[This article contains excerpts from a Curriculum Guide published by the Bellevue Art Museum Education Program and can be obtained by mailing correspondence to Beverley A. Silver, Coordinator of Children and Docent Education, Bellevue Art Museum, 301 Bellevue Square, Bellevue, WA 98004. It features a sample lesson plan incorporating the Japanese experience in the concentration camps into art instruction.]

"Roger Shimomura: An Artist's Japanese American Experience is an education program developed as a part of the Bellevue Art Museum's exhibition Roger Shimomura: Paintings, Prints, Installation and Performance. . . The program is designed to integrate visual arts, language arts and social studies instruction while providing opportunities for students to see, explore and make art. The art and life of Roger Shimomura is the focus of the education program. Mr. Shimomura is a Seattle-born Japanese American artist who creates innovative work inspired by his ethnic heritage. He combines imagery of American popular culture with traditional Japanese Ukiyo-e prints to create paintings that portray his view of the Japanese American experience since the World War II internment camps.

In viewing Roger Shimomura's paintings and reading the artist's statements, students will learn how he depicts aspects of his cultural identity in his work. Through their own artwork and creative writing, students can respond to Roger Shimomura's art and words. . . .

There is a need for art curricula that incorporate the content and skills stated in the Essential Academic Learning Requirements for the Arts. The educational program Roger Shimomura: An Artist's Japanese American Experience addresses that need. Each of the lessons can be used to assist classroom teachers in guiding students toward meeting the Essential Academic Learning Requirements in the arts, social studies and communications. . . .

Each Lesson Plan/Student Guide is divided into two parts. The first, See and Explore Art, focuses on Roger Shimomura's visual images and statements about his work. Students are asked to respond to the artists work and words. The second, Make Art, provides an opportunity for students to create their own work inspired by the art of Roger Shimomura. In an effort to promote student-directed learning, instruction centers on the student guides for each lesson rather than the lesson plans for classroom use. A vocabulary section is included in each lesson. Lessons conclude with reflective questions and group sharing of work. . . .

[Lesson Plans from the series Memories of Childhood]

Goals
- The students will observe Roger Shimomura's art to become aware of the Japanese American internment during World War II as a theme in his work.

- The students will interpret and respond to Roger Shimomura's art and words through their own artwork and writing.

Objective
See and Explore

The students will view the transparency of the paintings Memories of Childhood and use the student guide to explore the meaning of paintings.

Make Art

The students will write and illustrate books of early childhood memories.

Estimated Time Needed
See and Explore

One to two class periods to view and discuss the transparency of the paintings and use the student guide

Make Art

Three to five class periods for students to create illustrated books of childhood memories following directions in the student guide
One class period for student self-reflection and sharing of work

Materials Needed
Teacher Resources

1. Overhead transparency of the paintings Memories of Childhood
2. The Artist's Story (Photocopy one for each student.)
3.Student Guide to Memories of Childhood (Photocopy one for each student.)

Equipment and Supplies

1. Overhead projector
2. Pencils
3. Writing paper
4. Primary of white drawing paper
5. Colored markers, colored pencils or crayons

Procedure
See and Explore

The teacher begins this education program by asking students to read The Artist's Story

Step 1 The teacher and students view the transparency of Roger Shimomura's Memories of Childhood. The teacher asks students to share their initial observations and reactions to the ten paintings.

Step 2 The teacher hands out the photocopies of the Student Guide to Memories of Childhood. While continuing to view the transparency, the students complete the student guide. Note: The student guide content and presentation can be adapted to meet the needs of different grade levels.

Step 3 The teacher leads a discussion based on student responses to questions in the student guide.

Make Art

- The teacher reviews the directions in the student guide.
- The teacher leads the students in brainstorming several examples of childhood memories.
- The students then write five to seven statements describing their early childhood memories.
- The students make preliminary sketches to accompany their statements.
- The students select at least four statements to illustrate. Each illustrated statement will be a page in their books of childhood memories.
- The students should be encouraged to demonstrate careful planning, creativity and effort in their work.
- The students create covers and title pages.
- The teacher demonstrates methods of binding the books using available resources.
- After making their books, the students complete the questions in the student guide and share their work with each other.

[Excerpts from the Student Guide to the series of paintings entitled Memories of Childhood]

Roger Shimomura explains:

Memories of Childhood was created for a 1994-97 traveling exhibition titled Memories of Childhood. . .so we're not the Cleavers or the Brady Bunch, organized by the Steinbaum Krauss Gallery in New York City. Fifteen artists were asked to write stories of their early childhood memories and create ten images based on these stories. Their work was intended to become a picture book for young children.

My work is based on my experiences in the internment camp in Minidoka, Idaho during World War II. Because I was so young at the time, the memories I have are very few, but those that I have maintained are still quite vivid. This series of work represents nearly all of those memories. . . .As wonderful as it had seemed to live close to most of my friends and relatives, I remember never fully understanding exactly why we moved, and wondering if we were ever going to go back home. . . .

Make Art

Follow the steps to create a book of your early childhood memories.

Step 1 Write five to seven statements describing memories of your childhood.

Step 2 Sketch each of your memories to accompany the statements.

Step 3 Select at least four of the statements to illustrate for your final artwork.

Step 4 Create the four illustrations on separate sheets of paper using colored markers, colored pencils or crayons. Write a statement below each illustration. Each illustrated statement will be a page in your book of childhood memories.

Step 5 Create a cover and title page for your book.

Step 6 Bind your book following your teacher's instructions.

Step 7 Reflect on your work; review your written statements, sketches and completed book.

Answer the following questions:

1. Which expresses your childhood memories more clearly, the illustrations or the written statements? Which were easier for you to create?

2. Roger Shimomura describes his Memories of Childhood Paintings as "muted and limited in color." How would you describe the colors you chose for your artwork: Why did you choose those colors?

3. Share your book with other students in the class. What memories do you have in common? What memories are different?

Vocabulary

Internment camp--a term used for the camps built by the United States government to place and hold American citizens and noncitizens of Japanese ancestry during World War II; also referred to as concentration camps or detention camps.