Justice for the Japanese Farewell to Manzanar Colleen

Justice for the Japanese Farewell to Manzanar Colleen Bechard Cathy Creek Manteno Middle School

Introduction Prior to reading the novel Farewell to Manzanar, students will complete this inquiry based unit of study about the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

Investigative Questions �Students will respond to the following questions to guide their study: �What if you were suddenly forced to move from your home to an unfamiliar place? How would you react? �How would you feel if you were a Japanese American child who was sent to live in an internment camp? �Were the Japanese Americans treated with justice during World War II? �Should people be treated differently because of their heritage?

Lesson Overview �In conjunction with reading Farewell to Manzanar, by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, students will learn about the Japanese Internment that occurred during World War II. Students will use primary sources to gain the perspective of an interned individual, and also conduct a debate about the justice of the internment.

Lesson Goal �The goal of this lesson is for students to become aware of the conditions that Japanese individuals faced during their internment and to discuss whether these people were given the justice that Americans are entitled to.

Activities for Assessment Journal Entry Children’s Books Photo Analysis RAFT Writing Personal Account Political Cartoon Class Debate

�In 1988, many years after WWII, a Federal Commission's findings convinced Congress that the internment camps were wrong, and the United States Government should accept responsibility. The government apologized, and passed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 that acknowledged that a "grave injustice was done. " The government also promised to repay Japanese Americans for the losses they suffered. Today, the Japanese American community is still working to make sure that all those who were forced to leave their homes are compensated.