Visual Arts Lesson Plan
Japan Art Thematic

Catherine Kerch – Holy Family Catholic Academy, Honolulu, Hawaii

Grade Level: 5-8 (several of these lessons can be adapted to lower grades)

GOAL: To introduce students to the Art of Japan, it’s culture and people.

OBJECTIVES: Students will learn about the cultural history of Japan and experience the visual art of block printing, sculpture, origami, ceramics, gyotaku (fish printing), and anime.  

NETSUKE & SAGEMONO

Materials:
PPT on Netsukes
Clay

Clay Carving Tools & Glazes

Kimono Fabric

Sewing Needles & Thread

Silk or Nylon Cord

Procedure:

1. Introduce students to the culture of Japan. 
2. Provide visual exemplary of Netsuke and Sagemono.
3. Show students PPT on Netsukes.
4. Explain to students that they will carve animal out of clay.  They will also need to pierce the clay to create two holes large enough to string a cord through.  They will also carve a bead for their netsuke.  Finally, they will sew a Sagemono and attach their Netsuke to it using a silk or nylon cord; as shown on the PPT.
5. Demonstrate Relief Sculpting with Clay.
6. Demonstrate Sewing of Sagemono.
7. Have students draw out their Netsuke and Bead designs before carving.
8. Have students research Netsukes and their origins in Japan.  Include in the paper a description of their netsuke and its symbolic meaning.  2 Page, Typed, with Resources cited.
9. Allow 5 class periods to complete.

KIMONO

Materials:
PPT on Kimonos

Pictures of Ceramic Kimonos by Linda Mau
Clay

Clay Carving Tools & Glazes

Procedure:

1. Introduce students to the culture of Japan. 
2. Provide visual exemplary of Kimonos.
3. Show students PPT on Kimonos.
4. Explain to students that they will be creating a kimono from clay.
5. Demonstrate slab and coil, slip and score, and basic hand build techniques.
6. Demonstrate how to mold clay into kimono shape.
7. Have students draw out their Kimono designs before starting.
8. Allow 5 class periods to complete.

DARUMA

Materials:

Oval balloons

Newspaper

Papier mache' paste( or use flour & water paste)

Paint and brushes

Procedure:

1. Introduce students to the culture of Japan. 
2. Provide visual exemplary of Daruma.
3. Read students story about the Buddhist Monk, Bodhidharma, whom the Daruma is based on.
4. Explain to students that they will be creating a daruma doll with papier mache.
5. Demonstrate papier mache techniques with balloon.
6. Have students research the Daruma doll and its significance to the Japanese people as a folk idol.  1 page, typed with Resources cited.
7. Allow 3 class periods to complete.

NOTE: So darumas are made with no arms or legs. They have weighted bottoms so that no matter how you roll them, they will always return right side up. Add extra layers of strips to the bottom, rounded end. This will give the bottom the extra weight it needs so that the daruma will end up in an upright position.

KOKISHI DOLL

Materials:
2” wooden dowels cut to 4” length

1” wooden ball cap

Paint and Brushes

Procedure:

1. Introduce students to the culture of Japan.
2. Provide visual exemplary of Kokishi Doll.
3. Show students PPT of Kokishi Dolls.
4. Demonstrate constructing Kokishi doll with wooden dowel and ball cap.
5. Have students draw a design of their Kokishi doll before starting.
6. Allow 2 class periods to complete.

JAPANESE BLOCK PRINT

Materials:

Pine Wood Block

Carving Tools

Watercolors

Cardstock

Japanese Folklores

Procedure:

1. Show students PPT of Japanese Wood Block Printing.
2. Have students choose and read Japanese Folklore.
3. Explain to students that they will be creating a Japanese Block Print and printing the block using Japanese watercolor on acid free cardstock.
4. Demonstrate step by step printing techniques with one color at a time.
5. Demonstrate applying the design then carving the block. Remind students of safety using sharp instruments.
6. Have students draw a Japanese Folklore for their block print design before starting.
7. Allow 10 class periods to complete.

