This is a commentary on the readings for June 9th on Twentieth Century East Asia. I thoroughly enjoyed the lesson plan on “Famous Koreans: Six Portraits.” The portraits are written in first person and as a reflection of pivotal events that shaped Korea. The information is very concise and descriptive of various achievements. The language of the portraits would be easy for middle and high school students to comprehend, form connections, and identify trends in Korean history. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the author had formed connections to American history. For example, in Portrait #1: Queen Sondok, the author emphasized that in Korea a woman gained political power. While in America, we were reviewing the role of women in society. In Portrait #4: Yu Kwan-Sun, the author describes Kwan-Sun’s demonstration on March 1, 1919 as similar to Martin Luther King’s march on Washington in 1963. The connections allow the teacher to compare actions and figures across time and culture, which provide more meaningful conversations for our students
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