as a class as students will be completing their own source analysis soon. Teachers should encourage students to think about the sources, reading all information about the source to help answer the questions.

Teacher's guide - Analyzing primary sources

Reflections

Learning activity 7 should take 1 lesson.

8. The Samurai

For the Student

Learning intention

Social skill - To actively participate in small groups

Understanding - To observe, question and reflect on Primary Sources demonstrating knowledge about the Samurai in Shogunate Japan society

In table groups you will be given a data set of information about the Samurai.

In your group discuss the following questions:

  1. What was the role of the samurai in feudal Japanese society?
  2. Explain the main method of fighting employed by the samurai.
  3. Outline the differences in education of samurai boys and girls.
  4. Why was it important for samurai to learn how to read and write, as well as fight?
  5. What circumstances could lead to samurai becoming ronin?

Share these ideas with the class.

Make a list of the values samurai followed in the code of the bushido.

  • Which of these values do you think are important to modern day Australian society?
  • Give some examples of how these values might be seen or used in practical situations today.
Fig. 7: Samurai on horseback, wearing ō-yoroi armour, carrying bow (yumi) and arrows in a yebira quiver

For the Teacher

Reflections

Learning activity 8 should take 1 lesson.

9. The Samurai and the Knight

For the Student

Social skill - To contribute actively discussing in pairs

Understanding - To compare the Medieval Europe Knight with the Shogunate Japan Samurai, locating similarities and differences

The samurai were the Japanese equivalent of medieval European knights. Using a Venn Diagram identify and explain the similarities and differences between these two types of warriors.

Fig 8: Medieval Knight in Armour

For the Teacher

Comparing warriors

Teaching tips

Venn Diagram

What are the different and overlapping common features of two things?

  • Item A: Distinctive Features
  • Items A and B overlap: Common Features
  • Item B: Common Features

Reflections

Learning activity 9 should take 1 lesson.

10. The Samurai

For the Student

Learning intention

Understanding - To observe, question and reflect on Primary and Secondary Sources demonstrating knowledge about the beliefs and values of Shogunate Japan society

Analyse a mixture of primary and secondary sources about the Samurai as a class.

What did you:

Observe - Have students identify and note details

  • Describe what you notice
  • What did you see first?
  • What did you notice that you didn't expect?
  • What did you notice that you can't explain?

Reflect - Encourage students to generate and test hypotheses about the source

  • Where do you think this came from?
  • Why do you think somebody made this?
  • What do you think was happening when this was made?
  • Who do you think was the audeince for this item?
  • What tool was used to create this?
  • Why do you think this item is important?
  • If someone made this today, what would be different?
  • What can you learn from examining this?

Question - Have students ask question to lead to more observations and reflections

  • What do you wonder about ...?
  • Who?
  • What?
  • When?
  • Where?
  • Why?
  • How?

Using the AOCAMBUR method further analyse this source.

  • A: Author
  • O: Origin
  • C: Content
  • A: Audience
  • M: Motive
  • B: Bias
  • U: Usefulness
  • R: reliability

For the Teacher

Assessable piece: Source Analysis

Reflections

Learning activity 10 should take 1 lesson.

11. Poster

For the Student

Learning intention

Understanding - To draw conclusions about the role of the Samurai and to display the information in a pleasing manner

Create a poster that depicts the life of a Samurai. Your poster must include the following:

  • Role/Job
  • Training
  • Beliefs
  • Armour and Weapons
  • Dangers/Problems
Fig. 9: Iron helmet and armor with gilt bronze decoration, Kofun era, 5th century. Tokyo National Museum.

For the Teacher

Assessable piece: Poster

Reflections

Learning activity 11 should take 1 lesson.

12. Watch the Documentary

For the Student

Learning intention

Social skill - To contribute actively discussing in pairs, small groups and circle time

Understanding - To discuss, question and summarise knowledge about the Tokugawa Shogunate

Watch the documentary 'Heroes and Villains' about Tokugawa Shogunate.

While viewing you will have need to complete a table.

  • Social changes
  • Attitude to land
  • Attitude to people
  • Social changes

In a circle time/socratic dialogue share you questions, thoughts and ideas. You may also be able to answer other people's questions. Remember to follow the circle time rules.

After taking the notes and watching the video, complete a PMI on the cultural and societal changes.

Using this information theorise as to why the changes occurred in the feudal system. Share your ideas with your table, present you theory to the class.

