A. Build Background Knowledge – RI.8.1 (45 minutes)

• Review the learning target relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

“I can draw inferences using evidence from texts to build background knowledge about other Japanese American internment experiences.”

• Inform students that today they will participate in a new protocol, called Building Background Knowledge. Remind students that they may have experienced this protocol in previous years. Explain that this is an excellent protocol for working together to build knowledge about other Japanese American internment experiences.
• Ask students to form groups of four and number themselves 1–4. As they do so, distribute to each group a set of four different-colored markers, a piece of chart paper, Mystery and Common Texts, Expert Texts folders, Farewell to Manzanar, loose-leaf paper, and response chart. Ask students to each choose a marker that they will use for the duration of the protocol. Remind students that they will be collaborating in groups, so they should keep in mind the discussion norms by referring to the Discussion Norms anchor chart.
• Distribute the Building Background Knowledge Protocol. Review items 1–4 of the directions with students, explaining that in the Building Background Knowledge protocol, they will first examine a mystery text in their groups, individually taking notes, annotating, and coding the text. Explain that students may want to take notes about the mystery text on a piece of loose-leaf paper. Next, they will discuss the mystery text in their group and the student who is numbered 1 will record bullets or a web of notes in the outer box on the group’s response chart that shows the group’s understanding of the text. As necessary, display the mystery text and model or ask volunteers to model annotating and coding a portion of the text. ▲ Release students to individually examine, annotate, text code, and take notes on the mystery text.
• After several minutes, ask students to share their annotations and notes with their groups as student 1 records his or her ideas in bullets or a web in the outer box on the group’s response chart, drafting on loose-leaf paper as needed. If necessary, display a piece of chart paper and model recording some notes, or ask volunteers to do so in order to support students’ understanding of the task. ▲
• Once each student 1 has recorded his or her group’s understanding of the mystery text, discuss it as a class. Ensure that students understand that although the poem was written by a man, the speaker is a young girl. Ask students to Think-Group-Share:

“To whom is the speaker writing? How do you know? What is Executive Order 9066? Review page xiv of Farewell to Manzanar as necessary.” (She is speaking to the US government that issues Executive Order 9066, which allowed the government to remove people of Japanese descent from their homes and intern them in camps.)

“Why does she say that she has ‘always felt funny using chopsticks’ and her favorite food is hotdogs?” (She wants to show the US government that she is American.)

“What happens between her and her best friend Denise?” (Denise accuses her of being a traitor.)

“How does this experience compare to experiences Jeanne described in Farewell to Manzanar?” (Like the speaker, Jeanne experienced racist and unjust accusations of being a traitor after she got out of camp—a woman called her and Kiyo “dirty Japs” and told them to “go back to Japan” (168).)

“What does this similarity suggest about the experiences of many Japanese Americans before and after the war?” (Many Japanese Americans experienced racism and unjust accusations before and after the war.)

• Review items 5–6 of the Building Background Knowledge protocol. Ensure that students understand that they will each examine a common text, individually taking notes, annotating, and text coding it, paying specific attention to any new information they learn and marking it with an N. Explain to students that they may want to take notes about the common text on a piece of loose-leaf paper. As necessary, display the common text, and model or ask volunteers to model annotating and coding a portion of the text. ▲ Release students to individually read, annotate, code, and take notes on the common text.
• After several minutes, ask students to share their annotations and notes with their groups as student 2 records his or her ideas in bullets or a web in the second box on the group’s response chart, drafting on loose-leaf paper as needed. If necessary, display a piece of chart paper and model recording some notes, or ask volunteers to do so in order to support students’ understanding of the task. ▲
• Review items 7–10 of the Building Background Knowledge directions. Ensure that students understand that each member of the group will now examine a different expert text, individually taking notes, annotating, and text coding it, marking N on any new information they learn. Explain to students that they may want to take notes about their expert text on a piece of loose-leaf paper. Release groups to distribute an expert text to each member of their group. Students can individually read or examine, annotate, and take notes on their expert text.
• After several minutes, ask students to share the new information they learned from their expert text with their groups. Once all members have shared their expert text, student 3 records a summary of all the new information learned from the expert texts in the middle box of the response chart, drafting on loose leaf paper as needed. Model as necessary, or ask volunteers to do so to support students’ understanding of the task. Students can use the model sentences as frames if needed. ▲
• Finally, direct student 4 of each group to create a graphic illustration of all the group’s learning on the topic in the middle box of the response chart, drafting on loose-leaf paper as necessary.
• Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning target.