By Takako Osumi

Social Studies

• Objective:
  • Students will learn about Korea through various activities.
• Activities:
  1. Identify the capitol, cities of South Korea on a map.
  2. Locate the major mountains, rivers, seas and regions of Korea.
  3. Color the flag and coat of arms.
  4. Study the flag and coat of arm of Korea. Discuss the design and symbols of the flag and the coat of arm.
  5. Design your own flag and coat of arm.
  6. Make a relief map of Korea.
  7. Using reference books, such as encyclopedia, almanac, etc., students research facts about Korea, e.g. geographical features, industries, natural resources, government, history, customs, holidays, etc.
  8. Present the research findings: oral report, 3-D display, shoe-box diorama, mural, clothes-hanger mobile, travel brochure, poster, class newspaper, video, etc.
  9. View a video on Korea (Consulate Offices usually have video to loan out: Korean Consulate Office, 3243 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90019). Discuss the similarities and differences of Korean customs comparing with our culture.
  10. Look for current events about Korea in newspapers or magazines.
  11. Interview or invite someone from Korea.
  12. Learn how to write in Korean alphabet. Learn to write your name, Korean words, English words. Suggested teaching cassette: Language/30, Korean, Educational Services Corp., Washington D.C. (two audio cassettes and a phrase dictionary included).
  13. Learn or develop some Korean conversational phrases.
  14. Make a Korean dictionary or a book.
  15. Find out about Korean children's games. Compare and contrast their games with the games our children play.
  16. Create puzzles, word searches with newly acquired Korean words and facts.
  17. Establish pen pal with cities in Korea through e-mail.
  18. Compare and contrast the Korean holidays with our holidays.

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Korean seesaw, from Count Your Way Through Korea, by Jim Haskins, Carolrhoda Books Inc., Minneapolis.

Three people are required for Korean seesaw, which is a game usually played by girls. They traditionally play seesaw to celebrate the Korean New Year's Day.

Playing the Korean version of seesaw requires good balance. The players at either end of the long plank stand, rather than sit, and one is thrown up into the air as the other goes down on the opposite end. The third player, who sits in the middle, keeps the plank in place.

Holidays

New Year's Eve - last day of the year

In the past, women would run to the well at dawn to be the first to draw "lucky water." They also began preparing the feast for the next day. The rice-cake soup in pheasant broth called "ttok-kuk" is cooked. Another useful custom was the settlement of outstanding debts by midnight.

January 1 - New Year's Day

This is one of the two biggest holidays in Korea. Korea celebrates the New Year twice. January 1st and 2nd are official holidays, but many families celebrate the Lunar New Year, which falls in late January or early February.

For children, the most popular custom is dressing up in rainbow-colored silk "hanbok" and performing the "sebae" (New Year bow) before all the elders of the family and wishing them bok (fortune) for the coming year. In turn, children are rewarded with words of advice and pocket money.

Some games they play are tug-of-war, kite-flying, see-sawing,and yut-nori, a board game played with sticks. The tug-of-war is more than a game of sheer strength. The ropes are bound in such a way as to symbolize the joining of man and woman, the contest promises fertility and productivity for the winning team. Kite-flying isnot only a sophisticated sport but also the medium by which the past year's bad luck and illnesses are released to the heavens.

First Day of the First Month by the Lunar Calendar - Sol

This day is observed with family rituals honoring ancestors, special food, and traditional games.

March 1 - Independence Movement Day:

Korea observes the anniversary of March 1, 1919. Independence move against Japanese rule.

April 5 - Arbor Day

Government officials, teachers, school children, and thousands of Koreans throughout the country plant trees in accordance with the government's reforestation program.

May 5 - Children's Day

On this day, Tano ("Double Five," or Fifth Day of the Fifth Month), various programs for children are offered. To welcome the beginning of summer, memorial rites for ancestors are observed, and then the fun begins. Women would wash their hair in water from boiling green lentil-jelly and gather herbs for drying. This is one day of the year that married women were free to visit their own families.

Eighth Day of the Fourth Month by the Lunar Calendar - Buddha's Birthday

Solemn rituals are held at Buddhist temples, and the day's festivals climax in a lantern parade.

June 6 - Memorial Day

On this day, the nation pays tribute to its war dead.

Chilsok (Seventh Day of the Seventh Month)

This may be the most romantic day of the calendar. Korean legend has it that the Vega and Altair stars are the celestial reincarnations of two lovers, Kyonwu (the Herdboy) and Chiknyo (Weaving Maiden) who meet only once a year. As the story goes, the daughter of the Heavenly King lived on the Milky Way on the eastern side of the heavenly stream. Worried that she might be lonely, the king married her to a handsome herdboy tending flocks on the western side. But the two lovers were so caught up in romance that she neglected her job weaving. In anger, the king banished her back across the stream. Their sorrow moved the king to allow her to cross the stream once a year on a bridge made of magpies and crows. Rainfall at night signified their tears of joy, while rain on the following morning meant tears of parting. Foods for this day are rice cakes, zucchini pancakes, noodles, and cucumber kimchi.

July 17 - Constitution Day

On this day, Koreans commemorate the adoption of the Republic of Korean Constitution in 1918.

August 15 - Liberation Day

On August 15, 1945, Korea was liberated from Japan after 35 years of colonial rule. The day also marks the 1948 establishment of the government of the Republic of Korea.

15th day of the Eighth Month by the Lunar Calendar, Harvest Festival Day

On this day, a feast is prepared and families hold memorial services at the family grave sites. Viewing the full moon is the feature of the evening.

October 3 - National Foundation Day

This day marks the traditional founding of Korea by Tan-gun in 2333 BC.

