Manzanar Virtual Camp and Scavenger Hunt
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Manzanar virtual camp
In order to explore the Manzanar virtual camp, follow the installation instructions below.
The prison camps where Japanese Americans were held during World War II are still open today as historic places that people can visit to learn about the past. Today, you can visit the camp called Manzanar in California using Minecraft. Follow the directions below to install the Manzanar Camp world map on your iPad, iPhone, or Android device. Then check out the challenges that follow.
The Manzanar virtual camp in Minecraft is a minimalistic recreation of the Manzanar incarceration. This camp can be visited purely for exploration, or as a blank canvas to allow kids to recreate elements of camp life and the struggles of Japanese Americans as they learn about these in school or at home. Also included in this Minecraft World are three camps created by students who studied Manzanar. (Pro tip: To find the sample additional camps, follow the road outside Manzanar out to the bus, then look for the fork in the road.)
scavenger hunt
As you explore the Manzanar virtual camp, see if you can find the following items:
an American flag
beds for people to sleep on in the barracks
barbed wire fence running around the camp
furnace for heating buildings
guard towers around the camp
Once you’ve explored, try making your own additions to the camp by building things that really existed there. Here are some ideas:
Make furniture for the barracks
Make new buildings, such as a mess hall, school, or bathrooms
Make gardens
Make a baseball field
How to install the Manzanar Camp world map
In order to visit the Manzanar virtual camp, you’ll first need to have Minecraft installed on your device.