Introduction_to_Circle_Time_Handout.pdf

For the Teacher

Tokugawa Shogunate

Teaching tips

Instead of using paper, teachers might like to allow students to write on the desks and take photos of their notes with their phones. This can sometimes help with student engagement. Whiteboard markers are easily cleaned off desks.

'Circle time'

It is important that in a circle time that the teacher also follows the rules, all furniture should be moved away and students should sit in a circle. It is important that you can make eye contact with all students. Do not interrupt the circle time to talk or discuss your answer, allow students to run and manage the discussion. The teacher also should wait for the speaking tool (this can be anything from a special object to a pen, paper, any object) before interrupting.

Socratic Dialogue

Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher who developed a method of investigation through conversation involving deep questioning. Socratic dialogue involves an interlocutor or questioner who:

  1. Starts with a question: what is the philosophical problem we want to tackle? (For example, ‘Is it possible to be completely honest all the time?’)
  2. Leads us to discuss our own concrete, personal, everyday experience of this problem and asks critical, leading questions about that experience. Don’t be afraid to express your doubts and uncertainties. Do not use examples which are not from your own experience or which are hypothetical. Listen, be patient.
  3. Clarifies the deeper meanings that lie underneath this experience in a key generalisation, including the limitations of personal experience. This requires that you talk honestly and do not pass judgment. It also requires a certain level of openness and sensitivity to other people’s feelings.
  4. Strives to create a reasoned understanding that can be shared between the members of the dialogue, and a deeper level of knowledge than everyday or commonsense knowledge. What are the supporting arguments? What does the key generalisation presuppose or require? You need to respect other people’s points of view and be willing to change your view.
  5. Concludes with a statement of philosophical principle. Try to bring the conversation to a point of agreement—it’s not about one person in the conversation proving they are right.

Reflections

The video in learning activity 12 is in 4 parts, each 15 minutes long. This activity may take more than the hour, as students may wish to stop and ask clarifying questions as they watch. Encourage students to write down their questions on a piece of paper or to be more creative you can use liquid chalk/white board markers and have students write their questions on the desk. This will stop interruptions to the video and allow students to discuss the questions as a group.

Learning activity 12 should take 2 lessons.

13. Land Use

For the Student

Learning intention

Social skill - To contribute actively discussing in pairs, small groups and circle time

Understanding - To discuss, question and analyse the role of forestry and land use in Shogunate Japan

You will be given a data set that contains pictures of wood in Shogunate Japan. On a placemat record you see in the pictures. How was wood important in Japanese culture? In table groups discuss the implication of using this much wood.

Read 'Forestry and Land use' and read the forest section of 'Life in the Edo Period'.

7_-_Forestry_and_Land_use.pdf
8.10_Life_in_the_Edo_Period.pdf

Create a picture or diagram to show the importance of wood in Japanese culture. Include information about the policies used to protect the forests.

Your diagram or picture should be accompanied by a PEC paragraph which summaries your thoughts and ideas.

Fig. 10: The Pine Forest of Mio
Wood_data_set.pub

For the Teacher

Forestry

Purpose

To help scaffold students understanding they will be given a variety of texts to read and view, however they will need to search for the ones applicable to their learning. This allows students to start to become more independent in their searching. Students should also be encouraged to search for their own resources by using the internet and visiting the library.

Resources

'Wood data set' - This has been printed and laminated for classroom use. These can be found in the Shogunate Japan box in the Green staffroom.

Forestry - This has been printed and laminated for classroom use. These can be found in the Shogunate Japan box in the Green staffroom.

Teaching tips

Guiding questions

  • How is wood used in the pictures?
  • How important do you think timber/wood was to Japanese culture?
  • With so much woo being used what problems might this cause?

Placemat

This activity is designed to allow for each individual’s thinking, perspective and voice to be heard, recognised and explored.

  1. Form participants into groups of four.
  2. Allocate one piece of A3 or butcher’s paper to each group.
  3. Ask each group to draw the diagram on the paper.
  4. The outer spaces are for each participant to write their thoughts about the topic.
  5. Conduct a Round Robin so that each participant can share their views.
  6. The circle in the middle of the paper is to note down (by the nominated scribe) the common points made by each participant.
  7. Each group then reports the common points to the whole group.

Reflections

Learning activity 13 should take 1 lesson.

14. What was Valued in Shogunate Japan?

For the Student

Learning intention

Social skill - To contribute actively, asking and answering open/fat question in a team

Understanding - To draw conclusions about Shogunate Japan society by summarising, questioning and discussing primary and secondary sources.

