the warrior tradition - teacher downloads - draft · navajo code talkers in the pacific theater....

Continuing the Warrior Tradition, page 1 © National World War II Museum

CONTINUING TCONTINUING TCONTINUING TCONTINUING THE WARRIOR TRADITIONHE WARRIOR TRADITIONHE WARRIOR TRADITIONHE WARRIOR TRADITION American Indians in World War II

Teacher and Student Materials for

Virtual Field Trip videoconference

The National World War II Museum

945 Magazine Street

New Orleans, LA 70130

504-527-6012

www.nationalww2museum.org

Continuing the Warrior Tradition, page 2 © National World War II Museum

The National WWII Museum

The Warrior Tradition: American Indians in World War II

Virtual Field Trip

Before your Virtual Field Trip

1. To better prepare your students for their National WWII Museum Virtual Field Trip, share

with them the Vocabulary List on pages 8-9.

2. Make copies of the student hand-out materials, pages 5-7, and distribute them to your class

when directed during the videoconference.

3. Make a Test Call to The National WWII Museum at least five (5) days prior to your Virtual

Field Trip. E-mail [email protected] to arrange your test call.

On the day of your Virtual Field Trip

1. With your students situated in your classroom or videoconference studio, dial the National

WWII Museum’s IP address: 72.158.213.42.

2. If there is a loss of connection during the video-conference, hang up and try to re-dial. The

telephone number in the Museum’s distance learning studio is 504-527-6012, x 351.

3. The Museum educator will greet your students and conduct the session. Students will be

asked to participate by raising their hands. You may be asked to select students to answer

certain questions or perform certain activities. You will be called upon to distribute hand-

outs at the appropriate time. You are required to remain in the room during the entire video-

conference.

After your Virtual Field Trip

1. A list of post-visit activities is attached.

2. The Museum will email an evaluation form for you to fill out and email back. By filling the

form out, you will help the Museum improve its educational programming.

TEACHER GUIDE

Continuing the Warrior Tradition, page 3 © The National World War II Museum



Virtual Field Trip

PURPOSE:

This videoconference explores the American Indian experience of WWII.

OBJECTIVES:

• Identify the “warrior code” and the culture of the American Indian

• Explore the concept of stereotypes and how they have been applied to American

Indians over the years

• Briefly review American Indians participation in the U.S. military

• Explore the experiences of American Indians during WWII

• Examine the experiences of the Code Talkers; participate in a code-talking activity

STANDARDS:

Grades 5-8

o Explain how information and experiences may be interpreted by people from diverse

cultural perspectives and frames of reference;

o Explain why individuals respond differently to their physical and social environments

and/or changes to them on the basis of shared assumptions, values and beliefs;

o Articulate the implications of cultural diversity, as well as cohesion, within and

across those groups; and

o Use the facts and concepts drawn from history, along with the elements of historical

inquiry, to inform decision making about and action-taking on public issues.

Grades 9-12

o Explain the ways groups, societies, and cultures address human needs and concerns;

o Apply an understanding of culture as an integrated whole that that explains the

functions and interactions of language, literature, the arts, traditions, beliefs and

values, and behavior patterns;

o Demonstrate the value of cultural diversity, as well as cohesion, within and across

groups;

o Differentiate between historical knowledge and the concept of time as socially

influenced constructions that lead historians to be selective in the questions they seek

to answer and the evidence they use; and

o Investigate, interpret, and analyze multiple historical and contemporary viewpoints

within and across cultures related to important events, recurring dilemmas, and

persistent issues, while employing empathy, skepticism, and critical judgment.




Virtual Field Trip

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The National WWII Museum in New Orleans has created this Virtual Field Trip video-

conference to introduce students to the American Indians in World War II, and their contribution

to the victory. By participating in this Virtual Field Trip students will:

• Learn the following terms:

American Indian

Code Talker

Code Talkers Recognition Act of 2002

Indian Citizenship Act of 1924

Indian Reorganization Act of 1934

European Theater

Home Front

Nation

Native American

Pacific Theater

Patriotism

Prejudice

Propaganda

Reservation

Stereotype

Swastika

Tribe

Warrior Tradition

• Explore the legacy of the “Warrior Tradition” and its impact on American History

• Read a primary document related to the American Indians in World War II and:

o Determine whether a document is a primary or secondary source

o Analyze the contents of the document

o Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different type of documents for

historical research

o Discuss and determine ways of further analyzing documents; and

• Gain a knowledge of several career opportunities related to the study of history,

including:

o Museum curator

o Museum educator

o Historical researcher

o Genealogical Researcher




Virtual Field Trip

USMC Approval Letter from General Clayton Vogel (p. 1)


USMC Approval Letter from General Clayton Vogel (p. 2)




Virtual Field Trip

Use the following Navajo words to decipher the coded message on the screen.

