My Chingu, My Friend
Emily Ezell guided her students in a study of the history and culture of Korea, including the Korean War. The research culminated in an animation project that showcased what was learned. The project also included a companion book. My Chingu, My Friend is the story of a letter exchange between two students, one American and one Korean. Students created the characters and the setting and illustrated each image based on photos from Emily’s 2023 South Korea Research Trip.
Connecting Veterans, Students and the Community
To celebrate her student’s work, Emily Ezell’s organized an authentic Korean dinner experience. Veterans, local history teachers, community members, students and parents were invited to participate. Following the dinner, the students shared their work and discussed what they learned. In addition, Emily spoke about her trip to South Korea and the curriculum resources produced by the World History Digital Education Foundation. Emily also introduced participants to the Korean War Legacy Foundation Interview Archive. The program concluded with the students singing Arirang.
The project sparked curiosity among her students given their continued interest in Korea. According to Emily, “I feel the project has laid the groundwork for further investigation and discovery. As they leave for middle school, it is my hope that I can collaborate with the social studies teachers there and encourage them to explore lessons on Korea. By exposing the students to the Korean story prior to middle school and high school, the background knowledge has been established which will hopefully begin a journey for them to challenge their teachers to learn more about the Korean story and the war that never ended.”
