Asian America

Lesson: Watch and discuss the film Jade Snow Wong to understand the cultural conflicts experienced by Chinese American women during the 1930s-40s and how similar tensions still exist today.

Lesson: Students will 1) understand how Wong was viewed by her community as a rebel in her choice of career and in her artistic style; 2) practice using compare/contrast skills to identify the hallmarks of art from the Qing and Song dynasties, to understand how Wong’s work was initially judged; and 3) hone discussion skills through the use of Project Zero’s Artful Thinking Routines.

Lesson: Compare and contrast experiences between Kay Sekimachi and the characters of When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka during Relocation and the Internment Camps to draw themes about the treatment of American and Japanese cultures and the erasure of individuality during World War II. 

Lesson: Students will take inspiration from Sekimachi and write a short essay on the cultures, celebrations, and traditions that represent them.  They will then create a poster, slideshow, or video that illustrate your essay.

Lesson: Interview a grandparent, parent, guardian, or community member about their childhood, immigration story, family traditions or celebrations.

Students will practice close looking and writing skills through crafting poems inspired by Chiura Obata’s natural landscapes.

Carlos Villa Biography and Lesson Plans

Biography and lesson plans