Our elementary school is a growing, dynamic neighborhood school of about 425 students in Oregon. It is a Title I school and has a wide range of students from diverse backgrounds - socioeconomically, racially, and culturally. It seeks to provide a rich, engaging curriculum while encouraging positive behavior. It celebrates abilities and believes in the possibilities of students. My classroom will be an extension of these ideals and goals...a place to be brave, be kind, celebrate mistakes, and work hard.
My Project
Each year I have had the distinct honor and privilege of teaching my students about the time of Japanese Internment during WW2. My students in California and now in Oregon have learned about the times leading up to the camps, the evacuation, life in the camps and the time after internment camps. When I accepted my first teaching position after the sudden death of a 4th grade teacher, I also inherited a new friendship with Gordon. Gordon was interned as a child and was willing to come and share about this experience with my students each year. Now, through fate or destiny, Gordon and I have both relocated up to Oregon and have had the gift of continuing this friendship and working relationship with my current students as we look at Immigration and History.
During the summer of 2020, it is my hope to visit the site the former Japanese Relocation Center at Manzanar as a way to enrich my teaching & vision for instruction in my classroom.
This visit would include the Visitor Center where we can watch a film called Remembering Manzanar. We would see the exhibits and artifacts, Block 14 (where two reconstructed barracks and a mess hall have been restored with exhibits). We would also have the chance to take a tour around the site to experience the Manzanar landscape. There are eleven Japanese gardens and ponds that have been excavated which we would see along with many foundations, historic orchards, and other remnants of camp, the Judo Dojo site, Hospital complex site, Administration area and historic orchards.
Even though I have immersed myself in books, first hand accounts, documents and study of this time period, I truly believe that being on the ground at Manzanar would be very impactful. Thank you for your support.
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