Have a Class Discussion
Write on a chalkboard the facts that come to mind when the students think about China, Japan, Korea, or India. Ask the students what they know about these cultures and what they would like to know. After your trip, ask the students to do their own research about new things they learned from the discussion and want to learn more about.

Study Maps and Photographs
The map is provided to give students a sense of Asia as both a physical and cultural place. Point out the natural geographic boundaries that separate each nation, as well as the possible areas of contact. China and India are the two largest rice-producing countries in the world; they produce paddy (irrigated) rice. Paddy rice needs lots of water, either from heavy rains, or flooding. Using the information you have about rice, have the students mark the areas on the map of Asia that would be best suited for rice production. Click here to view and print the map.

Have students study copies the photographs of rural Japan 100 years ago and two teenagers in Japan today. Have them make up stories or a journalist's interview with the people in the photographs. Discuss the differences in rural and urban living. Click here to view and print the photographs.

The following New York State Learning Standards are applicable to the Museum visit and classroom activities outlined in this guide:

Social Studies Standard 2 - World History (SS2), Social Studies Standard 3 - Geography (SS3), Math, Science, and Technology Standard 6 - Interconnectedness: Common Themes (MST6), Arts Standard 4 - Understanding the Cultural Dimension and Contributions of Arts (A4), English Language Arts Standard 1 - Language for Information and Understanding (ELA1), English Language Arts - Standard 4 - Students Will Read, Write, Listen, and Speak for Social Interaction (ELA4).

Familiarize Your Students with the Vocabulary
You may decide to review these after your class visit or use them for your own reference.

Ancestor Veneration (ancestor worship) The custom of honoring deceased ancestors, who are still considered a part of the family and whose spirits are believed to have the power to intervene in the affairs of the living.

Buddhism A religion based on the teachings of Buddha (approx. 560-480 BC). The basis of Buddhist teachings are "the four noble truths" — that life is full of suffering (such as not being satisfied, old age, disease, and death), that the cause of suffering is desire and wanting things only for oneself, that there is a cure for this suffering, and that this cure is the Eight-Fold Path. The Eight-Fold Path is right attitude, motives, speech (not lying or gossiping), action (not to kill or steal), effort, mindfulness, and meditation.

Caste System A system of occupationally specific, hierarchically ordered statuses to which members of society are assigned at birth.

Confucianism A philosophy based on the teachings of Confucius (approx. 551-479 BC) and his followers, who stressed that everyone has a place in society with specific duties and responsibilities. Great importance was placed on five relationships: ruler to subject, parent to child, elder brother to younger brother, husband to wife, and friend to friend.

Divination The practice that seeks to foretell the future by "reading" signs.

Dowry Wealth a bride's family contributes to the marriage, usually consisting of clothing, household furnishings, and utensils.

Dynasty A Chinese dynasty took its name from a sequence of rulers from the same patrilineal (through the male line) family. For more than 2,000 years China was ruled by a series of dynasties.

Extended Family A residential group consisting of two or more families of at least two generations.

Hinduism A complex Indian religion (nearly 4,000 years old) with elaborate mythology, 3,000 gods, ceremonies for purification, and steps one goes through in the life cycle.

Islam A religion based on the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (approx. 570-632 CE) as found in the sacred book, the Koran. The followers of Islam are called Muslims.

Matchmaker A person whom families consult to find proper marriage partners for their children. The marriage is called an arranged marriage.

Monsoon A periodic wind in South Asia, generally laden with rain.

Nomad A wandering pastoral (herding) people.

Shamanism A belief system in which certain individuals are believed to be in direct contact with the spirit world through trance and to be able to command spirits to do their bidding.

Shinto A native religion of Japan, dating to the sixth century AD, originally centered on belief in "kami", or spiritual forces thought to live in all natural objects. Later it included worship of ancestors, heroes, and the emperor. Shinto stresses harmony among divine, natural, and human elements.

Taoism A philosophy formulated by Lao Tzu (either third or sixth century BC) in which the aim of life is to conform to nature's way. Yin (female, wet, dark, cool) and Yang (male, dry, bright, hot) and the five elements (fire, water, earth, wood, metal) interact to bring harmony.

Terracing A raised embankment leveled on top with a ridge to hold water (commonly used in wet-rice farming).

Wet-Rice Cultivation Common method of growing rice in Asia by flooding fields with water. Later, when the crops mature, the fields are drained. Usually involves animal plow cultivation and the use of fertilizers.