Theme 1: Personal and Family Life

Greetings and Introductions

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Use appropriate forms of address to peers and adults when making introductions.
• Use appropriate gestures and expressions of greeting and leave-taking.
• Ask and respond to simple questions about someone else’s identity and well-being.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Differentiate between informal and formal exchanges.
• Comprehend phrases related to a person’s state of well-being.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Demonstrate attention to accuracy of register in introducing self and expressing greetings.
• Present rehearsed and spontaneous greetings and introductions.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Recognize and distinguish between various culturally-authentic gestures and levels of formality of greeting and leave-taking.
• Demonstrate understanding of hand-shaking, body language, and greetings, including those used in telephone, computer, and letter-writing situations.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Discuss the use of morning and evening greetings.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Examine customs of greeting and leaving a person in the United States and Japan.
• Contrast the use of formal address in Japanese and English.

Communication Across Communities

• Recognize the importance of greetings in Japan.

 

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• I (boku/watashi) and addresser (san/kun/sensei)
• Ritual expressions, such as ittekimasu, itterasshai, tadaima and okaerinasai
• Formal and informal expressions

 

Physical Descriptions and Personality Characteristics, Feelings, and Emotions

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Use a variety of adjectives to ask and answer questions about the physical appearance of people and objects.
• Ask and answer questions about a description or feeling.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Comprehend spoken and written descriptions of physical appearance, personality traits and feelings.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Describe physical and personality attributes using a variety of appropriate adjectives.
• Present descriptions, both rehearsed and spontaneous, of people and/or objects.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Discuss cultural generalizations and stereotyping based on physical appearance.
• Discuss differences and similarities in appearance between people from the U.S. and Japan.
• Discuss characteristics of well-known people from Japan.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Identify well-known people from Japanese-speaking countries who are studied in other disciplines.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare one verb for "to be" in English vs. two verbs in Japanese.

Communication Across Communities

• Describe well-known people in Japan.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Descriptive i/na adjectives and nouns
• Subject pronouns
• Question and answer format

 

Family Members

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions pertaining to family members and relationships, including pets.
• Use appropriate in-group and out-group family terms.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Identify family members and relationships based on spoken and written descriptions.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Describe family relationships.
• Describe family members and pets.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Identify characteristics of the family unit in Japanese culture.
• Explain the importance of the family in Japanese society.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Compare the role of the extended family in Japan and in the U.S.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare and contrast families in the U.S. and in Japan.
• Contrast ways to express possession.
• Contrast family terms used for own family and others' families.

Communication Across Communities

• Use print and Internet resources to access information about families in Japan.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Pet vocabulary
• Possession with no
• Descriptive adjectives
• Present tense of "to be" in Japanese for animate objects
• Counting units for people and animals

 

Clothing and Colors

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions pertaining to clothing and colors.
• Ask and answer questions to elicit a description of clothing and colors.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Identify clothing and colors based on spoken and written description.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Use descriptive adjectives and cases to describe clothing.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Discuss standards and styles of dress in Japan.
• Discuss the influence of climate and geography on dress in Japan.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Discuss the use of color (e.g., in clothing, art, architecture).

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare standards and styles of dress in Japanese and American cultures.
• Identify cognates and false cognates related to clothing and colors.
• Compare ways of expressing possession ('s in English vs. "no" in Japanese).

Communication Across Communities

• Identify differences in sizes and appropriateness of clothing.
• Describe clothing available on the Internet and through catalogues and/or advertisements from Japan.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Colors and other descriptive adjectives

Theme 2: School Life

Numbers and Time

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about age.
• Ask and answer questions about street addresses and telephone numbers.
• Ask and answer questions about time and scheduled activities.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Interpret a time schedule (bus, train, class, movie listing, or TV guide).

Oral and Written Presentation

• Explain a schedule of activities.
• Present information about ages, phone numbers, addresses, and class schedules.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Discuss the way numerals are written in Japanese.
• Discuss a typical day’s schedule in Japan (meal times, etc.).
• Discuss the metric system.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Explain the use of the metric system.
• Do simple mathematical computations in Japanese.
• Discuss temperatures.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Discuss the concept of time in Japan.
• Compare the 24-hour clock used in Japan to the American system of a.m. and p.m.
• Discuss the use in Japanese when using numbers (ichi-man).
• Discuss the use of the metric system.
• Compare Japanese time expressions to English expressions such as quarter-past, half-past, noon, and midnight.

