Famous Asian Americans

Teaching Theme of the Week

from Education World®

Match the names of famous Asian Americans to their accomplishments. (Grades 3-12)

Subjects: Social Studies

Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Objectives
Students will:

• do basic research using library and/or Internet resources, and
• learn about the contributions of Asian Americans.

Keywords
Asian American, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Philippines, Asia, immigration, Asian-American Month, Pacific Island, Pacific Islander, census, population, diversity

Materials Needed

• access to library materials and/or the Internet
• Famous Asian Americans work sheet  (PDF, 91K)

Procedure

This activity introduces students to some famous Asian Americans. Provide each student with a copy of the Famous Asian Americans work sheet (PDF, 91K). Challenge students to use library or Internet sources to match each person's name in the left column to the phrase in the right column that explains why the person is famous.

The famous Asian Americans included on the work sheet are:

• Michael Chang -- tennis player
• Sarah Chang -- violinist
• Daniel K. Inouye -- U.S. senator, Hawaii
• Duke Kahanmoku -- Olympic swimmer, "Father of Surfing"
• Michelle Kwan -- Olympic figure skater
• Maya Lin -- architect, designed Vietnam Memorial (Washington, D.C.)
• Seiji Ozawa -- conductor, Boston Symphony
• Allen Say -- children's book author
• Vera Wang -- fashion designer
• Yo Yo Ma -- cellist

Extension Activity
If you teach elementary or older students, you might print the names of the Asian Americans listed above and below on slips of paper. Have each student draw one slip of paper, and research the person whose name is on the paper to learn about his or her life and special contributions. Then have students write brief reports about the people they researched.

• Connie Chung -- television reporter
• Ann Curry -- news anchor woman, Today Show
• S. I. Hayakawa (1906-1992) -- U.S. senator, college president
• Dr. Feng Shan Ho -- saved thousands of Austrian Jews during the Holocaust
• David Henry Hwang -- playwright, M Butterfly
• Colonel Young Oak Kim -- first Asian American to command a battalion in combat
• Ang Lee -- movie director: Hulk; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
• Bruce Lee (1940-1973) -- movie star and martial artist
• Gary Locke -- governor, state of Washington
• Norman Y. Mineta -- first Asian-American member of U.S. president's cabinet
• Patsy Mink -- Congresswoman, Hawaii
• Ralph Nader -- consumer advocate, presidential candidate
• Yoko Ono -- artist, musician; was married to Beatle John Lennon
• Dalip Singh Saund -- first Asian elected to Congress (1956)
• Donna E. Shalala -- secretary, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
• John Sununu -- congressman, New Hampshire
• Amy Tan -- author, Joy Luck Club
• Tiger Woods -- golfer
• Kristi Yamaguchi -- Olympic figure skater
• Jerry Yang -- co-founder of Yahoo!
• Laurence Yep -- author, young adult fiction (Dragonwings, Rainbow People)

Assessment
On the work sheet, students match at least 8 of 10 people with their accomplishments.

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