Teaching East Asia: Korea Teaching East Asia: Korea | Page 53

RESOURCES TEACHING RESOURCES ESSAYS

Values Lesson Plan How Currency Reveals Cultural Values

Grades : 5 – 12 Subject : Social Studies , Cultural Studies , Math , and Economics By Mary Connor

Part Two Travel and Shopping in Seoul , South Korea

● You are planning a visit to Seoul and want to see as much as possble while you are in the city . Your parents have told you that you need to save money to help pay for the cost of your trip . You decide to go to the Internet to get a sense of how much your trip will cost and what you need to save . At the top of your list of places you want to visit is the Gyeongbokgun Palace . You are informed in your Internet search that a ticket to the palace is 1,000 won . How much is this in US currency ?

Objectives

● Examine the currency of South Korea and the United States to determine how the images reflect the cultural values of each nation .

● Learn about currency exchange and calculating the cost of a tour in Seoul .

Procedures

● Provide your students with three images of Korean currency and four images of US currency .

● Briefly discuss George Washington , Abraham Lincoln , Alexander Hamilton , and Andrew Jackson . Why do you think they were chosen to be on United States currency , and what might this show about American cultural values ?

● Read summaries about King Sejong , Shin Saimdang , and Yulgok . Why do you think each of these famous Koreans was selected to appear on the currency , and what might this reveal about cultural values in Korea ? What insight do you now have about the values of Korean-American families ?

● What do the currencies of Korea and the United States show about cultural differences and similarities between the two cultures ?

● Without the use of the Internet or a calculator , complete the Seoul travel worksheet , and convert Korean won to US dollars . When you travel to Seoul , you will be glad you had a lesson on currency exchange .

Part One Currency Values Current Exchange Rates Research the most current exchange rate between the Korean won and US dollar to calculate how much Korean currency notes and coins are in US dollars and cents . Also , convert US dollars to Korean won ( Google “ currency exchange ”).

● You know you want to shop in Insa-dong , a famous place for tourists to purchase gifts . You want to buy a celadon vase for your grandmother and several gifts for your classmates . You are told that the vase will be about 40,000 won and that gifts for your friends will cost about 20,000 won . What is the total in US dollars ?

● You want to learn more about the Korean War and plan to visit the Korean War Museum . The cost is 3,000 won for an adult and 2,000 won for a student . How much will it cost in US dollars for your father , mother , you , and your sister ?

● You have heard that a great way to see the beauty of Seoul is to ride the Mount Namsan Cable Car to the Seoul Tower Restaurant . You are told that you can expect to pay about 7,000 won for lunch . How much will this cost you in dollars ?

● You want to go to the Hanok Village to learn about life in premodern times and are happy because it is free . You also want to visit the Seoul National Museum and the Folk Art Museum and find that both are also free . You know you will need to take the subway to these places , so you do an Internet search to find out about public transportation in Seoul . You learn that Seoul has a very convenient and fast public transportation system . You discover that for destinations involving ten stops , the cost is 1,000 won . How much is this in US dollars ?

● You are checking out the rates of hotels and have heard about the Westin Chosun and the Seoul Shilla hotels . One night at the Westin for two adults is 280,000 won , and the Shilla costs 440,000 won . Convert the price of each in US dollars . You search for a less-expensive hotel for your family and find one with good reviews for 150,500 won . How much will this cost per night in US dollars ? ■

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