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Lesson Plan Library

Free Lesson Plans for Teachers

WHDE offers a set of free resources for teachers to help students better understand Korea. The lesson plans cover a variety of topics including geography, religion, economic development, culture, history, and the Korean War. Search our archive of lessons plans by topic, skill or grade level. You can find more teaching resources on the Korean War on the Korean War Legacy Foundation website. Visit teachingaboutnorthkorea.org to find lesson plans and activities for teaching about North Korea.

 
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Showing 11 - 20 of 84 lesson plans:

Connect Students to Korean War Veterans Through Letter Writing

display with books and monitors

In “Encouraging a Sense of Gratitude in Students”, Marissa King suggested students write letters. She says, “Letter writing is an academic skill—requiring students to focus on a specific purpose and an authentic audience—but it’s also a perfect opportunity to get students thinking about who and what they should be thankful for.” King’s recommendation aligns with this lesson: writing a letter to a Korean War veteran. If possible, I recommend you connect with the National Honor Flight Network, to make sure veterans receive the students’ letters. In Wisconsin, I’ve worked with the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight. You might also contact the Korean War Veterans Association.

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PDFWord

Author: Elizabeth Jorgensen

Grades: Middle (6-8)

Time: 1-2 Class Periods

Participation Year: Fellowship 2024

Skills: Analysis

Topics: English/Language Arts, US History, World History

Constitutional Rights in the U.S. and Republic of Korea

people in city square with statue

With the assistance of the United States and numerous other foreign nations and the dedication and sacrifices of the Korean people, the Republic of Korea emerged out of the oppressions of Japanese occupation and the chaos of the Korean War. Through a tumultuous political history over the next several decades, Korea has emerged as a vibrant democracy that consistently ranks among the most democratic societies on the globe and particularly in Asia. This lesson explores the different approaches to rights reflected in the constitutions of the United States and South Korea. Students will examine Chapter II of The Constitution of the Republic of Korea in relationship to their study and understanding of the United States Constitution. The students will then be able to compare and contrast specific provisions of the two documents and formulate hypotheses about why the two documents approach rights differently.

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PDFWord

Author: Dan Kelly

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: One 90 minute block period or two 45 minute regular periods

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Analysis, Comparison

Topics: Communism, Politics

Continuous, Innovative, and Diverse: Korean Historical Developments from 1200-1450

thatched-roof buildings in village

In this lesson, students will answer the questions: 1 How were belief systems utilized to strengthen the legitimacy of Korean rulers? 2. Explain the effects of Chinese cultural traditions on Korea over time.

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PDFWordSupplemental PDF

Author: Rachelle Strang

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 90 minutes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2020

Skills: Analysis, Cause and Effect

Topics: Culture, Religion

Cultural / Historical Legacy of the Korean Peninsula through Unesco World Heritage Sites

In this lesson, students will identify the cultural / historical legacy of Unesco World Heritage Sites of the United States and the Korean peninsula. Students will create a web page explaining the cultural / historical legacy of one Unesco World Heritage Site located on the Korean peninsula.

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PDFWord

Author: Karen Kelly

Grades: Middle (6-8), Secondary (9-12)

Time: Three-five 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis, Comparison

Topics: Geography

Dark and Light: Incentives and Korea’s Divergent Economies

street scene

Post-war North and South Korea present a direct comparison case study through which students can understand how economic incentives help create wealth and good governance or deprivation and bad governance. By examining photos, charts, and videos, students will be able to understand the role of incentives in creating economic growth and democratic institutions.

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PDFWord

Author: Katie Booth

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 2 50 minute class periods or one 90 minute block

Participation Year: Fellowship 2019

Skills: Analysis, Evaluation

Topics: Economics, North Korea

DMZ: Symbol of Peace or Division?

Excerpt from armistice

In this lesson, students will explore the impact of the DMZ on North and South Korea and analyze its complex perceptions within South Korea. By engaging with a variety of primary and secondary sources, students will gain insights into the historical and contemporary significance of the DMZ. They will develop their own opinions on the inquiry question, “Does the existence of the DMZ serve as a symbol of division or a potential for future reunification?” Students will be tasked with using evidence from the sources to support and defend their responses, fostering critical thinking and deeper understanding of this pivotal topic.

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PDFWord

Author: Sarah Troxell

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 90 minutes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2024

Skills: Analysis, Comparison

Topics: World History

Do Borders Matter?

landscape

Students will research and compare the current economic development of Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

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PDFWord

Author: Linda Burrows

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Two 55-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation

Topics: Economics, Politics

Dokdo as an Important Part of Korean National Identity

map

This lesson focuses on “Dokdo”, a set of islets in the East Sea, as an important component to Korean national identity, and the source of a tense territorial dispute between Korea and Japan. Students will first analyze maps of this territory and define vocabulary terms. Next students will analyze primary and secondary sources (documents) by answering questions and making inferences about Korean claims to this region, sentiment, and the importance to national identity.

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PDFWord

Author: Elyse Williams

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Two 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis, Inference

Topics: Geography

Economic Development: Is Korea the Key?

city seen from above with river

During the Development Unit of AP Human Geography, students will look at data from other countries who were similar to South Korea in the 1960s, then the same data for today. Based on GDP, IHDI, and GNI they will use the obvious differences in development to draw conclusions as to how South Korea was able to develop so quickly, and what those countries can do to in an attempt to reach the same development level as South Korea.

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PDFWord

Author: Karen Coss

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: Two 50-minute classes

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis, Comparison

Topics: Economics, Geography

Freedom’s Legacy

black and white photo of street with tanks

This lesson is intended to succeed lessons covering the end of World War II and the rise of Communism at the onset of Cold War and to supplement the scant content on the Korean War in the Tennessee World History and Geographytextbook published in 2015 by McGraw Hill Education. Prior to the start of this lesson, students should be able to differentiate between Capitalism and Communism (website link included in the resources section for review purposes if needed) and should possess basic knowledge of the competition between the world’s two superpowers representing each at the time—the United States and the Soviet Union. This lesson (or lessons dependent upon time allowance) touch upon the Korean War itself in regards to the lead up, start of the war, relations between countries involved, US intervention and aftermath. The main focus of this lesson/lessons is to develop a deeper understanding of why the US chose to defend freedom in Asia and of freedom’s legacy in the Republic of Korea in comparison to North Korea.

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PDFWord

Author: Maranda Wilkinson

Grades: Secondary (9-12)

Time: 1 90- minute block

Participation Year: Fellowship 2018

Skills: Analysis

Topics: Freedom, Korean War, Legacy, Soviet Union

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