Lesson Plan- 4th Grade Lesson on Japanese Americans in California and WW2

[Betsy Ures]

HSS-4.4.5

Overarching Standard:

HSS-4.4 Students explain how California became an agricultural and industrial power, tracing the transformation of the California economy and its political and cultural development since the 1850s.
Standard:
Discuss the effects of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and World War II on California.

 

Lesson 1 (1 day)

Inclusion Activity: Students will watch a short video about the attack on Pearl Harbor. https://ca.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/pearl-harbor-attack-video-9134/pearl-harbor-the-attack-ken-burns-the-war/

Discussion: How would the attack on Pearl Harbor affect Japanese Americans? How would the attack affect the relationship between American and Japan?

Assignment: Read a passage about the attack on Pearl Harbor and answer comprehension questions.

 

Lesson 2 (1 day)

Inclusion Activity: Students will conduct a close read of the following print-out with annotations. https://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/blogs/lapl/there-and-back-los-angeles-japanese-and-executive-order-9066

The images will be printed in color and displayed for a gallery walk after the close read.

Discussion: Why did Japanese Americans have to relocate to interment camps? Was the decision based on facts or fear?

Assignment: Write a journal entry about the treatment of Japanese Americans during WW2 in California.

 

Lesson 3 (2-3 days for group project)

Inclusion Activity: Students will study select photographs of Japanese Internment at Manzanar from Ansel Adam's photo series: https://www.loc.gov/collections/ansel-adams-manzanar/about-this-collection/

Whole class discussion: How did Japanese American prisoners support the American war effort? How did they create a community while being treated poorly?

Small Group Research Assignment: Using photographs of traditional Japanese activities/gardens and the Manzanar Activities/Garden, create a presentation on the types of features seen in traditional Japanese culture and in Manzanar during internment.

Early finisher Assignment: Read with a Partner about the end of WW2 and the use of Nuclear weapons on Japan. Answer the questions that go along with the passage.

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