A lesson plan, divided into five learning activities, explores certain fundamental beliefs and practices associated with Shintoism, the ancient religion of the Japanese. It is designed for integration into a course on world cultures or global studies. The unit is organized to allow high school students an opportunity to observe the variety of ways in which Shintoism is expressed in Japanese culture. The materials employed in the unit include Japanese myths and poems as well as accounts of Japanese festivals. Students are required to identify the elements of Shintoism as they are evident in the various manifestations. Each of the five learning activities focuses upon different issues or data, including religious expression, the nature of Shinto, Shintoism in Japanese mythology, Shintoism in Japanese poetry, and Shintoism in Japanese festivals. The unit requires students to participate in class discussions, to take notes on a lecture, to read Japanese texts in translation, and write their observations and judgments. The document concludes with a brief list of additional resources dealing with Shintoism. (RSL)