Project Snapshot
Scholastic's "My Story: Pearl Harbor" introduces your students to the momentous event of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Through this learning adventure, students will come to know about the events that led to the bombing, read the account of Pearl Harbor eyewitnesses, and relive the day Pearl Harbor was bombed through an interactive hour-by-hour account.

Learning Objectives
In the course of participation in this online project, students will:

• be able to explain the sequence of events leading to, during, and following Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
• recognize the human dimension of events at Pearl Harbor through the personal accounts of people who were there.
• use a time line to understand historical events in relationship to one another.
• analyze the influence of geographic location and geographic features on political events.
• become familiar with vocabulary associated with war and military combat.

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Meet Pearl Harbor Eyewitnesses (Grades 5–8)
Learn firsthand about the day Pearl Harbor was bombed by reading an interview with Hubert "Dale" Gano, a retired U.S. Navy Commander who was based at Pearl Harbor, and his wife Margaret Ellen "Johnie" Gano.

Time Line: Pearl Harbor (Grades 5–8)
Travel back in time and discover the key events that led to the date President Franklin Roosevelt said would "live in infamy."

Pearl Harbor Glossary (Grades 5–8)
Relevant terminology is provided in this area of the project. You may wish to print the glossary page as a reference tool for students who may benefit by having the definitions and explanations readily available to help them better understand the concepts explained throughout the story.

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• Culture: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of culture and cultural diversity.
• Time, Continuity, and Change: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ways human beings view themselves in and over time.
• People, Places, and Environment: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and environments.
• Individual Development and Identity: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of individual development and identity.
• Individuals, Groups, and Institutions: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of interactions among individuals, groups, and institutions.
• Power, Authority, and Governance: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create and change structures of power, authority, and governance.
• Global Connections: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of global connections and interdependence.
• Civic Ideals and Practices: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship in a democratic republic.

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Relive December 7
Begin the study of the story of Pearl Harbor by reviewing the hour-by-hour events, re-creating history with your students. Throughout this section of the project area, use the "Activity Station" suggestions with several of the chapters to stimulate discussion or as writing prompts for your students.

Meet the Eyewitnesses
Once students have gained a basic familiarity with the historic events of December 7, 1941, explore the personal experience of people who lived through them in the profile and interview with the Ganos. This can also serve as an opportunity to teach your students about the interviewing process. Ask students to then interview family members or older individuals in the community about their memories of Pearl Harbor, or about other significant wartime memories and to write and share those interviews with the class.

Explore the History of Japanese-American Relations
You may want to assign small groups to research each event on the time line leading up to December 7. Students can start by clicking each date to access detailed information about the event. The hyperlinked Web sites within the text will provide additional online resources. Have each group present their event to the class, including their response to the discussion starters related to various items on the time line.

Additional Research
The Web links provided suggest teacher-approved Web sites where your students can safely extend knowledge on this topic using the Internet for further research on World War II.

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Personal Time Line (Grades 3–8 — Art, Research Skills)
Ask your students to develop their own personal time line about their families during the years 1941–1945, or a time line of their own lives. A time line can be as traditional in format as a listing of events. A time line could also be represented through a chart, photographs, or objects. Provide an opportunity for your students to be true constructivists of their time lines, using whatever medium best fits their personal histories.

Sharing Family Stories (Grades 3–8 — Writing, Interviewing)
The story of Pearl Harbor provides a way to discuss the importance and power of storytelling using personal experience and remembrance. Discuss with students how oral history makes historical events more real for us. Students can then interview family members and share their histories.

Communities (Grades 5–8 — Map Skills, Research)
Look at world maps, discovering the location of the historical events described throughout this project. Where did the events occur? How did the events impact your community? Research what life was like in your community during World War II. Compare and contrast life then and now.

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• social skills and process through collaborative assignments.


• oral discussion and comprehension skills.


• interviewing process, procedure, and presentation.

A rubric for assessment of student participation in this project might include the following general criteria:

	Level One	Level Two	Level Three	Score
English: Essay Writing using an Activity Station topic or discussion starter from the time line	Misspelling; grammatical errors; not clearly written	Fewer technical mistakes; expressed a point of view but offered no supporting facts	Error-free; well-organized arguments with supporting facts
Geography: Use of a map to demonstrate knowledge of the countries involved in World War II	Did not establish a knowledge base of historical location	Learned specific information but was unable to demonstrate location when shown a map or globe	Demonstrated on a map or globe familiarity with the location of historical events and our own location
History: In-class discussion of the historical significance of Pearl Harbor, giving students an opportunity to answer questions	Did not demonstrate an understanding of how this event relates to other historical events	Learned specific facts but did not demonstrate understanding of events' impact and importance	Demonstrated an understanding of the events and their impact on political and social history

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