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[Anonymous]

Creating the Warrior: Introducing New Warrior Mode of Samurai Warriors

Standards:
Reading: Understanding and following directions
Comprehension Strategy: Stay and Stray, Prediction
Writing: Preparing written directions
Writing Process: Revision
Synthesizing multiple texts and multimedia sources of information
Analyzing a multimedia source for its cultural and historical
accuracy and credibility

Prerequisites: Reading/Discussion of Japanese, specifically samurai, history
Reading/Discussion of the way of the samurai
Reading/Discussion of religions associated with the samurai
Workshop Use of Laptops, Internet, and Unit Specific Websites
Workshop Use of PS2 Game System and Controllers
Familiarity with format of stay and stray activity

Materials: PS2 with wireless controllers
Samurai Warriors: New Warrior Mode
KOEI Co., Ltd. Game Site
Unit Specific Website
Online Journal Forum
Laptops with Internet Connection
LCD Projector or TV
Poster Paper
Computer Paper
Markers

Before Class Procedure:
1. Set up laptops, PS2 and LCD projector.

In Class Procedure:
1. Introduce New Warrior Mode of game via (booklet) handout and website and have students preview information found in booklet and on website.
2. Have students break into groups. Each group will become an expert on a section and will prepare posters and a presentation for stay and stray. The posters will include both written and illustrated directions. (Focus: How to understand, prepare, and follow directions in multiple formats.)
3. Run stay and stray. Debrief.
4. Brainstorm, record, and post responses in online journals to the following questions:

What qualities or skills are most important to a samurai? Why?
What skills might a novice samurai need to learn?
What is the role of a Samurai Master or Instructor?
What makes a good teacher?
Possible Response: They should demonstrate, observe, and give feedback.
What makes good feedback? What would good feedback look like?
Possible Response: It is clear, and constructive. It tells the student what s/he is doing right/wrong and gives suggestions on how to improve.

5. Have students write (in on-line journal) what feedback they think the master warrior would give for a poor, fair, good, great, or excellent performance.

Assess them on their ability to predict, their use of vocabulary and language associated with the samurai warrior, as well as allusions or references to samurai history, teachings, or traditional culture.

6. Play Samurai Warriors in new warrior mode following the procedures outlined in stay and stray. After each play round, have students compare their predictions to the feedback messages that pop up on the screen and note these comparisons in their online journals.

Were their predictions correct or close? How?
Were their predictions off? How?
Which was better, their prediction or the game message? Why?

7. Then, have students rate the messages from the master warrior on their authenticity.

Would a samurai master really say that?
Does the message concur with what you know about samurai history, culture,
practices, beliefs and teachings? How?
How could you rewrite the message so that it did?
What would you add? Why?

8. Have students rewrite the text in their online journals, adding historical and cultural vocabulary, references and allusions as fit.

Follow-up:
Students read each other’s responses in the online journal forum. Students then respond to each other’s revisions and select a few to keep as the class’ documentation of their project on Samurai and Samurai Warriors. These posts are then copied to a host site where the class could share their work with others.

Stay and Stray

General Directions

- Students will break into groups of three and read a determined section of the text.

- They will become an expert on that portion of the text and create two visual and textual representations of the information they have learned.

- One of these posters will “stay” with two of the students, while the smaller (8.5’’ by 11’’) poster will “stray” with one student.

- Students will sit in a circle around the room in front of their posters, and both the students who “stay” and “stray” will teach each group they encounter about their section.

- This way each student in the class will be an expert on one section and have exposure to all of the rest.

Specific Directions

The manual will be divided into the following sections:

Game Controls and Game Screens Handout pgs. 1+2
Movements and Attacks Handout pgs. 3+4
Defense Handout pg. 5
Character Growth Handout pgs. 6-10
Creating a New Officer Handout pg. 11
Exercises Handout pg. 12
Trials of Acceptance Handout pg. 13

Students will work in groups of three to create concise yet specific written and visual interpretations of this material to share with their classmates.

Students will “Stay and Stray” with their representations until each group has been exposed to each section.

Once students return to their original group, the movement will stop. Students will take 5 minutes to discuss with their group what they learned.

Briefly, each student will share out to the class on their posters.

Students will then have the background knowledge to prepare them to participate actively in the live game play that will accompany the unit.