Uchiwa Lesson Plan
1. Lesson Overview
A Lesson for Eastwood Elementary Students, Ages 6-10
Time Frame: (2) 30 minute sessions
Designed by Loren Fawcett, Education Assistant, Allen Memorial Art Museum
Theme/Subject
Kuma River Dance (Kumagawa Ondo)
Summer is the season when insect damage to crops and unexpected typhoons and floods are most likely to occur. Summer Festival (Natsu-Matsuri) is originally held to pray for protection against these natural disasters. Today, summer festival is held in many cities, towns, and villages around Japan and it brings community and family together.
The highlight of Summer Festival is done by local folk dance. The local people gather together in an open space and dance in a circle around Taiko. This particular dance, Kuma River Dance, is from Yatsushiro-city, Kumamoto, Japan. It is located in the center of Kyushu Island, which is located in southern Japan. Many steps in this dance refer to features of the town, such as Kuma River, rice padding, rush padding, Yatsushiro ocean and Mt. Ryuhou.
Objectives/Concepts
- Students will explore the traditions and celebrations of another culture.
- Students will learn about a city/community in Japan.
- Students will be exposed to traditional Japanese music as they learn several dance steps and their significance.
Academic Content Standards
National
- Visual Arts
- Standard #1: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes
- Standard #4: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures
- Social Studies
- Culture People Places and Environment
- Individual Development and Identity
Ohio State Standards
- Visual Arts
- Benchmark 1A: Recognize and describe visual art forms and artworks from various times and places.
- Benchmark 1C: Identify and describe the different purposes people have for creating works of art
- Benchmark 2A:Demonstrate knowledge of visual art materials, tools, techniques and processes by using them expressively and skillfully.
- Benchmark 4A: Apply basic reasoning skills to understand why works of art are made and valued.
- Benchmark 5A: Demonstrate the relationship the visual arts share with other arts disciplines as meaningful forms of nonverbal communication. (Use visual art materials to express an idea from a song, poem, play, or story.)
- Benchmark 5B: Use the visual arts as a means to understand concepts and topics studied in disciplines outside the arts.
Vocabulary
Uchiwa
fan
Kumagawa Ondo
Kuma River Dance
Natsu-Matsuri
Summer Festival
Ichi
one
Ni
two
San
three
Yon
four
Go
five
Roku
six
Nana
seven
Hachi
eight
Kyu
nine
Jyu
ten
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2. Lesson Materials 
