Year 8 Shogunate Japan

LESSON SEQUENCE:
Stage 1 Desired Results
Established Goal(s)/Content Standard(s):
-Students explain the significance of individuals and groups and how they were influenced by the
beliefs and values of their society.
-When researching, students develop questions to frame an historical inquiry.
-Students develop texts, particularly descriptions and explanations, incorporating analysis. In
developing these texts, and organising and presenting their findings, they use historical terms and
concepts, evidence identified in sources, and acknowledge their sources of information.
AusVELS Curriculum links:
-The way of life in Shogunate Japan, including social, cultural, economic and political features
(including the feudal system and the increasing power of the shogun) (ACDSEH012).
-The role of the Tokugawa Shogunate in reimposing a feudal system (based on daimyo and samurai)
and the increasing control of the Shogun over foreign trade. (ACDSEH063).
-Use historical terms and concepts (ACHHS149).
-Identify a range of questions about the past to inform an historical inquiry (ACHHS150).
-Identify and locate relevant sources, using ICT and other methods (ACHHS151).
-Compare, select and use information from a range of sources as evidence (ACHHS153).
-Develop texts, particularly descriptions and explanations that use evidence from a range of sources
that are acknowledged (ACHHS156).
-Use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written) and digital technologies (ACHHS157).
Understanding (s)

Essential Question(s):

In this lesson sequence, students will have

The Big Ideas (first order concepts) in this lesson

previous knowledge on medieval Europes feudal

sequence are culture and society.

system as well as a base knowledge of medieval

-What are the obvious differences between

Japan. This lesson sequence aims not to simply

Japans and Europes feudal system?

give students an understanding of Japanese

Looking at the feudal pyramids, what classes are

feudal society, rather an understanding of what

obviously different (label wise)?

exactly feudal society is.

-Looking closer, can we see similarities between

As such, students will develop an understanding

these differences?

of feudal structures by exploring similarities

What classes are similar? Why?

between Japanese and European feudal

-What can we attribute these differences to?

structures and will analyse how cultural

-How can culture can alter a societal structure?

influences change or alter this structure.

Student objectives (outcomes):
Students will be able to:

Compare and contrast different models of the feudal structure.

Link differences in feudal structure with cultural influences.

Understand equivalent classes and therefore can deconstruct the meaning behind feudal
structures.

Analyse sources to form an understanding of the historical concept.

Apply historical skills and content learned.

Create a piece of work demonstrating their understanding of medieval feudal systems.

Stage 2 Assessment Evidence

Performance Task(s):

Other Evidence:

During the first double period (class 1 and 2), students will be

In class discussion, particularly in

creating a feudal pyramid that will work as formative assessment

the first double class (lesson 1

for that class (Brady & Kennedy, 2001). At the end of this lesson

and 2) will be informal evidence

sequence, students will complete a formative assessment task

of students knowledge. In the

comparing the Medieval European and Japanese social structure

third lesson, informal assessment

in order to answer the question What is a feudal system?

will be taking place as the teacher

(Brady & Kennedy, 2001). This will be a one hour task and

moves around the classroom,

therefore great depth of information will not be required

checking on the progression of

however, work from the two previous classes should provide

the assessment task.

significant support (if done to standard) for students to complete

this task with ease. Students can complete the task as a poster or
essay or they may use programs such as Inspiration, Prezi,
PowerPoint, etc. if they wish.
Students will be assessed on their knowledge of the feudal
structure and society as a whole, using supporting evidence from
their knowledge of Japan and Europes feudal systems to
discover the common traits of a feudal society.
Stage 3 Learning Plan
Lesson 1-2 (120 minutes).

Discussion.
Recap over previous lessons work.
-What do we already know about medieval Japan?
-What do we know about their society? Their classes?

Activity (Think-Pair-Share) (Facing History and Ourselves, 2015).

