Teach and draw Manga in the art classroom with KS3 students. Manga (comics or graphic novels) are a Japanese form of visual storytelling which are increasingly popular outside of Japan. Over the course of two lessons, students receive an introduction to the history and cultural significance of Manga in Japan and as an art form and will also create their own character, illustrated in the Manga style. There are accompanying video interviews with contemporary Manga artists and basic face and expression templates for students. Comprehensive background notes are included for teachers so the lessons can be taught with no prior knowledge. An editable version of the PPTs are available on request - contact education@japansociety.org.uk. More resources related to Japanese culture are available from The Japan Society website.

In this KS3 resource, pupils will learn about and make their own dogu figurine. Dogu are ceramic figurines that were made by people in Japan thousands of years ago, during the Jomon Period. The dogu had spiritual significance, although their exact function still remains a mystery. Their intricate patterns and varying facial expressions give them their own unique personalities. Within this unit of work, there are four lessons, as well as pre-lesson resources for teachers to learn more about dogu before teaching. Lesson 1 introduces dogu in the context of Japan and Japanese art history. Following on from this, in lesson 2, pupils will closely observe the patterns and designs of dogu by annotating a printed image. They will then create their own clay tiles using inspiration from patterns seen on dogu. In lesson 3, pupils will reflect on the success of the making process in the previous lesson, and produce four draft designs for their dogu figurine, which they will construct and make in lesson 4, the final lesson. Please note that the PowerPoint files are read-only. If you would like an editable version, please contact us at education@japansociety.org.uk