building history 3.0
FAQs
What is Building History 3.0?
Building History 3.0 is a free online collection of resources on the Japanese American incarceration camps. You’ll find tools here developed specifically for kids, including short documentaries, graphics, and Minecraft activities. Our project also includes classroom-ready resources, including full-length lesson plans for grades 3-12.
The project explores the way different generations reclaim and interpret these sites, not only as places of trauma, but also of community building, creative expression, and learning. For more information, please visit our About page.
How much does Building History 3.0 cost?
The Building History 3.0 curriculum is totally free to use! Some (but not all) activities in the lesson plans do require a paid classroom subscription to Minecraft Education Edition, or other paid versions of Minecraft. More information on how to obtain Minecraft can be found in the lesson plans and on our Introduction to Minecraft page
Who is the intended audience for Building History 3.0?
The Building History 3.0 website includes resources that can be used by kids in elementary school, all the way to adults. We offer unique lesson plans for students in elementary school, middle school, and high school. Our intended audience, though, is visitors of all ages who are interested in learning more about the Japanese American incarceration camp experience. We find that our curriculum fosters intergenerational conversations about this difficult topic.
Our Resources page includes links to many primary and secondary sources, for kids and adults.
Where can I learn more about Japanese American history and the World War II incarceration camps?
Please refer to our Sponsors and Partners page for a complete list of our supporters and sponsors.
Who sponsors Building History 3.0?
How can I support Building History 3.0?
Click DONATE and then select Friends of Ethnocommunications on the drop-down menu. Thanks!
How can I let other people know about this project?
We appreciate that you want to share Building Histories 3.0! Please spread the word by emailing this website (buildinghistoryproject.com) and liking us on Facebook. You can also check out our page on Twitter.
Teacher / family FAQs
What will students learn?
Building Histories 3.0 is designed to guide students through the history of the Japanese American experience, beginning with a look at the immigration policies leading up to World War II, the U.S.-run incarceration camps, and the aftermath. Those following our lesson plans can mix and match the content options that best fit their needs, and we encourage you to explore our Teacher page for a list of classroom-ready resources.
Is Minecraft safe?
Yes, Minecraft is a safe game to use in an educational setting. In the “Creative Mode” version (which the Building History 3.0 lesson plans use), the focus is primarily on building, and not on shooting or destroying. Minecraft is rated “Everyone 10+” by the Entertainment Software Rating Board.
You don’t need to be an expert in Minecraft, but teachers should be knowledgeable about a) how Minecraft works in general, and b) how to install and configure Minecraft by following the instructions in the Building Histories 3.0 lesson plans (or know someone who can help). Our Introduction to Minecraft page includes detailed instructions on how to install Minecraft and engage with our activities on various devices.
How much do I need to know about Minecraft before sharing this with my student/child?
How can I engage my student/child?
Building Histories 3.0 is designed to appeal to students in elementary school and up. Even kids and adults with no experience using Minecraft will find the lessons accessible. We recommend that first-time visitors check out our Timeline and Map for an introduction to Japanese American history, and then explore the lesson plans most relevant to their age/grade level. Those wishing to explore the history of Japanese American incarceration camps more deeply should check out our Resources.
The Building History 3.0 website includes resources that can be used by kids in elementary school, all the way to adults. We offer unique lesson plans for students in elementary school, middle school, and high school.
Who is this project intended for? age level?
Building Histories 3.0 is designed to appeal to students in elementary school and up. Even kids and adults with no experience using Minecraft will find the lessons accessible. We recommend that first-time visitors check out our Timeline for an introduction to Japanese American history, and then explore the lesson plans most relevant to their age/grade level. Those wishing to explore the history of Japanese American incarceration camps more deeply should check out our Resources.
How can I engage my student/child?
Who is this project intended for? age level?
The Building History 3.0 website includes resources that can be used by kids in elementary school, all the way to adults. We offer unique lesson plans for students in elementary school, middle school, and high school. Our intended audience, though, is visitors of all ages who are interested in learning more about the Japanese American incarceration camp experience. We find that our curriculum fosters intergenerational conversations about this difficult topic.
We appreciate that you want to share Building Histories 3.0! Please spread the word by emailing this website (buildinghistoryproject.com) and liking us on Facebook. You can also check out our pages on Pinterest, and Twitter.
How can I let other people know about this project?
Minecraft FAQs
What is the difference between standard Minecraft and Minecraft Education Edition?
Minecraft Education Edition is a special edition of Minecraft created for schools. The Education Edition contains education-friendly features, including screenshot and documentation tools, easy server setup, special building blocks and tools, and an optional classroom mode to give teachers more control over the Minecraft world. There are also downloadable lesson plans and support community available at the Minecraft Education Edition website. The company that makes Minecraft, Mojang, has created a reference table that summarizes differences between current versions of Minecraft.
Minecraft Education Edition costs 5 US dollars per user, per year.
How much does Minecraft Education Edition cost?
You will need a computer (PC or Mac) or an iPad or Android device for each student and for the Minecraft server. Minecraft will not run on Chromebooks. Teachers who do not have access to these devices might consider asking students to bring their own devices with Minecraft installed for use during class.
What hardware equipment will I need?
Yes! Building History 3.0 is a collection of many resources, only some of which make use of Minecraft. We encourage you to check out our short documentary series, graphic timeline, and camp location map. Teachers using our lesson plans can teach the Elementary School Lesson Plan Two and also part two of the Elementary School Lesson Plan One without using Minecraft at all.
If my school has a firewall that blocks Minecraft, can I still teach these lessons?
There are numerous online resources about Minecraft. You can start with our Introduction to Minecraft page. If you’re interested in learning more about the educational use of Minecraft, join the educator community at the Minecraft Education Edition website. For general Minecraft information, you can find many YouTube videos and websites about playing, building, modding, or anything else related to the game.
Where can I learn more about Minecraft?
