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

5 Themes of Geography – South Korea

photo of street with buildings in background

This lesson exposes students to various aspects of South Korea while allowing them to compare some of those elements to other places such as the United States and North Korea.

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Author: Rebecca Turnbull

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 3 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Geography

A Child’s Perspective of the Korean War

woman with child on her back in front of tank

The main focus of this lesson plan is to make students aware of the impact the Korean War had on children. They will examine pictures and text to help them make a connection to children during war. The reflection piece of the lesson lets them compare how children (maybe their age) were affected by the war and its implications.

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Author: Michelle Sowinski

Grades: Middle (6-8)

Time: 50 minutes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Comparison

Topics: Korean War

A Critical Analysis of the Trajectory of Two Economies Divided by War and Unified by History

street scene

Students will be given the compelling question which will guide the entire inquiry. This lesson is a student driven lesson in which they will build their own understanding through the analysis of rich texts which depict the transformation in the South Korean economy, the causes for the economic growth, and a contrast with current status of the North Korean economy.
Advanced Placement Lessons: Lesson 5.5 and 5.6 address curricular requirements in the Advanced Placement Macroeconomics curriculum. As opposed to teaching economic growth and the use of fiscal policies in a vacuum, real examples from South Korea’s economic growth are utilized to enhance student understanding of the curricula.

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Author: Michelle Penyy

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 2-3 sessions

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Contextualization, Inquiry

Topics: Economics, Globalization

A Gallery Walk of Ancient Korea

temple with mountains in background

This lesson can serve as an introductory lesson to a unit on Korea. In this lesson, students will be interacting in a photo gallery walk activity. In various places around the classroom, there will be exhibit stations that pertain to different factors regarding Ancient Korea’s geography, history, and culture. Students will work in pairs or small groups. They will have 3 minutes at each station to read the descriptions, analyze images, and answer questions about Korea. Afterwards, students will come together as a class to discuss the new information they learned.

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Author: Mariah Pol

Grades: Middle (6-8)

Time: 1 75-minute class

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Comparison

Topics: Geography, Geomancy, Jikji, Joseon, Religion

An Examination of Lessons Learned from Siddhartha (Hesse, H., 1922)

buddha statue

This is a two day exercise to be used as an activity within a unit on Buddhism. Students should be allowed at least one week (including at least one weekend) to read the book Siddhartha (Hesse, H., 1922; English Translation by Applebaum, S., 1998) during unit of study but before the activity.

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Author: Kristine Harper

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Two classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Literature, Religion

Artistic Expression vs. Historic Memory: A Controversial Mural Ignites Debate in Koreatown

mural

At the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools, a mural ignited a firestorm of debate. The mural depicts the history of the school site, which was formerly home to the historic Ambassador Hotel. The background design of the mural is a series of red rays radiating outward. Local Korean organizations wrote letters to the school district, demanding that the mural be taken down, as it looked too much like the Japanese imperial flag. The artist claimed that the background design was not intended to evoke that history, and that it was a common design motif used in art. The school district agreed to paint over the mural, but the teachers and artist fought back, on the grounds of creative freedom and censorship. After enough pressure from a prominent artist, the district backed down. In this lesson, students will read statements put out by various groups, to learn more about the competing issues at play. They will read about Korea’s history under Japanese rule, compare and contrast the mural and Japanese imperial flag, read about the censorship concerns, and develop a solution that is grounded in factual evidence.

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Author: Isabel Morales

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Two 60-minute periods

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Art, Japanese Occupation

Can North Korea Be Trusted?

fighter planes on runway

The main focus of “Can North Korea be Trusted” lesson is about the deconstruction of the Nuclear Missiles Through research and reading, students will confirm facts and historical

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Author: Mary Ellen Richichi

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: One 55-minute class

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis

Topics: North Korea, Politics

Choosing Sides in the Korean War

convoy of military trucks

This lesson is primarily designed for use in a modern world history survey course, specifically within a unit that examines how forces unleashed by the Cold War and decolonization affected many developing nations in the post-WWII era. The lesson is purposely brief so that it can be realistically incorporated into a survey course, although lesson activities could be expanded. In this lesson, students will explore how the forces of decolonization and the Cold War impacted the people of Korea between 1945-1950, as well as determined policy choices made by the United States and the Soviet Union. Students will examine the various perspectives that existed within post-colonial Korea, as well as those from the Americans and Soviets. Students will use these perspectives to identify likely allies and will create a criteria for alliances.

