WWII Japanese Internment: An Interactive Lesson Plan Using
Primary Sources
By Deanna Olson
Grade Level: 7-8
OVERVIEW
Using a variety of primary sources, students will learn about
WWII Japanese internment camps in the United States. Students
will work in small groups to evaluate documents representing
opposing perspectives and work as a class to understand primary
source analysis.
OBJECTIVES
• To familiarize student with WWII Japanese internment
camps in the United States
• To teach students how to analyze primary sources, including
determining origin, purpose, and bias in documents in preparation
for National History Day projects.
• To help students understand the value of primary sources
in historical research.
STANDARDS
This lesson correlates with the Wisconsin Model Academic Standards
for English Language Arts and Social Studies.
English Language
Arts Standards |
| Grade 8 |
| A.8.2 |
Read, interpret, and critically analyze
literature |
| A.8.3 |
Read and discuss literary and nonliterary texts in
order to understand human experience |
| A.8.4 |
Read to acquire information |
| C.8.1 |
Orally communicate information, opinions, and ideas
effectively to different audiences for a variety of purposes |
| C.8.2 |
Listen to and comprehend oral communications |
| C.8.3 |
Participate effectively in discussion |
| Grade 12 |
| A.12.2 |
Read, interpret, and critically analyze literature. |
| A.12.3 |
Read and discuss literary and nonliterary texts in order
to understand human experience |
| A.12.4 |
Students will read to acquire information |
| C.12.2 |
Listen to, discuss, and comprehend oral communications |
| C.12.3 |
Participate effectively in discussion |
Social Studies
Standards |
| Grade 8 |
| B.8.1 |
Interpret the past using a variety of sources,
such as biographies, diaries, journals, artifacts, eyewitness
interviews, and other primary source materials, and evaluate
the credibility of sources used |
| B.8.4 |
Explain how and why events may be interpreted differently
depending upon the perspectives of participants, witnesses,
reporters, and historians |
| Grade 12 |
| B.12.1 |
Explain different points of view on the same historical
event, using data gathered from various sources, such
as letters, journals, diaries, newspapers, government
documents, and speeches |
| B.12.2 |
Analyze primary and secondary sources related to a historical
question to evaluate their relevance, make comparisons,
integrate new information with prior knowledge, and come
to a reasoned conclusion |
| B.12.4 |
Assess the validity of different interpretations of
significant historical events |
VOCABULARY
- Pearl Harbor: A harbor in Hawaii that
was attacked by the Japanese. As a result of the attack, the
United States entered World War II.
- Axis Powers: The term used to describe
Germany, Italy, and Japan during World War II
- Executive Order 9066: This order was signed
by President Roosevelt allowing for the removal of people
of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast.
- War Relocation Authority: The organization
that was created to assist in the relocation of people of
Japanese ancestry.
- Nisei: United States citizens with immigrant
Japanese Parents
- Issei: Japanese immigrants
- Internment Camps: The place detaining
a specific group or type of people in a specific area usually
during times of war.
DOCUMENTS
- Estelle
Ishigo Watercolor Painting "Home"
- Estelle Ishigo was a European American sent to Heart
Mountain Relocation Camp due to her husband’s Japanese
heritage. She depicted her observations and experiences
in the relocation camp through watercolor paintings and
black and white sketches. “Home” provides
insight into the living conditions of people living in
barracks in the relocation camp.
- Estelle Ishigo watercolor painting, “Home,”
Heart Mountain, December 1942. Box 719. Estelle Ishigo
Papers (Collection 2010. Department of Special Collections,
Young Research Library, University of California, Los
Angeles.
- Excerpts
of Letter Written by Lawrence T. Kagawa (PDF,
314KB)
- Photocopies of declassified documents from the National
Archives regarding the World War II POW facilities at
Fort MCcoy, Wisconsin obtained by Mueckler in preparation
of his thesis. Included are lists of internees of Japanese
heritage that are appealing their detainment.
- Mueckler, Paul. Research materials, 1941-1946, 1996.
Wisconsin State Historical Society. Call Number: M2000-143.
- Excerpts
from Oral Interview with Al Hida
- Interview with Al Hida, a Japanese American sent to
an internment camp with his family located outside Sacramento,
California. The interview describes Hilda’s thoughts
and experiences as a seventh grade boy moving to and living
in a relocation camp.
- Al Hida. D.C. Everest Area Schools. World War II: More
Stories from Our Veterans (Weston, Wis.: D.C. Everest
Area Schools, 2004); 429-433.
- Instructions
to All Persons of Japanese Ancestry (PDF)
- Posting that was distributed to individuals of Japanese
ancestry living in Los Angeles, California in 1942. The
document outlines instructions for evacuation to the Assembly
Center where they were then relocated to internment camps.
- “Instructions to All Persons of Japanese Ancestry.”
May 3, 1942. Box 74. Item 33. Manzanar War Relocation
Center Records (Collection 122). Department of Special
Collections, Young Research Library, University of California,
Los Angeles.