-Can we think of any classes that would be similar to Europes?
Students are to think about the question posed by themselves, then share what they thought with the
person next to them. We will then, as a class, share our ideas and explore the similarities of certain
classes (King-Emperor, Knight-Samurai, Peasants-Peasant, etc.)

Teacher led introduction to class.

We will be learning about the Japanese feudal system over the next three lessons, but more
importantly we will be investigating the structure of feudal systems in medieval history by comparing
and contrasting our knowledge of the European feudal system with what we will be learning about
the Japanese feudal system.
-

What does a feudal pyramid look like?

Looking at Japanese society (what we already know) what labels would we replace? (EmperorKing, Knight-Samurai).

Where do we place what we know? Where would an emperor go? A samurai? A peasant?

Activity (Jigsaw) (Facing History and Ourselves, 2015).

Students are split into 4 groups, each investigating a new aspect of feudal Japan (daimyo, shogun,
artisan and merchant). Students will first analyse a source (appendix 1) and then use the provided
internet resources (appendix 2) to develop an understanding of what each class is and their
importance to society.
Steps for source analysis (Wineburg, 2001):
The students know these steps and are aware of the processes.
-

Sourcing

Contextualising

Close Reading

Corroboration

Students are then to come back into their original groups and discuss what they have learnt. They are
then going to create a Japanese feudal pyramid, ranking the classes based on what they have learnt in

their Jigsaw groups.

Discussion/brainstorm.
Teacher leads students in a discussion about feudal systems as a whole, scaffolding the discussion by
asking questions about feudal structures rather than individual classes. Students will, therefore,
develop an understanding of the basic structure of a medieval feudal system without the cultural
influences.
-What do we know about these classes now?
-What might have been their European equivalent? Can we group any Japanese classes into a
European one?
-Can we now see what a feudal structure is? What its foundations are? [Ruler (king or
Emperor/Daimyo/Shogun), Warrior (knight or samurai), lower classes (peasant, artisans, merchants)].

Lesson 3 (60 minutes).

Teacher led Introduction
Teacher explains to students what the task is and conducts a quick discussion recapping what they
learnt in the previous lesson, highlighting the importance of the basic feudal structure and what is/is
not cultural influence.

Task
In this lesson, students are given the full class time to construct a mind-map of sorts, identifying the
common traits of a feudal system (as identified in the previous class) and use classes from both
medieval Europe and Japan to support this premise. Students are to use and utilise the previous
classes work in completing this task, extra research should not be needed.
Students are allowed to use any relevant process to create this mind map within reason.
-Written processes such as poster, pamphlet, etc. are allowed [essay as well, within reason (up to
teacher discretion and student learning style)].
-Computer programs such as Prezi, PowerPoint, Inspiration, etc. are also allowed [(video programs
such as PowToon, etc. are allowed but at the teachers discretion and in conjunction with student
learning style)].

Students are expected to work independently on this, however on task discussions are allowed (given
the correct level of noise).
-

The level of understanding shown should be what has been developed in the previous lesson

(significantly less than this would be considered unacceptable and considerably more would
indicate extra research which is not allowed).
-

Teacher is to be continuously walking around the classroom, helping students with any issues
and keeping students on task.

At the end of the class, students are to hand in their completed work (either in hard copy or
electronically). If work is not completed, it must be finished for homework and submitted by the next
class (or class after depending on the timetable and time between classes).

APPENDICES.
APPENDIX 1:
Sources of Japanese Tradition, edited by Ryusaku Tsunoda and Wm. Theodore de Bary, 1st
ed., vol. 1 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1964), 329-330. 1964 Columbia
University Press.
Retrieved from http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/ps/japan/ieyasu_four_classes.pdf

APPENDIX 2:
Feudalism in Japan. Retrieved from feudalisminjapan.weebly.com/index.html
The following links are direct links to the topics outlined.
Artisans: http://tinyurl.com/pmu6oap
Shogun: http://tinyurl.com/ltnd4f5
Daimyo: http://tinyurl.com/ll2mp6d
Merchants: http://tinyurl.com/ojw276k