In small groups look at the image you've been given. On post it notes write down 3 facts or 3 things you see. You may have seen these images in past activities.

Share your facts with your group.

Turn the facts into questions. For example:

Fact - It is raining.

Question - Why are the people working in the rain?

In a noisy round robin share your table groups questions.

As a class pick the 8 best questions. Record these in your lotus diagram.

Working in small groups attempt to answer the 8 questions.

Share your answers with the class. Discuss and extend upon your answers.

In small groups you will be given a variety of images and quotes. Write 3 questions and 1 fact for each image.

In your group share your question. Pick the 8 best questions. You can merge multiple questions into one and edit others.

Share your questions in a circle time. Discuss possible answers.

On your lotus diagram write down your 8 top questions. As a group you should all begin to individually write down your answers. If you aren't sure discuss with your group and guess!

Individually complete a PEC paragraph addressing the question: What do your images and quotes say about Shogunate Japan society?

Individually complete a participation pie to demonstrate how well you worked as a group.

What_was_life_like_in_Shogunate_Japan_society.pptx
Images__Quotes.pub
Lotus_Diagram_Information_Sheet.pdf
Lotus_Diagram.dot
Examples_of_student_work.pdf

For the Teacher

Purpose

This activity is about students building upon their questioning skills. They will look at a variety of images and quotes (primary and secondary sources). What needs to be valued in this activity is their questions.

If students struggle to come up with 8 answers encourage them to ask themselves 'why' for each of their answers.

For example:

Why did they have to learn literature and numeracy when they were becoming a Samurai?

- Because they were required to be the best

  • Why?

- Because the best 'warriors' need to also strategies and be able to think as well as fight

  • Why?

- Because when you fight you'll have to think about your next move (and the 10 moves past that) you can't just make off the cuff decisions

  • Why?

- Because to win you need to plan

As demonstrated above your can see how the answers will move away from the question but are still in the same vein.

Resources

'PowerPoint'

'Images and Quotes'

'Lotus Diagram Information Sheet'

'Lotus Diagram'

'Student examples'

Teaching tips

Five Whys

The 5 Whys is a simple problem-solving technique that helps you probe for information and get to the root of a problem quickly. Based on a Japanese philosophy, the 5 Whys strategy is about thinking long-term and looking both ahead and behind, not just in the present. This can be done in twos or threes with the third person being a silent observer. One person takes the role of questioner and the other answers the questions. The questions and answers can be recorded for further discussion and or a final reflection. Very often, the answer to the first “why” will prompt another “why” and the answer to the second “why” will prompt the third “why” and so on. It can show the role of questions beginning with “why” and deepen thinking.

Lotus Diagram

David Langford Tool

What is it?

The lotus diagram is an analytical organisation tool for breaking broad topics into components, which can then be prioritised for implementation.

When is it used?

The lotus process is used when teams or indiviudals need a process for organizing and prioritizing components of a larger whole.

Where it is used?

Lotus diagrams are often used, but not limited to steps 1, 2, 5 and 9 of the PDSA - Probletunity Improvement Process.

Why it is used?

Lotus diagrams:

  • are spatial and interactive
  • promote logical, creative thinking
  • promote priorizing for action
  • require active brainstorming and analysis from all individuals
  • create an automatic recording device for information
  • are effective with all ages
  • provide an effective communication tool

Reflections

Learning activity 14 should take 2 lessons.

15. What was the Downfall?

For the Student

Learning intention

Social skill - To contribute actively discussing in pairs, small groups and circle time

Understanding - To discuss, question and analyse the decline of the Tokugawa Shogunate

What was the downfall of the Tokugawa Shogunate?

Individually theorise your answer. Share your answer with the class in a circle time.

Watch the video. While watching write down dot point notes, use the following headings to guide your dot points:

What happened?

  • Causes
  • Effects

Who was involved?

  • Key people
  • Countries

Major events

  • Key people
  • Countries
  • Cause and effect

After viewing the video, discuss your dot points. Individually you need to create a cause and effect map. Use the scaffold to help you. Your map needs to be accompanied by a PEC paragraph which summarises your ideas and answering the question.

Introduction_to_Circle_Time_Handout.pdf

For the Teacher

Why did Shogun Japan end?

Resources

The video can be found in shared data.

Teaching tips

Instead of using paper, teachers might like to allow students to write on the desks and take photos of their notes with their phones. This can sometimes help with student engagement. Whiteboard markers are easily cleaned off desks.

