2.6.1 Resist Unconstitutional Order: Korematsu v. United States
Fred Korematsu and Rosa Parks at ACLU at Northern California Bill of Rights Day
Photo Credit: Shirley Nakao
Grade: 9, 10 and CollegeSubject:
English Language Arts
Number of Lessons: 10 one-hour class periods
(see “Lesson Implementation” on page 3 for options to fit shorter instructional lengths)
This unit exposes students to the life of Fred Korematsu, the history of Japanese American incarceration, and the fight for civil rights during World War II. Students then consider the reaction to and effects of the September 11th attacks on Arab, Muslim, and South Asian communities in context of what they have learned about the history and treatment of Japanese Americans during WWII. Students will critically read, analyze and discuss a variety of texts and write a creative and argumentative essay as their culminating task.
Students will:
- Define and use academic vocabulary in context.
- Use historical context to analyze an informational text’s meaning.
- Synthesize multiple genres of text, for recurring themes, connections and differences.
- Write a strong argumentative essay, backing up claims with specific textual evidence.
- Write clearly, paying attention to organization, audience, format and purpose.
- Use the writing process to develop and improve essays.
- Present and discuss ideas with classmates, based upon an informational text, supporting opinions with textual detail.
In this unit, the words "internment" and "incarceration" are used to describe the treatment of Japanese Americans during World War II. The commonly used term “internment” fails to accurately describe what happened to Japanese Americans during WWII. “Internment” refers to the legally permissible, though morally questionable, detention of “enemy aliens” in time of war. This term becomes a misleading, othering euphemism when applied to American citizens detained by their own government; yet two-thirds of Japanese Americans incarcerated during WWII were U.S. citizens by birth and right. Although “internment” is a recognized and widely used term, we encourage the use of “incarceration.” The Asian American Education Project uses the term "internment" only when it appears as part of a quote within the title or body of an external source.
This note is derived from Densho’s explanation on the use of these terms:
https://densho.org/terminology/#incarceration.
- Academic Vocabulary Worksheet
- Academic Vocabulary – Teacher Version
- ELA WWII Incarceration Unit Slides
- “Justice Scalia Interview Mass Interment Interview” Article
- Korematsu Day Background Slides
- “One Man Seeks Justice from a Nation: Korematsu v. United States”
- “One Man Seeks Justice from a Nation: Korematsu v. United States Abridged Version” Article
- RAFT Essay Rubric Worksheet
- RAFT Essay Writing Prompt Worksheet
- Reader’s Anticipation Guide Worksheet
- Tree Map Graphic Organizer Worksheet
Recommended Supplemental Texts:
- “After Words: September 11, 2001” Poem
- Definitions and examples of civil liberties at: civilrights.findlaw.com
- “Remembering the No-No Boys” Article
- “Silence No More” Poem
- Transcript of Executive Order 9066
- “Who Took the Rap? A Call to Action” Article
- “Why Children Did Not Knock at My Door on Halloween This Year” Poem
- In times of war, how would you safeguard civil liberties while maintaining national security?
- What was the government’s reasoning behind the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II?
- How did the Japanese American community respond to the incarceration order?
- How did the September 11th attacks affect Americans’ views of Asian Americans?
- How should we move forward? What can we do to prevent future incidents like this?
This lesson can be completed in one instructional session or over two weeks. Here are implementation options:
- Two instructional sessions:
- Three instructional sessions:
- Day 1: Complete a condensed version of the quick-write (Lesson 1, Activity 1), go over the Academic Vocabulary (Lesson 1, Activity 2), and have students complete the first column of the Reader’s Anticipation Guide (Lesson 1, Activity 3) + preview the Korematsu v. United States article (Lesson 2, Activity 2, #1).
Homework: Assign the Korematsu v. United States Article as reading and have students complete the rest of the Reader’s Anticipation Guide.
- Day 2: Conduct a 5~10-minute discussion on how students’ responses on the Reader’s Anticipation Guide changed before and after the reading, present the Korematsu Day Background slides and play two of the supplemental videos (Lesson 2, Activity 1), and complete a condensed version of the idea wave (Lesson 3, Activity 3).