NOH MASKS  

Materials:

Clay

Clay Tools and Glazes

Newspaper

Procedure:

1.     Show PPT on Hawaiian Noh Masks.

2.     Provide visual exemplary of Noh Masks.

3.     Demonstrate hand building clay technique of slab and coil.

4.     Demonstrate making a mask armature with newspaper and constructing the base of the Noh Masks.

5.     Have students draw a design of the Noh Masks before starting.

6.     Allow 4 classes

OBON LANTERNS & SUMI-E

Materials:

Rice Paper cut into 9” x 17”

Sumi-e Brushes

Indian ink

Bamboo Skewers

Styrofoam Blocks 6” x 6”

Black Spray Paint

Tea Candle (Optional)

Procedure:

1. Show students PPT of Obon Lanterns. 
2. Show visual exemplary of Obon Lantern.
3. Explain Obon Festival and purpose of lanterns.
4. Demonstrate Sumi-e calligraphy painting with brush and Indian ink.
5. Have students practice making Sumi-e calligraphy shapes and writings.
6. Demonstrate painting on Rice Paper and constructing Obon Lanterns.
7. Have students create a spiritual scene for their Obon Lantern panels and write a brief description of why they choose their theme.
8. Spray paint Styrofoam black and assemble lantern with optional tea light.
9. Allow 1 to 2 class periods.

ANIME

Materials:

Anime Drawing Books

Paper

Color Pencils

Colored Chalk & Pastels

Poster Board

Procedure:

1. Show students visual exemplary of Anime cartoons (Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Yu Gi Oh).
2. Provide students with handout of step by step Anime Drawing techniques.
3. 5^th and 6^th Grade students will focus on creating an Anime portrait of themselves on white paper and use color pencils.  7^th Grade will create an original Anime Cartoon Poster and write an introductory story explaining their cartoon character.  7^th Grade will also color their posters using color chalk and pastels.
4. Demonstrate Anime character drawing.
5. Demonstrate using color chalk and pastels.
6. Have students draw their character before creating their final portrait or cartoon.
7. Allow 4 class periods to complete.

ORIGAMI

Materials:

Origami books

Origami paper

Procedure:

1. Read students the story “Sadako”.  Discuss the story with the students and talk about the importance of the symbol of the origami crane.  Talk about Peace Day and making 1001 cranes for Memorial Day, May 23.
2. Show students PPT of Origami paper art and sculpture.
3. Demonstrate making a paper crane.
4. 5^th Graders will create 1 to 10 Peace Cranes.  6^th Grade will create an original Origami Sculpture that is approximately 5” to 10” high.  Sculptures must have a theme.
5. Allow 1 class period for 5^th Grade and 3 to 4 class periods for 6^th grade.

GYOTAKU

Materials:

Fresh Dead Fish and/or Prawns

Watercolors (Red, Black or Dark Blue)

Newsprint (if you can get a hold of a copy of Hawaii Hochi that would better a plus)

Plastic Gloves for Seafood Allergies

Procedure:

1. Show students visual exemplary of GyoTaku.
2. Explain to students the background behind Japanese GyoTaku prints and their documentary purpose to artistic appreciation.
3. Demonstrate setting up the Fresh Dead Fish for printing and create one print.
4. Have students paint their fish with watercolors and print on newsprint paper.
5. This project looks fantastic when printed on an actual Japanese Newspaper like Hawaii Hochi.

NOTE: Provide plastic gloves for students with fish or seafood allergies.

JAPANESE CHA and HAIKU

Materials:

Clay

Clay Tools and Glazes

Procedure:

1. Show students visual exemplary of Japanese Tea Cup.
2. Show students PPT of Japanese Tea Ceremony.
3. Discuss Japanese Tea Ceremony and its spiritual purpose.
4. Discuss Japanese Haiku (5-7-5).  Provide examples of Haiku poetry.
5. Demonstrate clay hand building technique of pinch pot, use of clay tools and basic clay skills.
6. Have students create a pinch pot cha cup similar to the exemplary.
7. Have students write a Haiku and draw a picture to be painting on their cha cup.
8. Allow 4 to 6 class periods to complete.

TIMEFRAME:

This is a 10-14 week course that meets twice a week for 90 minutes per grade level.