Charlotte Annotated Bibliography

Charlotte Wesley-Musonda
EDU 551-50, Spring 2011
Annotated Bibliography

I am teaching a grade 10-level U.S. History unit on the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. This subject is usually either omitted from the curriculum or given only brief mention. However, it is an important chapter in American history, and has more recent parallels with McCarthyism of the 1950’s, and the detention of Muslims after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. In addition to three trade book sources to supplement the textbook, I have chosen the two websites below to provide additional perspectives on the internment and its aftermath. Please note that the web addresses below are valid, but for some reason I can't link to them in Blogger. Just copy and paste a website address into your web browser and it will take you right to the site. My home internet is down, I've been fiddling with it for a couple of hours. I'm at the library to post this....it's been one of those days!

1. Trade book: The Japanese American Internment Camps
ISBN 1-56006-345-9
Flesch-Kinkaid: 11.4

Sakurai, Gail. (2002). The Japanese American Internment Camps. New York, NY: Children’s Press.

This is another comprehensive book about the internment, but at 41 pages, it is much shorter than the other trade books I chose. The content mirrors that of Coopers book, but each chapter is shorter and the treatment more abbreviated. Furthermore, although the Flesch-Kinkaid readability estimate is 11.4, my sense is that the book is actually much easier than that. The font size is large, and there is a glossary of more difficult words, which are highlighted in boldface. At the end of the book there is a simple timeline of the internment and related postwar events. These reader friendly devices, together with the book’s copious photos and other visuals, make it inviting for below grade level readers. As an assessment, students will 1) complete a reading guide, and 2) work as a group to create a photo/graphic collage of the internment issue for display in the classroom. Each student will chose 5 items to copy/reproduce for the collage (fair use regulations would permit this) and compose the accompanying captions.

2. Trade book: Fighting for Honor: Japanese Americans and World War II

ISBN 3-395-91375-6
Flesch-Kinkaid: 10.5

Cooper, Michael. (2000). Fighting for Honor: Japanese Americans and World War II. New York: Clarion Books. Children’s Press.

This book provides a comprehensive, expository approach to the internment, the 100th and 442nd Nisei (Japanese-American) army units that fought in Europe, and the period immediately after the war. In addition to providing a factual account of events, the psychological consequences of the internment and the Nisei soldiers’ experiences on the battlefield and upon returning home are discussed. Photos, maps and other graphics help increase reading comprehension and interest. As an assessment, students reading this book will work in pairs to choose one chapter about which to make a factual, visual poster to be presented to the rest of the class.

3. Trade book: Farewell to Manzanar

ISBN 978-0-553-27258-1
Lexile 1040

Houston, Jeanne Wakatsuki, and Houston, James D. (1973). Farewell to Manzanar. New York, NY: Random House.

This book is an autobiographical novel that follows Jeanne Wakatsuki (Houston)’s life from just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor through her family’s relocation to Manzanar internment camp in California in 1942. Wakatsuki talks about her fears, dreams and the reality of life in the camps, touching on landmark events like the loyalty oath conflict and resulting camp riots. She also describes how the internment destroyed family life and broke the spirits of first generation Japanese immigrants like her father.

Another theme of Farewell to Manzanar is the exclusion and rejection she experienced as a racial minority and the resultant psychological confusion and alienation, particularly after being released from Manzanar. This theme of the book will likely resonate with minority student readers. In addition, it is easy to read, neither the structure nor the vocabulary is difficult. As an assessment, students will choose 3 out of 10 discussion questions for which to write a one-paragraph response. In addition, students will work in pairs or groups of 3 to write a short skit (2-5 minutes) based on a scene from the book, which will be performed to the class. A short introduction to the skit that can be read to the class will precede each performance.

4. Website: Exploring the Japanese American Internment through Film & the Internet

National Asian American Telecommunications Association.
http://caamedia.org/jainternment/
Retrieved March 28, 2011.

This is a comprehensive website about the Japanese American Internment. The readability estimate is 12.0 on the Flesch-Kincaid scale, but to me the text is easier to read and understand than some of the other websites I’ve chosen. It is divided into three sections, each of which contains accompanying video clips. I will ask the students to review all of the sections, but will focus on the section “Postwar and Impact Today” which details the hardships endured during resettlement, the lasting effects on internees and their descendents, and government policy and actions to redress the internment. I will supplement this section with a reading guide. In addition I will ask the students to view the video clips, and choose one clip on which to write a one-paragraph summary, and a one paragraph personal response.

5. Website: “Letters from the Japanese American Internment”, correspondence between San Diego librarian Clara Breed and young internees.

Smithsonian Institution.
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/japanese_internment/index.html
Retrieved February 21, 2011.

By reading actual letters written by child internees, students will gain a more personalized view of the internment. From the standpoint of a pen pal, each student would choose a letter and write a one page response to it, in the form of a reply letter. The reply letter should reflect what the student has learned factually about the Japanese-American internment and conditions in the camps. The response letters would be shared with the class.