Communication Across Communities

• Interpret a time schedule in Japanese.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary related to numbers
• Word order in expressing time

 

Days, Months, and Calendar

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about days of week, dates, and months.
• Ask and answer questions about birthdays and celebrations.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Identify dates of events and celebrations.
• Comprehend simple announcements that include dates.
• Understand written numerical information as used in newspapers, announcements, letters, brochures, etc.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Prepare and present a weekly activities calendar.
• Present important dates and celebrations.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Identify holidays and/or celebrations in Japan.
• Relate different products to celebrations such as New Year's Day (oshoogatsu), Star Festival, Japanese All Soul's Day (obon), New Year's Eve and others

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Make connections with historical events from Japanese culture that involve or related to the United States, such as Commodore Perry's visit to Japan, Pearl Harbor and the Pacific War.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Recognize that the Japanese calendar starts on Monday.
• Compare Sweet 16 celebration to Japan's Coming of Age Celebration (seijin shiki).
• Recognize that the order in saying and writing dates is different in Japanese (day, month, and then year).

Communication Across Communities

• Use community resources to identify cultural celebrations within the student’s own community.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Phrases for asking and telling the date
• kanji for numbers 1-10

 

Classes, Schedules and Supplies

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions related to class schedules and school subjects.
• Ask and answer questions about school supplies, furnishings, and rooms.
• Ask and answer questions related to a typical school day and routine.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Understand simple instructions related to classroom commands or procedures, and basic computer technology.
• Comprehend a class schedule, opinions of classes, and locations in the school.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Prepare and present a class schedule.
• Describe a class schedule and necessary materials for various classes.
• Identify in which rooms classes are held.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Discuss the courses taken at various grade levels in Japan, including the quantity of courses and frequency of class sessions.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Compare names of courses in English with the names in Japanese.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare education systems in the U.S. and in Japan.
• Compare a typical school day in the U.S. with those in Japan.
• Compare grading scales in the U.S. and in Japan.
• Compare typical study hours spent outside of school (Juku evening schools and home tutoring).

Communication Across Communities

• Interpret a school schedule of a student from Japan.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary related to school schedules, rooms of the school and classroom objects
• Vocabulary related to telling time
• Question formation and interrogative expressions
• Adverbs of frequency
• Use of definite articles with class subjects

Theme 3: Social Life

Interests and Leisure Activities

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about interests and leisure activities, including likes and dislikes.
• Discuss extra-curricular activities.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Comprehend simple, culturally-authentic announcements and advertisements related to leisure activities.
• Identify activities being described.
• Determine whether a person likes or dislikes a particular activity.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Tell the degree to which a person likes or dislikes various activities.
• Tell when and how frequently a person participates in various activities.
• Tell what leisure activities a person does or does not do.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Discuss the role of leisure activities in a young person’s daily life.
• Discuss where young people meet during leisure time.
• Discuss the impact of geographic location on popular leisure activities.
• Identify popular sports and leisure activities in Japan.
• Identify and discuss prominent individuals involved in sports and the arts in Japan.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Compare the sports studied and played in physical education (P. E.) class in the U.S. with sports played in Japan.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare extra-curricular activities in the U.S. and in Japan.
• Compare typical customs of socializing for young people.
• Identify cognates and false cognates for interests or activities.
• Contrast the use of various verbs and prepositions with sports and activities in English and Japanese.

Communication Across Communities

• Describe sports and leisure activities in the Japanese-speaking community.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Present tense verbs
• Question formation and interrogative expressions
• Adverbs of frequency
• Negation
• Vocabulary for likes and dislikes

 

Weather and Seasons

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about weather and seasons.
• Ask and respond to questions about activities and weather during different seasons.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Identify weather and seasons based on spoken and written descriptions.
• Identify weather and seasons as represented by symbols (e.g., picture of sun, cloud, rain).

