Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Video Lessons
Help students learn just a few ways that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have and continue to make the US what it is today with these Edpuzzle Original video lessons!
Illustration by Edpuzzle Staff
Did you know that the month of May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the United States?
If your students have never stopped to think about the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, here are a few quick facts to pique their interest!
In the last decade, some very exciting things happened:
- Kamala Harris became the first Asian American vice president of the United States, as the daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants.
- Shang Chi was the first Asian superhero to get full Marvel movie treatment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- Trends like K-pop and K-beauty have skyrocketed to popularity in the United States.
Invite your students to discover even more about Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in these Edpuzzle Original video lessons.
Video Lesson: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Each year for AAPI Heritage Month, the Federal Asian Pacific American Council chooses a theme. For 2024, the theme is “Advancing Leaders Through Innovation.”
Video length: 6 mins. 26 secs.
Key Takeaways from the AAPI Heritage Month Video Lesson
This video lesson highlights the diversity of nationalities of AAPI communities living in the United States and defines what it means to be a Pacific Islander.
And did you know that there are over 25,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean?!
It also shines a spotlight on two famous Asian Americans:
- Patsy Mink, the first Asian American woman ever elected to Congress and the first to run for president. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014.
- Larry Itliong, a Filipino-American who worked alongside Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta and led the Delano Grape Strike, a pivotal peaceful protest for U.S. workers.
Students will also learn the U.S. territories in the Pacific Islands, like the Mariana Islands and American Samoa, and do a deep dive on Guam, where citizens are still fighting for equal rights, such as the right to vote in U.S. presidential elections.
A Video Lesson on Hawaii and Queen Liliuokalani
In this video lesson, students will dive into the history of Hawaii and learn why Queen Liliuokalani was such a strong monarch.
Video length: 8 mins. 5 secs.
A Video Lesson on Tu Youyou
In this lesson, students will explore the life of Tu Youyou and learn how her discovery of a plant-based cure for malaria led to major advances in global health.
Video length: 8 mins. 18 secs.
A Video Lesson on Tsuneko Okazaki
Featuring gorgeous animation, in this video lesson, students will learn who Tsuneko Okazaki is, what challenges she faced as one of the first Japanese women in science, and how her work led to an important breakthrough in DNA research.
Video length: 7 mins. 47 secs.
Japanese American Internment: A Video Lesson
This video lesson tackles the painful period of American history that includes Japanese American internment and its after effects.
Video length: 8 mins. 4 secs.
Angel Island and Asian American Immigration: A Video Lesson
Your students may be familiar with Ellis Island, but what about Angel Island? Explore the topic of Asian American immigration with your students in this Edpuzzle Original video lesson.
Video length: 8 mins. 14 secs.
What other famous AAPI historical figures and events will you teach your students about? Let us know on Twitter and tag us @edpuzzle. We can’t wait to hear how you’re celebrating AAPI Heritage Month!