- The War
Relocation Work Corps Pamphlet
(PDF, 518KB)
- Scrapbook compiled by Robert and Toshi Akamatsu, a Japanese
American couple who were interned at the relocation camp
in Topaz, Utah during World War II. The items in the scrapbook
include newspaper clippings depicting camp life, a pamphlet
published by the War Relocation Work Corps, and a welcome
guide to the Topaz, Utah Relocation Camp.
- Akamatsu, Robert. Robert and Toshi Akamatsu papers.
1941-2003. Wisconsin State Historical Society. Call Number:
M84-402, reel 1 AP93-1539.
- Welcome to
Topaz “Don’ts” and “Do’s Pamphlet”
(PDF, 508KB)
- Scrapbook compiled by Robert and Toshi Akamatsu, a Japanese
American couple who were interned at the relocation camp
in Topaz, Utah during World War II. The items in the scrapbook
include newspaper clippings depicting camp life, a pamphlet
published by the War Relocation Work Corps, and a welcome
guide to the Topaz, Utah Relocation Camp.
- Akamatsu, Robert. Robert and Toshi Akamatsu papers.
1941-2003. Wisconsin State Historical Society. Call Number:
M84-402, reel 1 AP93-1539.
- Photo
of Japanese American Family in the Barracks
- Photograph of a Japanese American family living in barracks
at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Heart Mountain,
Wyoming. The photograph was taken by a member of the War
Relocation Authority in order to demonstrate living conditions
in the camps.
- Photo of Japanese American family in the barracks. National
Archives and Records Administration. Still Picture Branch
(NWDNS). Title: Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Heart
Mountain, Wyoming. A few pieces of scrap and some additiona…,
01/7/1943. Control Number: NWDNS-210-G-E617. Creating
Organization: Department of the Interior. War Relocation
Authority.
- “Waiting
for the Signal from Home” a Political Cartoon by Dr.
Seuss
- The political cartoon “Waiting for the Signal
From Home…” is one of many produced by Theodor
Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) between the years 1941-1943 as
chief editorial cartoonist for the PM Newspaper. The cartoon
depicts common propaganda feelings about individuals of
Japanese ancestry living in the United States after the
bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941.
- “Waiting for the Signal From Home…”
Dr. Seuss. February 13, 1942. Box 18. Folder 16. PM Newspaper,
Newspaper clippings of cartoons, 1942 January-April. Madeville
Special Collections Library, University of California
San Diego.
- Newspaper
Clipping of Camp Life (PDF,
436KB)
- Scrapbook compiled by Robert and Toshi Akamatsu, a Japanese
American couple who were interned at the relocation camp
in Topaz, Utah during World War II. The items in the scrapbook
include newspaper clippings depicting camp life, a pamphlet
published by the War Relocation Work Corps, and a welcome
guide to the Topaz, Utah Relocation Camp.
- Akamatsu, Robert. Robert and Toshi Akamatsu papers.
1941-2003. Wisconsin State Historical Society. Call Number:
M84-402, reel 1 AP93-1539.
MATERIALS
PROCEDURES
- Introduce background material on Japanese internment camps
through either the student textbook or by distributing Japanese
Internment Background Sheets.
- Have students review background material and discuss background
information as a class. During the discussion, introduce students
to the key vocabulary words for the activity.
- Explain to the students that they are going to look more
closely at the event through the eyes of the people involved
by examining documents that they created. They will have to
use this historical evidence to figure out what really happened
in the past.
- Divide students into groups of 3 to 4. Students will work
in these groups to examine one of the following document sets:
Group A. Japanese Americans
1. Estelle Ishigo watercolor painting, “Home.”
2. Excerpts of letter written by Lawrence T. Kagawa.
3. Excerpts from oral interview with Al Hida.
Group B. The United States Government
1. “Instructions to All Persons of Japanese Ancestry.”
2. The War Relocation Work Corps pamphlet.
3. Welcome to Topaz “Don’ts” and “Do’s
pamphlet.”
Group C. 3rd Party
1. Photo of Japanese American family in the barracks.
2. “Waiting for the Signal from Home” a political
cartoon by Dr. Seuss.
3. Newspaper clipping of camp life.
- Distribute one set of documents to each group and a Document
Evaluation Sheet to each student. Explain to the students
that they will be working together to identify the point of
view represented in the documents. Students should use the
Document Evaluation Sheet to guide each document. Explain
that after students have worked in small groups, each group
will be responsible for reporting their findings to the class.
- After students have had sufficient time to work with their
documents in small groups, bring the class back together for
the large group discussion.
- Ask each group to discuss their findings with the rest of
the class. As they discuss, have students fill out the
Points of View chart on an overhead or on the board as
they discuss their findings.
- Once all groups have contributed their ideas, lead the
class in a discussion. Conclude by emphasizing the bias in
every document and the importance of looking at all points
of views on an issue.
- Pass out Japanese Internment Assessment worksheet
and have students work independently to complete it for assessment.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
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