Analyzing the History of Amache Through Primary Sources

Audience
Educators interested in using primary source material with students.

Location
Classroom or meeting room

Objectives and Outcomes

• Participants will be introduced to primary and secondary source materials.
  
• Participants will learn how to fulfill Colorado Model Content Standards for History Standard 2: Students know how to use the processes and resources of historical inquiry. 2.2: Students know how to interpret and evaluate primary and secondary sources of historical information.
  

Time
One Hour

Materials

• InFocus projector connected to computer with internet access, for instructor.
• Computers with internet connection (optional)
• Handouts: Copies of the Primary Source Analysis Guide
• Copies of the primary sources listed below, if not using computers.
  
• Blank paper and writing utensil for evaluation
• Snacks!

Possible Procedures

1. Introductions and go over agenda (5 minutes)
   
   
2. Introduce primary and secondary sources by using the first 15 slides of the presentation "Using Digital Primary Source Material with K-12 Students". (10 minutes)
   
   
3. Introduce the events leading up to the creation of the Amache Relocation Center by showing the presentation and giving the necessary background information. (5 minutes)
   
   
4. Handout printouts of primary sources of Amache and analysis guide. Depending on group size, handout one primary source to each participant, or group of participants. Alternatively, if participants are on computers, have students view the following primary sources:
   
   
   • Nurse Matilda Honda and a patient at Colorado General Hospital in Denver, Colorado where Miss Honda is employed as a staff nurse at the relocation center hospital
     http://carbon.cudenver.edu/public/library//archives/cdp/chs7.jpg
     
     
   • Closed Sign
     http://carbon.cudenver.edu/public/library/archives/cdp/mc25.jpg
     
     
   • Evacuees arriving at the Granada Relocation Center
     http://carbon.cudenver.edu/public/library/archives/cdp/mc18.jpg
     
     
   • Guard Tower
     http://carbon.cudenver.edu/public/library/archives/cdp/mc16.jpg
     
     
   • First Amache War Casualties
     http://carbon.cudenver.edu/public/library/archives/cdp/mc15.jpg
     
     
   • Three young evacuees drop their baggage and relax to argue about whose bunk goes in which corner on arriving at their new quarters.
     http://carbon.cudenver.edu/public/library//archives/cdp/chs8.jpg
     
     
   • Amache High School Student Letters (choose one of the letters)
     http://carbon.cudenver.edu/public/library//archives/cdp/corr.pdf
     
     
   • Granada Relocation Center Directory
     http://carbon.cudenver.edu/public/library//archives/cdp/dir2.pdf
     
     
   • Granada Pioneer Dec. 5, 1942
     http://carbon.cudenver.edu/public/library//archives/cdp/v1n13.pdf
     
     
   • Children in the Granada Relocation Center
     http://carbon.cudenver.edu/public/library/archives/cdp/mc24.jpg
     
     
5. Give participants time to analyze their primary source using the Analysis Guide (10 minutes).
   
   
6. Have participants present to group their primary source and their analysis. (5 minutes)
   
   
7. Discuss as a group, were the analyses accurate? What other information do you need to determine this? How does viewing just one of the sources suggest a different history then viewing several or all of the primary sources? Were participants aware that there was a relocation center in Amache? Discuss how the primary source analyses tell the history of Amache. (10 minutes)
   
   
8. Discuss How using primary source materials supports student experience with using historical inquiry. Discuss suitable assessments for the standard. (5 minutes)
   
   
9. Show instructors how you accessed the Amache images, from the Amache Digital Collections Project. Show other collections of primary source materials about the Japanese Relocation Centers during WWII, such as "Suffering under a Great Injustice": Ansel Adams's Photographs of Japanese-American Internment at Manzanar". (5 minutes)
   
   
10. Evaluations and wrap up. (5 minutes)
    

From "A History of Us" Workshop, University of Denver, June & November, 2003.