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Author: Kristin Kramer

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 1-2 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Cause and Effect, Comparison

Topics: Cold War, Korean War

Cold War Divisions: Berlin and the DMZ

fence with razorwire and flags

This is a DBQ that may be used as a summative assessment for AP World History courses, or for any upper-level class that focuses on modern world history. The end of the Second World War saw two nations divided along ideological lines: Germany and Korea. While each nation had similarities in their divisions, e.g. the ideology behind them, physical deterrents for crossing borders, and the threat of arrest or death as a result of attempted escape ;the primary difference is that while Germany was an enemy combatant state during the Second World War, Korea was a colony of another, Japan, and was itself a victim of oppression and occupation. While initially occupied by the United States at the end of the War, Japan remained whole, while Korea remains divided today. The point of this assessment is to hopefully bring together the European and Pacific Theatres of the post-war period and the early Cold War period. the DMZ was created in 1953, at the end of the Korean War, and the Berlin Wall was erected in 1962, as a response to the mass migration of Eastern Germans looking to escape to the West. However, while the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 and Germany (the original combatant) is now a unified, successful, democratic nation, Korea remains divided today, and the Demilitarized Zone between the ‘two Koreas’ remains one of the most militarized places on earth. This assessment, or if used as part of an in-class activity/lesson, allows students to analyze the reasons why.

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Author: Laura Huffman

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 60 minutes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: DBQ Writing

Topics: Cold War, Communism, DMZ

Coming Together: How cultural values can help explain the central role of government in Korean society

people with flags and banners in city square

This lesson focuses on the question, “Why does the South Korean government take such an active role in society?”

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Author: Andrew Levin

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 90 minutes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2020

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Culture, Politics

Constitutional Rights in the U.S. and Republic of Korea

people in city square with statue

With the assistance of the United States and numerous other foreign nations and the dedication and sacrifices of the Korean people, the Republic of Korea emerged out of the oppressions of Japanese occupation and the chaos of the Korean War. Through a tumultuous political history over the next several decades, Korea has emerged as a vibrant democracy that consistently ranks among the most democratic societies on the globe and particularly in Asia. This lesson explores the different approaches to rights reflected in the constitutions of the United States and South Korea. Students will examine Chapter II of The Constitution of the Republic of Korea in relationship to their study and understanding of the United States Constitution. The students will then be able to compare and contrast specific provisions of the two documents and formulate hypotheses about why the two documents approach rights differently.

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Author: Dan Kelly

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: One 90 minute block period or two 45 minute regular periods

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Analysis, Comparison

Topics: Communism, Politics

Continuous, Innovative, and Diverse: Korean Historical Developments from 1200-1450

thatched-roof buildings in village

In this lesson, students will answer the questions: 1 How were belief systems utilized to strengthen the legitimacy of Korean rulers? 2. Explain the effects of Chinese cultural traditions on Korea over time.

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Author: Rachelle Strang

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 90 minutes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2020

Skills: Analysis, Cause and Effect

Topics: Culture, Religion

Cultural / Historical Legacy of the Korean Peninsula through Unesco World Heritage Sites

In this lesson, students will identify the cultural / historical legacy of Unesco World Heritage Sites of the United States and the Korean peninsula. Students will create a web page explaining the cultural / historical legacy of one Unesco World Heritage Site located on the Korean peninsula.

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Author: Karen Kelly

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

Time: Three-five 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis, Comparison

Topics: Geography

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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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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Author: Linda Burrows

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Two 55-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation

Topics: Economics, Politics

Dokdo as an Important Part of Korean National Identity

map

This lesson focuses on “Dokdo”, a set of islets in the East Sea, as an important component to Korean national identity, and the source of a tense territorial dispute between Korea and Japan. Students will first analyze maps of this territory and define vocabulary terms. Next students will analyze primary and secondary sources (documents) by answering questions and making inferences about Korean claims to this region, sentiment, and the importance to national identity.

