5 They Called Us Enemy Activities
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This year my son is reading graphic novels as part of his 8th-grade language arts curriculum. His most current read is They Called Us Enemy. He has really enjoyed reading this book, so I wanted to put together a few They Called Us Enemy activities to expand on the topic.
They Called Us Enemy is a book written by George Takei about his experiences in a Japanese American Internment camp during World War 2. He was a young child when his family was forced to give up everything and move into a camp. They spent many years living as prisoners despite doing nothing wrong.
There are a few reasons I added this graphic novel to my son’s reading list:
- Teaches history from a perspective that is typically ignored
- Based on a first-hand account
- It is engaging
5 They Called Us Enemy Activities
Watch the Ted Talk
The author, George Takei, gave a Ted Talk about spending his formative years living with his family in internment camps around the United States. In 2014 he gave a Ted Talk about his experiences. His Ted Talk is called Why I Love a Country That Once Betrayed Me and is worth a listen.
Learn More About the Japanese American Internment Camps
We can use the They Called Us Enemy activities as a way to further understand this unfortunate period of history.
The National Parks Service has an article about Japanese American life during internment. It provides a little more information about the situation. It also has a map of the United States that shows the locations of the camps.
Explore Tule Lake
George Takei and his family spent some time at the Tule Lake camp, the harshest internment camp in the United States.
Tule Lake is now a national monument in California that is open for visitors. Thanks to the internet, you can explore Tule Lake even if you don’t live nearby.
This is one of the They Called Us Enemy activities that can take as much time as you have available. There is so much to look at. I recommend letting your students choose the areas that they find most interesting.
Some of the photo galleries include:
- Work
- School
- Stores
- Festivals
- Farming
Discussion Questions
I try to ask discussion questions every time I assign my kids a book, so I knew I wanted to include a discussion in the They Called Us Enemy activities.
Here are a few discussion questions, but I always like to follow conversation rabbit trails.
- If you had to leave your home with only a few days notice, what would you bring?
- Teenage Takei is critical of his father’s compliance with the Executive Order. Do you think the criticism is fair?
- President Reagan authorized giving people who had been in the internment camps $20,000. What are your thoughts on this policy. Was it a good idea? Was the amount fair?
- What moment in the book was most memorable?
- What did you learn by reading this book?
Read More About Japanese Internment Camps
There are a few more great books about Japanese internment camps.
Last update on 2026-09-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Desert Diary: Japanese American Kids Behind Barbed Wire by Michael O. Tunnell
- Hardcover Book
Last update on 2026-09-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Last update on 2026-09-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Last update on 2026-09-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Last update on 2026-09-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Check Out the Publisher’s Teacher Guide
I love when authors or publishers create teacher guides for books. It is so helpful! To access the They Called Us Enemy teacher guide click on the link above, scroll down, and select GUIDES, then click on ‘read more’.
The 12-page guide contains 7 lesson plan ideas:
- Cover annotation
- Citizenship discussion
- Timeline activity
- Exploring multiple perspectives
- Loyalty discussion
- Reflection
- Share your story
Did you know They Called Us Enemy has been banned in some areas? Check out these other banned books to use in your homeschool!
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