Download Japanese American Internment

TEACHING AMERICAN HISTORY PROJECT
Japanese American Internment: Examining Racial Tensions
from Kristen DeBona
Grade: 9-12
Length of class period: Two 50 minute class periods
Inquiry:
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What racial tensions and prejudice against Japanese and Japanese Americans were
present before internment?
Objectives:
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Students will be able to recognize and evaluate the context of racial tensions and
prejudice before interment.
Students will be able to create Anti-Japanese propaganda and discuss how it serves as a
piece of propaganda.
Materials:
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PowerPoint Lecture
Political Cartoon Photocopies
Political Cartoon Analysis Worksheet
Propaganda Poster Project Assignment Worksheet
Poster Paper
Pencils, Colored Pencils, Colored Markers, Rulers
Propaganda Poster Grading Rubric
Activities:
Day 1
I. Initiation (3 minutes)
o Teacher will welcome students, introduce objective and topic of the day, and describe
the agenda.
II. Interactive PowerPoint Lecture & Propaganda Analysis Modeling (20 minutes)
o Teacher will use the PowerPoint presentation which introduces Anti-Japanese
propaganda through war posters, political cartoons, and popular culture. Specifically,
the PowerPoint will focus on the context of racial tensions before and during the
relocation process.
 Teacher will discuss what propaganda is, what kind of propaganda the lesson will
focus on, and why we are examining Anti-Japanese propaganda.
 Teacher will explain the four categories of Anti-Japanese propaganda.
 Teacher will model how to analyze a piece of propaganda through the four
categories of anti-Japanese propaganda. The teacher will pose questions for the
students for each cartoon or poster and the students will answer them together as a
class. For the fourth and last piece of propaganda the teacher will ask the students to
turn to their neighbor and analyze the propaganda together via think-pair-share.
After the students analyze together in pairs the teacher will bring the class back
together and the pairs will share what they think.
III. Small Group Propaganda Analysis Activity (20 minutes)
o This political cartoon analysis activity will be an informal assessment. In this activity
students will work in four groups to apply their knowledge of anti-Japanese propaganda
to help them interpret a set of four political cartoons.
 In groups of four the students will work together to analyze their given Dr. Suess
political cartoon using the political cartoon analysis worksheet.
 Teacher will walk around the room while students are working to provide
assistance, answer questions, and informally assess student learning.
 After the groups work together the teacher will bring the political cartoons up on
the PowerPoint, one at a time, and the group assigned to the cartoon will tell the
class what they found. The teacher will ask necessary follow up questions.
IV. Closure (5 minutes)
o Teacher will lead a short discussion about what the students learned about the time
period before internment by asking the following questions:
o Teacher will provide a preview description of day 2’s activity.
Day 2
I. Initiation (5 minutes)
o Teacher will welcome students, review Day 1 through a brief class discussion, and
describe the activity and agenda.
 In order to review Day 1 the teacher will get the students to tell each other what they
learned about through questions such as:
− Who can describe for the class what we did yesterday? What did we learn about?
II. Propaganda Poster Activity (35 minutes)
o Teacher will instruct students to create a piece of Anti-Japanese propaganda using the
characteristics of Anti-Japanese propaganda learned about in Day 1. In addition to
creating a propaganda poster the students must also write a 1-2 paragraph summary that
describes what the illustration shows, how it is a piece of Anti-Japanese propaganda, how
they think both non-Japanese and Japanese might react to it, and how a piece of
propaganda like the one they created could have contributed to the internment.
 Teacher will pull out all needed art materials and poster paper and will put them on
the table at the front of the room.
 Teacher will pass out the Propaganda Poster Assignment worksheet and provide
verbal instructions. The teacher will inform the students of the due date for the poster.
 Teacher will walk around the room while students are independently working on their
posters to provide assistance, answer questions, and informally assess student
learning.
III. Closure (10 minutes)
o Teacher will lead a short discussion/ show-and-tell session.
 Teacher will ask the students to share with the class their reactions to creating
propaganda: Was it easy? Hard? How did it make you feel? What did you learn about
propaganda? How might have propaganda contributed to the internment?
 Teacher will ask the students if anyone is willing to volunteer and share with the class
their poster thus far. While students take turns sharing their work teacher may prompt
a discussion of each poster by asking the class questions such as: What do you see?
How does it make you feel? What characteristics of Anti-Japanese propaganda are
being employed? Etc.
 Teacher will remind the students about the due date for the poster.
Assessments:
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Informal Assessments:
− Day 1: Teacher will informally assess the students at multiple points during the
lesson – the propaganda analysis modeling, the small group propaganda analysis
activity, and the discussion during closure.
− Day 2: Teacher will informally assess the students at multiple points during the
lesson – the opening review discussion, the propaganda poster activity, the closure
discussion and show-and-tell.