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Author: Elyse Williams

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Two 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis, Inference

Topics: Geography

Economic Development: Is Korea the Key?

city seen from above with river

During the Development Unit of AP Human Geography, students will look at data from other countries who were similar to South Korea in the 1960s, then the same data for today. Based on GDP, IHDI, and GNI they will use the obvious differences in development to draw conclusions as to how South Korea was able to develop so quickly, and what those countries can do to in an attempt to reach the same development level as South Korea.

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Author: Karen Coss

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Two 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis, Comparison

Topics: Economics, Geography

Freedom’s Legacy

black and white photo of street with tanks

This lesson is intended to succeed lessons covering the end of World War II and the rise of Communism at the onset of Cold War and to supplement the scant content on the Korean War in the Tennessee World History and Geographytextbook published in 2015 by McGraw Hill Education. Prior to the start of this lesson, students should be able to differentiate between Capitalism and Communism (website link included in the resources section for review purposes if needed) and should possess basic knowledge of the competition between the world’s two superpowers representing each at the time—the United States and the Soviet Union. This lesson (or lessons dependent upon time allowance) touch upon the Korean War itself in regards to the lead up, start of the war, relations between countries involved, US intervention and aftermath. The main focus of this lesson/lessons is to develop a deeper understanding of why the US chose to defend freedom in Asia and of freedom’s legacy in the Republic of Korea in comparison to North Korea.

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Author: Maranda Wilkinson

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 1 90- minute block

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Freedom, Korean War, Legacy, Soviet Union

Geomancy: The Power of Place

old map

The main focus of this lesson centers on how humans shape and are shaped by the places chosen to develop communities. In Korean culture geomancy plays a major role in shaping communities. Based on a system of beliefs similar to Chinese feng shui, Korea’s pungsu-jiri focuses on creating harmony with nature and is the basis of the formation of what we know today as Seoul. Similarly, throughout the United States and other areas of the world, humans interact with place in a way that illustrates each societies ideals and priorities. In these lessons, the students will examine the similarities and differences between Seoul and Washington, D.C. as they come to understand how physical and human characteristics of places are connected to human identities and cultures.

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Author: Anthony Roy

Grades: Middle (6-8)

Time: Three 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Comparison

Topics: Geomancy

History Beyond the Textbook

video frame of man with glasses

Students will learn about the improtance of oral histories as they relate to the Korean War.

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Author: Jennifer Madden

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 90 minutes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2020

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Korean War

Honoring Korean War Veterans

black and white photo of bugler in military cemetery

This lesson will allow students to apply the information they have learned about the Korean War and develop a medium to honor the sacrifices of Korean War Veterans. The lesson will be the culminating activity on the study of the Korean War. It is designed to develop empathy and understanding of sacrifice and need to honor veterans.

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Author: Bobbie Downs

Grades: Middle (6-8)

Time: Three- five 40-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis, Presentation

Topics: Korean War, Veterans

How Do We Memorialize a “Forgotten War”?

white statues of soliders in field

This lesson helps students answer the question, “How do we choose to remember and memorialize people and events from history?”

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Author: India Meissel

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 90 minutes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2020

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Korean War

Innovation in Early Modern Korea

metal artifact

Much of East Asian History focuses on China and Japan. Korea is often an afterthought, or taught as a tributary state under the influence of China. Also, much of Korean History is taught with a modern lens, where Korea is a victim of China and Japan. This lesson will introduce students to the cultural achievements of Korea during its Early Modern Era, showing that Korea has important cultural achievements of its own and is not always influenced by other cultures, but has its own history. It will focus on Moveable Type Printing, King Sejong and Hangul, Admiral Yi and Turtle Ships, and citizen governance under the Joseon. These topics tie into the Iowa Standards about cultural advancement as well as those about individuals impacting history. They also tie into change over time and causation standards in the C3 Framework.

