Japan – Text Set

Mary Goggins

Longwood University
 Abstract

This Text Set was designed to be a tool for teachers to help create an enriched cultural

experience for students. The text set is all focused around Japan for the intention of immersing

English students in the culture and helping Japanese students feel comfortable as an English

Language Learner. Japanese culture, language, and traditions are all worked into the set. While

working through the set of books students will learn about different types of poetry and customs

as well. This text set is aimed towards 2nd grade but has examples of books for below, on, and

above readers. Reading through the Japan Text Set teachers will also find a book to support

professional development.
 Japan Text Set

Introduce students to these texts to

expose them to a new culture through
strong examples literature!

Theme: Japan
Second Grade
SOLs Addressed: 2.3 The student will identify and compare changes in community
life over time in terms of buildings, jobs, transportation, and population.

Books Used:
Phillips, Charles. Countries of the World. The National Geographic Society. (2007)
Heinrichs, Ann. Japan. A Division of Grolier Publishing. (1998)
Takabayashi, Mari. I Live in Tokyo. HMH Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (2004)
Friedman, Ina R. How My Parents Learned to Eat. HMH Books for Young Readers. (1987)
London, Jonathan. Moshi Moshi. Millbrook Press. (1998)
Yashima, Taro. Crow Boy. Puffin Books (1976)
Mochizuki, Ken. Baseball Saved Us. Lee & Low Books. (1995)

Teach SOL’s Through Text

Phillips, Charles. Countries of the World. The National Geographic Society. (2007)

Countries of the World – Japan written by Charles Philips is a great example of Non Fiction for
students. The text is very descriptive and colorful and the pictures are vivid and accurate to the
times. The book has maps and geographic information as well as an index and glossary. The text
also provides descriptions of nature, history, culture, government, and economy. These topics
support a well-rounded exposure of the country for students.
National Geographic has a great set of books for students looking to explore other
countries. They are full of big pictures and helpful headers. There are helpful features in the book
that help make the book readable for students, for example; fast facts, timelines, and graphs. As a
teacher I would make sure to have plenty of examples of nonfiction books around the classroom
second grade is a great time for students to be exposed to as many different types of literature as
possible. In a classroom I would provide texts available to them on animals, weather,
government, religion, people, culture, etc. students are able to explore interests further regarding
Japan. Reading non-fiction out loud is valuable and this would be an instructive text to do so
with as well.

Professional Development
Heinrichs, Ann. Japan. A Division of Grolier Publishing. (1998)
This book is a great resource for teachers to learn more about Japan. It is very informative and an
above level read. The book covers important topics teachers should be aware about for teaching
students.
The book is a great summary of Japans most important facts. Ann Heinrichs describes a
lot of important historical information. The text also gives fun ideas of things to do with students
to teach them more about the culture through hands on way, for example origami, songs, and
kids games. Teaching students to do things with there hands help them understand the culture
more.

Leveled Student Text

Takabayashi, Mari. I Live in Tokyo. HMH Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (2004)

Learn about Japanese customs from 7-year-old Mimiko throughout the calendar year. Each
month there are different festivities and activities Mimiko describes. Read the book the book to
see life in Japan through the eyes of a 7 year old.
I Live in Tokyo by Mari Takabayashi is a great book for children to read to learn about
life outside of America. The book is told from Mimiko’s perspective and is on and is very
appropriate for a second grade reader. The celebrations are very different from the ones of an
American student and with the descriptive language and colorful pictures students will see what
it is really like. Some Japanese’s characters are included to show students what other forms of
text looks like. He also describes how to put on a Kimono. The book also includes differences of
daily life, these customs will really surprise students and leave a lasting impression about the
experience of growing up in Japan.

Friedman, Ina R. How My Parents Learned to Eat. HMH Books for Young Readers. (1987)

A Japanese woman and an American solider fall in love but they have some huge cultural
boundaries. It is a great example of a multicultural relationship. Both people have to meet in the
middle to reach a compromise of cultural.
The book reads on a 450L level, which makes it a great independent read for second
grade students. The pictures and few words on each page help with the readability for students as
well. The story takes place in the city, during a time where multi cultural relationships were not
as widely accepted. It teaches students about the differences people have and the obstacles they
have to overcome to share even a simple meal together. The American solider has to learn to eat
with chopsticks and the Japanese woman needs to learn to eat like an American eats their food.
In the end they both change a little for the other person.

London, Jonathan. Moshi Moshi. Millbrook Press. (1998)

Through a pen pal for the summer two brothers get a chance to learn all about Japan. Boy boys
write about things that are important to them and get a chance to share and ask questions about
things they are interested in and then travel. Across the world they find lots of differences in
customs, schools, and ways of life in rural and urban communities.
After traveling to a foreign place the younger brother is very glad he got a chance to
experience a new culture with his bother and pen pal. The way this book is written is available in
other versions for other countries. It would be great to have your class take the time to write to
students across the world describing their culture and learning about others as well. The book
shows the gratitude the boy has a new culture and his traveling experiences.

Classroom Read Aloud

Yashima, Taro. Crow Boy. Puffin Books (1976)

Crow Boy is an award-winning book on a scared and lonely boy in Japan who travels through
the mountains everyday to get to school. He is the outcast at school until a teacher takes the time
to see his talents. All of the bullying stops when the other kids get to see how gifted he is, in the
end the students see the error of their ways.
This is a good book for a teacher to use for a read aloud book leveled at AD660L ages 3 to 5
The book lends itself really well to classroom conversation and discussion on
multicultural literature. The book has won a Caldecott Honor. The text is a little above level and
would be best suited to be introduced by a teacher. Crow Boy is not treated equality and is really
scared of school. He has to travel through the mountains every days and he is not accepted until
his new teacher discoverers how talented he is, his attention to sounds on his way to school
amazed everyone. Once the teacher accepts Crow Boy everyone starts to include him and realize
how disrespectful his other classmates had been. There is a big moral conversation to be had on
appreciating differences and treating everyone how you would want to be treated. Teachers
should facilitate a conversation about acceptance and compassion through the lends of another
culture.

Mochizuki, Ken. Baseball Saved Us. Lee & Low Books. (1995)
A Japanese boy moves to America and is segregated and forces to live in an internment camp.
The book takes place during World War II and sheds light on what the time period was like for
Japanese’s people at the time. Through a light hearted thing like baseball students are able to
learn a lot about the time and the boy’s hardships.
Shorty and his family live in American and once Pearl Harbor they are sent to an
internment camp. Shorty and his father make the most of the hard times and make a baseball
field. Baseball made him feel weak, small, and un prepared at first but with hard work everything
started to turn around for him. This helps with the moral of the camp and shows a very positive
outlook on life and sheds some light on things more important than winning. The book reads at a
550 L level, it is very appropriate to have second graders with; there are some rich vocabulary
words. This book would lend itself very well to comprehension strategies and writing prompts. I
believe this book is very important to share with students; America’s side of history is not always
pretty or morally sound. This book sheds some light on the time period and persecution from
another perspective.