An activity to activate learners’ prior knowledge and experiences about the content will be used in preparation for the project.
· Talk about natural disasters in the USA or students’ home countries and share their experiences; if they had an emergency drill in K-12.
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A viewing activity of dramatic video clips of Great East Japan Earthquake (3.11) will be used as an entry event. Students will be provided with a list of key vocabulary words. Students watch a news report of other countries (in English) for culture comparison.
· Learn 3 disasters (earthquake, tsunami tidal wave, and nuclear power plant crisis) and discuss the videos.
· Students will have a vocabulary quiz to show their mastery of new words learned in this segment.
The Japanese video is a live broadcast of 3.11 in which news casters were nervous due to earthquake trembling in the region and this affected their speaking. students will need a good amount of support to understand portions of this video.
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Read articles to learn there are still problems due to 3.11
· Read articles to learn there are still problems in Japan: electricity shortage, protest.
· Read an update on Fukushima nuclear plant to learn problems: contaminated water outflow, increase the drop amount of radioactive materials in air, exposure dose, and radioactive waste.
· Read articles about various effects of the disaster across the world: debris, contaminated fish, radiation clouds, etc.
Students will have a vocabulary quiz to show their mastery of new words learned in this segment.
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Interview exchange students from Japan on GSU campus.
· Grammar lecture for interview expressions.
· Write a set of interview questions on electricity shortage using target vocabulary and grammatical form in group.
· Conduct an interview in group.
Write a report of the interview in group.
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Learn about proponent and opponent of nuclear power generation.
· Grammar lecture for opinion expressions and discussion expressions.
· Read opinions and view a video clip of proponent of nuclear power generation.
· Read opinions and view a video clip of opponent of nuclear power generation.
· Discuss on the articles and the video clips in group, and then write a summary of the articles and the video clips on people’s opinions about nuclear power using target vocabulary and grammatical forms.
· Discuss and review graphs/charts of nuclear energy usage/production around the world.
· Divide class into pro. and con. for nuclear power generation, and then discuss within groups of pro. and con. about rationales. Take notes during the discussion, and then write a summary as preparation for presentation.
· Present each stand’s opinions with rationales. While listening, take notes to ask a question or offer a comment.
· Online discussion: ask a question, answer a question or write a comment on class website between pro. and con. groups.
Interview native speakers of Japanese on their opinions of nuclear power generation: exchange students from Japan on GSU campus, or university students in Japan via Skype.
Debate between pro. vs. con., instead of the presentation.
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Research alternative energies
· Research Thermal power, Hydroelectric power, Wind power, Solar power, Natural gas, etc. in both Japanese and English and write a summary of each in Japanese.
· Read status of alternative energies in Japan. Write a summary in Japanese.
· Students will have a vocabulary quiz to show their mastery of new words learned in this segment.
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Interview exchange students from Japan on GSU campus
· Write a set of interview questions on alternative energy using target vocabulary and grammatical form in group.
· Interview exchange students from Japan on GSU campus in group.
· Write a report of the interview in group.
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Learn Georgia energy situation.
· Discuss and review graphs/charts of nuclear energy usage/production in USA. (English)
· Research Georgia Chamber of Commerce website on their Environment and Energy policy. (English) Write a summary in Japanese.
· Research nuclear power plant in Augusta, GA. (English) Write a summary in Japanese.
· Field trip to nuclear power plant in Augusta, GA. (English)
· Contrast nuclear power plants in Augusta vs. Fukushima (how old, geography, etc.) Write a summary in Japanese.
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Create a webpage in Japanese.
· Organize all summaries have been written in tasks 1-8 to create a webpage.
· Design and create a webpage in group.
· Learn how to create and publish a webpage on Wikis.
Presentation about the webpage to native speakers of Japanese: university students in Japan via Skype
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Peer assess a webpage of other groups
· Visit a webpage of other groups and assess their webpages using a rubric provided by an instructor. Also, write feedback in English for other groups.
· Revise own group’s webpage based on feedback provided by other groups.
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