Sponsored by Target®
About Dream in ColorHispanic HeritageAfrican American HeritageAsian Pacific Heritage
Dare.Dream.Do.
Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with Target and The Smithsonian Institution

Looking for a way to explore and celebrate Asian Pacific American history and culture in your classroom?

Target and The Smithsonian Institution have partnered to help teachers and students commemorate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with three unique curricula:

Japanese American Baseball in the Camps
Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Word Play

The following sections include grade-appropriate lesson plans and related resources designed to inspire students of all abilities and backgrounds.

Download, share and prepare for a fun, insightful and rewarding learning experience!

Subjects
  • Language Arts
  • Social Studies
Grades
K-2
Duration
2 class periods

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Lesson Plans: Grades K-2

Japanese American Baseball in the Camps

Introduce young students to Japanese American internment during World War II through baseball-related discussions, readings and activities. Help students understand how hardship can lead to both personal growth and a stronger sense of community.

 Word Play

Learn about a traditional Chinese folk tale and a Chinese American artist's interpretation of it. Students will discuss and interpret the artwork, then visualize and illustrate their own environment for the story.
View Lesson Plan View Lesson Plan
Subjects
  • Language Arts
  • Social Studies
Grades
3-5
Duration
2 class periods

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Lesson Plans: Grades 3-5

Japanese American Baseball in the Camps

Introduce young students to Japanese American internment during World War II through baseball-related discussions, readings and activities. Invite students to compare and contrast the internees' experiences with personal team sport-related challenges they've encountered.

 Word Play

Learn about a traditional Chinese folk tale and a Chinese American artist's interpretation of the story. Students will discuss and interpret the artwork, then visualize and illustrate their own environment for the story.
View Lesson Plan View Lesson Plan
Subjects
  • Social Studies
  • Language Arts
Grades
6-8
Duration
2 class periods

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Lesson Plans: Grades 6-8

Letters from the
Japanese American Internment

Encourage students to draw conclusions about life in an internment camp by reading and comparing letters written by young internees. Consider and discuss the advantages of looking at a historical event from the points of view of multiple eyewitnesses.

 Word Play

Conduct an exercise in cross-cultural communication while exploring the language inspired work of Chinese American artist Xu Bing. Students also will learn about animation by creating a flipbook.
View Lesson Plan View Lesson Plan
Subjects
  • Language Arts
  • Social Studies
Grades
9-12
Duration
2 class periods

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Lesson Plans: Grades 6-8

Letters from the
Japanese American Internment

Encourage students to draw conclusions about life in an internment camp by reading, comparing and sharing ideas about letters writtern by young internees. Consider and discuss the advantages of looking at a historical event from the points of view of multiple eyewitnesses.

 Word Play

Conduct an exercise in cross-cultural communication while exploring the language inspired work of Chinese American artist Xu Bing. Students also will learn about animation by creating a flipbook.
View Lesson Plan View Lesson Plan

Related Resources

  • Dream in Color 2008
    Celebrate diversity with Asian Pacific American lesson plans from the Smithsonian Institution.
  • Target Resources
    Get inspired with tips and tools for teachers at the Target.com Resources for Teachers page.
  • Target Celebrates
    Learn more about Target's celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
©2008 Target Stores. Target, the Bullseye Design and 5% Bullseye Design are trademarks of Target Brands, Inc. All rights reserved.