'Circle time'

It is important that in a circle time that the teacher also follows the rules, all furniture should be moved away and students should sit in a circle. It is important that you can make eye contact with all students. Do not interrupt the circle time to talk or discuss your answer, allow students to run and manage the discussion. The teacher also should wait for the speaking tool (this can be anything from a special object to a pen, paper, any object) before interrupting.

Socratic Dialogue

Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher who developed a method of investigation through conversation involving deep questioning. Socratic dialogue involves an interlocutor or questioner who:

  1. Starts with a question: what is the philosophical problem we want to tackle? (For example, ‘Is it possible to be completely honest all the time?’)
  2. Leads us to discuss our own concrete, personal, everyday experience of this problem and asks critical, leading questions about that experience. Don’t be afraid to express your doubts and uncertainties. Do not use examples which are not from your own experience or which are hypothetical. Listen, be patient.
  3. Clarifies the deeper meanings that lie underneath this experience in a key generalisation, including the limitations of personal experience. This requires that you talk honestly and do not pass judgment. It also requires a certain level of openness and sensitivity to other people’s feelings.
  4. Strives to create a reasoned understanding that can be shared between the members of the dialogue, and a deeper level of knowledge than everyday or commonsense knowledge. What are the supporting arguments? What does the key generalisation presuppose or require? You need to respect other people’s points of view and be willing to change your view.
  5. Concludes with a statement of philosophical principle. Try to bring the conversation to a point of agreement—it’s not about one person in the conversation proving they are right.

Reflections

Learning activity 15 should take 1 lesson.

16. Speech

For the Student

Learning intention

Social skill - To work independently on your own speech. To listen and participate as part of an audience.

Understanding - To draw conclusions about Shogunate Japan society by summarising, questioning and discussing primary and secondary sources.

Individually pick one of the following topics:

  • Early Japanese History
  • End Shogunate Period
  • Prince Shotoku
  • Shinto
  • Buddhism
  • Minamoto no Yoritomo
  • Kato Kiyomasa
  • Architecture
  • Oda Nobunaga
  • Mongol Invasion

Read through a data set about your selected topic. After reading, create 8 questions you want to answer about your topic.

Write these questions down on your lotus diagram.

Using the information you've read and your own thoughts, begin to answer the questions. After you've attempted to answer the questions you will be given access to the computers.

Present your 8 questions to the class and your answers. You are to use minimal resources, you are to rely on your lotus diagram, and avoid using PowerPoint.

Fig. 11: The Samurai Suenaga facing Mongols, during the Mongol invasions of Japan. Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba, circa 1293.

For the Teacher

Major Assessment: Speech

Purpose

As a part of the Achievement Standard students are asked to: When researching, students develop questions to frame an historical inquiry.

This speech is about students developing questions about a topic. By removing PowerPoint presentations and lots of resources students have to rely on their questions to help support them in their speech.

Students should acknowledge questions they can not answer, as this does not mean it is a bad question but could outline a part of the time that was not documented or is difficult to find an answer to.

As well as researching factual questions, students are encouraged to theorise about the answers and draw their own conclusions.

Reflections

Learning activity 16 should take 4 - 5 lessons depending on your class size. Students should be given 2 - 3 lessons to prepare for their speech.

17. Create a Short Film

For the Student

Create a short film about the Tokugawa Shogunate. This can be about any topic you like.

Your teacher will give you time to work on this, however a lot of that time will be in lunchtime. You can also work on it at home.

Fig. 12: A pair of Torii Gates at Shimogamo Shrine.

For the Teacher

Extension Task

Resources

What can I do with Vista Movie Maker ?

Movie Maker Video Editing Tutorial

Make a movie in four simple steps

Teaching tips

Encourage students to take part in this assignment, Many students will flourish in the creative task, allowing them to show you what they have learnt, this is particularly helpful for students who may not have done that well in the essay.

Alternatively some students may not be comfortable using the computers, allow them to create a picture book, comic or storyboard to explain their learning.

Research Project Rubric

18. Acknowledgements

Title: (Source); Fig. 1: Feudal System (Source); Fig. 2: (Source); Fig. 3: (Source); Fig. 4: (Source); Fig. 5: (Source); Fig. 6: (Source); Fig. 7: (Source); Fig. 8: (Source); Fig.9: (Source); Fig. 10: (Source); Fig. 11: (Source); Fig. 12: (Source);

The original version of this learning module was created by Prue Gill, Stephen Ahern, Anne Dunn, Jennifer Nott, Matthew Sandeman and Jessie-Kate Watson.