Colleen Bechard

1
Justice for the Japanese -Farewell to Manzanar

• Colleen Bechard
• Cathy Creek
• Manteno Middle School

2
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.
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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?

4
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.

5
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.

6
Activities for Assessment

• Journal Entry
• Childrens Books
• Photo Analysis
• RAFT Writing
• Personal Account
• Political Cartoon
• Class Debate

7

• 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.