painting of rows of white houses surrounded by a wooden fence and telephone poles, and a flagpole with the American flag to the side

Painting by Taneyuki Dan Harada, M.P. BUILDING- TOPAZ, UTAH, 1942. Autry Museum; 99.57.1

Japanese American Incarceration

Resource Type
Lesson
Grade Level:
9–12, 12+
Discipline:
Social Studies
Topic:
Japanese Americans, World War II, Civil Rights, Asian American and Pacific Islander Month

Whole Class Lesson 

During this Japanese American Incarceration lesson, students will learn about the forced removal and incarceration of the Japanese American community during World War II by analyzing multiple sources (e.g., artwork, map, object label, oral histories, photographs, poster, report, and video). They will also learn about how the Japanese American community resisted being forcibly removed and incarcerated and what life was like for the Japanese American community after incarceration. Students will then have the opportunity to plan and create their own sources, write about them, and share their work with others.


Standards 

CA HSS: 10.8.6
CA HSS: 11.7.111.7.5

CA VA: Re7Re8
CA VA: Cn11


Lesson and Resources

Lesson: Japanese American Incarceration - English
Lesson: Japanese American Incarceration - Spanish
Student Response Sheet: Japanese American Incarceration - English
Student Response Sheet: Japanese American Incarceration - Spanish 
Supporting Resource: Interactive Media Exploration - Japanese American Incarceration Interactive Map Graphics


Teaching Tips for Different Learning Environments 

Whole Class In-Person Learning:

Activate - Activate students’ prior knowledge by asking them to share what they know about sources.

Investigate - Have students investigate by analyzing multiple sources.

  • Read the INTRODUCTION and complete the source activity with the whole class.
  • Read PART 1 and discuss the answers to the questions with the whole class.
  • Divide the students into groups. Ask the students to complete PART 2 with their groups before discussing the answers to the questions with the whole class. Then ask the groups to engage in an online source analysis by exploring another map online to learn more about Japanese American incarceration. Instructions as follows: Groups type key words such as “Japanese American incarceration map” into a search engine, pick a map to analyze, and analyze it. Groups share with the whole class what they learned about their map by describing what it is, who made it, where it was made, when it was made, why it was made, and how it is similar to and/or different from the map in the Japanese American Incarceration lesson.
  • Ask the students to complete PART 3 with their groups before discussing the answers to the questions with the whole class. Then ask the groups to engage in another online source analysis by exploring a different poster online to learn more about Japanese American incarceration. Give the groups the same online source analysis instructions previously used with the map, but replace the word “map” with “poster.”
  • Ask the students to complete PARTS 4-8 with their groups before discussing the answers to the questions with the whole class. Then ask the groups to engage in additional online source analyses for PARTS 4-8 by exploring other sources online that are the focus of each part using the same online source analysis instructions previously used.
  • Ask the students to complete PART 9 independently. Then have a whole class discussion about their answers to the question: What can multiple sources teach us about the past?

Create - Have students create their own sources by completing PART 10 independently.

Demonstrate - Have students demonstrate their learning by sharing their sources and written descriptions with others during a classroom exhibition or gallery walk.

Extension Activity - Have students complete the Extension Activity.

Whole Class Distance Learning:

  • Follow the Whole Class In-Person Learning instructions.
  • Instead of having a classroom exhibition or gallery walk, students can post their sources and written descriptions for others to view through Padlet or Flipgrid.

Associated Education Resources

Educational Programs at the Autry are sponsored by:

Dean and Laura Beresford · Molly and Neal Brockmeyer · Vince and Colleen Caballero · Capital Group · David F. Eisenberg · The Georgina-Fredrick Children's Foundation · Christy McAvoy · Marleen and Bruce Rognlien · Robert E. Ronus · Brenda and Gary Ruttenberg · The Steinmetz Foundation · Virginia F. Stevenson · Thelma Pearl Howard Foundation

Land Acknowledgment

The Autry Museum of the American West acknowledges the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (the Los Angeles basin and So. Channel Islands). We recognize that the Autry Museum and its campuses are located on the traditional lands of Gabrielino/Tongva peoples and we pay our respects to the Honuukvetam (Ancestors), ‘Ahiihirom (Elders) and ‘Eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present and emerging.

The Autry Museum in Griffith Park

4700 Western Heritage Way

Los Angeles, CA 90027-1462
Located northeast of downtown, across from the Los Angeles Zoo.
Map and Directions

Free parking for Autry visitors.


MUSEUM AND STORE HOURS
Tuesday–Friday 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

DINING
Food Trucks are available on select days, contact us for details at 323.495.4252.
The cafe is temporarily closed until further notice.