MULTIPLE

PERSPECTIVES IN MULTI-MODAL TEXTS

Instructor: Mr. Justin W. Carrington

SUMMARY: As a part of this lesson, students will learn firsthand the importance of point of view and
perspective while reviewing many of the rhetorical devices/strategies that we discuss throughout the year. In
addition to discussing complex historical events and seminal US documents, this highly collaborative lesson
also allows me to utilize a range of different types of media (e.g., video, speeches, photographs, and
paintings/drawings) to evaluate and analyze argument in different forms.

MATERIALS NEEDED:
Japanese Relocation US Explanation 1942 (available via YouTube)
Class set of Estelle Ishigos art pieces
Copies of Day of Infamy speech
Copies of Day of Infamy tiered analysis handouts
Class set of Day of Infamy draft

OBJECTIVES:
RI1. Cite textual evidence from informational text to support analysis and inferences
RI6. Determine and analyze point of view and cultural perspective in informational texts
RI7. Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different informational mediums
RI8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in an informational text
RI9. Analyze seminal U.S. informational documents of historical literary significance
SL1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of relevant collaborative discussions.
L4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases.

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN, MAJOR TASKS, ACTIVITIES:
Journal Entry: Why is it important to consider different points of view of an event/situation?

Brief lecture on Japanese internment camps to establish historical context (could opt to do a KWL at
the beginning to help students access prior knowledge).

Rhetorical Analysis of Day of Infamy Speech
o Provide each student with a copy of FDRs Day of Infamy speech. Play an audio recording of
the speech and have students follow along on their printed copy, annotating for any
figurative/rhetorical devices that immediately stand out to them.
o After, we will discuss what the text says using the What does it say? questions.
o After doing this, instruct students to complete the What does it mean? questions on their
tiered analysis assignment with members of their group.
o Once groups finish this, provide them with copies of FDRs first draft of the Day of Infamy
speech and instruct them to complete the last part of the tiered analysis assignment (What
does it matter?), in which they will identify and analyze the effect of specific changes FDR
made to his speech.
o Review the What does it mean? and What does it matter? sections as a class.

Japanese Interment through the Eyes of the American Government
o As a conclusion to the first part of this lesson, have students view the Japanese Relocation
US Governments Explanation video and consider the following:
Film clips central argument
Types of evidence/reasons the filmmakers provide to rationalize internment

Specific images that elicit strong responses

Examples of loaded/connotative language.
Upon viewing the clip in its entirety, hold a brief whole-class discussion in which students have
the opportunity to discuss the previously mentioned items (e.g., argument, evidence, reasons,
etc.).

A Different Perspective
o Next, direct students to view all of the photographs of Japanese internment camps posted in
the class Voicethread. While viewing these images, students should be encouraged to
consider how these images support/refute the claims that were made by the American
government. Students will comment on at least three images and respond to posts made by
their classmates
o To further illustrate this vastly different perspective, students will read Internment, a poem
by Juliet S. Kono, and discuss how her experience with internment camps differs from the
experience previously described in the American documents. The poem, itself, will be posted
to the Voicethread, as well, so students will be able to make comments directly there. This will
make it easy to project to the whole class.

Giving a Voice to the Voiceless

o Provide students with some background information on Estelle Ishigo.
o Each group will be assigned one of Ishigos paintings/sketchings that she created to document
her experience in the internment camps. Using their prior knowledge of internment camps
and what we have discussed today, students will work to create another artistic text (e.g.,
vignette, diary entry, poem, etc.) that encompasses the point of view of an internee.

EXTENSION POSSIBILITIES:
In the future, consider having students read the short story Departure (also by the artist Estelle
Ishigo) and compare the written texts with the visual texts.
Students could also be asked to write an essay on the importance of perspective. In writing this essay,
students would be expected to draw specific textual evidence from the pieces we analyzed in class
(amount and types of evidence could be altered for differentiation purposes).