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Author: Kelsey Hudson

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 2 45-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Continuity, Inquiry

Topics: Jikji, King Sejong

International Conflicts

three soldiers with rifles jumping over wall

In this lesson, students analyze secondary source documents in an effort to answer the central historical question: Who started the Korean War? The teacher begins by first explaining that textbooks can be biased sources and then uses a brief PowerPoint to show the geography of Korea and why/when war began there. Students then form pairs and read 2 accounts of the war: one from a South Korean textbook and another from a North Korean book. For both, students not only summarize and answer questions, but they must identify which source is which (North or South Korea?) and use textual details to prove it. In a class discussion, students share their answers. Students will also study the Montford Point Marines. They exceeded expectations and served tenaciously in the Korean War. These African American men were finally recognized by Congress and received the Gold Medal of Honor as a group on June 28, 2012. Guest speaker will be an academic coach from the school whose father served in the war and she has several primary documents to share with the students about her father’s experience in the war. Our school is primarily African American so I must incorporate the Montford Point Marines in this lesson, especially since a relative of a Korean War veteran works at the school. The conversation will lend itself to African Americans serving in a war and returning home to constant racism.

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Author: Valencia Robinson

Grades: Middle (6-8)

Time: Five 45-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Korean War

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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Author: Bonnie Lewis

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Three-five 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Evaluation

Topics: Globalization, K-Pop

Korea and the United States: Postwar Perceptions

desolate war scene in black and white

The main topic of the lesson comes from a chapter on the Korean War Legacy Foundation website called Korea and the United States: Postwar Perceptions. Students do a close reading on the chapter, summarize the chapter, listen to one of the interviews in the chapter, and then use what they learned as a springboard to form their own research question about a topic related to the chapter. This is related to Korea because students will learn how the Korean War affected soldiers and civilians and then they will research a topic related to the Korean War or Korea today.

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Author: Donald Jenkins

Grades: Middle (6-8)

Time: 2-3 45 minute periods

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Analysis, Inquiry, Perspectives

Topics: Korean War

Korea and the United States: Postwar Perceptions

soldier on the march

In this lesson, students will examine how Americans and South Koreans view each other today.

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Author: Donald Jenkins

Grades: Middle (6-8)

Time: 90 minutes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2020

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Culture, Korean War, Perspectives

Korean Currency

person holding Korean bills

These lessons will involve student research about famous Koreans featured on Korean won. They will research the important people featured on South Korean currency in small groups. Students will then compare their new knowledge to what they know about US currency. This may require additional research by the students.

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Author: Karen Krzystof-Bansley

Grades: Middle (6-8)

Time: 3 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Analysis, Comparison

Topics: Economics

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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Author: Leah Hoyle

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Three 90-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Evaluation

Topics: Economics, Politics

Korean War Chapters: Korea: Forgetting and Remembering

soldiers in battle with rifles and sandbags

This lesson focuses on the question, “Why is the Korean War considered one of the most important conflicts of the Cold War and why should we remember it?”

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Author: Natia Deisadze

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 90 minutes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2020

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Korean War

Korean War Perspectives

officials signing documents at table

Using the information from “Beyond the Bridge of No Return”, Perspectives from the Korean War Legacy Foundation, and the image collection, consider the perspectives of the various people involved in the Korean War. Students will write a detailed statement and draw faces/ heads with emotions that match an aspect of their experience.

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Author: Raechel Bunnel

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 2 45-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Analysis, Perspectives

Topics: Communism, Korean War

Let’s Build A Home

wall decorated with banners

Students simulate the differences between Capitalism and Communism. They are tasked with working as a group to develop homes out of notecards. Only the Capitalist will have an incentive. This will build upon the previous day’s lesson revolving around students learning about the basics of the Korean War and the outcomes.

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Author: Matthew Cottone

Grades: Middle (6-8)

Time: One 55-minute class

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Comparison

Topics: Economics, Korean War, 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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Author: Patrick Whelan

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

Time: 1- 45 minute class

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Comparison, Evaluation

Topics: Jikji

North Korean Defectors: An Analysis of the Human Side of the Story

barracks with guards

This lesson analyzes sources related to historical and current events on the Korean peninsula, focusing on the stories and experiences of North Korean refugees and defectors. Using differentiated primary and secondary sources, students will review the history of Korea in the 20th century, the division of the Korean Peninsula, the and major events up to the present day in order to better understand the background behind the division of Korea as it stands today. Students will then use this background knowledge to understand the setting and circumstances behind the stories of real North Korean defectors.

