Lesson Plan - What's Up World? Japan

Watch a Video: Let’s Discover Japan

Take a video trip to the island nation of Japan. Discuss: Which facts about Japan caught your attention? Why?

Preview Words to Know

Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• national 
• elected

Set a Purpose for Reading

As students read, have them think about the purpose of national holidays and why countries celebrate their people and places.

1. What is the main purpose of this article? The purpose of this article is to inform readers about Constitution Day, a national holiday in Japan. It also describes how Japan’s government compares with the U.S. government and what life is like in Japan.

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2. How is the prime minister of Japan similar to the U.S. president? Both the prime minister of Japan and the U.S. president are leaders elected by their country’s people. They also have similar responsibilities, and each leads a branch of government.

^{(RI.3.9 COMPARE AND CONTRAST)}

3. List three facts about Japan that you can learn from the map. Sample response: The map shows that Japan borders three bodies of water, including the Pacific Ocean. It also is near Russia and China. Finally, the map shows that Japan’s capital city is Toyko.

^{(RI.3.7 TEXT FEATURES)}

FEATURED SKILL: Compare and Contrast

Use this skill builder to have students compare Japan with their own community.

^{(RI.3.9 COMPARE AND CONTRAST)}