History and Philosophy in Avatar the Last Airbender
In this 4-week course, learners will discover the real history and philosophy integrated in the popular show, Avatar the Last Airbender.
Lisa Malick
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(40)
What's included
8 live meetings
7 hrs 20 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
Introduction: While the creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender did not state that each of the cultures represented in the series were based on real-life cultures, the history, geography, and philosophy of each culture draws from China (Earth Kingdom), Japan (Fire Nation), Tibetan Buddhist monks (Air Nomads) and indigenous tribes, such as Inuits or Yupiks (Water Tribe). There are specific references to events and places in history- as long as you know where to look! In this class, we will discuss and compare the true life history to the history in A:TLA, learning about important facets of Asian history, from the Forbidden City to Meiji Restoration. Week 1: Earth. Class 1- Geography and landmark parallels in China and the Earth Kingdom (Si Wong Desert, Gobi Desert, Ba Sing Se, Beijing, city rings/Forbidden city). Class 2- Politics in 19th century China and the Earth Kingdom (Dai Li, Cixi, Lake Laogai, Bei Fong family) Week 2: Fire. Class 3- The Industrialization of Japan and Fire Nation (archipelago, Meiji Restoration, naval power) Class 4- War (Sino-Japanese War 1894-1895/100 Years War, the Fire Nation's attack/Japan's attack and their motives. Week 3: Air. Class 5- Life and practices of Tibetan monks, expectations for Tibetan monks, parallels famous gurus in history and A: TLA. Class 6: Genocide in history during war, genocide in A: TLA during the 100 years war against the Airbenders. Week 4: Water. Class 7- Life and practices of Inuit and Yupiks, parallels of life in the Water Tribe and life in Northern and Southern water tribes. Moon and animal spirits. Class 8- Symbolism behind each bending style, rooted in specific martial arts. (Example- water bending/Tai Chi). Game- Uncle Iroh or Philosopher? To wrap up the course, play a fun game to guess if Iroh passed on the words of wisdom, or if they came from a real-life philosopher.
Learning Goals
While the creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender did not state that each of the cultures represented in the series were based on real-life cultures, the history, geography, and philosophy of each culture draws from China (Earth Kingdom), Japan (Fire Nation), Tibetan Buddhist monks (Air Nomads) and indigenous tribes, such as Inuits or Yupiks (Water Tribe). There are specific references to events and places in history- as long as you know where to look! In this class, we will discuss and compare the true life history to the history in A:TLA, learning about important facets of Asian history, from the Forbidden City to Meiji Restoration.
After the conclusion of this course, students will be able to compare real life history to the history portrayed in the popular television series.
Students will be familiar with important events in Asian history and culture, including the Meiji Restoration, the Sino-Japanese War, art, and religion.
In each class, students will draw and/or write to demonstrate understanding of their comparisons between A: TLA and history.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Class 6 focuses on genocide in Avatar the Last Airbender and in real history. As a middle and high school history teacher, I have significant experience presenting this topic to middle school aged learners.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined June, 2020
4.9
40reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Class 6 focuses on genocide in Avatar the Last Airbender and in real history. As a middle and high school history teacher, I have significant experience presenting this topic to middle school aged learners. Reviews
Live Group Class
$80
for 8 classes2x per week, 4 weeks
55 min
Completed by 2 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-14
3-6 learners per class