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Author: Randy Martin

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

Time: 3 60-Minute Classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Communism, Korean War, North Korea

Nuclear Attack on Seoul and Tokyo – Teaching About the Crisis with North Korea

map of North Korea with bomb-blast radii

Students will explore the possible impact of how a potential first strike against North Korea could lead to an attack on Seoul and Tokyo.

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Author: Tom Mueller

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 90 minutes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2020

Skills: Analysis, Cause and Effect

Topics: Current Events, North Korea

One Peninsula, Two Systems: Explaining the Economic Rise of South Korea

night-sky scene of city

Why do some countries develop rapidly, growing their economies and influence on the world stage while other countries struggle to achieve economic takeoff? This is a central question in Human Geography and an important question in World History. The Korean Peninsula provides a case study for the exploration of this question. This peninsula of a common people with a shared history was divided not only by a civil war but by competing ideologies and foreign alliances. In this lesson students will explore the causes of South Korea’s rise and the sharp divisions that remain between the two Koreas.

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Author: Matthew Sudnik

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 2 80-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Comparison

Topics: Economics, North Korea, Politics

Overlapping and Competing Religions and Cultural Traditions in Korea

ornate template roof

This lesson examines the overlap of major religious and cultural traditions in Korea. It invites students to consider the role of culture and religion in the lives of indivuals as well as the exclusivity of religious systems in Korea and East Asia. It also invites students to consider their own religions and cultural traditions and how they do or do not overlap. (In this lesson the term overlap is used, however teachers can also use the term “syncretism” when appropriate).

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Author: Evan Liddle

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 2- 55 minute classes or 1- 90 minute class

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Application, Comparison

Topics: Confucianism, Culture, Religion, Syncretism

Population Pyramids: A Case Study

then and now scene, side by side photos

South Korea experienced a dramatic and sudden shift in economic and demographic standards during and after the Korean War. Students examining population pyramids for this same time period recognize and correlate the data in order to explain how the population of the country changed and how this impacted South Korea’s standing in the DTM.

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Author: Lisa Waligora

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Two 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis, Comparison

Topics: Geography

Pushing Possibilities

earth seen from space

Students will explore the economic differences between North Korea and South Korea and apply concepts of production possibilities in order to make informed determinations about the economic prosperity (or lack thereof) in both North Korea and South Korea. In small groups of 4-5, students will be presented with a variety of sources. These sources will help students draw conclusions, make inferences and make comparisons of production possibilities in both North Korea and South Korea. Students will then engage in a gallery walk to view the conclusions of the various groups in the classroom. Finally, students will individually reflect on the activity.

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Author: Eliel Hinojosa

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

Time: One 45- minute class

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Economics, Globalization

Revolutionary Thinking: Extending Knowledge of the American Revolution through Korean History and Culture

two flags in front of wall

In order to connect the content to the district curriculum (7th grade American History), this lesson will be taught during the month of May. The timing is important because May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Students will be provided with information about Korean history, while also linking the form of sijo poetry to the content that I’m teaching at the time, which is the American Revolutionary War. Students will compare and contrast the Japanese colonization of Korea with the American Revolution. Then students will go on to create a sijo poem about a person or event of the American Revolution.

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Author: Georgette Hackman

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Two 45-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Analysis, Comparison

Topics: Sijo Poetry

Schools Around the World Focused Inquiry K-2

three smiling children

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of schools around the world, using a case study of elementary schools in South Korea. Students investigate the compelling question “How is school different around the world?” by evaluating images, videos and infographics about schools in a different part of the world. The formative performance tasks build on knowledge and skills through the course of the inquiry and help students see similarities and differences between their own lives and those of children living around the world. Students create an evidence-based argument about the ways in which schools are similar and different between cultures and geography.

