Topic(s): B. Contemporary Life, Food & Meal Taking
Performance Target: Novice High-CEFR A1/A2
This unit focuses on a unique boxed lunch meal culture in Japan. In particular, a style of elaborately arranged boxed lunch meal called “Kyara-Ben” (a shortened form of “character bento (lunch box)” will be explored in depth.
Through a variety of tasks, this unit will allow students to explore, investigate, research, and prepare themselves for participating in “Kyara-Ben” contest in the United States.
The concept of lunch meals varies from one culture to one culture.
People perceive the cultural value of lunch meals differently in the world.
The type of lunch meals prepared in each household reflects one’s cultural belief.
1. How can food and meals reflect one's culture?
2. What makes a meal appealing?
3. What does Kyara-Ben tell us about the role of parents/caregivers at home?
4. How does Kyara-Ben educate children about food nutrition?
I can understand and recognize basic vocabulary related to the creation of Kyara ben.
I can introduce and explain what Kyara ben is and how it is valued in the target culture.
Japanese class has been selected to enter in this year's Kyara Ben Contest hosted by JETAA.
https://www.jetaaportland.com/post/kyara-ben-contest
The students will be responsible for creating their original kyara ben along with the Japanese infographic poster that explains about what is included in the lunch box.
Students watch a video clip of character bento (Kyara ben) and fill in the True or False question sheets.
Students work in pairs and rank each kyara ben they have seen in the video in order of their preferences.
They can ask and answer questions about what characters are represented in each lunch box.
Students work in groups and propose ideas for their original Kyara Ben.
Students will film a cooking show video while making their original Kyara Ben.
|
Communicative Mode |
Formative Assessments during the lessons, aligning Connections, Comparisons and Communities. | Performance Assessment Student Statements(PASS) | Language, culture, content for each task | Intercultural Competence Can Do's | |
| Interpretive Viewing |
Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp7EajTBRE0 Comparison Students watch an authentic video that introduces about a unique boxed lunch meal served in Japan called "Kyara Ben". (15 minutes) |
I can understand and recognize what Kyara Ben is. |
Review Language: Basic action verbs such as to eat, to make. Language: More advanced action verbs such as to decorate, to cut out. Culture: Students can connect their pre-exsiting knowledge about Japanese food with this boxed lunch meal topic. |
I can understand and recognize basic vocabulary related to the creation of Kyara ben. | |
| Presentational Speaking |
Watch https://www.jetaaportland.com/post/kyara-ben-contest Communities Students form a skit group (3-4 students per group) and write a script together for their cooking show video. Students practice for their skit and perform it in the class with full memorization of the script while being filmed. Based on their cooking show performance, students discuss their specific plans for their Kyara Ben contest ideas. (20 minutes) |
I can perform my cooking show with my peers in front of the class with full memorization of the script. |
New Language: Students will learn those transitional words such as first, secondly, in the middle, next, lastly, etc. Culture: Students will have hands on experiences with using those unique cut out cooking tools used for making Kyara Ben. Content: Students will learn how to film themselves while talking fully in the target language. |
I can write my original script for describing my cooking steps. | |
| Interpersonal Speaking |
Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp7EajTBRE0 Comparison Students select one Kyara-ben example that attracted their attention the most from the video and talk about what was included in the lunch box in pairs. (15 minutes) |
I can share and talk about the item that I liked with my peer after watching a video. |
Review To like, to dislike Because More advanced descriptive adjectives |
I can compare the lunch box culture between Japan and my home culture. | |
| Interpretive Reading |
View https://dreamiaclub.jp/mail/lp/cam2007foodart/category/kyaraben.html Comparison Students visit an authentic website to select 3 different Kyara-ben and write a brief recipes for each Kyara-ben that they selected. (15 minutes) |
I can understand the description given for each Kyara-ben and explain how to make it in a written form. |
Review Basic adjectives (ex. cute, small, attractive.) Basic cooking-related verbs (ex. to cut, to paste, to mix, etc.) Advanced level food-related Kanji |
I can recognize and summarize how to make kyaraben step by step in a written form based on the authentic text. | |
| Interpersonal Writing |
View https://www.amazon.co.jp/akinoichigo%E3%81%AE%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E5%85%A8%E5%9B%BD-%E3%81%94%E5%BD%93%E5%9C%B0%E3%82%AD%E3%83%A3%E3%83%A9%E5%BC%8147-%E7%A8%B2%E7%86%8A-%E7%94%B1%E5%A4%8F/dp/4391155648 Connections Students exchange feedback to each other after reading their peer's reactions to the authentic kyara-ben book. (15 minutes) |
I can read and provide my peer with feedback for the summary related to the different types of Kyara-ben that represents each prefecture in Japan. |
Review Basic adjective forms (ex. good, bad, new, old, etc.) Present tense More advanced verbs/nouns (ex. to think, to feel, my opinion is that, etc.) |
I can spontaneously express my simple opinions in the target language with my peers. |
Resources:
Websites:
https://www.jetaaportland.com/post/kyara-ben-contest
https://dreamiaclub.jp/mail/lp/cam2007foodart/category/kyaraben.html
https://thegate12.com/article/186
Book:
https://www.amazon.co.jp/akinoichigo%E3%81%AE%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E5%85%A8%E5%9B%BD-%E3%81%94%E5%BD%93%E5%9C%B0%E3%82%AD%E3%83%A3%E3%83%A9%E5%BC%8147-%E7%A8%B2%E7%86%8A-%E7%94%B1%E5%A4%8F/dp/4391155648
YouTube Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP54d5icP4M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp7EajTBRE0