Message from cseman

[Anonymous]

Teaching about Asia using the movie Grave of the Fireflies by Isao Takahata
I decided to see and review the movie “Grave of the Fireflies” by Isao Takahata. This movie is based on the autobiography of Akiyuki Nosaka. Mr. Nosaka grew up in Kobe, Japan where one of his sisters died as a result of sickness, and another sister died of malnutrition. I learned that he is also well known for his children’s stories about the war, The Whale That Fell in Love with a Submarine. I also found a children’s book, World War II for Kids PBS by Richard Panchyk. I teach 2nd grade, although my movie assessment will be on a lesson for 6th grade or older, I also researched books and movies to teach about war to primary grades. It is my opinion that this film is not for primary grades. I did debate in showing some scenes, but in the end I decided not to as I felt it is not appropriate for young children even though it’s an animated film.
Summary: “Grave of the Fireflies” is a tragic film about a brother and sister, Seita and Setsuko, struggling to survive in Japan during World War II.
Lesson: I would use this movie in teaching ELA and Social Studies. I would connect it with ELA focusing on reading and introducing the literary element of “flashback.” I would start by asking students if they have ever been in a situation that triggered memories about something that happened in the past. I would introduce the definition of flashback. I would present a short, introductory lesson on the history of WWII with Japan and the U.S. To create a theme for our reading, I would follow up with the article, U.S. Official Visits Peace Park in Japan Where Atomic Bomb was Dropped by Bloomberg News, adapted by Newsela staff on 4/18/16 (Website: newsela.com, excellent reading resource). I would then have students create a map (Geography) where students will need to place the names of the locations where these events took place. They will follow up with a class discussion that focuses on the geography of Japan and discuss the impact this geography might have had on the war and its impact on the soldiers. Students will also discuss what they learned from the activities. Finally, I will show students the movie, “Grave of the Fireflies.”
Objectives: Students will:
· Learn the literary element of flashback
· Learn an introduction to the history of World War II
· Learn the geographic settings where this historical event occurred
· Learn the impact of the war on Japanese people