Introduction

During World War II, approximately 110,000 to 120,000 Americans of Japanese descent were rounded up, on short notice, and deported to remote areas in the western United States.  This was done for "security reasons" was ordered by the President, and in blatant disregard of these peoples' civil rights.  What were the deeper reasons for this action, and what were the the long and short term implications of this action?   

Subject:  World War II
Topic:  Japanese-American Relocation
Grade Level:  Eleven
Student Lesson name and URL:

1. Students will analyze the American participation in World War II in terms of  the internment of Japanese Americans.

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1. Students will understand the impact of U.S. Government policy on Japanese Americans during World War II.
2. Students will identify various Japanese American responses to U.S. Government policies. 
3. Students will know the contributions of the 442nd Japanese American Infantry Battalion.
4. Students will be able to explain long term consequences, and restitution to the internees.
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Introductory Activity
1.  Students will participate in a shared reading on the short story Baseball Saved Us.  The short discussion will focus on why the Japanese Americans were in this situation.

2.  Pre-test. 

Enabling Activities
1.  Students will read selected chapters from Farewell to Manzanar  by Jeanne Houston.    

2.   Students will take notes during the slide presentation by the teacher found in the TCI unit on World War II.

3.  Students will write a short daily reflection on their impressions  of the daily activity in their Academic Journal.

4.  Students will further investigate and research on the Internet an aspect of this topic on one of the following:

     A.  Daily life in the internment camps.

     B.  Affects of camp life on older Japanese Americans and on the overall Japanese American culture.              

     C. Legal challenges to the government order.

     D.  The 442nd Infantry Battalion.

      E.  Post World War II readjustment.

       F.  Why the order wasn't enforced in Hawaii.

       G.  U.S. Government compensation for internees.

5.  All students will present an oral report of approximately five minutes on their findings.

6.  Possible websites to be used in investigating these aspects are:  Google  Dogpile  Looksmart  Infoseek Direct Hit 
                                                                                                    Lycos  GoTo   RealNames  AltaVista   Yahoo

Culminating Activity     
1.  Students will write an essay of their knowledge and opinions concerning this topic in their Academic Journals in class.

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 Assessment
1.  Post Test

2.  The essay rubric will include the basic knowledge of essay composition format, of the facts of what happened to the Japanese Americans during the relocation, and an expression of the student's opinion of what the internees endured.  The opinion section can include different viewpoints on the necessity or advisability of the relocation as a government policy.  

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Web Resources & Supplementary Materials

Introductory Activity
List and link the web resources for this activity here. Also link supplementary materials such as PDF files and /or document files.

Enabling Activity

Culminating Activity
List and link the web resources for this activity here. Also link supplementary materials such as PDF files and /or document files.

 

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Julian Union High School
P.O. Box 417  Julian, Ca.  92036

Thomas E. Helmantoler     TomCIF88@aol.com

Last Revised: 08/04/2000