Students culminate their arc of inquiry into the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII by completing a C3-aligned Summative Performance Task and Taking Informed Action.
This inquiry includes two types of culminating activities: a Summative Performance Task and Taking Informed Action. The Summative Performance Task asks students to answer the compelling question in a format of their choice. Taking Informed Action invites students to civically engage with the content through three exercises: 1) UNDERSTAND, 2) ASSESS, and 3) ACT.
Preparing to Teach
A Note to Teachers
Before teaching this assessment, please review the following information to help guide your preparation process.
In the three-step process for “Taking Informed Action,” students consider what lessons their study of Japanese American incarceration during WWII offers for building a more democratic society today. The three activities associated with the Informed Action ask students to a) UNDERSTAND the issues evident from the inquiry in a larger and/or current context, b) ASSESS the relevance and impact of the issues, and c) ACT in ways that allow students to demonstrate agency in a real-world context. We encourage educators to modify the informed action to their unique classroom context and the needs and interests of their students.
Summative Performance Task
In a format of your choice (e.g., digital presentation, poster, essay), discuss two to three examples of how Japanese Americans fought for their democratic rights and freedoms during and after their incarceration during World War II. Explain how each example offers lessons or inspiration for those who participate in the ongoing project of strengthening democracy in the United States today.
Taking Informed Action
You have built understanding through the supporting questions and formative tasks. You may do additional research about Japanese American incarceration or Japanese Americans’ struggle for justice following their incarceration during World War II if you wish.
Identify a democratic right or freedom that is not guaranteed to all in a community that matters to you (e.g., your school district, neighborhood, or city). Once you’ve identified this democratic right or freedom, research answers to the following questions:
Who in your community is most shut out from this democratic right or freedom?
What are the root causes for why this democratic right or freedom is inaccessible to them?
What people or organizations are currently working on this issue? What strategies are they using to address it?
Deepen your knowledge and engagement of this issue byinterviewing a community member who is either actively working to address this issue or impacted by it personally. Report back what you learned from the interview in one or more of the following ways:
Write a synopsis of the interview and publish it on a blog or social media site
Share what you learned from the interview in a class or school-wide presentation
Create a work of art that publicizes the issue in a public forum (e.g., by a public performance or art display in your school or community)
Give a public comment at a school board or City Council meeting
Please see the “Opportunities and Alternatives for In-Person Interviews and Neighborhood Visits” teaching note in the Inquiry Overview for further guidance on how to make this activity work in your classroom.
Discussing Contemporary Islamophobia in the Classroom
This unit is designed to help students in the UK reflect on how Islamophobia manifests in contemporary society and what needs to be done to challenge it.
Students explore the life and choices of anti-lynching journalist Ida B. Wells and learn about the long tradition of Black resistance to racial terror and violence.
Students explore the roots of Islamophobia, reflect on its human cost and its impact on those who experience it, and start thinking about the importance of standing up against Islamophobia.
Students explore Islamophobic tropes, their troubled history, their evolution and their present manifestation in further depth, and consider the harm that their circulation can cause.
Students reflect on how Islamophobia manifests in the media and in the entertainment industry, and the potential consequences of being exposed to Islamophobic content.
Students reflect on the impact of Islamophobia on Muslims’ sense of belonging, consider what can be done to foster integration, and explore ways in which they and others can challenge Islamophobia.
Japanese American Incarceration in WWII: A US History Inquiry
This C3-aligned inquiry explores the compelling question "What can we learn from the stories of Japanese Americans who stood up for their democratic rights and freedoms?"
Supporting Question 4: Reparations for Japanese American Incarceration
Students explore the supporting question "How has the legacy of World War II Japanese American incarceration inspired activism among Japanese Americans today?"
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Facing History & Ourselves is designed for educators who want to help students explore identity, think critically, grow emotionally, act ethically, and participate in civic life. It’s hard work, so we’ve developed some go-to professional learning opportunities to help you along the way.
Centering Student Voices to Build Community and Agency
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Explore approaches to centering student voice, building authentic relationships and cultivating community with Molly Josephs, the creator of This Teenage Life, a youth-driven, story-sharing podcast that started as a school club.