Homework (Optional): Assign the Dialectical Journal activity (Lesson 4, Activity 1).
- Day 3: Complete the 9/11 reading activity (Lesson 5, Activity 1) and have students read at least two of the provided texts. Then, facilitate a discussion using the unit’s discussion questions.
Homework: Culminating essay assignment (outlined in Lessons 6-9).
- One week:
- Days 1-4: Complete Lessons 1, 2, 3, and 5. You may choose to assign the Korematsu v. United States Article for homework after one of the lessons to create time for the dialectical journal activity (Lesson 4, Activity 1), supplemental reading (Lesson 4, Activity 2), or to include the unit’s discussion questions.
- Day 5: Provide time to work on the culminating assignment, which could be introduced + assigned for homework in pieces during the previous lessons. Students could then complete their essays as homework. Alternatively, you can have the assignment due the final day of the unit, and use the final lesson for student essay presentations and a unit reflection (Lesson 10).
- Between one and two weeks:
- Day 5-7: Introduce the culminating assignment to students and use the recommended times for essay outlines, writing, and editing from Lessons 6-9 to plan how students use class time based on what would be most helpful for them in completing the assignment. (For example, you may choose to skip the peer-editing session, have students type their essays for homework, etc.)
- Day 8: Assignment due date, student essay presentations, and unit reflection (Lesson 10).
Manzanar Relocation Center, 1942
Image Credit: Dorothea Lange (public domain image)
Source
LESSON 1:
Unit Introduction, Academic Vocabulary, Reader’s Anticipation Guide (Suggested Time: 60 minutes)
Materials:
- Academic Vocabulary Worksheet
- Academic Vocabulary – Teacher Version
- ELA WWII Incarceration Unit Slides
- Reader’s Anticipation Guide Worksheet
Activity 1: Quick-Write (20 minutes)
- In order to connect to students’ prior knowledge and introduce some of the themes of the unit, have students complete a journal or “Quick-Write” for the following question (also in unit slides):
Think of an example from your life, history or current events when maintaining national security conflicted with preserving individual rights or civil liberties. In times of war, when this conflict is more apparent, how would you safeguard civil liberties while maintaining national security?
- Have students write silently for 5-7 minutes. Then, have them share their ideas/writing with a partner. Make sure students take turns sharing and listening.
- After students share with a partner, have them create a “T-Chart” on their papers:
How would you safeguard civil liberties? |
How would you maintain national security? |
• |
• |
• |
• |
- Then, call on students to share their writing with the class. Have students write some of the ideas they hear on the T-Chart in their notes, in order to start discussing the contrasting ideas. You may also write these on the board or type them into the slides for all to see.
Activity 2: Academic Vocabulary (25 minutes)
-
Pass out the Academic Vocabulary Korematsu Worksheet. Explain that these words are all academic vocabulary that will be used in this unit and will also be used in other subjects as well.
-
Using the teacher version of the worksheet, present each word to the students. After you say the word aloud, have the students repeat it after you to have students practice pronouncing the words. Read the definition/ explanation. Then, read the word in the provided context, and have students fill in the blanks. Read each sentence twice.
-
For a vocabulary practice activity, instruct students to complete a new sentence for each word, using the example sentences on the worksheet as models. They must be “show-not-tell” sentences, meaning that they should show the meaning of the word, not just tell the meaning of the word.
- Discourage “Telling Sentences”:
- My best friend is eclectic.
- I don’t understand what eclectic means.
- Eclectic is a difficult word.
- Encourage “Showing Sentences”:
- Darin’s eclectic tastes in music range from hip hop and reggae to gospel and Broadway musicals.
Activity 3:
Reader’s Anticipation Guide (10 minutes)
- Pass out the Reader’s Anticipation Guide Worksheet. Have students complete the “before reading” side of the worksheet, marking whether they agree/disagree with the five statements. Note that the vocabulary words are underlined on the worksheet.
- Model the first statement to the class. Then, have the students complete the rest quietly on their own.
- After 1-2 minutes, have the class share whether they agreed / disagreed with the statements by raising their hands.
Photo: Fred Korematsu as a child inside the family's rose nursery.
