Lesson Plan Library

Free Lesson Plans for Teachers

WHDE offers a set of free resources for teachers to help students better understand Korea. The lesson plans cover a variety of topics including geography, religion, economic development, culture, history, and the Korean War. Search our archive of lessons plans by topic, skill or grade level. You can find more teaching resources on the Korean War on the Korean War Legacy Foundation website. Visit teachingaboutnorthkorea.org to find lesson plans and activities for teaching about North Korea.

 
Skills
 
Topics

Dark and Light: Incentives and Korea’s Divergent Economies

street scene

Post-war North and South Korea present a direct comparison case study through which students can understand how economic incentives help create wealth and good governance or deprivation and bad governance. By examining photos, charts, and videos, students will be able to understand the role of incentives in creating economic growth and democratic institutions.

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PDFWord

Author: Katie Booth

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 2 50 minute class periods or one 90 minute block

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Analysis, Evaluation

Topics: Economics, North Korea

Do Borders Matter?

landscape

Students will research and compare the current economic development of Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

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PDFWord

Author: Linda Burrows

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Two 55-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation

Topics: Economics, Politics

K-Pop and Globalization

street scene at night with crowd and neon signs

This lesson will allow students to explore the concept of globalization and how it has impacted Korean culture by examining the Kpop phenomenon and how it has been influenced by other cultures.

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PDFWord

Author: Bonnie Lewis

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Three-five 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Evaluation

Topics: Globalization, K-Pop

Korean Reunification

street with houses

By investigating the issue of Korean reunification, students will make decisions about what the obstacles of the reunification are and how to give weight to each.

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PDFWord

Author: Leah Hoyle

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Three 90-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Evaluation

Topics: Economics, Politics

Low Birthrates, Gender Inequality Cloud South Korea’s Economic Forecast

stall with handbags for sale - sign saying Made in Korea

The Republic of Korea has been lauded as an example of a booming capitalist economy since the end of the Korean War. One of the “Asian Tigers” economically, the nation has excelled in automotive and electronics production, increasing GDP and the standard of living since the devastation of the war. Currently, however, low birth rates threaten the long-term economic prospects of the nation and bring up policy solutions that may clash with traditional Korean culture. This lesson explores how the current low birth rate and gender inequality in the workforce threaten the Republic of Korea’s long-term economic prospects. The lesson also requires students to evaluate possible solutions to these problems.

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Author: Abby Dupke

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Two 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Evaluation, Interpretation

Topics: Economics, Labor, Politics

Metal Movable Type: The Jikji and the Gutenberg Bible

book with Korean writing

The main topic of this lesson is the place of Korea in the global history of printing technology. Students examine both video and written sources to determine the comparative importance of Korean and European moveable metal type printing.

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PDFWord

Author: Patrick Whelan

Grades: Middle (6-8), Secondary (9-12)

Time: 1- 45 minute class

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Comparison, Evaluation

Topics: Jikji