Samurai'sTale

A Web Quest for 6th Grade Language Arts

Introduction

Samurai's Tale is a novel, which paints a picture of life in the feudal era of Japan. (1500’s) Through the eyes of a young orphan boy, we see a story replete with details of daily tasks, art, spiritual beliefs and poetry, food, and warrior life. As you read this story, you will also be developing a presentation from the study of the novel as well as from research done through your web quest assignment to share with your class. Enjoy yourselves!!

You will be working with a small group of your classmates as an investigator, a practitioner, a performer or a poet in one of the following subject areas. Depending on your selection, you may be a reporter of current events of that time, a researcher, an artist, a dancer, an historian, a warrior, or a tool/weapon maker.

The Task

You will present your findings in the format found in your rubric link. Your task is to teach your class the information explored by your group. As a class, we will attempt to assemble the lifestyle of the citizen of this Japanese era of time. We will then compare a typical day in the life of the protagonist in Samurai's Tale with a present day citizen’s day in our setting. Each student and each group will be responsible for a presentation to the class. You will have two weeks to work on this project.

Each member of each group will sign up for responsibilities in developing their team's presentation.

Required reading for everyone. http://www.jinjapan.org/kidsweb/index.html

You will take notes of the chapters of the novel especially pertinent to your assignment. The team leader will organize notes.

You will use internet links provided to research your assigned topics in addition to your book.

You will discuss how the information and inferential work done by the group relates to the quest.

You will prepare a presentation for class. Relate the information you find to our lives today.

Your presentation will include all members of your group. There will be presenters, artists, and perhaps technicians.

The Process

Your first task as a group will be to select a leader.

Each team member will select a responsibility for research

Each team member will also select a responsibility for presenting to the class.

Each team will have a folder in which their research and notes will be kept after class meetings. It is the task of the leader to keep notes of those plans and discussions regarding research and presentation.

The teacher will review the notes and after the fourth meeting, the folder will be presented to your teacher.

Use the internet links provided, to research the assigned roles you selected in your first group meetings.

Be prepared to share your findings in your group meetings and to assist your team in developing your team’s task.

PRESENTATION

Your team will present its findings by creating a visual and by making a 5-8 minute oral presentation.

You may choose to create a map, a time line, a color picture or a diagram around which your group's presentation will revolve.

See presentation rubric to choose the best visual form for you as well as to plan how to best present your information.

See Evaluation for Rubric Information

Investigation Tasks

TASK ONE:

Investigate the core beliefs of the samurai of the 1500's in terms of creed, weapons, life expectancy. Review incidents in the novel when Mukarami begins to collect items of a sumurai. Do you notice any changes in him at this point? Support your findings with examples. Include the incident of the sword passing from Lord Akiyama to Murakami. What are the symbols? What is the message? What part does his name play in the symbolism?

Information on Japanese warriors. http://mcel.pacificu.edu/

TASK TWO:

Investigate the value of art, drama, and music to the samurai and the population of Japan in the middle ages. This era of time in Japan seems dark, violent, even cruel. What evidence can you find that the arts also played an important part of this part of Japanese history? Do some research on at least two areas of art that seem to be valued by the people of this time. Help your classmates to understand the importance of this part of culture at this time. Why would the author include this information in his novel? What part does it play in character development? Is there a similar contrast in today's culture? Can you cite some examples from the novel and from today's culture?

Kids Web Japan http://www.jinjapn.org/kidsweb/index.html

Japanese Culture http://www.geocities.com/japanfaq/FAQ-Primer.html

TASK THREE:

Investigate the position of Literature and language in the Japan of the 1500's. In the novel and in the sources sited, research the type of literature available.

What purpose does literature serve ? How do they explain the lives and beliefs of the people of that time? Can we relate today's literature to our culture in the same way? Give examples of both cultures in which the genre expresses character traits of the people. In reading Japanese myths and folktales, observe the themes found in them. See

Examples of Japanese Poetry http://www.toyomasu.com/haiku

Myths http://www.st.rim.or.jp/~cycle/SACHIE.HTML

Proverbs http://www.home.ch/~spaw3382/prov.htm

What languages were spoken at this time in Japan? Find examples of the written word.

TASK FOUR

Research the religions in feudal Japan. What is Bushido and how is http://mcel.pacificu.edu/it connected to the code? What are the basic principles?

Zen is the most popular Buddhist sect with feudal samurai. Research the basic principles of Zen. How are either of these principles exemplified in the novel, Samurai's Tale? Use specific details and examples. Is this code used in daily life today? Give specific examples.

Religions of Feudal Japan http://mcel.pacificu.edu/

Resources

Not all students will be using all the resources. Your group will be expected to use at least two sources in addition to your book to complete the information and prepare for your presentation. Please document your sources (internet sites with complete addresses) on your evaluation rubric. Some of the links include several sites and related addresses. Be creative.

Evaluation

Rubric for WebQuest Project

	20 pts	17 pts	14 pts
Part 1: Content	Subject knowledge is excellent. Details and examples are supportive of the presentation.	Knowledge of the subject is good. Some details and examples are used.	Information about the topic, but there are a few factual errors.
Part 2: Organization	Organized, using heading or bulleted lists to group material	Organized.	Most of the content is organized. Some confusion.
Part 3: Presentation	Well rehearsed with smooth delivery. Holds audience.	Smooth delivery that holds audience most of the time.	Some confusion but holds audience most of the time.