ASSESSMENT:
Since students will be grouped in three different skill-level based groups, I will circulate from group to
group to observe/listen in to their conversations about the texts and guide their discussion where
needed. I will also stop the class occasionally to discuss the task specifically to gauge whether or not
students are fully grasping the concepts.
In terms of formal assessment, students could be given a separate informational text that we have not
discussed and could be asked to complete a similar activity on an individual basis. As I have designed
this lesson as more of a practice/review activity, I have opted not to do this.

SOURCE OF MATERIAL:
The idea for this lesson came from my work with my English 10 PLT. One of my colleagues worked
with the county curriculum writers, and one of the texts they used was FDRs speech. As a part of the
plans they created, they offered a set of questions to go along with the text. I borrowed those
questions and adapted them a bit and created three different tiered sets of questions from the one set
they wrote. I found many of the other sources by simply searching for internment themed art.

After listening to and reading Roosevelts Day of Infamy speech, answer the following questions as a class.

What does it say?

1. What event occurred on December 7, 1941?
2. Why was this event such a surprise?
3. What did the Japanese ambassadors reply to the Secretary of State say?
4. What is made obvious by the distance between Hawaii and Japan?
5. What was the effect of the attack on Pearl Harbor?
6. How many other regions were attacked by the Japanese in the same series of attacks?
7. What does Roosevelt think will be the end result of the Japanese attack on the American people?
8. What declaration does Roosevelt make in the final paragraph?

Roosevelts Day of Infamy Speech Analysis (FDR1)

English II/Honors English II (Carrington)

Instructions: After discussing the first set of questions with the class, answer the following questions with the
members of your group. Please write your responses on a separate sheet of notebook paper. Only one set of
answers are needed; however, one person should not be responsible for writing everything. Remember to
write in complete sentences!


What does it mean?
1. Roosevelt ends his first paragraph by stating that the United States of America was suddenly and
deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. How does this sentence affect
the beginning of the next paragraph that begins, The United States was at peace with that nation?
2. What is the connotation of the word solicitation? How does Roosevelts word choice here impact his
tone?
3. What is ironic about the Japanese ambassadors reply to the Secretary of State?
4. Why does Roosevelt reference the distance between Hawaii and Japan?
5. How does Roosevelts tone change in paragraph 5? What rhetorical choices impact this shift?
6. What is the impact of the repetition of Last night?
7. In the paragraph that begins, Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive, why does
Roosevelt refer to facts that speak for themselves and the already formed opinions of the people
of the U.S.?
8. There is another shift in tone in the paragraph that begins, No matter how long it may take.
Describe this shift and explain the rhetorical choices hat contribute to the shift.
9. What do you notice about the sentence, Hostilities exist? What is the impact of this sentence? What
rhetorical strategy/device does the author employ in the latter part of this paragraph? What is its
effect?

What does it matter?
10. Compare/contrast the final version of the Day of Infamy speech with the rough draft and
Roosevelts edits.
11. Choose three (3) changes made between the original and final versions. Why do these changes
matter? How did they change the tone or impact of the speech?
12. Why is it important to revise your work? How might grammatical changes (e.g., using a dash instead
of a comma, repeating a certain phrase at the beginning of successive clauses, etc.) impact tone or
effect? What about word changes?

Roosevelts Day of Infamy Speech Analysis (FDR2)

English II/Honors English II (Carrington)

Instructions: After discussing the first set of questions with the class, answer the following questions with the
members of your group. Please write your responses on a separate sheet of notebook paper. Only one set of
answers are needed; however, one person should not be responsible for writing everything. Remember to
write in complete sentences!

