Executive Order 9066
U.S. History 1877-Present (EOC)
Teacher Guide for the Lesson on Executive Order 9066
Standard:
US.7(C)
Content Objective:

We can analyze how Executive Order 9066 impacted Japanese Americans during WWII.

Language Objective: Answer the following question in complete sentences using the sentence stem and the key vocabulary of the lesson:

Why do you think Eleanor Roosevelt opposed Executive Order 9066?

I think Eleanor Roosevelt opposed Executive Order 9066 because...

Other key vocabulary:
Visual for Executive Order 9066

By studying this visual, students might:

Notice
  • Germany invaded Poland, this led to World War II.
  • The United States entered WWII when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.
  • President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066.
  • Executive Order 9066 allowed the detainment of Japanese Americans by the US army. They were relocated to internment camps.
  • Eleanor Roosevelt visited internment camps and did not agree with the detention of Japanese Americans.
Wonder
  • Why were Japanese Americans specifically targeted?
  • What happened to the people sent to internment camps?
  • Did anyone speak out against Executive Order 9066?
  • How long did the internment last?
  • Were there any legal challenges to the order?

Extending the Discussion

  • After randomly calling on students, if there is anything from this list that was not mentioned, then ask the class, "Did anyone notice...?"
  • After students have shared what they notice, ask the class, "Did anyone wonder...?" using the suggestions above or anything else you might think is interesting or relevant to the lesson.

Structured Conversation Prompts

Observational

What was Executive Order 9066?

Executive Order 9066 was...

Relational

How was Executive Order 9066 related to the attack on Pearl Harbor?

Executive Order 9066 was related to the attack on Pearl Harbor because...

Inferential

Why do you think Eleanor Roosevelt opposed Executive Order 9066?

I think Eleanor Roosevelt opposed Executive Order 9066 because...

Example Student Responses to the Observational Question

Low-Level

Executive Order 9066 was a law that put Japanese Americans in internment camps.

High-Level

Executive Order 9066 was a presidential order issued during WWII that authorized the forced removal and internment of Japanese Americans.

Responding to Responses

Emphasize and celebrate each student's use of the key vocabulary to support a culture of "no wrong answers."

Structuring Student Conversations

Have students list observations from the visual as a warm-up, then use the Q-SSS-A process to guide small-group conversations. In the slide decks, brackets can be moved to prepare the structured conversation. In the example to the right, students will be instructed: Q-SSS-A.

  • To put a thumb up, then lower their hand when they are ready to answer the question
  • To share with their elbow/shoulder partner, and that the student with the darkest shoe will share first
  • That they will be randomly called on after the conversation

Here is an example of structuring a conversation with Q-SSS-A.

Note: the inferential question is the same as the language objective. It is recommended that students answer the inferential question in a small-group discussion before answering it individually as the closure or exit ticket of the lesson.

Structured Reading

Reading Purpose

The purpose for reading is to explore how government actions during wartime can impact civil rights.

PAT List
  • What Executive Order 9066 allowed the government to do
  • How Japanese Americans were treated
  • Kenji’s family’s experience
  • Who visited the internment camp
  • What Eleanor Roosevelt did and said after her visit
Post-Reading Discussion

What does Kenji’s story show us about how Executive Order 9066 affected Japanese Americans?

Kenji’s story shows that Executive Order 9066 affected Japanese Americans by...

Structuring the Reading

Communicate the purpose of reading to the students and instruct them to make a note every time they see something on the PAT ("Pay Attention To") list. How you have students note items on the PAT list is up to you. This could include:

  • Putting an asterisk in the margin
  • Underlining text that supports the PAT list
  • Putting a comment in the margin

Follow the reading with the post-reading discussion. Structure this discussion using the Q-SSS-A process just like the structured conversations in this lesson.

Note: you might find the relational question is better discussed before or after the reading. This depends on whether the relational question is directly related to the reading or might make connections across units.

Differentiating the Reading

You will notice that three different reading passages are provided with this lesson. Look at the shapes in the top-left of each passage to determine the grade level.

BELOW GRADE LEVEL
Below grade level shape key
Triangle is bottom-left
ON GRADE LEVEL
On grade level shape key
Square is bottom-left
ABOVE GRADE LEVEL
Above grade level shape key
Circle is bottom-left

In a class with students at diverse reading level proficiencies, you can give the appropriate reading passage to different students, while having all students follow the same PAT list and post-reading discussion.