American Word Navajo Word Literal Translation

REGIMENT TABAHA EDGE WATER

COMMANDING GEN. BIH-KEH-HE (G) WAR CHIEF

DECEMBER YAS-NIL-TES CRUSTED SNOW

AMBUSH KHAC-DA AMBUSH

AND DO AND

ARTILLERY BE-AL-DOH-TSO-LANI MANY BIG GUNS

ASSAULT ALTSEH-E-JAH-HE FIRST STRIKER

BATTERY BIH-BE-AL-DOH-TKA-IH THREE GUNS

COMMA TSA-NA-DAHL TAIL DROP

INFANTRY TA-NEH-NAL-DAHI INFANTRY

ELEMENT AH-NA-NAI TROOP REPRESENTING OTHERS

TANK CHAY-DA-GAHI TORTOISE

PLATOON HAS-CLISH-NIH MUD

APPROACH BI-CHI-OL-DAH APPROACH

CHEMICAL TA-NEE CHEMICAL

NOW KUT NOW

DIG IN LE-EH-GADE DIG IN

Write the translated message here:




Virtual Field Trip

VOCABULARY

American Indian: The contemporary term for people with ancestry in the United States or

Canada that precedes European arrival in the Western Hemisphere. This term is interchangeable

with Native American.

Code Talker: an American Indian in the U.S. military who used his language to send and receive

coded messages. Code talkers were used in WWI, but more extensively in WWII, particularly

Navajo Code Talkers in the Pacific Theater.

Code Talkers Recognition Act of 2002: A Congressional recognition of the valuable

contribution made by Code Talkers to the Allied victory in WWII.

Indian Citizenship Act of 1924: Congressional resolution granting U.S. citizenship to all

American Indians.

Indian Reorganization Act of 1934: Legislation meant to help relieve the poverty and poor

living conditions on American Indian reservations. The act returned thousands of acres of land to

reservations, provided federal financial and technical aid, and supplied health and education

services, as well as returned local self-government on a tribal basis.

European Theater: The area of WWII where the Allies fought against Germany and Italy.

Home Front: The United States during WWII.

Nation: A political unit of American Indians recognized by the United States government, made

up of one or more tribes.

Native American: same as American Indian

Pacific Theater: The area of WWII where the Allies fought against Japan.

Patriotism: love of country.

Prejudice: prejudgment; making a decision about something or someone before becoming

aware of the relevant facts of a case or event. Having a bias for or against someone based

on who they are, what they look like, how they behave.

Propaganda: government controlled advocacy meant to inspire or lead to certain public actions.

Reservation: area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United State

Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Stereotype: a preconceived idea that attributes certain characteristics to all the members

of a group. The term is often used with a negative connotation when referring to an


oversimplified, exaggerated, or demeaning assumption that a particular individual

possesses the characteristics associated with the class due to his or her membership in it.

Swastika: symbol of the Nazi Party in Germany before and during WWII; also an American

Indian symbol depicting good luck.

Tribe: as related to American Indians, a group of people who share the same culture and

language, political organization, territorial boundaries, and historical experiences.

Warrior Tradition: the legacy passed down through generations of American Indians to fight

with bravery and honor.




Virtual Field Trip

Post-Lesson Activities

1. Assign students to research and write a report about one particular tribe or nation’s

WWII experience. Students can also make oral presentations on their findings to the

class.

2. Hold a discussion, asking students, “If you were an American Indian during WWII,

would you have fought for the United States?” Have students present their reasoning in

an open forum. Once they have presented their opinion, ask them to argue the opposite

view.

3. Regarding the swastika, hold a discussion about the power of symbols. What symbols

do students see as positive or negative in their world? Can a symbol be both positive

and negative? Can a symbol start out one way (positive or negative) and then change?




Virtual Field Trip

Bibliography

Britten, Thomas A. American Indians in World War I: War and At Home. Albuquerque:

University of New Mexico Press, 1997.

Davidson, James West and Mark Hamilton Lytle. After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection.

New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005. [Portions of an essay written by Frederick Jackson Turner

contained within this volume promoted the study of westward expansion in the United States

and encroachment on Indian lands. See also: Frederick Jackson Turner, The Frontier in

American History (New York, 1920)].

Durrett, Deanne. Unsung Heroes of World War II: The Story of the Navajo Code Talkers. New

York: Facts on File, Inc., 1998.

Hossell, Karen Price. Ciphers and Codes. Chicago: Heineman Library, 2003.

Hunter, Sara Hoagland. The Unbreakable Code. Flagstaff, Arizona: Rising Moon Publications,

1996.

Indians in American History. Ed. by Frederick E. Hoxie and Peter Iverson. Wheeling, IL: Harlan

Davidson, Inc. 1998.

Townshend, Kenneth William. World War II and the American Indian. Albuquerque: University

of New Mexico Press, 2000.

the warrior tradition - teacher downloads - draft · navajo code talkers in the pacific theater....

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