Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement
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Growing from Planted Seeds
Lesson 4:
Purpose:
Students will realize the importance of maintaining our democracy through philanthropic actions which are inspired by the Core Democratic Values. The impact of the absence of these values from our democracy will be examined with the Japanese Internment following the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II, as one example. As a result, an experiential component will provide students with the opportunity to encourage and engage in philanthropic action among their peers to promote and protect the values which ensure our democracy.
Duration:
Two Forty-Five Minute Periods
Objectives:
The learner will:
- identify actions of the American government and people during World War II which violated Core Democratic Values in regard to Japanese Americans and describe the impact of those actions.
- list ways Core Democratic Values can be enhanced through philanthropic action for the common good of the student body.
Service Experience:
Although this lesson contains a service project example, decisions about service plans and implementation should be made by students, as age appropriate.
Learn more about the stages of service-learning.
Learn more about the stages of service-learning.
This lesson, in conjunction with the others in this unit, can provide the opportunity for students to encourage their peers not only to act upon personal and civic values, but also apply those values by giving of time, talent, and treasure. Students can make an appeal to and assist their school leadership council with clarifying values of the group. (See Instructional Procedures.)
Materials:
- I Am an American (see Bibliography)
- Victory at Sea Series: Volume I videotape (see Bibliography)
- Core Democratic Values vs. Japanese Internment (Attachment One)
- Rubric for Assessment Essay (Attachment Two)
Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set:
Ask students to imagine or recall a time when a rumor was spread about themselves or someone they care about. Ask them to explain the situation, without reference to names or inappropriate actions. Once students have established this personal connection to hurtful and damaging actions, ask them why rumors exist and how they get perpetuated.
- Reinforce the previous teaching that the "seeds," being the Core Democratic Values, are at the core of our democracy to maintain and preserve it. However, those "seeds" must be "planted." In other words, people must take action according to their values. Encourage students to take an active role as learners during this lesson by not only thinking and reflecting with their minds, but also with their hearts from a personal standpoint.
- Ask students what event occurred within the United States that posed the greatest physical threat to our democracy. If students do not state the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, provide clues such as the date (December 7, 1941). Then show approximately a five-minute video clip of the attack (see Bibliographical References). Connect the anticipatory set and the video clip to the teaching of this lesson by telling students that they are going to learn about actions in America following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, when discrimination was practiced against Japanese Americans which violated their dignity.
- Read to students "Chapter Eight: Executive Order No. 9066" (pages 13-25) from the book entitled, I Am an American. Remind students that, although the Core Democratic Values are the ideals by which citizens live and act, what they are about to learn regarding the reality of Japanese Interment leaves those values in question. Stop periodically to invite student comments and reflection. Engage in meaningful discussion of the various perspectives of government officials and how those perspectives led to the internment, and the responses of the Japanese Americans. It may even be helpful to list the beliefs of individuals which perpetuated the belief that Japanese Americans were not only disloyal, but also aiding Japanese in conspiring to harm America. Be sure to include the perspective of those who showed support for the Japanese Americans.
- Have students identify actions from the reading that are enhancing or violating Core Democratic Values. You may wish to do this in conjunction with the above reading and discussion. Elicit student identification of a situation which was read that shows a Core Democratic Value being enhanced or violated. Teacher assistance may be necessary if students overlook examples. Use Core Democratic Values vs. Japanese Internment (Attachment One) when each situation is pointed out. Have students (individually or with a partner) write down a description of the example, the Core Democratic Value in question, whether it is being enhanced or violated and by whom. The following are suggested examples:
- Pages 13-14 - Patriotism - enhanced - Japanese Americans are attempting to prove their loyalty to America by waving the American flag, buying war bonds, donating blood, and buying bombs for attacking Tokyo.
- Pages 14-15 - Justice - enhanced - California Congressman Leland Ford said, "These people are American-born. This is their country." United States Attorney General Francis Biddle declared, "At no time will the government engage in wholesale condemnation of any alien group."
- Page 16 - Truth - violated - A government investigation of the bombing of Pearl Harbor suggested that Japanese farmers had planted their crops in the shape of arrows pointing to Pearl Harbor as the target. Although the charge of Japanese sabotage on Hawaii was totally false, newspaper writers and radio broadcasters began warning of the danger of Japanese sabotage on the west coast.
- Page 23 - Equality & Diversity - violated - Prejudice against the Japanese, building in California since 1906, was based on the idea that race, not citizenship, determined loyalty to America.
- Page 25 - Individual Rights - violated - On March 2, DeWitt announced that all Japanese, regardless of citizenship, would be evacuated from Restricted Area Number One, the entire west coast, and placed in relocation camps.
- Complete this portion of the lesson by reading pages 80-86 entitled, "I Am an American" to students. Lead a discussion with students regarding the perspective of the Japanese Americans in terms of how they felt about their situation and their fellow Americans.
Teacher note: Encourage students to look at the powerful black and white photographs in this book which clearly and powerfully portray the Japanese internment.
- This lesson, in conjunction with the others in this unit, can provide the opportunity for students to encourage their peers not only to act upon personal and civic values, but also apply those values by giving of time, talent, and treasure. Students can make an appeal to and assist their school leadership council with clarifying values of the group. This would be an opportunity for students to teach the council about the Core Democratic Values and brainstorm ways they can be enhanced within the school setting. Sharing content learned from World War II and Japanese Internment will serve as powerful motivating factors for the importance of action in accordance with the Core Democratic Values for the purpose of preserving democracy.