Photo Courtesy of Karen Korematsu
LESSON 2: Historical Context & Pre-Reading (Suggested Time: 60 minutes)
Materials:
- ELA WWII Incarceration Unit Slides
- Korematsu Day Background Slides
- “One Man Seeks Justice from a Nation: Korematsu v. United States Abridged Version” Article
- Reader’s Anticipation Guide Worksheet
Videos on Japanese American Incarceration:
- “Japanese-American Internment During WWII” (History Channel on YouTube) - Run time 03:38
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZTioTkHcB0
- “Japanese Relocation” (US Office of War Information) - Run time 09:28
Source: https://archive.org/details/Japanese1943
- “A Message from Karen Korematsu” (Korematsu Institute) - Run time 04:02
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgtAIQZUB6g
- Korematsu and Civil Liberties (Annenberg Classroom) film - Run time 26:06
Source: http://www.annenbergclassroom.org/page/korematsu-civil-liberties
- Pilgrimage (Tadashi Nakamura) - Run time 23:07
Source: http://www.tadashinakamura.com/Tadashi_Nakamura/Pilgrimage.html
Activity 1: Historical Context & Background (30 minutes)
- To introduce the history of the Japanese American incarceration camps and the story of Fred Korematsu, show the students the “Korematsu Day Background” slideshow. Students will take notes on the slides.
- After sharing the slideshow, show 2-3 of the videos listed above (all available online). Have students take notes as they watch the videos.
- After showing each video, ask students how this history matches their understanding before reading the article from the Reader’s Anticipation Guide Worksheet.
Activity 2: Reading on Fred Korematsu (30 minutes)
- Before reading the article, have students preview the text. Ask them to identify and discuss text features for 1-2 minutes: photos, title, subtitles, numbered paragraphs, underlined vocabulary words.
- Have students silently read the article, to familiarize students with the vocabulary, to get the “gist” of the story (5 minutes).
- While reading, students will mark up/annotate the text:
- Underline important lines, with interesting, shocking or intriguing ideas/facts.
- Circle new words/vocabulary.
- Write a “?” (question mark) in the margins and list any questions you have about the text.
- Read the paragraphs 1-13 as a class. This section discusses Korematsu’s family background, the beginning of World War II and the reasons for Japanese American incarceration. You may choose to read the paragraphs aloud yourself, or select students to read them. Pause periodically to check for reading comprehension and to ask critical thinking questions about the article.
Company F Cadre 442nd Regimental Combat Team was an all-Japanese-American regiment during WWII.
Photo Credit:
the442.org
LESSON 3:
Reading & Idea Wave (Suggested Time: 60 minutes)
Materials:
- ELA WWII Incarceration Unit Slides
- “One Man Seeks Justice from a Nation: Korematsu v. United States”
- Reader’s Anticipation Guide Worksheet
Activity 1: Continued: Reading on Fred Korematsu (20 minutes)
- Review the vocabulary, the videos, and the reading from the previous lesson. Have students share what they found surprising, important, or had questions about.
- Have the students read the rest of the “One Man Seeks Justice” article (paragraphs 14-40). This section discusses the Supreme Court cases and Korematsu’s enduring civil rights legacy. Have students work in pairs or small groups and take turns reading the article aloud, switching the reader each paragraph.
Activity 2: Reader’s Anticipation Guide (20 minutes)
After reading, have students complete the
Reader’s Anticipation Guide Worksheet, based on the article. In the “After reading” box, students write whether the author of the article agreed/disagreed with the statement. They must include textual evidence, providing quotes or paraphrases and citing the paragraph number. Model this activity for statement #1, and have students complete the rest individually or in pairs for statements #2-5.
Activity 3: Idea Wave (20 minutes)
- Students will practice using their academic vocabulary to complete a reading comprehension activity, sharing their ideas about the article. This activity, the “Idea Wave,” has four steps: Think-Write-Pair-Share:
- Think (list/brainstorm): Why is Fred Korematsu worth remembering today?
- Write: Choose one of the following sentence starters and complete it with your own ideas:
- Fred Korematsu had a significant impact on the United States, because of…
- Even though Fred Korematsu was once sent to an incarceration camp during World War II, he later…
- Pair: Share your writing with a partner. Make sure their writing is complete with specific textual detail.
