Paper Wishes Classroom Guide

Historical Context
Executive Order 9066: Signed on February 19,
1942, by President Franklin Roosevelt, it gave theU.S. Army the authority to forcibly relocate
Japanese Americans from the exclusion zone.
Bainbridge Island Japanese American
Community: Available resources include
photographs and oral histories to document theexperiences of the Japanese Americans ofBainbridge Island who were given six days’
notice before being forcibly relocated toManzanar on March 30, 1942.
Manzanar National Historic Site: For those whocannot visit Manzanar in person, this virtualexhibit oﬀers an exploration of Manzanar before
and during the war, including the racism that led
to the internment camp system and the daily lifeof those imprisoned there.

Themes
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Family: Grandfather and Manami walk on thebeach and through the prison-village to say
goodbye; mealtimes on the island and in theprison-village; Ron’s decision to be with thefamily at Manzanar
Loss: the island disappears as the ferry travels tothe mainland; the loss of Yujiin; Ron’s arrest; theloss of Manami’s voice
Friendship: Manami and Kimmi sharing a schoolbench on the island and at the prison-village;
Miss Rosalie’s gift of paper to Manami

Take a Closer Look at the Literature: Depth of Knowledge Discussion Questions
Chapter

Story Element

DOK Levels 1-2

DOK Levels 3-4

MarchCharacter
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What is Manami’s life like on the island?

What is the author trying to show when Manami compares her “not normal”
morning to her “normal” morning?

April
Setting
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How would you describe Manzanar after
reading this section?

What details in the story tell you how the islanders feel about Manzanar?

May
Plot
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Who arrives in May?

What details in the story show you how the family feels about Ron’s arrival?

JuneCharacter
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What promise does Manami make in thischapter?

What is the author trying to show when Manami stays out to save her mother’sgarden?

July
Plot
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How does Manami decide to use the paper
Miss Rosalie gives her?

Predict what will happen to the paper wishes Manami sends into the air.

AugustCharacter
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3

How would you describe the relationshipbetween Manami and Ron?

What is the author trying to show when Manami takes tea to her father andthen again when she takes tea to Ron?

September

Why is Manami sick?

Predict how Manami’s sickness will impact her family.

October
Character
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Describe Mother’s garden in this chapter.

How is Mother’s garden a metaphor for Manami?

NovemberCharacter
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Why does Grandfather think Manami is readyfor a new dog?

How has Manami changed throughout the story in a way that makes her readyfor a new dog?

December
Plot
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How does Manami respond to the bus driverwhen he tells her no dogs are allowed on thebus?

Use details from the first and last chapters to compare and contrast the events
that take place at the bus in Washington and at the bus at Manzanar.

Plot

After Reading

Correlation to CCRA Standards

Narrative Writing: Manami believes that Yujiin is alone on the mainland because of her actions. Think
about how your actions aﬀect the people around you. In what ways do you make things better orworse for others? Describe a time when your actions either helped or hurt someone else.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.3

All standards taken from Common Core State
Standards Initiative, English Language Arts Standards.

Opinion Writing: Manami doesn’t understand what freedom and liberty mean anymore. Give youropinion about this statement: Freedom and liberty are for everyone. Think about the words liberty
and freedom. What do they mean to you? CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.1

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/CCRA/R/