Lesson 4
Lesson Plan Download pdf
Main (25 minutes)
Hand out the kanji worksheet and have children practise writing various different kanji. Again, emphasise the importance of using the correct stroke order and have children practise in pencil first. You should demonstrate how to draw the strokes on the white/ blackboard first.
Options: (1)
Once you are satisfied that the children are able to reproduce the kanji accurately,
then they could try some calligraphy. Demonstrate how to hold the brush correctly
and how to apply the ink to the paper. It should also be mentioned that each stroke
should only be painted once.
Have the children practise their favourite kanji on A4 paper. When satisfied, they can paint their best version on hanshi paper (plain newsprint works just as well) using black paint.
You may like to refer to the picture in ‘A Day with Kentaro’ (an internet photo resource about the day in the life of a Japanese boy) where the classroom wall is decorated with children’s kanji. Address: https://www.tjf.or.jp/shogakusei/kentaro/index_e.html
Another good internet site which explains the school day for sixth graders at elementary school in Japan can be viewed at: https://www.tjf.or.jp/shogakusei/index_e.htm
Options: (2)
Having examined the origins of the kanji, ask children to come up with their own.
They should first of all choose the word they are going to represent, such as ‘insect’
and then draw a picture of it. This picture should be simplified and simplified again
until they have their own ‘kanji’ character. Use the Japanese Language Culture Notes
to help.
Children should present their kanji to other members of the class. Can they guess the kanji?
Kanji Card matching game:
If one, two and three are as follows: 一、二、三 then what might four be? (Logically it should be four horizontal strokes, but it is actually 四!!)
