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Graphically Learning History: Korematsu and Takei

School:: DeLand High School
Subject:: Language Arts
Teacher:: Amy Dempsey
Students Impacted:: 1000
Grade:: 10
Date:: September 2, 2023

Investor

Thank you to the following investor for funding this grant.

Anonymous Family Foundation - $954.00

Impact to My Classroom

# of Students Impacted: 185

Students really enjoyed reading, analyzing, and learning history through the graphic novel: They Called Us Enemy. The students were engaged with the graphic novel and (for many) learning a "new" piece of U.S. History. The novel was divided in sections for students to read and analyze: The US goes to war, forced removal, Life at Rohwer, the loyalty questionnaire, and the end of war. Students analyzed and wrote about the text but also facilitated Socratics in all my classes, including English 2. As a final summative project, which I have attached pictures of, students created a one pager analyzing the novel. I hope you enjoy reading what they learned. Additionally, students wrote thank you notes to our anonmyous donor. I look forward to similarly using the novel next year with my Sophomore classes.

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Student Final One Pagers

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Student Final One Pagers

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Student Final One Pagers

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Student Final One Pagers

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Student Final One Pagers

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Student Final One Pagers

Original Grant Overview

Goal

I want to provide a class set of graphic novels for the tenth grade students for the second quarter. The novels will give students context and prior knowledge for a text set that is in our curriculum map: Court Case: Korematsu v. US* Opinion/Dissent. The graphic novel also supports the new House Bill 1537 which requires Asian American Pacific Islander history in K12 curriculum.

Essential Question: What shapes us into who we are?

ELA Benchmarks:
ELA.10.R.1.1: Analyze how key elements enhance or add layers of meaning and/or style in a literary text
ELA.10.R.1.2: Analyze and compare universal themes and their development throughout a literary text
ELA.10.R.2.1: Analyze the impact of multiple text structures and the use of features in text(s)
ELA.10.R.2.4: Compare the development of two opposing arguments on the same topic, evaluating the effectiveness and validity of the claims, and analyzing the ways in which the authors use the same information to achieve different ends
ELA.10.R.3.1: Analyze how figurative language creates mood in text(s)
ELA.10.V.1.3: Apply knowledge of context clues, figurative language, word relationships, reference materials, and/or background knowledge to determine the connotative and denotative meaning of words and phrases, appropriate to grade level.
ELA.K12.EE.1.1: Cite evidence to explain and justify reasoning
ELA.K12.EE.3.1: Make inferences to support comprehension.
ELA.K12.EE.4.1: Use appropriate collaborative techniques and active listening skills when engaging in discussions in a variety of situations.

What will be done with my students

Students will read and analyze George Takei's They Called Us Enemy. The novel will help give context and activate prior knowledge before the students read and analyze the argument of two curriculum map pieces: Court Case: Korematsu v. US* Opinion/Dissent.

While reading and analyzing the graphic novel, students will
*support their analysis of a theme, imagery, mood, visual techniques, and/or a graphic novelist’s claims and central ideas by citing specific evidence, panels, and/or examples from the text.
*strategically utilize close reading tools such as annotation, questioning, sketchnoting, panel analysis, summarizing, and reader response.
*utilize digital annotation tools, images, and audiovisual presentation tools to convey graphic novel analysis.
*strategically select words, imagery, and visual techniques to support analysis.
*engage in collaborative discussions about the graphic novels with classmates, responding to their ideas and offering their own independent ideas about the text.

Benefits to my students

Research shows that students better comprehend a text when they have prior knowledge to pull from instead of cold reading a text, especially court cases, with no vested interested in the topic. The graphic novels will not only teach the students about a piece of American history they might not have much knowledge about but also humanize the topic and people in the curriculum map court case: Korematsu v. US.