December 25

Christians and other citizens celebrate this holiday as in the West.

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Folk Tales and Myths

• Objective: Through reading Korean folk tales, fairy tales, and myths, students will gain some understanding of Korean perceptions of life, their notions about power, justice, love, their deep-rooted beliefs, ancient customs, and the creeds and codes by which they live.
• Activities:
  1. Teacher will read the folk tales, or students read independently.
  2. Discuss the values or purposes of the stories, a character's traits, the things in the stories that reflect a distinct culture.
  3. Compare and contrast the stories with the stories that the students are familiar with, e.g. American folk tales, stories from their reading books, etc.
  4. Recreate a story with a different beginning or ending,, or add a new twist to the story.
  5. Dramatize the stories.
  6. Write a letter to the character in the story suggesting some solutions to their problems, or asking about the things that made you think or wonder about their customs, beliefs, etc.
  7. Write a newspaper article of an event in the stories.
  8. Write a diary entry that a character might have written.
  9. As a class, create a Korean story.
  10. Illustrate or create a mural of the stories.
  11. Create a story map of the stories.
  12. Establish pen pals to Korean cities (try using e-mail).

Please see:

1. "The Tan-gun myth" from Hello from Korea, Korean overseas, Information Service, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
2. "The Cry of the Cuckoo" from Korean Folk & Fairy Tales, retold by Suzanne Crowder Han, Hollym International Corp., Elizabeth, New Jersey.
3. "Umbrellas and Straw Shoes" from Korean Folk & Fairy Tales, retold by Suzanne Crowder Han, Hollym International Corp., Elizabeth, New Jersey.

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Music

• Objective: Introduce students to Korean music, musical instruments, and their songs. Through the activities, students will learn about the Korean culture and develop appreciation of Korean music.
• Activities:
  1. Show a video or pictures of Korean musical instruments.
  2. Listen to a recording of Korean music.
  3. Discuss the differences in the instruments that they are familiar with.
  4. Try to recognize the sounds that are made by the musical instruments.
  5. Clap your hands with the rhythm.
  6. Express the mood of the music with your body movements.
  7. Explore different types of Korean music.
  8. Learn a Korean song.
  9. Create a Korean song to a familiar tune.
  10. Create some musical instruments with household objects, e.g. rubber bands, strings, cups, empty coffee can, beans, oatmeal cereal box, etc.

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Art

• Objective: Reinforce the learning of Korean culture, and develop appreciation of their culture and art through creative activities.
• Activities:
  1. Collect samples or pictures of Korean paintings, folk arts, artifacts, etc. Examine them, and discuss the details, e.g. designs, objects in the picture. Compare and contrast the animals or birsds in the design or in the picture.
  2. Create a scroll or paper screen with Korean writing, scenery, etc.
  3. Paper mache animals and birds from Korea.
  4. Create origami animals, birds, objects, etc.
  5. Make paper dolls with Korean costumes, "honbok," chogori (jacket), paji (trousers), and turumagi (overcoat).
  6. Make a Korean dragon puppet.

Please see:

1. Korean Traditional Dress, from Hello from Korea, Korean overseas, Information Service, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
2. Korean Dragon Puppet, from The Kids' Multicultural Art Book, by Alexandra M. Terzian, Williamson Pub. Co., Charlotte, Vermont.

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Math

• Objective: Through math activities, students will learn more about Korea, e.g. size and population, distances of cities, symbols of Korean flag and the coat of arms.
• Activities:
  1. Using reference book, find the population, area, rainfall, etc. of Korea.
  2. Compare and contrast the area, population, rainfalll of Korea with other countries, such as U.S., China, Australia, etc. Create bar graph, line graph, pie graph, picture graph to illustrate the comparisons.
  3. Using a map, measure the distance of cities, countries, seas and oceans.
  4. Study the growth of population. Predict the population of Korea in the year 2000.
  5. Learn to say your age in Korean.
  6. Study the shapes and patterns of Korean flag and the coat of arms.
  7. >Estimate the number of rice and beans in containers. Estimate the weight of rice and beans.
  8. Calculate the total cost of ingredients needed to prepare a complete Korean meal.
  9. Find out the cost of things in Korea, ee.g. rice, Nike shoes, toys, automobiles, etc.
  10. Find out the air fare to Korea.
  11. >Find out how long it takes to fly to Korea.
  12. Find out the different air routes to Korea and show them on a map.

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Health and Nutrition

• Objective: Students will learn about authentic Korean food, their nutritional values, how to cook some of them, and their customs.
• Activities:
  1. Using pictures or video of Korea, discuss the similaries and differences of various fruits, vegetables, and Korean dishes with the food from other countries. Consulate offices usually have video to loan out: Korean Consulate Office, 3243 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90019.
  2. Visit a Korean market, or bring some samples of Korean vegetables, fruits, etc. Discuss the appearance, flavor, texture, and taste of some Korean foods.
  3. Using reference books, students research authentic Korean foods.
  4. Make a collage of Korean foods.
  5. Invite your school food service director, and design a lunch menu with Korean food.
  6. Find the nutritional values (nutrient and calories) of rice, beans, and pickled food.
  7. Research different ways of preparing rice, noodles, beans, and pickled vegetables.
  8. Compare and contrast Korean rice with rice from Japan, China, Spain, etc.
  9. Find out the nutritional value of seaweed, where they harvest it, how they make it, and how to prepare a food with it.
  10. Learn how to cook some authentic Korean foods, such as rice, noodles, soup, kimchi, etc. Learn how to eat them properly. Celebrate a Korean holiday with the foods.

Please look up:

kimchi, tea, rice, pulgogi, and kalbi in Hello from Korea, Korean overseas, Information Service, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

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