Conclusion

Attached to your rubric, please list the names of your group.

Affix the sites and resources your group has used to prepare your presentation to give proper credit.

Attach a summary of your inferences and/or opinions regarding how your subject of study compares to life as you know it today. Be as specific as possible. Please type and edit this concluding piece. Be as specific as possible.

This is a group effort.

There is a total of 80 possible points for this project.

20 for each of the rubric items
10 for the source and credit information
10 for the concluding summary

Each member of each group will sign up for responsibilities in developing their team's presentation.

You will take notes of the chapters of the novel especially pertinent to your assignment. The team leader will organize notes.

You will use internet links provided to research your assigned topics in addition to your book.

You will discuss how the information and inferential work done by the group relates to the quest.

You will prepare a presentation for class. Relate the information you find to our lives today.

Your presentation will include all members of your group. There will be presenters, artists, and perhaps technicians.

Your first task as a group will be to select a leader.

Each team member will select a responsibility for research

Each team member will also select a responsibility for presenting to the class.

Each team will have a folder in which their research and notes will be kept after class meetings. It is the task of the leader to keep notes of those plans and discussions regarding research and presentation.

The teacher will review the notes and after the fourth meeting, the folder will be presented to your teacher.

Use the internet links provided, to research the assigned roles you selected in your first group meetings.

Be prepared to share your findings in your group meetings and to assist your team in developing your team’s task.

Your team will present its findings by creating a visual and by making a 5-8 minute oral presentation.

You may choose to create a map, a time line, a color picture or a diagram around which your group's presentation will revolve.

See presentation rubric to choose the best visual form for you as well as to plan how to best present your information.

See Evaluation for Rubric Information

Investigate the position of Literature and language in the Japan of the 1500's. In the novel and in the sources sited, research the type of literature available.

What languages were spoken at this time in Japan? Find examples of the written word.

Research the religions in feudal Japan. What is Bushido and how is http://mcel.pacificu.edu/it connected to the code? What are the basic principles?

Zen is the most popular Buddhist sect with feudal samurai. Research the basic principles of Zen. How are either of these principles exemplified in the novel, Samurai's Tale? Use specific details and examples. Is this code used in daily life today? Give specific examples.

Rubric for WebQuest Project

Attached to your rubric, please list the names of your group.

Affix the sites and resources your group has used to prepare your presentation to give proper credit.

Attach a summary of your inferences and/or opinions regarding how your subject of study compares to life as you know it today. Be as specific as possible. Please type and edit this concluding piece. Be as specific as possible.

This is a group effort.

There is a total of 80 possible points for this project.

20 for each of the rubric items
10 for the source and credit information
10 for the concluding summary

Credits

Kabuki picture is from http://www.shochiku.co.jp/play/kabukiza/theater/

Each member of each group will sign up for responsibilities in developing their team's presentation.

You will take notes of the chapters of the novel especially pertinent to your assignment. The team leader will organize notes.

You will use internet links provided to research your assigned topics in addition to your book.

You will discuss how the information and inferential work done by the group relates to the quest.

You will prepare a presentation for class. Relate the information you find to our lives today.

Your presentation will include all members of your group. There will be presenters, artists, and perhaps technicians.

Your first task as a group will be to select a leader.

Each team member will select a responsibility for research

Each team member will also select a responsibility for presenting to the class.

Each team will have a folder in which their research and notes will be kept after class meetings. It is the task of the leader to keep notes of those plans and discussions regarding research and presentation.

The teacher will review the notes and after the fourth meeting, the folder will be presented to your teacher.

Use the internet links provided, to research the assigned roles you selected in your first group meetings.

Be prepared to share your findings in your group meetings and to assist your team in developing your team’s task.

Your team will present its findings by creating a visual and by making a 5-8 minute oral presentation.

You may choose to create a map, a time line, a color picture or a diagram around which your group's presentation will revolve.

See presentation rubric to choose the best visual form for you as well as to plan how to best present your information.

See Evaluation for Rubric Information

Investigate the position of Literature and language in the Japan of the 1500's. In the novel and in the sources sited, research the type of literature available.

What languages were spoken at this time in Japan? Find examples of the written word.

Research the religions in feudal Japan. What is Bushido and how is http://mcel.pacificu.edu/it connected to the code? What are the basic principles?

Zen is the most popular Buddhist sect with feudal samurai. Research the basic principles of Zen. How are either of these principles exemplified in the novel, Samurai's Tale? Use specific details and examples. Is this code used in daily life today? Give specific examples.

Rubric for WebQuest Project

Attached to your rubric, please list the names of your group.

Affix the sites and resources your group has used to prepare your presentation to give proper credit.

Attach a summary of your inferences and/or opinions regarding how your subject of study compares to life as you know it today. Be as specific as possible. Please type and edit this concluding piece. Be as specific as possible.

This is a group effort.

There is a total of 80 possible points for this project.

20 for each of the rubric items 10 for the source and credit information 10 for the concluding summary

Credits

Kabuki picture is from http://www.shochiku.co.jp/play/kabukiza/theater/

20 for each of the rubric items
10 for the source and credit information
10 for the concluding summary