High School
Activities for WWII
World War II, like many bitter conflicts, has left a lasting impact on nations around the globe. Your students are most likely already familiar with the Holocaust, as the horrific event is often fodder for classroom discussion in primary and middle grades. Teachers can continue to build upon students' base knowledge of the events of World War II by engaging them in interactive activities. The use of these activities not only teaches students the facts associated with the costly war, but also reminds them of the importance of tolerance.
"Maus"
"Maus," by Art Spiegelman, is a graphic novel depicting the events of WWII. In this creative text, persecuted Jews are represented by helpless mice. Discuss the text with students as you move through the book, asking students to consider how apt the comparison is. After reading, discuss the fact that Art Spiegelman got much of his information for the book by interviewing his Holocaust-surviving parents. While your students' parents did not have this particular experience, they have lived through significant historical events. Ask students to interview their parents, and report back to the class explaining what pivotal historical events shaped their parents as people.
Japanese Internment Debate
Explore the concept of Japanese Internment with students. Compare this practice to the German practice of forcing German Jews into ghettos or concentration camps. Ask each student to prepare for a Japanese Internment class debate. Require students to prepare both sides of the debate, forcing them to consider both the popular and unpopular stance on the issue. When students arrive in class on debate day, draw numbers to determine which students will argue the pro side and which the con. Promote lively discussion, encouraging students to cite verifiable facts as they take their stand on the controversial issue.
Atomic Bomb Articles
Students play reporter in this journalistic writing assignment. Start by presenting pictures taken after the droppings of the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Discuss each image, explaining what is being shown. Then turn your students into cub reporters. Ask students to draw numbers, assigning some the role of American reporter, and others the role of Japanese reporter. Ask students to select one of the images, and use that picture as a central focus for their journalistic article. Students should consider the stance that they have been assigned, and report from the point of view of an individual of that nationality.
Tags: Japanese Internment, class debate, draw numbers, explaining what, High School