Oral and Written Presentation

• Describe a variety of weather conditions and seasons.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Discuss the influence of weather on lifestyles and activities in Japan.
• Identify varying climates in different geographic locations in Japan.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Describe the use of metric system in giving temperatures.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Identify the differences in seasons in the U.S. and in Japan.
• Identify cognates and false cognates related to weather and seasons.
• Discuss the importance of the Japanese language on English weather expressions such as tsunami and typhoon (taifuu).

Communication Across Communities

• Interpret a Japanese language weather report.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Seasonal activity vocabulary
• Weather expressions

Theme 4: Community Life

Cities, Places, Activities, and Transportation

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about a city.
• Ask and answer questions regarding modes of transportation modes in a city.
• Ask about and give directions to a site within a town or city.
• Ask and answer questions about when and where activities and/or celebrations take place.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Identify locations on a map.
• Identify locations where activities take place.
• Find a location based on verbal directions.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Describe a day’s activities, including locations.     
• Give directions to a city location or activity.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Discuss the layout and characteristics of cities and towns in Japan, including castle towns.
• Discuss cities and regions in Japan.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Identify geographic locations and/or features of Japan.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Compare the use of mass transit in Japan and the United States.
• Analyze social issues relating to city life in the U.S. and in Japan (night life, etc.)
• Identify cognates and false cognates related to locations in a city, transportation, and directions.
• Compare one verb for "to be" in English vs. two verbs in Japanese (ira, aru).

Communication Across Communities

• Identify activities, celebrations and locations in Japanese cities.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Vocabulary for giving directions
• Geography vocabulary
• Particles/relationals of location
• Question formation and interrogative expressions
• Commands

 

Shopping

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about stores and types of merchandise.
• Discuss shopping experiences.
• Ask for or give the description of an item being purchased.
• Ask and answer questions regarding where items can be purchased and how much they cost.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Identify items for sale in an advertisement.
• Identify locations where specific items can be purchased.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Describe an item for sale in a store.
• Tell about the purchase or sale of an item.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Discuss products unique to Japan.
• Discuss the differences in shopping customs between the U.S. and Japan, including the custom of daily food shopping in Japan.
• Discuss the importance of small and medium-size stores and department stores in Japan.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Convert foreign currency to U.S. dollars.
• Compare merchandise prices in the U.S. to those in Japan.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Identify cognates and false cognates related to shopping.

Communication Across Communities

• Identify merchandise available on the Internet, through catalogs, and/or in advertisements from Japan.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Types of stores
• Courtesy expressions (irasshaimase, maido arigatou gozaimasu)
• Numbers
• Vocabulary for shopping

 

Restaurants and Food

Communication

Person-to-Person Communication

• Ask and answer questions about food.
• Ask and answer questions about a meal or restaurant experience.
• Order or take an order for a meal at a restaurant or café.
• Ask and answer questions regarding items on a menu.

Listening and Reading for Understanding

• Identify grocery and food items in an advertisement, menu, recipe, etc.
• Identify locations where specific foods can be purchased.
• Comprehend written and oral information about items in a market.

Oral and Written Presentation

• Describe a meal in a restaurant.
• Present descriptions and opinions about food.

Cultures

Cultural Perspectives, Practices, and Products

• Discuss the cuisines and eating customs of Japan.
• Discuss shopping for food in Japan.
• Identify food served at celebrations in Japan (osechi cuisine, rice with red beans, broiled sea bream with head, etc.).
• Discuss typical mealtime schedules.

Connections, Comparisons and Communities

Making Connections Through Language

• Discuss the influence of Japanese foods and cuisine in the United States.

Cultural and Linguistic Comparisons

• Discuss the differences between Japanese and American cuisine.
• Compare the role of food in celebrations in the U.S. and Japan.
• Identify Japanese foods commonly used in the U.S.

Communication Across Communities

• Demonstrate an understanding of recipes and/or menus from Japan, either via the Internet or at local restaurants.

Related Vocabulary and Linguistic Elements

• Shopping for food
• Expressions for ordering a meal
• Present tense of kudasai, onegaishimasu
• Courtesy expressions Itadakimasu and Gochisoosamadeshita
• Familiar and formal commands
• Counting units for various types of food