JAPAN FULLBRIGHT MEMORIAL FUND : LESSON PLAN

HAWAII'S SISTER STATE OKINAWA

HAWAII’S SISTER STATE OKINAWA - THE PEACEFUL ISLANDS
”ONCE MET, WE ARE LIKE BROTHERS”

PURPOSE:  To have a deeper understanding of the similarities and differences of Hawaii's sister state Okinawa, and an appreciation for the culture, language and customs.
Students will also learn how the Okinawan culture has influenced modern
Hawaiian culture.

GRADES: 9-12
SUBJECT AREAS: Visual arts, social studies and Technology

PROJECTS:  Website and Mural
 1.  To create an evolving/expanding web-site that compares the similarities differences of Hawaii in particular the big island) and Okinawa.
  2. The students will design and paint a tile mural that will honor Hawaii’s sister state Okinawa. The mural will celebrate Hawaii’s connection to the Okinawa Community
utilizing the theme of the ocean.

KEY VOCABULARY:
Shamieshin: A stringed musical instrument made from snake skin, similar to a banjo.
Shilsa: lion statues that are placed at the entrance to a home or business to ward off evil spirits.
Eisa: A traditional folk dance of Okinawa
Ryukyu Kingdom: An independent kingdom which ruled most of the Ryukyu islands for about 450 years, from the 14^th to 19^th century.
Habu: A poisonous snake on the island of Okinawa
Prefecture: A government district of Japan.
Uchinanchu.: People of Okinawa

MATERIALS/RESOURCES: Photographs from Okinawa, internet, computers, books
objects purchased while visiting Ginowin and Naha and web-page software.
Mural materials: glaze, tiles, adhesive, grout and plaque.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
*Present slide show of trip to prefecture Okinawa.
*Read article by Robert Nakasone
published in the Honolulu Star Bulletin, Titled Okinawa and Hawaii, East-West
Center Helps Keep Connections Alive  Between Sister Islands..
* Discuss why Okinawans migrated to Hawaii in early 1900’s.
*Discuss the father of Okinawan immigration Toyama Kyuzo.
*Review the importance and meaning of Japanese crests, in particular Okinawa’s.
*Discuss Japanese influences in Hawaii, in particular the Okinawans.
*Discuss the meaning of Aloha and the Okinawan phrase  “once we met, we are like brothers”
* Students will discuss the arts and crafts of Okinawa, and will be given the
opportunity to see ceramic and textile objects that were purchased in Okinawa
during the JFMF trip.
* Students will be trained to use a web-page authoring program. (Allow 2-3 weeks
to learn basic web-page procedures)

Assessment:
* Students will break into groups and be assigned several categories from the following list.  Students will then be asked to research and discuss the similarities and differences of Okinawa and Hawaii as it relates to their category. 
* Students will also analyze common characteristics of works of art and artifacts from Hawaii and Okinawa.

 CATAGORIES:  TRANSPORTATION, MUSIC, DANCE, FOOD, CUSTOMS, ART, LANGUAGE   (DIALECT), AGRICULTURE, WAR, MARTIAL ARTS, HISTORY, WILDLIFE/SEALIFE and RELIGION


* Students will give an oral presentation to the entire class .They
will compare and contrast not only their chosen category but the artwork and crafts of
Hawaiians and Okinawans: They will look closely at textile designs, how containers
are used, how ceremonial customs are made and the stories that are told through dance and music.
*The culminating project will be to post on the internet photographs that visually demonstrate the similarities and differences of Hawaii and Okinawa. Students will
be encouraged to take digital photographs from their community to visually demonstrate
their findings.

*Students will help in the planning of the tile mural that will be hung next to the school library. After the initial brainstorming sessions, students will help draw, paint and hang the tile mural. The painting of the mural will be open to all students on the campus. After the completion of the mural, a dedication ceremony will be planned, inviting local Japanese community leaders and an invitation will be sent out to the east-west
center on Oahu.

EXTENSION/ENRICHMENT:

Plan a field trip to the Hawaii Okinawa Culture center on the island of Oahu, or to the
Maui Okinawa Center.

Conclusion/Critique:  After all students have presented their findings, the class will discuss what they learned, and how it has deepened their understanding and appreciation of Hawaii’s culture and that of Okinawa.

HAWAII STATE BENCHMARKS:
*Evaluate the impact of culture, particularly changing culture on individuals, groups
and issues in America and demonstrate on understanding of the relationships between culture, cultural change, and social condition.
* Routinely and effectively use on-line information resources to meet needs for collaboration, research, publications, communication and productivity.

USEFULL WEBSITES
http://www.huoa.org/pages/huoa/hoc/hoc_site.ht

http://www.janm.org/about/press/bento_okinawa.html

http://www.hawaiiokinawa.com/current.html

http://www.pref.okinawa.jp/english/thisis/index.html

http://www.uchinanchu.org/uchinanchu/history_of_uchinanchu.htm

RESULTS OF STUDENT FINDINGS: PLEASE CHECK  FOR UPDATES

Okinawa is the name for the island of Okinawa (Okinawa Shima or Okinawa Honto) and the name of the 47th prefecture of Japan (Okinawa Ken) which includes not only the main island of Okinawa but also the southern islands of the Ryukyu archipelago. The kanji characters for Okinawa mean "offshore rope ". The capital city is Naha. Okinawa has a unique and fascinating culture with a strong craft tradition. The sub-tropical climate, emerald ocean and coral sand beaches make Okinawa the travel destination of choice for Japanese and foreign visitors

MUSIC