AAPI PERSPECTIVES THEME: Joy & Cultural Resistance
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
SUBJECT: Social Studies; Ethnic Studies, Dance; World Music; Art
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:: How have people used different platforms (e.g., policy, education, boards/commissions) to resist dominant narratives and uplift counternarratives?
CENTRAL QUESTIONS/BIG IDEAS:
Think of the ways Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) and the global diaspora have used art and creativity to shape and share their identity.
Examine the artistic practices that are being used and adapted by AANHPI creatives today. Where are these expressions rooted from, their origins, and their appeal to AANHPI communities today?
What are ways individuals/groups can be mindful of cultural heritage and practices while paying homage to them in new ways?
CONTENT OBJECTIVE:
Knowledge:
Learning about how AANHPI creatives used their talents and voices to share their identity and messages to audiences across the world.
Breaking from the “model minority” myth and stereotypes that have often been associated with Asian-Americans and immigrants.
Examining and understanding the complex issues that revolve around AANHPI identity in the USA and how individuals choose to express/represent that identity in and outside the USA.
Skills:
Assessing how communities of color use the arts to construct new identities and counter narratives that push back against the stereotypes and cultural misconceptions that come with being an immigrant and Asian-American.
Recognizing the use of art as a vehicle to tell complex issues and subjects in new and impactful ways.
Habits:
Use RAFT assignments (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) where students must consider a situation, letter, speech or poem from a perspective other than their own, or that of the original speakers.
Examine the different ways and reasons people use art as a vehicle for ideas and stories.
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT AREA STANDARDS:
Connecting—Anchor Standard 10: Synthesize and Relate Knowledge and Personal Experiences to Make Art
Responding—Anchor Standard 8: Interpret Intent and Meaning in Artistic Work
CA ELD STANDARDS:
IEP/504 ACCOMMODATIONS:
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
PJ Hirabayashi Oral History (52:29 >> 56:59 )
“No Redress” from Navigating With(Out) Instruments by traci kato kiriyama Video (link)
Lyrics Born & Cutso “ANTI” Video (link)
Lyrics Born & Cutso “ANTI” Lyrics (link)
LESSON IMPLEMENTATION SEQUENCE:
Step 1: Warmup
Duration: 15 minutes
Purpose: Reflect and evaluate the primary source material. Examine who the person is, their history, their identity, and the meaning behind what they are sharing.
Reflect on the different ways humanity expresses itself in society and list the ways humans have expressed themselves from the past, present, and possible future. Think emerging technologies in AI/VR/AR spaces.
Implementation:
Introducing the flow of the lesson. Have the students watch PJ Hirabayashi’s interview, or read the transcription. Afterwards, have the students reflect on PJ’s interview and comment on:
Her personal feelings about her identity as a Japanese American;
How she used her creativity/art to express her ideas/thoughts/feelings to the world.
Step 2: Discussion:
Pose these questions:
In what ways can a message be amplified through creative expression?
What are some creative practices societies use to share and preserve their history.
Share thoughts with the class or in groups.
Resources/Materials:
Slides 1-8 (optional - for setup of the lesson)
Slides 9-10 for discussion
PJ Hirabayashi Oral History (transcript on slide)
Assessment: Classroom discussion
Step 3: Group Work
Duration: 15 minutes
Purpose: Expose students to prominent leaders/artists in the contemporary Japanese American creative space. Share lyrical/literary/mu sical practices of rap, hip hop, spoken word, poetry. Examine the ways these artists take on tough issues and create responses/counter narratives.
Implementation:
Watch the pieces by two other Japanese American artists, traci kato-kiriyama and Lyrics Born. Examine and identify the different artistic expressions they are using to share their ideas and important issues.
In pairs/groups discuss what are the larger issues and themes traci and Lyrics Born are speaking about.
Why are their creative methods effective (or not)?
What sort of audience will resonate with these artforms?
Where do these artforms come from?
How do you relate/respond to these examples?
Connect back to any lessons on Japanese American redress movement, Japanese American internment, AAPI Hate.
Resources/Materials:
Slides 12-14
traci kato-kiriyama video
Song and lyrics by Lyrics Born
Assessment: Examine content and highlight their use in telling a bigger idea/topic to an audience.
Step 3: Instructional Activity - Writing
Duration: 15 minutes
Purpose: Creating art and literature into a creative response to a current event.
Implementation:
Ask the students to identify with an issue that resonates strongly with them. It can be about current events, about facets of their personal identity, things that happened in the past/present etc.
Have the students compose a poem/rap/free write about the topic of their choice. Ask them to adhere to creating something meaningful, true, and appropriate for the assignment/classroom.
Ask students to share: Reason for the topic, why they decided to use this method of expression, how did it make them feel?
Resources/Materials:
Slides 15-16
Paper or notebook
Assessment: Creating a piece of art/literature that helps to highlight a topic/issue.
Step 4: Reflection:
Duration: 10 minutes
Purpose: Reviewing the lesson and understanding the ways PJ’s personal experiences helped her communicate through her art to reach a broader audience.
Connect this with traci’s and Lyrics Born’s work as well.
Implementation:
Reflect on PJ’s interview. Her inspirations and how she used them to share a part of her identity and feelings to audiences who did not know her. With this lens, think about how it applies to traci and Lyrics Born’s work. Who they are speaking to and for. What it takes to create these works and put them out into the world.
Resources/Materials: Slides 17-18
Assessment: Class reflection