Remembering and Honoring "Comfort Women"
Photo credit: Eric Mar
Purpose: Students will determine critical elements of a memorial to determine its purpose and effectiveness.
Objective: Students will analyze a ‘Comfort Woman’ memorial, read multiple articles, and have a discussion.
CA H-SS Framework Standard: 10.11 Economic Integration and Contemporary Revolutions in Information, Technology, and Communications - Has the world become more peaceful? Is the nature of conflict changing? How do ideas about universal human rights relate to other value and identity systems in the contemporary world? 11.11 Contemporary American Society - How did the Cold War end and what foreign policy developments came out of it? In what ways have issues such as education; civil rights for people of color, immigrants, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans, and disabled Americans; economic policy; the environment; and the status of women remained unchanged over time? In what ways have they changed?
Suggested Time: 1-2 class days
Procedure:
Materials:
Objective: Students will analyze a ‘Comfort Woman’ memorial, read multiple articles, and have a discussion.
CA H-SS Framework Standard: 10.11 Economic Integration and Contemporary Revolutions in Information, Technology, and Communications - Has the world become more peaceful? Is the nature of conflict changing? How do ideas about universal human rights relate to other value and identity systems in the contemporary world? 11.11 Contemporary American Society - How did the Cold War end and what foreign policy developments came out of it? In what ways have issues such as education; civil rights for people of color, immigrants, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans, and disabled Americans; economic policy; the environment; and the status of women remained unchanged over time? In what ways have they changed?
Suggested Time: 1-2 class days
Procedure:
- Project images of ‘comfort woman’ statue -Sullivan, Justin. Allow students time to observe and respond to initial observation questions.
- Reading activity suggestions: Jigsaw, paired reading, Close reading, Close Collaboration. 3 articles of different length and difficulty are listed in materials.
- Students respond to questions.
- Class discussion.
Materials:
- Overhead projector
- Sullivan, Justin. “'Comfort Women' Statue In San Francisco Draws Ire From SF's Sister City in Japan.” Zimbio, Getty Images North America, 31 Oct. 2017, www.zimbio.com/pictures/xXlE7ww5hXA/Comfort+Women+Statue+San+Francisco+Draws+Ire/5R928lE8_v0.
- “San Francisco Accepts 'Comfort Women' Statue.” BBC News, BBC, 23 Nov. 2017, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42092477. (mild)
- Fortin, Jacey. “'Comfort Women' Statue in San Francisco Leads a Japanese City to Cut Ties.”The New York Times, The New York Times, 25 Nov. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/11/25/world/asia/comfort-women-statue.html. (medium)
- McGrane, Sally. “An Important Statue for ‘Comfort Women’ in San Francisco.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2017, www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/an-important-statue-for-comfort-women-in-san-francisco. (spicy)
- Worksheet
- Chronology: Formation of the ‘Comfort Women’ Justice Coalition, Eric Mar (optional)
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