- Share: Share your writing with the class. Listen carefully! Record details other students share on your own paper.
Japanese Americans were tagged before being incarcerated in concentration camps in 1942.
Photo credit:
Dorothea Lange
LESSON 4:
Dialectical Journal, Supplemental Texts (Suggested Time: 60 minutes)
Materials:
- ELA WWII Incarceration Unit Slides
- “Justice Scalia Interview Mass Internment Inevitable” Article
- “Remembering the No-No Boys” Article
- “Silence No More” Poem
Activity 1: Supplemental texts on Japanese American Incarceration (35 minutes)
Have students read and annotate the following texts, noting connections between them and the Korematsu article.
- “Silence No More” is a poem by Kiku Funabiki about her family’s experience in the incarceration camps.
- “Remembering the No-No Boys” is an article posted on About.com by Race Relations guide Nadra Kareem Nittle. Nittle discusses the “No-No Boys,” Japanese Americans who refused to take the Loyalty Oath during World War II, as another example of government resistance in the name of civil liberties.
- In “US Supreme Court Justice Declares Mass Internment Inevitable”, Tom Carter quotes Justice Scalia discussing the history of Japanese American incarceration during World War II. Scalia declares that the war justified the incarceration and that it could definitely happen again, “that in times of war the law is silent.”
Activity 2: Dialectical Journal (25 minutes)
- Using the two texts, “Silence No More” and “Remembering the No-No Boys,” have students complete a Dialectical Journal in the form of a T-Chart.
Textual Evidence / Quotations (Select Five) |
Analysis (Why do I find this quote interesting or important?) |
1. | 1. |
2. | 2. |
- Have students select five important passages/quotes from the text and cite them in MLA Format on the left side of the chart. On the right side, have students analyze and respond to the quote. Similar to a “Say-Mean-Matter” chart, this activity allows students to interact with the text.
Image Credit: Bruce Emmerling (public domain image)
Source
LESSON 5: Connections to 9/11 (Suggested Time: 60 minutes)
Materials:
- “After Words: September 11, 2001” poem
- ELA WWII Incarceration Unit Slides
- “Who Took the Rap? A Call to Action” article
- “Why Children Did Not Knock at My Door on Halloween This Year” Poem
Activity 1: Connection to September 11, 2001 (20 minutes)
- Have students consider/discuss the following:
- After 9/11, Americans were very scared about another possible terrorist attack. There were many negative messages about Arab-Americans and Muslims living in the United States. The government detained and increased surveillance of Arab-Americans and Muslims, because they were considered a national security threat.
- Discussion Question: What lessons did we learn as a nation from the incarceration of Japanese Americans that we need to remember today after 9/11?
- After discussing the connection to September 11th, 2001, choose one or two of the following supplemental texts for students to read and discuss. How do these poems connect with Korematsu’s story after WWII?
- “After Words: September 11, 2001,” Russell Leong (poem)
- “Who Took the Rap? A Call to Action,” Russell Leong (article)
- “Why Children Did Not Knock at My Door on Halloween This Year,” Ifti Nasim (poem)
- 9/11 - 102 Minutes That Changed America (video)
Run time: 02:13 - Source: https://vimeo.com/37752839
Activity 2: Socratic Seminar (40 minutes)
In preparation for their culminating task, students will participate in a “Socratic Seminar.” A Socratic Seminar is a student-led discussion, designed to lead toward a deeper understanding of a topic/text. This differs from debate, since a debate ends with a winner and loser. After a successful Socratic Seminar, all are winners, including the instructor, because all have an opportunity to engage each other, and the texts, in a new and meaningful way.
- In order to prepare for the Socratic Seminar, have students complete the following pre-discussion exercise:
- Explain to students:
- Evidence: Write at least one quote or paraphrase from one of the texts that stands out to you.
- Question: Write at least one question you have about one of the texts or about the history of Japanese American incarceration.
- Synthesis: Write at least one connection you see between the text, the history, and current events (9/11).
