Night/Manzanar

Introduction

Terrible events occur in every generation. They are what shape the fears of a generation. More often they spur people to make changes for the future. This WebQuest is an investigative journey of events that shaped the people who lived and died in the World War II era.

Task

You will investigate two different experiences of those held captive during World War II. After the investigation you will write a 500+ word memoir from the perspective of a teenager who was in either a German concentration camp or a Japanese internment camp during World War II.

Process

Investigative Process

Use the following websites to inform your memoir writing. You will find a lot of information to help you write your memoir. Remember to spend some time investigating both experiences so that you can write a memoir that is well informed.

To prepare for the memoir writing, take notes from both sets of websites by answering the following questions in order to inform your memoir writing:

  • Food people ate:

  • Clothing people wore:

  • Housing:

  • Work people did each day:

  • Entertainment, if any:

  • Hardships people faced:

Websites for the Japanese internment:

https://www.nps.gov/manz/learn/historyculture/japanese-americans-at-manzanar.htm

Explore these images from the Japanese internments camps as collected by JARDA

Not just in the USA, British Columbia too

Not Manzanar but a camp, nonetheless

http://densho.org/

 

Websites for German concentration camps:

https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/03/movies/MoviesFeatures/the-holocaust-from-a-teenage-view.html

http://somewereneighbors.ushmm.org/#/exhibitions/teenagers

https://www.facinghistory.org/holocaust-and-human-behavior/chapter-6/youth-margins

https://www.ushmm.org/learn/students

https://www.ushmm.org/remember/the-holocaust-survivors-and-victims-resource-center/survivors-and-victims/survivor-testimonies

 

Evaluation

Use the following rubric as a guide for your writing your "character's" memoir.

  Excellent (A) Well Done (B) Average (C) Below Average  Not Included (0)

Character

Development

20 points

Author has created a memorable character that would have lived and experienced the events historically documented.

17 points

Author has created a character that would have lived and experienced the events historically documented.

15 points

Author has created a character that could have lived and experienced the events historically documented but there are parts that are unbelievable or out of time for the character.

12.5 points

There is a character with little or no relevance to the time-period but a memoir with a character was written.

0 points

There is no real character evident in what was submitted or nothing was submitted.

Clear

Storytelling

20 points

Author clearly “shows” attitudes and feelings numerous times through the thoughts, action and dialogue of the characters.

AND

Events in the memoir clearly “shows” how the learning changed the author’s life.

17 points

Author’s attitudes and feelings before are evident & occur numerous times through the thoughts and actions of the character.

Although word choice does not always “show”, it is clear to the reader how the learning changed the author’s life.

15 points

Direct statements indicate the author’s feelings and attitudes and/or some events are not necessarily significant.

Change is evident; but is “told” to the reader through direct statements.

12.5 points

Memoir includes irrelevant events that cause the reader confusion in trying to determine the before feelings and attitudes.

Memoir includes irrelevant events that cause confusion when noticing the change in the author’s life.

 

0 points

There is no clear story in the memoir that was submitted or there was no story submitted.

Accurate

Historical

References

20 points

Memoir utilizes extensive historical knowledge to create realistic historical fiction.

17 points

Memoir utilizes historical knowledge to create realistic historical fiction.

15 points

Memoir utilizes some historical knowledge to create realistic historical fiction.

12.5 points

Author has written something but does not utilize historical knowledge to create realistic historical fiction.

  

0 points

Author has written something that is completely out of the requirements of the assignment

Or nothing was submitted

Style

and 

Voice

20 points

Author consistently “shows” the significance of the events through engaging details, compelling language, and a balance of action, thoughts, and dialogue.

17 points

Author sometimes “shows” the significance of the events through details, compelling language, and a balance of action, thoughts, and dialogue.

15 points

Author “tells” the significance of the events through direct statements.

12.5 points

No Option

0 points

No effort is made to reveal the significance of the events to the reader.

Or nothing was submitted

Grammar

and 

Mechanics

20 points

Memoir is error-free.

17 points

Memoir contains minimal mistakes that do not interfere with meaning.

15 points

Numerous  minor errors often make memoir difficult to read.

12.5 points

Many errors in spelling, capitalization, and punctuation often interfere with meaning.

0 points

Clear disregard for conventions of proper writing

Or nothing was submitted

 

Conclusion

You have successfully put yourself into the shoes of someone who has had great suffering in their lives. While, this inquiry has been difficult for some of you and enlightening for others, these sorts of tasks often are a journey to a more enlightened place. What you take away is yours. What you have learned you can never unlearn you can only choose to forget. I hope you choose to remember and be changed by what you have experienced.

Credits