Students are introduced to the feudal system of medieval Japan. Then, they explore the role of the shogun and the samurai and they create a diagram that explains the social class system in that era of Japanese history. Finally, they evaluate the Bushido—the value system of the samurai—and reflect on what it means to live an “honorable life” today.
Students read an overview of the experience and the objectives, then consider how Japan’s government and society have changed over time. They examine an image and contribute words or short phrases to a word cloud describing what they see. After viewing a second image of a statue, they post to a class wall explaining what they think the person’s role is, based on both images.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the experience focus on medieval Japan and review the objectives. Discuss student wall responses, guiding them to recognize the figure as a soldier or warrior and explaining that it is a samurai, whose role they will explore further in the lesson.
Students explore Japanese Shoguns and The Samurai to learn basic information about shoguns and samurai, then record brief notes in a two-column table comparing what they learned about each. Next, they read Feudal Japan: The Age of Warrior and use a graphic organizer to take notes on samurai values, the role of the daimyo, shogun power, and Western influence on Japan.
Teacher MovesDiscuss student notes about shoguns and samurai, emphasizing that they will deepen their understanding in the reading. After students complete the organizer, invite volunteers to summarize what they have learned about the feudal era in Japan and the roles of samurai and shoguns.
Students view an image of Minamoto no Yoritomo and read about the class-based feudal system in Japan in The Four-Tiered Class System of Feudal Japan. They create a diagram (such as a flow chart or pyramid) that depicts the full class system, labeling each section and explaining the main people and responsibilities in each class. They then review classmates’ diagrams and revise their own if needed.
Teacher MovesReview a range of student diagrams, noting different ways students represented the system. Lead a whole-group review of the feudal class structure to ensure students have an accurate and shared understanding.
Students watch a selected segment of The Bushido Code to learn about the samurai value system. They post to a class wall explaining what they think an honorable life looks like today and describing the kind of personal code they try to live by, using complete sentences. Then they read classmates’ posts and respond to at least two with a question or positive comment.
Teacher MovesFacilitate a class discussion in which students share and compare their ideas about living an honorable life today, encouraging respectful dialogue and healthy debate about different values and perspectives.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
©2026 Exploros. All rights reserved.