Kindergarteners Go Around The World: Week 4 – Japan
This post is part of the series “Around the World in 28 Weeks: Art, Literature & Geography Lessons for Kindergarten.” For an introduction, overview of the entire course, and links to more lesson plans, please click here. Thank you for visiting Cotton Ridge Homeschool!
Introduction to Week 4
This week you will be returning with the children in your class to the continent of Asia and introducing them to the country of Japan. You can do the lesson plan activities in the order that you prefer.
For a Printable Lesson Plan Schedule for the entire 28 weeks, please see the Around the World introductory post.
Below is a free printable lesson plan for week 4 in PDF format. Just click on the thumbnail below to open and view. For best results, download to your computer before printing.
Prep Work
- Gather books and supplies (see checklist below)
- Print out handouts and 3-hole punch them for notebooks (see below)
Check back during the year, as I will be adding pictures of completed projects and let you know if the kids enjoyed the lesson and any changes I would make for next time. Thanks for joining us!
Disclosure: The books and supply links below lead to products on Amazon. I am an affiliate and will receive a small commission if these links are used to make a purchase.
Week 4 Lesson Plan
Date and Destination
Date: Third week of September**
Continent: Asia
Country: Japan
Pretend Passport: Please see Week 2 for suggestions on how to use the Play Passports during your lesson. Below are free printable Passport Stamps. Please click here for free Airline Tickets and Cruise Ship Tickets printables. Just click on the thumbnails below to open and view. For best viewing/printing results, open in Adobe Reader.
Reading (10 – 15 minutes)
Story: Grandfather’s Journey
Discussion: Ask questions to determine reading comprehension; tailor these to your children’s ages and abilities. Depending on the size of your class and as time permits, try to allow each child to participate. Don’t drag this part on too long or your kids will lose interest. Here are a few to get you started:
- Did you like the story? Why or why not?
- What was your favorite part?
- Questions based on the Who?, What?, Why?, When?, and How? of a story are great for getting kids thinking.
If you have planned a snack, you may want to have your discussion time while you eat.
Geography (5 – 15 minutes)
Globe or Wall Map Activity: With your class,
- find the Continent of Asia
- point out the different countries on the continent, including Japan
- find the capitol of Japan, Tokyo.
Japan Map Handout*: Pass out the Japan Map Handout to your class and allow them to color the page as time permits. You may want this to be the last activity of your class so they can be kept busy until the next class starts or until their parents pick them up. Have the kids place their handouts in their World Traveler Notebook (3-ring binder) before they leave.
Below is a free printable Japan Map Handout in PDF format. Just click on the thumbnail below to open and view. For best results, download to your computer before printing.
Art (30 – 40 minutes)
Gyotaku Art (Fish Prints): from Global Art: Activities, Projects, and Inventions from Around the World
Global Art suggests an alternative to a real fish: a rubber fish
You need:
- Real fish OR rubber fish
- Washable tempura paint
- Paintbrush for each paint color
- Pie tins or foam trays for paint
- Paper for printing (I used Crayola 10 x 8 Inches Marker and Watercolor Pad
)
- Paper towels
- Newspapers or something else to protect tabletop
- Soap and water
The process:
Place the fish on plain piece of paper. Brush on a very thin layer of tempura paint (you can use more than one color). Work quickly so the paint doesn’t dry. Take another plain piece of paper and press firmly on fish. Start in the middle and press all over without moving the paper. Then carefully peel off the paper.
Click here for pictures of my fish prints!
(Note: Global Art gives more detailed instructions on how to prepare your real fish for an excellent print. For example, you can use straight pins to arrange the fins, and salt or sand to rough up the scales if you wish.)
Other Activities (5 – 10 minutes)
Japan Facts & Flag Handout*: Pass out and read this handout to your class and allow them to color the page as time permits. You may want this to be the last activity of your class so they can be kept busy until the next class starts or until their parents pick them up. Have the kids place their handouts in their World Traveler Notebook (3-ring binder) before they leave.
Following is a free printable Facts & Flag Handout in PDF format. Just click on the thumbnail below to open and view. For best results, download to your computer before printing.
*If there is not time in class, provide these as handouts for the kids to do at home. The pages can go in their World Traveler Notebooks as a record of their journeys.
**Our homeschool coop begins during the last week of August, but the Around the World course can be started at any time of year. Some re-arranging of the weekly plans may be necessary due to holidays, but with a little planning ahead of time, this should be very manageable.
Supply Lists
General Supply List
- Globe
- 3-Ring Binder
for each child for handouts, 1-1/2″ size
- 3-Hole Punch
- Date Stamp
- Markers, crayons, and/or colored pencils
- Roll of paper towels
- Computer and Printer (color printer
Week 4 Supply List
- Book: Grandfather’s Journey
- Book: The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book
- Book: Global Art: Activities, Projects, and Inventions from Around the World
- Passports and World Traveler Notebooks for each child from Week 1
- Printables from this post: Lesson Plan, Cruise Ship Tickets, Passport Stamps, Map Handout, and Facts & Flag Handout
Supplies for Art Project
- Real fish OR rubber fish
- Washable tempura paint
- Paintbrush for each paint color
- Pie tins or foam trays for paint
- Paper for printing (I used Crayola 10 x 8 Inches Marker and Watercolor Pad
- Paper towels
- Newspapers or something else to protect tabletop
- Soap and water
Copyright 2014 Kathryn Depew
Image from flickr.com used under the Creative Commons license. Image credit: Vincent_AF
Disclosure: The books and supply links on this page lead to products on Amazon. I am an affiliate and will receive a small commission if these links are used to make a purchase.
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