I Am an American On a beautiful Sunday morning in December 1941 Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Following this attack the United States Federal government imprisioned nearly 120,000 Americans.What was their crime? They were of Japanese ancestory. I Am an American shares this history through the story of Shi, a young Japanese-American. This 90 page book clearly depicts the life many Japanese faced through internment.
Claudette Schaeffer
October 15, 2008
8th Grade Social Studies
Standard: U.S. History I.I. A world at war 1930s-1945
The student will understand and analyze the economic, social, and political transition or the United States before, during, and after World War II.
I.I. 4 Students will evaluate the impact of World War II on the home front and on American culture, including Japanese internment, Tuskegee Airmen, and “Rosie the Riveter.”
Objectives:
- Students will recall three events that occurred during Japanese internment and evaluate how these events conflict with the civil rights granted to all Americans.
- Students will be able to analyze characteristics of an American.
- Students analyze the question “Who belongs here?”
Materials Needed:
- “I Am An American” book for each student.
- 3 sticky notes for each student
- Bar graph drawn on white board
- Writing utensils
- Reflection Journal
- Reflection questions
Anticipatory Set:
Ask students the essential question, "Who belongs here?" Allow 1minute for reflection.
Procedure:
- Give each student 3 sticky notes and ask them to write down one characteristic that makes a person an American.
- Have a bar graph printed on the board.
- Do not label bar graph until students have completed filling out their sticky notes.
- Once students have filled out notes briefly discuss the main ideas. These will be used to label the bar graph.
- *The bar graph may include many of these topics: Religion, community life, family life, form of government, where a person is born, civil rights.
- Have students go to the bar graph and place their sticky notes (in such a way to extend the bars) on the bar graph.
- Students will need to decide where the best fit is if there is not a clear category for their note.
- Additional categories can be added if needed. Try to get students to use those given.
- Read the introduction and chapter 1 in the book, “I Am an American” by Jerry Stanley. Have students read this expressively. Have student readers stand in front of the class while reading.
- After reading the introduction pause to reflect on discussion questions. Put questions on the overhead and have students work in groups of three to answer the following questions.
-Describe Issei
-Desribe Nisei
-What did many most Issei eat?
-What did many Nisei eat?
-What religion were many Issei?
-What religions were many Nisei?
-What did many Nisei do to demonstrate their loyalty to America?
- After reading chapter 1 pause to reflect on discussion questions.Put questions on the overhead and have students answer these questions in their groups of three.
-How did many Japanese-Americans earn money?
-Why did this upset many white people?
-Page 8 discusses a law that was passed. What did this law ban?
-How did the Japanese-Americans find a way around the law?
-What nationality were most of Shi’s friends?
-What activities did Shi enjoy?
-How is Shi like many Americans?
-What shattered Shi’s world?
Student Assessment:
Students will answer the following questions in their reflective journal:
- What makes a person an American?
- How is Shi like you?
- Is Shi an American?
- Does Shi belong here?
- List three events that occurred during Japanese internment.
- Tell how these events conflict with the civil rights granted to Americans.
Rubric
Students will evaluate the reflective journal of one of their classmates using the following guidelines.
What makes a person an American?
____ 3 points if they included wrote in a complete sentence and included 2 complete thoughts about what makes a person an American.
____ 2 points if they wrote 2 complete thoughts, but not using sentences about what makes a person an American.
____ 1 point if they wrote only 1 idea about what makes a person an American.
____ 0 points if not answered.
How is Shi like you?
____ 3 points if they included, using complete sentences, 2 pieces of information from the book.
____ 2 points if they included 2 pieces of information from the book, but did not write in complete sentences.
____ 1 point if they included one piece of information from the book.
____ 0 points if not answered.
"Is Shi an American?
____ 3 points if they included, using complete sentences, 2 pieces of information from the book.
____ 2 points if they included 2 pieces of information from the book, but did not write in complete sentences.
____ 1 point if they included only 1 piece of information from the book.
____ 0 points if not answered.
Does Shi belong here?
____ 3 points if they wrote a complete sentences explaining their answer.
____ 2 points if answer is explained, but did not write in complete sentences.
____ 1point if they answered the question, but did not explain.
____ 0 points if not answered.
3 events during Japanese internment
____ 3 points if they wrote 3 events
____ 2 points if only 2 events were listed
____ 1 point if only 1 point was listed
____ 0 points if not answered
Tell how the events of Japanese Internment conflict with the civil rights granted to Americans
____ 3 points if ideas are well developed and connected to civil rights being denied to Japanese-Americans
____ 2 points if ideas are connected to civil right being denied to Japanese-Americans, but need further
development.
____ 1 point if a civil right is mentioned but not connected to the internment situation.
____ 0 points if not answered.
Lesson Extensions:
I Am an American,Japanese Internment Vocabulary lesson A Lesson plan using Marzano's vocabulary strategies
www.wisconsinhistory.org/teachers/lessons/secondary/internment.asp Excellent primary source lesson plan
www.youtube.com/watch A documentary about Japanese internment camps
www.youtube.com/watch Video footage of an unlikely enemy
www.scu.edu/SCU/Programs/Diversity/memorial.html This site shares interesting information about the Japanese internment memorial
www.archives.gov/research/alic/reference/military/japanese-internment.html Find more information about the subject
Reading For Understanding.doc This is an assignment that has students make predictions about chapter 2 before they read it. Check it out.
I Am An American
Social Studies Standards
NCSS Ten Themes
History
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.