What does it mean?
1. Juxtaposition is a term used to describe the act of putting two things beside each other, often times
to point out differences. Look at the end of the first paragraph (the United States of America was
suddenly and deliberately) and the beginning of the second paragraph (The United States was at
peace). What is Roosevelt trying to point out using this juxtaposition?
2. The word solicitation means a humble request addressed to someone of superior status. How does
using this word instead of a word like request impact meaning and tone?
3. What is ironic about the Japanese ambassadors reply to the Secretary of State?
4. Why does Roosevelt reference the distance between Hawaii and Japan in the paragraph that begins,
It will be recorded?
5. How does Roosevelts tone change from the paragraph that begins, It will be recorded to the
paragraph that begins, The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands? What images (e.g., sights,
sounds, feelings, etc.) does the author use to create this new tone?
6. What is the impact of the repetition of Last night? (NOTE: The first four places that Roosevelt
mentions are foreign territories; the last one is a part of Hawaii).
7. In the paragraph that begins, Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive, why does
Roosevelt refer to facts that speak for themselves and the already formed opinions of the people
of the U.S.?
8. Describe the tone of the paragraph that begins, No matter how long it may take. What words,
phrases, or images contribute to this tone?
9. Instead of using a really long, drawn out sentence, Roosevelt simply begins one of his latter
paragraphs by saying, Hostilities exist. What is the impact of this short sentence? Why does the
author repeat the pronoun our in this paragraph?

What does it matter?
10. Compare/contrast the final version of the Day of Infamy speech with the rough draft and
Roosevelts edits.
11. Choose three (3) changes made between the original and final versions. Why do these changes
matter? How did they change the tone or impact of the speech?
12. Why is it important to revise your work? How might grammatical changes (e.g., using a dash instead
of a comma, repeating a certain phrase at the beginning of successive clauses, etc.) impact tone or
effect? What about word changes?

Roosevelts Day of Infamy Speech Analysis (FDR3)

English II/Honors English II (Carrington)

Instructions: After discussing the first set of questions with the class, answer the following questions with the
members of your group. Please write your responses on a separate sheet of notebook paper. Only one set of
answers are needed; however, one person should not be responsible for writing everything. Remember to
write in complete sentences!


What does it mean?
1. Look at the end of the first paragraph (the United States of America was suddenly and
deliberately) and the beginning of the second paragraph (The United States was at peace). Why
does Roosevelt begin the way he does? What is he trying to point out?
2. The word solicitation means a humble request addressed to someone of superior status. How does
using this word instead of a word like request impact meaning and tone?
3. What is ironic (irony: when what you expect to happen and what actually happens dont matchup)
about the Japanese ambassadors reply to the Secretary of State?
4. What does Roosevelt point out in the paragraph that begins It will be recorded? (HINT: He uses
words/phrases like deliberately , deceive , and false statements and expressions of hope to make his
point known).
5. Reread the paragraph that begins, The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands? What images
(e.g., sights, sounds, feelings, etc.) does the author use? How do these images impact Roosevelts
tone from the paragraph that begins, It will be recorded ?
6. In the lines that begin, Last night why does Roosevelt first list foreign places that Japan attacked
and then the part of Hawaii (Midway Island) last?
7. In the paragraph that begins, Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive, why does
Roosevelt refer to facts that speak for themselves and the already formed opinions of the people
of the U.S.?
8. Describe the tone of the paragraph that begins, No matter how long it may take. What words,
phrases, or images contribute to this tone?
9. Instead of using a really long, drawn out sentence, Roosevelt simply begins one of his latter
paragraphs by saying, Hostilities exist. Why does Roosevelt use this short sentence instead of a
longer one? (HINT: Think about when your parent use short, direct sentences with you) Why does the
author repeat the pronoun our in this paragraph? What is he trying to emphasize?

What does it matter?
10. Compare/contrast the final version of the Day of Infamy speech with the rough draft and
Roosevelts edits.
11. Analyze the following changes from Roosevelts original draft to his final. Why do these changes
matter? How did they change the tone or impact of the speech?
a. In the original draft of his speech Roosevelt wrote, a date which will live in world history as
opposed to a date which will live in infamy (final draft). What is the impact of this small
change (from world history to infamy)?
b. The paragraph that begins, No matter how long it may take (final draft) was not included in
the original draft. Why might Roosevelt have added this?
c. In the original speech, Roosevelt writes, a state of war exists between the United States and
the Japanese Empire. In the final version, however, he writes that a state of war has existed
between the United States and the Japanese Empire in the last paragraph. What is the
impact of this simple tense change?

12. Why is it important to revise your work? How might grammatical changes (e.g., using a dash instead
of a comma, repeating a certain phrase at the beginning of successive clauses, etc.) impact tone or
effect? What about word changes?