9, 10, College English Language Arts Unit
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Image courtesy of the Korematsu Institute and Jay Park
One Man
Seeks Justice
From a Nation:
Korematsu v.
United States
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9th/10th Grade Common Core
Standards for English Language Arts
Informational Text Reading Standards:
1. Cite strong…textual evidence…
3. Analyze how the author unfolds [a] series of events…
4. Determine the meaning of words…in a text…
7. Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different
mediums…
Writing Standards:
1. Write arguments to support claims…
4. Produce clear and coherent writing…
5. Develop and strengthen writing…
Speaking and Listening Standard:
1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions…
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Learning Objectives
Students will be able to do the following:

Understand and use academic vocabulary in context.

Use historical context to analyze an informational text’s
meaning.

Synthesize multiple genres of text, for recurring themes,
connections and differences.

Write a strong argumentative essay, backing up claims with
specific textual evidence.

Write clearly, paying attention to organization, audience,
format and purpose.

Use the writing process to develop and improve essays.

Present and discuss ideas verbally, based upon an informational
text, supporting opinions with textual detail.
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Essential Questions
 In times of war, how would you safeguard civil
liberties while maintaining national security?
 What was the government’s reasoning behind the
internment of Japanese Americans during World
War II?
 How did the Japanese American community respond
to the internment order?
 How did the September 11th attacks affect
Americans’ views of Asian Americans?
 How should we move forward? What can we do to
prevent future incidents like this?
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Journal Prompt
Directions: Copy and answer the question in a
half-page response.
•
Think of an example from your life, history
or current events when maintaining national
security conflicted with preserving individual
rights or civil liberties. In times of war, when
this conflict is more apparent, how would you
safeguard civil liberties while maintaining
national security?
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Safeguarding Civil
Liberties
Maintaining National
Security
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Academic Vocabulary
“Academic Vocabulary - Korematsu and
Japanese American Internment” handout
For each vocabulary word, complete the
following:
 Repeat the word verbally to practice
pronunciation.
 Read the definition/explanation carefully.
 Fill in the blanks for an example of the
word in context.
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Reader’s Anticipation Guide
Before Reading:
 Read each statement. Under “Before
Reading: Me,” mark how you feel about
the statements:
+ = AGREE STRONGLY
√ = AGREE SOMEWHAT
- = DISAGREE

Afterwards, silently read the article.
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Fred Korematsu
 Japanese
American, born in
Oakland, California
in 1919
 In 2011, California
named January
30th “Fred
Korematsu Day of
Civil Liberties and
the Constitution”
 Died in 2005
Image courtesy of Karen Korematsu
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Japanese American Internment
After Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government ordered 120,000 people of
Japanese origin to report to internment camps across the country.
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Japanese American Internment
 After the United States
declared war on Japan,
Japanese Americans were
portrayed as the “enemy” of
the United States.
 American citizens of
Japanese ancestry were
treated with suspicion.
Propaganda depicted racist
and xenophobic stereotypes
about Japanese Americans.
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Fred Korematsu
Article:
 “One Man Seeks Justice from a
Nation: Korematsu v. United States”
(Yamamoto, Minami, and Heye, 2009)
 Directions: Read collaboratively with
your groups. Switch off each
paragraph.
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“One Man Seeks Justice…”
Article
Annotating (Marking Up) the Text:
Underline important lines, with
interesting, shocking or intriguing
ideas/facts.
Circle new words/vocabulary.
Write a “?” in the margins and list
any questions you have about the
text.
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Reader’s Anticipation Guide
After Reading
 Reread each statement. Based upon the
article, mark how the author feels about the
statements:
+ = AGREE STRONGLY
√ = AGREE SOMEWHAT
- = DISAGREE

Give textual evidence from the article to
support your conclusion. Quote your evidence
and cite the paragraph number.
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Fred Korematsu
Idea Wave
Think (list/brainstorm):
1. Why is Fred Korematsu worth
remembering today?
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Fred Korematsu
Idea Wave
Write:
2. Choose one of the following sentence
starters and complete it with your own
ideas:
 Fred Korematsu had a significant impact
on the United States, because…
 Even though Fred Korematsu was once
sent to an internment camp during
World War II, he later…
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Fred Korematsu
Idea Wave
Pair:
3. Share your writing with a partner.
Make sure their writing is complete with
specific textual detail.
Share:
4. Share your writing with the class.
Listen carefully! Record details other
students share on your own paper.
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Supplemental Texts
Texts:
 “Silence No More” (Kiku Funabiki, poem)
 “Remembering the No-No Boys” (Nadra
Kareem Nittle, About.com, article)
 “US Supreme Court Justice Declares Mass
Internment Inevitable” (Tom Carter, article)
Synthesis Question: What recurring themes do
these texts have in common with the article,
“One Man Seeks Justice.”
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Dialectical Journal
A conversation between you and what you are reading
Textual
Evidence/Quotations
(select five)
Analysis (Why do I find this
quote interesting/important?)
1.
1.
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Racial Profiling in a Post-9/11 World
Images courtesy of Ridzdesign
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Reflections After 9/11
After 9/11, Americans were very
scared about another possible
terrorist attack.
 There were many negative messages
about Arab-Americans and Muslims
living in the United States.
 The government detained and
increased surveillance of ArabAmericans and Muslims, because
they were considered a national
security threat.
Reflection Question:
 What lessons did we learn as a
nation from the Japanese American
internment camps that we need to
remember today?

