Lesson Plan Library

The Republic of Korea has been lauded as an example of a booming capitalist economy since the end of the Korean War. One of the “Asian Tigers” economically, the nation has excelled in automotive and electronics production, increasing GDP and the standard of living since the devastation of the war. Currently, however, low birth rates threaten the long-term economic prospects of the nation and bring up policy solutions that may clash with traditional Korean culture. This lesson explores how the current low birth rate and gender inequality in the workforce threaten the Republic of Korea’s long-term economic prospects. The lesson also requires students to evaluate possible solutions to these problems.

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The main topic of this lesson is the place of Korea in the global history of printing technology. Students examine both video and written sources to determine the comparative importance of Korean and European moveable metal type printing.

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Students will delve deeper into the analysis of America’s role and culpability in the No Gun Ri Massacre, examining the long-term impact and responses from both American and Korean perspectives.

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Students will critically analyze Suhi Choi’s article to understand how historical narratives are shaped and the consequences of silencing survivors’ stories. They will discuss the significance of historical memory and how it influences public perception.

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This lesson analyzes sources related to historical and current events on the Korean peninsula, focusing on the stories and experiences of North Korean refugees and defectors. Using differentiated primary and secondary sources, students will review the history of Korea in the 20th century, the division of the Korean Peninsula, the and major events up to the present day in order to better understand the background behind the division of Korea as it stands today. Students will then use this background knowledge to understand the setting and circumstances behind the stories of real North Korean defectors.

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Students will explore the possible impact of how a potential first strike against North Korea could lead to an attack on Seoul and Tokyo.

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Why do some countries develop rapidly, growing their economies and influence on the world stage while other countries struggle to achieve economic takeoff? This is a central question in Human Geography and an important question in World History. The Korean Peninsula provides a case study for the exploration of this question. This peninsula of a common people with a shared history was divided not only by a civil war but by competing ideologies and foreign alliances. In this lesson students will explore the causes of South Korea’s rise and the sharp divisions that remain between the two Koreas.

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This lesson examines the overlap of major religious and cultural traditions in Korea. It invites students to consider the role of culture and religion in the lives of indivuals as well as the exclusivity of religious systems in Korea and East Asia. It also invites students to consider their own religions and cultural traditions and how they do or do not overlap. (In this lesson the term overlap is used, however teachers can also use the term “syncretism” when appropriate).

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The early Chosun (Joseon) Dynasty established themselves 1392 and lasted until 1912. Within the context of East Asia, the Korean peninsula had established itself as a tributary state as far back as the 4th century CE. This relationship had far reaching effects on Korean society and its internal power structure.

This lesson has two components plus some extensions.
1) Students will learn about the Tributary relationship between China and Korea and how the elites (yangban) maintained power through their adoption of Neo-Confucianism. Students will analyze primary sources to practice those skills and will use secondary sources to find evidence demonstrating the importance of Neo-Confucianism in the Joseon court.

2) Day 2 explores the role of language as a tool of maintaining power. Students will explore King Sejong’s creation of Hunminjeongeum (later called Hangul) as a way of educating the people and will also explore the role of the elites in suppressing the expansion of Hangul. The day includes students creating arguments for either the expansion or suppression of Hangul as well as counter-arguments to help practice the skill of using evidence to analyze.

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South Korea experienced a dramatic and sudden shift in economic and demographic standards during and after the Korean War. Students examining population pyramids for this same time period recognize and correlate the data in order to explain how the population of the country changed and how this impacted South Korea’s standing in the DTM.

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