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Author: Elaine Alvey

Grades: K-3

Time: 40 minutes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Comparison, Inquiry

Topics: Geography, Schools

Seon Buddhism in Korea

elegant, empty room with Buddha statue

This lesson will explain the spread of Buddhism, its connection and importance to Korea, as well as the way in which it is expressed through Seon Buddhism in Korea today. Note: This lesson assumes an introduction to early Buddhism, its founding, and basic beliefs

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Author: Michael-Ann Cignilia

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Two 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Religion

South Korea: Then and Now

teachers in front of class of small children

In this lesson, students will be introduced to the country of South Korea and how it has changed over time. Students will be exposed to a variety of primary source photographs around 6 different themes (City of Seoul, Children & Schools, Businesses, Transportation, The Han River and Homes) that depict South Korea before the Korean War, during the war and modern day. Students will work in groups to compare and contrast what is happening in each of the sources.

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Author: Rachel Turner

Grades: 4-5

Time: One 50-minute class

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Comparison

Topics: Economics, Korean War

The Cold War in Asia: Korea and Vietnam

black and white photo of group of soliders

The purpose of this lesson is to compare the Korean and the Vietnam wars. Student should have background knowledge of the beginning of the Cold War. Using different sources, students will analyze documents and videos to answer questions regarding the Cold War in Asia.

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Author: Melani Lippard

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: One- Two 85-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Comparison

Topics: Korean War

The Continuation of the Korean War Along the DMZ

four US soldiers with large gun

Since the surrender of Japanese forces in 1945 the Korean peninsula has been divided along the 38th parallel. North of the 38th parallel the communist nation of North Korea was founded and to the south the capitalist system of South Korea. As a result of the Korean War the 38th parallel became a demilitarized zone dividing the two countries until a formal peace agreement could be signed. Though this armistice has been effect since July 23, 1953 some events along the DMZ and other parts of the Korean Peninsula have increased the reopening of open conflict between the two nations.In the next lesson students will build on their knowledge of the Korean War and its legacy through reading primary and secondary sources about the events that have brought the two nations to the brink of open warfare. Students will complete the activity through a guided method to increase understanding.

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Author: Craig Wood

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 2 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Cause and Effect, Comparison

Topics: Communism, DMZ, Korean War

The Five Themes of South Korea

street with wall and buildings in background

This lesson is an introduction to the Five Themes of Geography. All students will use images to identify how the five themes are found in South Korea. Students will individually research other countries and apply the five themes as they did with the analysis of South Korea.

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Author: Rhonda Watton

Grades: Middle (6-8)

Time: 2-3 50 minute sessions

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Geography

The Hermit Kingdom – Exploring the History Behind the Name

temple

This lesson is intended to connect current events with the past in order to better understand the United States’ relationship with Korea today, both North and South. Note: (The lesson is designed to be utilized immediately after the topics of Western intrusion in China and Japan in the Age of Imperialism. Both of which remain key topics in World History curricula, while Korea’s interaction with the West continues to be omitted)

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Author: Leonore Heino

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 2-3 class periods - 50 minutes each

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Cause and Effect

Topics: Current Events, Hermit Kingdom, Imperialism

The Impact of the Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1952: (Korean GI Bill)

soldier hugging older man

This lesson explores the question, “How did the Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1952 (Korean GI Bill) impact the Korean War veterans and American society as a whole?”

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Author: Kate Ehrlich

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 90 minutes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2020

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Korean War

The Little Green Frogs

book cover: The Green Frog

The purpose of this lesson is to develop an understanding of different global cultures using mentor texts. Using The Green Frogs, students will practice the whole book approach to reading a Korean folktale in order to better understand the role of folktales as a way of preserving culture

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Author: Heather Brougham-Cook

Grades: 4-5

Time: Two 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis, Comparison

Topics: Culture, Folktales

The Remarkable Space Between the Wars

tower behind trees

“The role that Korea has played in international politics and economics is often overshadowed by negative preconceptions and outright misconceptions by students.As the United States is currently embroiled in a climate of political, social and economic turmoil, students must understand the complexity of international relations. The ability to explore Korea’s role in the 21st Century will initiate critical discussion on the issues surrounding the current political, economic, and military crisis’s many nations are facing. Geopolitical decisions are global in scope and require systematic study of an interdependent world perspective. Students further need to develop a clearer understanding that technology plays a significant role in this decision-making. This lesson emphasizes a challenge to all learners to apply their prior knowledge to societal conditions as they analyze issues of past and present as well as working to clarify their own values, and refine their decision making capabilities.