Assessment:
- Read the following paragraph from Chapter Eight of I Am an American: "It was easy to be resentful," Shi said. "We had lost our possessions and had been confined by barbed wire and guard towers, and we were still viewed by some as the enemy. I remember a woman in Denver and her two children staring at us. They seemed to come closer for a better look, and I felt like some strange new animal they had never seen before. I turned to her and shouted, 'I am an American citizen!' Don't you understand?" Everything stopped and she looked at me and nodded, as if she understood. I have often thought about this woman, who didn't know us at all. We didn't know her, but in the brief moment she saw the injustice of our situation. I wonder why there weren't more like her."
- Referring to the activity from Attachment One: Core Democratic Values vs. Japanese Internment, understanding of philanthropic actions of individuals from World War II acquired in Lesson Two: Planting the Seeds of Our Values - Contemporary Perspective, as well as the descriptive posters of Core Democratic Values created in Lesson One: Seeds of Our Democracy - Core Values, students will write an essay with the following criteria:
- Select three Core Democratic Values.
- Describe a supporting example for each of the three values chosen of how the value was enhanced or violated using information learned about individuals who experienced World War II, which you learned about in Lesson Two, or a situation from the Japanese Internment.
- One of the choices must be an example of a value being violated. For that example, explain how the gap between the ideal of the value and the reality of the action should have been different. In other words, think about the above statement, "I wonder why there weren't more like her," and tell how American action should have been different.
- Provide students with Rubric for Assessment Essay (Attachment Two).
School/Home Connection:
Students will send letters of appreciation and encouragement to current service men (see Web site www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=misc.contact&tok=1 for addresses). Students will write about what they have learned about maintaining our democracy through philanthropic action to enhance Core Democratic Values. The following criteria outlined below should be used to evaluate the content of the letter. Of course, the content should be critiqued for correct language and mechanical usage separately, possibly as part of a Language Arts class.
- Clarify the context of the letter.
- Describe a minimum of three Core Democratic Values.
- Explain the role and importance of Core Democratic Values in maintaining our democracy.
- State at least two roles of servicemen for which they are appreciative.
Bibliographical References:
- Roosevelt, Franklin D. Executive Order 9066. Washington, D.C: The White House, February 19, 1942. [http://www.cis.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1982/3/82.03.01.x.html#a]
- Stanley, Jerry. I Am an American. New York: Random House, 1994. ISBN: 0517597861
- Victory at Sea Series: Volume I. Embassy Home Entertainment, 1986 (available at most public libraries, call # 940.545 VIC). ASIN: 078060900X
Lesson Developed By:
Lisa LudwigCedar Springs Public Schools
Cedar Springs Middle School
Cedar Springs, MI 49319
Handouts:
Handout 1Print Handout 1
Core Democratic Values vs. Japanese Internment
| Description of Example #1 | |
| Description of Example #2 | |
| Description of Example #3 | |
| Description of Example #4 | |
| Description of Example #5 |
| Core Democratic Value | Enhanced or Violated? | By whom? | |
| Example #1 | |||
| Example #2 | |||
| Example #3 | |||
| Example #4 | |||
| Example #5 |
Handout 2Print Handout 2
Rubric for Assessment Essay
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| Three Core Democratic Values chosen and correctly stated | Two Core Democratic Values chosen and correctly stated | One or no Core Democratic Value(s) chosen and correctly stated |
| Completely stated and accurate supporting examples shown for each of the three values | Two supporting examples shown, but some inaccurate information or incompletely stated examples | One or no supporting example(s) included |
| One example chosen as a violation of a Core Democratic Value with complete and accurate supporting information | One example chosen as a violation of a Core Democratic Value, but some incomplete or inaccurate supporting information | No example chosen as a violation of a Core Democratic Value |
Unit Contents:
Overview:At the Core of Philanthropy—Democratic Values Summary
Lessons:
- 1.
- Seeds of Our Democracy—Core Values
- 2.
- Planting the Seeds of Our Values—Contemporary Perspective
- 3.
- Planting the Seeds of Our Values—Historical Examples
- 4.
- Growing from Planted Seeds
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Comments
(The positive aspect of using this lesson was) It gave students information they knew little about. We study Africa in 6th grade and the students are often shocked at how many African governments are corrupt and how citizens have few rights. For the first time, many saw that their own government was also guilty of violating individual rights.
This lesson brought awareness of the Japanese Internment to my students. Many of them had no idea that this was a part of our country's history. Everything in this unit has fit together nicely and each lesson builds on previous lessons. I feel strongly that these lessons will be remembered for many years.
(The positive aspect of using this lesson was) students learned a lot from examining behaviors and identifying those Core Democratic Values that were being violated. This also lead to an interesting classroom discussion concerning what students do to each other that violates their CDVs. The rubric for the essay was very helpful.
(The positive aspects of using this lesson were) the great lesson, assessment and extension. Great historical lesson. We could relate it to the war in Iraq. Writing letters to our soldiers after the lesson was a great wrap up to the unit.