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Supplemental Texts
Texts:

“After Words: September 11, 2001” (Russell Leong,
poem)

“Who Took the Rap? A Call to Action” (Russell Leong,
article)

“Why Children Did Not Knock at My Door on
Halloween This Year” (Ifti Nasim, poem)

102 Minutes That Changed America (2008, film)
Synthesis Question: What lessons did we learn as a
nation from the internment of Japanese Americans
that we need to remember today after 9/11?
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Fred Korematsu
Socratic Seminar
In your journal/notes:
1. Evidence: Write at least one quote or
paraphrase from one of the the texts
that stands out to you.
2. Question: Write at least one question
you have about one of the texts or the
history of Japanese American
internment
3. Synthesis: Write at least one
connection you see between the text,
the history and current events (9/11).
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Fred Korematsu
Socratic Seminar
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Speak so that all can hear you.
Listen closely.
Speak without raising hands.
Refer to the text.
Talk to each other, not just to teacher.
Ask questions. Don’t stay confused.
Invite and allow others to speak.
Respect other peoples’ viewpoints and ideas.
Know that you are responsible for the quality
of the conversation.
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Fred Korematsu
RAFT Essay
Role
Audience Format
A. Defense U.S. Supreme
Court
Attorney
B.
Student
C. Fred
Korematsu
School District
Superintendent
Speech
Closing arguments
in Korematsu v.
United States.
Letter or
Speech
Why and how
should schools
recognize Fred
Korematsu Day?
U.S.
Speech
Congress
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Topic
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After 9/11, how
should the U.S.
protect both
national security and
civil rights?
Fred Korematsu Essay
Essay Requirements:
 Five paragraphs minimum
 First person point of view (I, me, my)
• Clear organization of ideas, including a
thesis statement (main argument)
 Include a variety of specific textual
evidence from the article, “One Man
Seeks Justice” and others
 Finish with a strong conclusion
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Fred Korematsu Essay
Writing Process:
1. Tree Map/Outline
2. Rough Draft
3. Self-Assessment
4. Peer-Revision
5. Typed Final Draft (in MLA Format)
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Grabber/Hook: Introductory Idea
Thesis Statement: Main Argument
Main Idea 1
Main Idea 2
Main Idea 3
Supporting Detail/Evidence
Supporting Detail/Evidence
Supporting Detail/Evidence
Analysis
Analysis
Analysis
Supporting Detail/Evidence
Supporting Detail/Evidence
Supporting Detail/Evidence
Analysis
Analysis
Analysis
Conclusion/Call to Action: What do you want your audience to think/do differently after hearing/reading your message?
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Editing vs. Revision
Editing:
Fixing errors on the sentence level: spelling, grammar,
punctuation, word choice
Editors suggest changes, writer fixes them
Revision:
Examines paper as a whole: considers
strengths/weaknesses, arguments, organization, voice, as
well as mechanics
Question-based: expanding ideas, challenging arguments
More about developing ideas than “fixing” problems
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Self-Assessment:
Fred Korematsu Essay
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Do you have an original Title and the Proper Heading?
Reread the writing prompt. Is this an actual “speech”
or “letter?” Is it realistic/authentic?
Underline first word of each sentence. Is there a
variety in sentence starters? Add transition words
(however, therefore, in addition, etc.).
Scan your essay for “played-out” words: big, stuff,
things, different, really, a lot, good, bad. Cross them
out and find replacements.
Make sure essay uses active voice instead of passive
voice.
Draw an *asterisk in the margin next to your textual
evidence. Do you quote or paraphrase/summarize?
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Peer-Editing:
Fred Korematsu Essay
Peer-Revision Marks: Passing the Paper
Each student must write a comment in the margin for each.
1. Intro: Read the introduction. Is there a clear thesis/main
argument? Does the writer answer the question clearly?
2. Evidence: Scan the essay for textual details/quotes. Does the
author refer back to the text?
3. RAFT: Does the author write in a 1st person point of view and
consider the audience? Is it an actual speech/letter?
4. Conclusion: Read the ending. Is there a clear conclusion? Or
does it just… stop?
5. Mechanics: Check for spelling/word choice. If it looks wrong,
circle it. If the sentence doesn’t make sense, or is
incomplete/run-on, put it in [brackets]. Let the author fix
errors.
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Unit Reflection
Directions: Copy and answer the question in a
half-page response.
 What have you learned from this unit? How
have your reading/writing skills improved?
 How have your ideas changed about the
history of Japanese American internment
during World War II? How should the
government protect both civil liberties and
national security during wartime?
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Carter, Tom. “US Supreme Court justice declares mass
internment inevitable.” The Falling Darkness.
The Liberty Beacon. 11 Feb. 2014. Web.
Funabiki, Kiku. “Silence…No More.” Teacher’s Guide:
The Bill of Rights and the Japanese American
World War II Experience. National Japanese
Historical Society, 1992. 44. Print.
Leong, Russell C. "After Words: September 11, 2001",
Asian Americans on War and Peace. Los Angeles:
UCLA Asian American Studies, 2002. Print.
Leong, Russell C. "Who Took the Rap? A Call to Action",
Untold Civil Rights Stories. Los Angeles: 2009.
76-85. Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los
Angeles. Web
Nasim, Ifti. "Why Children Did Not Knock at My Door on
Halloween This Year." Asian Americans On War &
Peace. Los Angeles: UCLA Asian American Studies
Center, 2002. 103-104. Print.
Nittle, Nadra Kareem. "Remembering the No-No Boys."
Race Relations. About.com. Web.
Yamamato, Eric, Dale Minami and May Lee Heye. "One
Man Seeks Justice from a Nation: Korematsu v.
United States." Untold Civil Rights Stories. Los
Angeles: 2009. 76-85. Asian Americans Advancing
Justice – Los Angeles. Web.
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Image courtesy of the Korematsu Institute and Jay Park
Works Cited