A. Classroom

1. Objectives and Expected Focus:
   1. Students will learn about Japan's culture and life today.
   2. Students will communicate with students in Japan using traditional mail and the Internet.
2. Activities to carry out plan:
   1. Students will explore Japan using text and multimedia sources.
      1. 9 centers will rotate around classrooms to relay information, pose research questions, and provide hands-on activity and either a fiction or non-fiction book on many different topics about Japan.
      2. 2 different CD ROM based Japanese language exploration programs will be available to students in the Media Center.
      3. Each PPC computer has a Grolier's Multimedia CD ROM to help answer research questions
      4. Students will use the Internet using several sites on Japan, which will be bookmarked on those computers with Internet access.
      5. Music, Art, and P.E. activities will infuse music, calligraphy, watercolor, and games and Martial Arts originating in Japan.
   2. Students will communicate with students in Japan using a variety of media
      1. Students will use the Internet to see photos I have places there throughout my stay in Japan. They will also be able to email questions about Japan, the culture, or the schools that I can hopefully answer.
      2. Students will send images of our rural Midwestern community by computer, video, and scrapbook projects.
      3. Students will use the photos and videos from Japan to produce multimedia projects to share with students and community members.
      4. A "culture box" exchange of actual items and email communication with one or more schools in Japan is being planned.
3. Time Frame:
   1. The projects above have already begun. Students have started posing questions about Japan that they want me to explore. Literature is being circulated throughout classrooms in my absence. The substitute taking my place is in charge of student email and checking the web site for updated photos of the FMF trip.
   2. I believe the activities will be ongoing throughout the year. There are many different activities that will take time to infuse into the curriculum, and to develop the skills and background needed to fully understand and utilize different concepts.
4. Resources: In order to accomplish my objectives, I will need the following:
   1. Assistance/Collaboration
      1. Collaboration will be vital to infuse fine arts and games into the Music, Art, and PE classes.
      2. Collaboration with the Media Specialist is important to assist with student research skills and computer trouble shooting in my absence.
      3. Collaboration with classroom teachers to help place information about Japan and its culture into their curriculum at the appropriate time.
      4. Assistance from the principals to arrange for assemblies or release time to share information with students.
      5. Collaboration with teachers in a "sister school" in Japan.
   2. Resources
      1. Information Sources
         1. Teacher reference: See website http://members.xoom.com/hegstrom/teachbk.html
         2. Literature: See website http://members.xoom.com/hegstrom/litbk.html
         3. Japanese language tapes:
            1. VocabuLearn Japanese. Penton Overseas, 1986. ISBN # 0-939001-40-3
            2. Living Language: Japanese Complete Course. Random House, 1993, ISBN # 0-609-60278-0
            3. Teach Me More Japanese. Teach Me Tapes, Inc. 1991. ISBN # 0-934633-20-7
         4. Internet resources
            1. Kids Web Japan (http://www.jinjapan.org/kidsweb/index.html)
            2. FMF links (http://www.glocomnet.or.jp/fmf/links.html)
      2. Materials (Book, poster, artifacts, etc.)
         1. Centers: focused topics on art/literature; history, geography, Tokyo, celebrations, sports, daily life.
         2. Books: folk tales and poetry will be available to learn about culture and its love of art, nature, and poetry.
         3. Artifacts: many things that students can touch, use, and explore to learn about Japan. I will try to bring objects back that represents Japan's culture.

B. School

1. Objectives and Expected Focus:
   1. Students will experience hands-on and immersion activities to learn about another culture
   2. Students will learn about impact of war and work toward peaceful resolutions to conflict.
2. Activities to carry out plan:
   1. Read books based on WWII experiences of children
   2. Attend dramatization of Sadako presented at theatre
   3. View videos of life in Japan
3. Time Frame:
   1. Beginning in November and extending through the school year.
4. Resources: In order to accomplish my objectives, I will need the following:
   1. Assistance/Collaboration
      1. Community Resources:
         1. Japan-American group: several people provide experiences for school children, such as Tea Ceremony, Japanese-American internment camps, Japanese calligraphy, and other activities.
         2. Foreign Exchange Students: Allow exchange students in the area to visit with students.
         3. One of our elementary principals participated in a sister city exchange when she worked in Des Moines.
      2. Resources from Japan:
         1. Communication with teachers and/or classes in Japan: from FMF visit and follow up via email or traditional mail.
      3. Guidance Counselor:
         1. Works with students to accept individual differences.
         2. Works with conflict resolution strategies in guidance class.
   2. Resources
      1. Information Sources:
         1. KidsWeb Japan (http://www.jinjapan.org/kidsweb/index.html)
         2. Information, photos, and video obtained from FMF visit
      2. Materials
         1. Books:
            1. Sadako and the Paper Crane
            2. Baseball Saved Us
         2. Videos:
            1. Faces of Japan: Series on Public Television
         3. Class visits/ Interviews:
            1. Mrs. Reindle and I will be able to discuss personal experiences in Japan.
            2. Special guests from Japan-American group in Des Moines.

C. Community

1. Objectives and Expected Focus:
   1. Families will share/celebrate student activities
   2. Community members will have opportunity for international exchange
2. Activities to carry out plan:
   1. Have an Open House in the spring to share projects.
   2. Parent communication by newsletter and web site with suggested ways to become involved with activities.
3. Time Frame:
   1. Several projects and activities should be ready to share by conferences in February.
4. Resources: In order to accomplish my objectives, I will need the following:
   1. Assistance/Collaboration
   2. Resources
      1. Information (cite source)
         1. Information from the Des Moines Sister City program.
      2. Materials
         1. Travel Brochures and posters
         2. Displays: Student projects and centers
         3.