- Have the students bring their texts/notes and use their chairs to form a large circle in the room. The following guidelines/expectations will assist you in facilitating a successful Socratic Seminar. Encourage students to listen carefully and take notes.
- Speak so that all can hear you.
- Listen closely.
- Speak without raising hands.
- Refer to the text.
- Talk to each other, not just to me (the teacher).
- Ask questions. Don’t stay confused.
- Invite and allow others to speak.
- Respect other peoples’ viewpoints and ideas.
- Know that you are responsible for the quality of the conversation.
Image Credit: Ansel Adams, (public domain image)
Source
LESSON 6-9:
Essay Writing Proces (Suggested Time: 4 hours)
Materials:
- ELA WWII Incarceration Unit Slides
- RAFT Essay Rubric Worksheet
- RAFT Essay Writing Prompt Worksheet
- Tree Map Graphic Organizer Worksheet
Activity 1: Culminating Task – Argumentative Essay
- Students will now write an original argumentative essay, bringing together their ideas from the texts, historical context, and classroom discussion. Pass out the RAFT Essay Writing Prompt and RAFT Essay Rubric worksheets and read/discuss them with students. Students are to choose one of the three persuasive essay options.
Role |
Audience |
Format |
Topic |
A. Defense Attorney |
U.S. Supreme Court |
Speech |
Closing arguments in Korematsu v. United States. |
B. Student |
School District Superintendent |
Letter or Speech |
Why and how should schools recognize Fred Korematsu Day? |
C. Fred Korematsu |
U.S. Congress |
Speech |
After 9/11, how should the U.S. protect both national security and civil rights? |
- This essay is designed to be a more creative, first-person speech or letter from the point of view of a defense attorney, a student, or Fred Korematsu. Students must have a thesis/main argument, specific textual/historical details as evidence, and strong organization. The following steps are recommended for the writing process:
At the end of the war, nearly 26,000 Japanese Americans from all concentration camps had served in the U.S armed forces.
Courtesy of National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior
LESSON 10:
Essay Presentations & Unit Reflection (Suggested Time: 60 minutes)
Materials:
- ELA WWII Incarceration Unit Slides
- RAFT Essay Rubric Worksheet
- RAFT Essay Writing Prompt Worksheet
Activity 1: Presentations (40 minutes)
- Students will staple their essay final drafts with their RAFT Essay Rubric Worksheet for grading. Instruct students to self-assess their essays, using the RAFT Essay Rubric Worksheet.
- Students will present a basic summary of their essays to the class. For the sake of time, teachers may allow students to read excerpts from their essays.
Activity 2: Unit Reflection (20 minutes)
Have students reflect on their learning from the unit. Have them write and then share with the class.
- What have you learned from this unit? How have your reading/writing skills improved?
- How have your ideas changed about the history of Japanese American incarceration during World War II? How should the government protect both civil liberties and national security during wartime?
Carter, Tom. “US Supreme Court justice declares mass internment inevitable.”
The Falling Darkness. The Liberty Beacon. 11 Feb. 2014. Web.
Source
Funabiki, Kiku. “Silence…No More.” Teacher’s Guide: The Bill of Rights and the Japanese American World War II Experience. National Japanese Historical Society, 1992. 44. Print.
Additional Recommended Resources on Japanese American Incarceration:
American Pastime. Warner Home Video, 2007. Film.
Houston, Jeanne Wakatsuki, and James D. Houston. Farewell to Manzanar. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1973. Print.
Of Civil Wrongs and Rights: The Fred Korematsu Story. POV, 2000. Film.
California Common Core Standards Addressed
College- and Career-Readiness Anchor Standards (CCSS):
L: Language
R: Reading
SL: Speaking & Listening
W: Writing
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1:
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.3:
Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn between them.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.4:
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.7:
Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums, determining which details are emphasized in each account.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.1:
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
- Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
- Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns.
- Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
- Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
- Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.4:
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.5:
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1:
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
- Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
- Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making (e.g., informal consensus, taking votes on key issues, presentation of alternate views), clear goals and deadlines, and individual roles as needed.
- Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.
- Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.4:
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically (using appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, clear pronunciation) such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose (e.g., argument, narrative, informative, response to literature presentations), audience, and task.