Warlords Wrap Up

Note: Sorry for the delay!  This post was originally from December, at the end of our warlords unit.

The Revolution

In Social Studies 9, students ended our Warlords unit with a non-violent protest, that resulted in a government coup.  A group of insurgents organized a demonstration, in which students surrounded Empress Lau and chanted, "Empress Lau must Go!"  Empress Lau was exiled to Mongolia.

Students wore robes to protest Empress Lau's Kimono, a symbol of her power.

The Tools of the Revolution:
 Students held bags of rice (Koku) in protest of the empire's unfair distribution of wealth and wore buttons that read "Empress Lau Must Go."

Unity Flag-
The different castles combined their colors to show they would not be pitted against one another.

After the coup, anarchy persisted for a short amount of time, but the rebels quickly organized and set up democratic elections.  Using this system, the rebels elected a president and cabinet members. 

The leaders of the Rebellion.  These students set up community meetings several days proceeding the overthrow to plan a strategy for dismantling Empress' Lau's regime and implementing a new government.

Students created posters and platforms to run for President.

The Elected President (right) and Vice President (left) of the new democracy.

The elected Cabinet Members.

The Shogun winners- These students kept their position as Shogun as figureheads in the new government.

The class under the new democracy.

Shogun Wrap Up

In Social Studies 10, we wrapped up our simulation by announcing the new Shogun.  Students celebrated with their castle groups.

War Lords of Japan

We are in the midst of War Lords of Japan: A Simulation of Shogun History of Feudal Japan.  During this simulation, students join one of five Samurai clans.  The clans are competing with the ultimate goal of taking of Japan and becoming Shogun, the ultimate military ruler of Japan. 

In conjunction with our ELA Asia/Pacific Rim Literature Unit, students are studying the socio-political landscape of Feudal Japan.

Before we began the simulation, we talked about the structure of Japanese Feudalism.  As our classroom is usually collaborative and student centered, I wanted to make sure students were prepared for the shift in power structure.  During the simulation, I take on the role of Empress Lau, and students take on the role of Samuri.

Students are arranged into five clans, and it is their job to work together with their clan.  Each day, students are assigned one of the following roles:

• Leader:  The leader organizes the groups and directs the Empress where to move the clan's troops
• Accountant:  The accountant completes the ledger for the day.  The accountant keeps track of  the koku (rice currancy) which is earned and spent and the armies gained and lost.
• Journalist 1: Informs the Empress of the clan's army movements and battle accounts.
• Journalist 2: Informs the Empress of the knowledge earned and the day's fortune.
• Artist: Completes an art project to decorate the classroom. 

Take a look into the classroom below:

Maps of Japan on the back wall.  Each clan is represented by a different color thumb tack.  Each thumb tack represents one army regiment.

Clan leaders gather around Empress Lau (me) to inform the Empress of armies to be bought and troops to be moved.

In province R, Oska and Edo prepare for battle.  Only one army my occupy a province at a time.  

Samurai in their castle groups plot their next moves.  You can see the Japanese artwork hanging from the ceiling.

Artists hard at work on their Japanese Kite Fish