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Formal Assessments:
− Day 1: Teacher will formally assess the small group propaganda analysis activity by
collecting and evaluating the worksheets that the students will complete together
during the activity.
− Day 2: Teacher will formally assess the propaganda poster and summary by
collecting the work on the assigned due date and evaluate it using the Propaganda
Poster Rubric.
Connecticut Framework Performance Standards:
Connecticut Standard I: Content Knowledge – Knowledge and concepts from history and social
studies is necessary to promote understanding of our nation and our world.
1.1 Demonstrate an understanding of significant events and themes in United States history.
Connecticut Standard II: Historical/Social Studies Literacy – Competence in literacy, inquiry
and research skills is necessary to analyze, evaluate, and present history and social studies
information.
2.2 Interpret information from a variety of primary and secondary sources
2.3 Create various forms of written work to demonstrate an understanding of history and social
studies issues.
2.5 Create and present relevant social studies materials.
Connecticut Standard III: Application – Civic competence in addressing historical issues and
current problems requires the use of information, skills and empathetic awareness.
3.1 Use evidence to identify, analyze and evaluate historical interpretations.
3.2 Analyze and evaluate human action in historical and/or contemporary contexts from
alternative points of view.
Propaganda Poster Project
Directions: Using what we learned about in class today about Anti-Japanese propaganda, create
your own Anti-Japanese war poster or political cartoon. Remember to think about the typical
categories for portraying Japanese in propaganda that we talked about in class today: Japanese as
Uncivilized, Japanese as Animals, Japanese as Predators, and Japanese as Curiosities when
creating your poster or cartoon. You must incorporate at least one of these characteristics into
your poster or political cartoon. In addition to your poster or cartoon please include a written 1-2
paragraph summary describing what your illustration shows, how it is a piece of Anti-Japanese
propaganda, how you think Japanese-Americans might have reacted to it during the time period,
and how a piece of propaganda like the one you created could have contributed to the
internment. Remember this is not an art contest! Your drawing skills will NOT be graded but
you effort is certainly appreciated!
 Be Creative and Good Luck! 
Poster Criteria: Your poster must…
− Include at least one characteristic of Anti-Japanese propaganda learned about in class
− Be colorful and creative
Summary Criteria: Your summary must discuss…
− What your illustration shows
− How it is a piece of Anti-Japanese propaganda
− How you think Japanese-Americans might have reacted to the poster during the time
period
− How a piece of propaganda like the one you created could have contributed to
internment
Propaganda Project Rubric
The propaganda project will be due by _________. Points awarded for this project will be
multiplied 4x and an extra 2 points will be added for projects turned in on time for a total of 50
points.
4 Points
3 Points
2 Points
1 Point
Content
Student clearly
draws on content
knowledge from
class lectures and
homework and
incorporates it
into the poster or
cartoon
Student does a fair
job of drawing on
content knowledge
from class lectures
and homework but
could have
incorporated more
into the poster or
cartoon
Student does not
draw on content
knowledge from
class lectures and
homework or
incorporate it
into the poster or
cartoon
Propaganda
Poster or
Cartoon clearly
includes at least
one typical
characteristic of
anti-Japanese
Propaganda
Poster or Cartoon
includes at least
one typical
characteristic of
anti-Japanese
Propaganda but
could have been
more clear
Summary
Written
summary clearly
describes the
illustration,
explains how the
illustration is a
piece of antiJapanese
Propaganda, how
both nonJapanese and
Japanese
Americans might
have reacted to
your propaganda,
and how a piece
of propaganda
like the one
created could
have contributed
to internment
Written summary
does a fair job of
describing the
illustration,
explains how the
illustration is a
piece of antiJapanese
Propaganda, how
both non-Japanese
and Japanese
Americans might
have reacted to
your propaganda,
and how a piece of
propaganda like the
one created could
have contributed to
internment
Student
attempted to
draw on content
knowledge from
class lectures and
homework but
not enough was
incorporated into
the poster or
cartoon
Poster or
Cartoon
attempted to
include at least
one typical
characteristic of
anti-Japanese
Propaganda but
overall is unclear
and
unconvincing
Written
summary almost
describes the
illustration,
explains how the
illustration is a
piece of antiJapanese
Propaganda, how
both nonJapanese and
Japanese
Americans might
have reacted to
your propaganda,
and how a piece
of propaganda
like the one
created could
have contributed
to internment but
is overall
unconvincing
Poster or
Cartoon does not
included at least
one typical
characteristic of
anti-Japanese
Propaganda
Written
summary does
not describe the
illustration,
explains how the
illustration is a
piece of antiJapanese
Propaganda, how
both nonJapanese and
Japanese
Americans might
have reacted to
your propaganda,
and how a piece
of propaganda
like the one
created could
have contributed
to internment
Points
Awarded