April 6, 2012 — Lessons on Japanese culture and history will find their way into Virginia classrooms in the near future, thanks to the Asia Institute at the University of Virginia.

After a workshop in February for Virginia public school teachers, institute faculty recently chose four proposals from the participants that will be the basis for ready-made lesson plans about Japan that meet Virginia's Standards of Learning.

The institute has been working with K-12 teachers from across Virginia in a project funded by a $5,000 grant from the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (read more about the Tsunagaru Initiative here).

The four winning teachers won an iPod Touch and the opportunity to work with other faculty members across the state and/or at U.Va. to further develop their lesson plans. The lessons will be posted on the Asia Institute website and will be featured in the institute's Japan Trunk, a trove of curricular resources and materials for teaching about Japan that will be available for K-12 schools to borrow upon request.

The winners were:

• Margaret Stout, Prince William County Schools
  "Mukashi mukashi," which explores kamishibai, or Japanese storytelling
• Linda Fletcher, Fluvanna County Schools
  "The Choice is Ours!," which covers Standards of Learning material for Health and Physical Education while integrating Japanese physical culture
• Starla Shaeff, Nelson County Schools
  "Japanese History and Culture through Calligraphy and Printmaking"
• Mary Bailey, Campbell County Schools
  "Words Around the World: Embracing Cultural Diversity, Expanding Global Understanding"