This unit plan includes vocabulary, essential questions, and what students need to know, understand and be able to do.
Most American students' exposure to the Korean Peninsula begins and ends with the teaching of the Korean War and division along the 38th parallel. The sources and activities here aim to take students beyond the Korean War to explore the divergent stories of North and South Korea and to analyze the causes and effects of each country's unique development. The activities introduce learners to the long-lasting economic and political effects of Korea's division by examining South Korea's rapid industrialization, North Korea's continuing struggle to ensure adequate food for its population, and the arguments for and against reunification of the Korean Peninsula. Working with a photo of a South Korean labor strike, graphs depicting the devastating effects of food shortages in North Korea, and a song calling for reunification, students will gain a better understanding of the peninsula's varied history as well as a greater appreciation for the lived experiences of North and South Koreans at home and abroad.