Teaching East Asia: Korea Teaching East Asia: Korea | Page 45

Four Famous Koreans
By Mary Connor
Originally Published in Education About Asia (Fall 2001)
The purpose of the lesson is to provide an opportunity for students to learn about famous Koreans
through readings and/or dramatizations. It is primarily designed to introduce students to famous
people who have helped shape Korean history. In the process of studying the four portraits, students
will not only learn about influential Koreans, but they will also become familiar with some of the
distinctive elements of Korean culture. It is hoped that the lesson will stimulate interest, provoke
questions, and encourage further study. The lesson can be implemented in various ways depending
on class size, student interest, and available time. It could begin a unit on Korean history and culture
or individual portraits could be interspersed chronologically in the study of world history. It would
be of great interest to compare the achievements of King Sejong to well- known European monarchs.
Grades: Possibly Upper Elementary, but Definitely Secondary
Subjects: Asian Studies, Cultural Studies, World History
Time Required: Two Class Periods
OBJECTIVES
1. Develop an appreciation of people who have helped shape the history and culture of Korea
2. Become aware of some of important events in Korean history
3. Examine various leadership styles and determine those the students might want to emulate
4. Provide an opportunity to dramatize history by impersonating important figures
MATERIALS REQUIRED
While this lesson is complete in itself, it can be enriched by books on Korea and updated regularly
by checking the Internet for current information.
PROCEDURE
1. Introduce the lesson and make a brief introductory statement about each of the famous Koreans.
2. Ask students to volunteer in dramatizing one of the portraits. They are encouraged to practice the
reading and, if inclined, dress the part. Ideally, there will be dramatizations of all of the characters.
If not, ask or assign students to read the individual portraits.
3. Divide the class into groups before the dramatizations/readings begin. Each group is assigned a
task. Group #1 reports about what they learned about the times in which the person lived. Group
#2 explains what they learned about the culture and the values of the time. Group #3 explains
what they learned about leadership and/or the person’s contribution to his/her country.
All students who have completed readings or dramatizations should then be asked to state their
conclusions about the varied experiences of the Korean people in the different periods they have
studied.
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