| STUDY GUIDES NEW! |
The Santa Clara County Office of Education has developed this curriculum guide for use by teachers.
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| Books for Children |
There are many books for children that touch on the themes and events
featured in our Silicon Valley Reads selections. This list includes fiction, non-fiction
and even picture books.
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| Bulk Book Orders |
Teachers, schools, libraries, retailers and others who want to buy sets of
either or both of the Silicon Valley Reads 2006 books may purchase them locally
for a discount [minimum of five copies each].
For information on wholesale copies, contact Milligan News Co. Inc. at (408)
286-7604 or tollfree at 800-873-2387. Email address is ed-dept@milligannews.com.
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 Wartime Memories
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STUDY GUIDE: The Souvenir by Louise Steinman
Developed by Library Services, Santa Clara County Offices of Education
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How do you think the book would have changed had Steinman not included
her father’s letters?
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How might her credibility have been altered without her research into
external sources?
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Do you think reconciliation between groups in conflict must wait for
later generations? Why?
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Do you think that Americans today have some of the same prejudices and
ill feelings that Steinman’s father wrote about? Against whom?
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Is it possible to know one’s parents as a “person” and not just a
parent? What benefits could there be to doing this?
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The paradox of the actual souvenir flag is that it means different things
to different people. What does it mean to Steinman, her father, Yoshio
Shimizu, and Shimizu’s family?
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Something that is often remarked on is the lack of resolution, how “not
knowing” precisely how the flag was procured affected the author and the
reader. How does the author deal with this uncertainty? How does it affect
her choices?
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Steinman’s questions about the flag and her father’s letters led her
to extensive research. How has this book added to your knowledge of World
War II?
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Conflicted emotions play a part in Norman Steinman’s decision to leave
his WWII past locked away. Just as the flag emerges from a submerged past,
what souvenirs and scars does Norman Steinman carry into his post war life?
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Upon visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Steinman repeats the
words of a Smithsonian official, “The veterans wanted the exhibit to stop
when the doors to the bomb bay opened. And that’s where the Japanese
wanted it to begin.” (p. 135) Why is it important for these former
combatant nations to look at history together?
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While visiting the American cemetery at Fort Bonifacio in the
Philippines, Steinman writes that her father wanted to bury his memories.
“He wanted to never forget and he needed to never remember.” What is
gained/lost by forgetting? What is gained/lost by remembering?
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“So many unknowables in a life, . . .How a name on a piece of cloth
could propel you halfway around the world.” How does returning the flag to
Shimuzu’s family affect Steinman?
Prepare students for this activity by reviewing how to clarify for meaning
when confronting unfamiliar words or phrases within the context of the book The
Souvenir. Have them maintain a vocabulary journal as they read the book,
using and filling out a chart such as this one.
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Word/Phrase (Page #) |
What I Think It Means |
Context Clues |
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- Pearl Harbor
- The Philippines
- Battle of Umingan
- Balette Pass
- Hiroshima
- Nagasaki
- Emperor Hirohito
- General MacArthur
- General Yamashita
Although The Souvenir is a work of non-fiction, a discussion of
conflict definitely applies. Most stories are built around a central conflict,
or struggle between opposing forces. Stories can involve two types of
conflict:
- External conflict – a character struggles against an outside
force, such as nature, a physical obstacle, or another character.
- Internal conflict – The struggle takes place within a character's
mind, the character has to choose between two courses of action.
Use a chart like this one to note events in the book and the conflicts they
reveal.
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Event (Page #) |
Internal Conflict |
External Conflict |
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- Write an essay telling how Norman Steinman and Yoshio Shimizu were
symbolically joined by the flag and by circumstance. Discuss their
similarities and differences. Use quotes, descriptions and details from the
book to complete your response.
- Imagine a "souvenir" that symbolizes what you value most. Describe why
you have selected this item and explain why it is important to you.
- Steinman uses dreams throughout the book. Is this an effective technique?
Using quotes, details and examples from the book, select one of the dreams
and explain its overall contribution to the story.
- Using support from the book, describe the internal and external conflicts
faced by either Norman or Louise Steinman. Explain how each conflict is
resolved. If you feel the conflict is not resolved, explain your opinion.
| Presented by: |
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| With Special Thanks To: |
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City of San Jose
Silicon Valley Library System
Friends of Cupertino Library
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George E. Ewan Family Foundation
Friends of the Los Gatos Public Library
Friends of the Milpitas Community Library
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Friends of the Library of Los Altos & Community
Mountain View Library Foundation
Friends of the Campbell Library
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Friends of the Morgan Hill Library
Friends of the Gilroy Library
Friends of Saratoga Libraries
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