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Author: Ellen Resnek

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 3-4 45-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Economics, Politics

The Republic of Korea and the Miracle of the Han River

city skyline at night

The Republic of Korea is a major player in Global Economics today. Students should be aware of the history of occupation and war that plagued Korea in the first half of the 19th century. Korea is a good example of how Government policy shifted the country from one of an aid recipient to a leading power. In the next lesson students will build on their learning by reading excerpts about Korea and the events that led to it becoming an aid nation, while answering questions. the teacher will guide students through readings that explain how government policy changed the outcome in South Korea allowing them to build upon the strong culture of education and hard work. Students will complete activities in the packet that clarify this process.

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Author: Julie Cross

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 2 50-minute class periods

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Comparison

Topics: Economics

War in Korea: How Would You Respond?

black and white photo of soldiers with ladders

This lesson will help students understand the major events of the Korean War and how the War impacted the lives of regular people. By introducing students to the story of the ROK Student Soldiers, they will think about the War’s impact on people their same age and how they might have coped with such an extreme situation. This will help students to better understand what it is like to live through a war and may help them to better understand the Korean people.

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Author: Erica Curtis

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: One 90-minute class

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Korean War, Legacy

What is required to fight a pandemic based on what we know as of April 30th 2020

two men with masks on city street

This lesson will give students the opportunity to explore what countries are doing to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Author: Claire Delaroque

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 45 minutes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2020

Skills: Analysis, Comparison

Topics: Current Events

What makes an invention successful? A case study on the Jikji

tablet with Korean writing

This lesson will have students assess the impact of jikji movable print on Korean society and beyond. Though the Gutenberg Press is credited as being the birth of movable type, the jikji predates the Gutenberg Bible by 70 years. In this focused inquiry lesson, students will focus in on what ideas were preserved within the jikji. This exploration can supplement analysis of the Gutenberg Press, providing students a case study in assessing the factors that hinder or promote different inventions’ influence. Likewise, assessing jikji and other inventions that influence mass communication allow students to grapple with how such mediums can preserve the past or be the mechanism that brings global change.

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Author: Carly Mutterties

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

Time: 1- 2 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Analysis, Inquiry

Topics: Jikji

What was the Role of Other United Nation Member Nations during the Korean War?

black and white photo of UN committee

This lesson will focus on the role other United Nation member nations played during the Korean War to help South Korea maintain its’ independence. From there the lesson will examine the changing role of South Korean foreign policy and its close ties with the United States and whether or not South Korea should seek a unique diplomatic path in the future.

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Author: Henry Rehn

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Four-Five 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis, Comparison

Topics: Korean War, United Nations

What Would We Do Without Printing?

stone tablet

In this lesson, students will analyze primary and secondary sources which depict three different printing technologies. Background knowledge for this lesson includes the purpose and significance of cuneiform and the Gutenberg Bible. Students will analyze images of primary sources and artifacts in order to compare the origins and purpose of printing technology.

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Author: Lisa Kissinger

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 1 50-minute lesson

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Comparison, Contextualization

Topics: Jikji

Where is South Korea?

Students will use a classroom globe, map, and compass rose to identify where South Korea is in relation to the United States. Students will study characteristics of S. Korea on a map.

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Author: Jeanna Karb

Grades: 4-5

Time: Two 30-minute sessions

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Map Skills

Topics: Geography

Whose War is the Korean War?

soldiers in cemetery

The main focus of this lesson is to illustrate why each party (South Korea, North Korea, US and China) are engaged in what has become a perpetual war of the Koreas. The lesson attempts to show that each nation has really no reason to end a “war” that for the most part is “bluster.”

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Author: Matthew Britton

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 135 – 180 min

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Cause and Effect, Comparison

Topics: China, Korean War, North Korea