Pearl Harbor Day
By Maggie Hogan
December 7th
“A Date Which Will Live in Infamy...”
Although I believe in teaching history in a chronological, orderly fashion, I also believe in “teachable moments.” Important dates fall into this category. Pearl Harbor Day should not pass unnoticed. Today’s column will give you ideas for making it a day to be remembered in your house. I’m working on the assumption that you will be taking this event out of context and that you probably only have a day or two to spend studying it. So... we’ll keep this simple!
Warning! Do not attempt to do everything listed below in one day!
Videos
There are many movies made about WW2. Most are unsuitable for families. One that we thought stayed fairly close to the facts and kept gore to a minimum is an older movie called “Tora! Tora! Tora!” Probably best for junior high and up. It’s a great summary of the events surrounding Pearl Harbor.
Books
You only have a day or two so instead of books I recommend you visit the web sites listed below and read some of the summaries and eye-witness accounts found there. Also, make a point to read at least part of FDR’s famous speech out loud. (See last web site.)
Geography
Define harbor. Find good pictures of Pearl Harbor (see web sites) and draw or trace them. Using a blank outline map of the world, fill in the following places: Japan, Hiroshima, Tokyo, Okinawa, Philippines, Bataan, Wake Island, Midway Island, Guam, Hawaii, O'ahu, Pearl Harbor.
Timelines
Use the information at the second web site below to fill out a large poster with the events in the order they happened. Younger students can add drawings to illustrate the important moments.
Scrapbooks
WW2 broke out while my dad was in college. He joined the Navy, went to Annapolis Naval Academy for Officer’s Training School, married my mom, and shipped out on the U.S.S. Princeton (which later sunk in the Pacific). My mom, a new bride during difficult times, took to keeping a scrapbook of the war. She cut out newspaper headlines and articles, photos, clippings from magazines, etc. along with letters and pasted them in her book. A few years ago our oldest son became enamored with WW2 and read everything he could find about the subject. Imagine his delight when his grandmother was able to pull out this old scrapbook with crumbling yellowed pages and show him what it looked like from her eyes!
You may know someone who has kept a book like this. There may be WW2 vets in your church or family. These people are like gold! Find them and talk to them - even over the phone.
Keep a scrapbook about the war on terrorism. This may become a special book for your grandchildren! Keeping a scrapbook is a way for kids to help organize the many aspects of this war, to feel like they have some control, and to remind them to pray for all involved. Current events are an important part of education and these historic times we live in especially demand our attention. Working regularly in a “War Book” provides an outlet and opportunity for discussion. A 12" X 15" scrapbook would be a good size to accommodate newspaper articles. (Note: This does not give Creative Memories junkies permission to go buy another album!)
Writing Assignments or Discussion Questions
Here’s an opportunity to practice logic and thinking skills! Write or discuss: What are the major similarities and major differences between “The Day of Infamy” and the events of 9/11?
Or, put yourself at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th. Decide who you are and why you are there. Write a journal entry (in the first person) for that day.
Field Trips
Catch a flight to O'ahu. Okay... just kidding! But my friend Stephanie was blessed to visit Pearl Harbor along with her Air Force Pilot husband. Here’s what she had to say about it:
What struck me the most was how solemn it was. Here we were, a bunch of typical tourists (including many Japanese) filing through the memorial SILENTLY. We were reminded that this is not just an historic monument, but also a military graveyard. The wall of names listing all the dead servicemen was particularly touching. While at Pearl Harbor I could sense a feeling of what it must have been like on that day. For me, being there made history come to life.
My friend Sharon from NY went with her family. Here’s what she adds:
I have only felt that solemnity and heavy sense of death and grief one other place I’ve visited - Dachau Concentration Camp in Germany. (Probably folks who have been to Ground Zero would say it is also felt there.)
There is a large military cemetery (Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery) on O’ahu that is the Pacific version of Arlington National Cemetery. On December 7, the relatives of the men who were killed on Dec. 7 gather there and drop leis into the harbor in their memory...VERY touching. Men who served on the Arizona are still being interred there today when they die. Divers take the ashes below the water following a memorial ceremony and lower them through the hull.
Note: The USS Arizona Visitor Center is located on the Pearl Harbor Naval Base adjacent to the sunken remains of the USS Arizona, which went down in 9 minutes with 1,177 men on board. The center is operated and maintained by the National Park Service. Young children are not allowed to go out to the Arizona Memorial.
Web Sites for Research
www.unverse.com/WW2.html
Brief year-by-year timeline of events surrounding WW2 with links to specific subject areas.
www.execpc.com/~dschaaf/mainmenu.html
Enough to read, but not overwhelming. Has an hour-by-hour account of the day.
http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/pearlharbor/
Large, wonderful site! Check out the multi-media map and timeline!
www.google.com is a fabulous search engine for finding more great sites.
http://www.ukans.edu/carrie/docs/texts/fdr81241.htm
Here’s the full text of the famous speech by President Roosevelt, beginning with, "Yesterday, December 7,1941 - a date which will live in infamy -- The United States was suddenly and deliberately attacked....”
For outline maps, atlases, and blank timelines, visit our website www.brightideaspress.com. This article is taken from my upcoming book, Homeschoolers’ History Sourcebook.