 |
Home | Search | Browse | About IPO | Staff | Links |
|
Home | Search | Browse | About IPO | Staff | Links |
|
Lisa Bopp
Main Ideas The Vietnam War was a defining event in our nation's history. As the war dragged on, many Americans began to question the extent of our involvement in this far-away country. The national division caused by the war, along with the Watergate scandal during the latter part of the war, severely shook the nation's trust in its government. Because this period was such a critical time in our nation's history, it warrants our study. This lesson explains the political and cultural differences between the United States and Vietnam and the obstacles unique to this war. Finally, students will examine the lessons learned about this war as experienced by the people who were there. Connections with the Curriculum The narrative and oral histories would be appropriate for use in United States History, World History, or Cultural Geography classes. All activities may be appropriate for the Illinois Learning Standards 14.B.5, 14.E.4, 14.E.5, 16.A.4a, 16.A.5a, 16.D.4b, and 18.A.4. Teaching Level Lesson activities are designed for junior high and high school students especially Grades 7-12. Materials for Each Student Each student will need a copy of the narrative portion of the lesson and copies of the corresponding activities. Textbooks and access to related Internet sites may also be used during the activities. Activity 2 will require the use of poster board, markers or colored pencils, and possibly stencils. Objectives for Each Student
• Analyze the United States' involvement in Vietnam.
Opening the Lesson Begin the lesson by asking how many students personally know someone who served in the Vietnam War. Allow students to share their information. Next, using the narrative and textbooks, have the students create a chart or poster addressing the advantages and disadvantages of North and South Vietnam in the war. This activity will help the students find similarities and differences between the warring parties. Finally, ask the question: Why do you think the United States got involved in the war? Developing the Lesson Activity 1 is designed to examine both sides of the Vietnam controversy. Students will be required to form an opinion based on facts obtained in the narrative and textbook. Before distributing the activity sheet, define the terms "doves" and "hawks" as they apply to the war. In their letters to the editor, students should clearly state their opinions and provide facts from the narrative to support their positions. Activity 2 helps students to compare and contrast the cultures of Vietnam and Illinois. Upon completion of the charts, students will have the information needed to be able to form conclusions about the significant part that each culture played in this war. Displaying the completed charts in the classroom would be beneficial for reference during the whole Vietnam unit. Activity 3 will not only be an individual activity but will also be used in compiling the cooperative class project. This activity will require more than one class period and should be done in steps. First, students should be instructed in interviewing techniques. It is important for them to contact the interviewee ahead of time, have the proper equipment (i.e. tape recorder, video cameras, tapes, and batteries), and permission to use the interview in the class project. Next, students should develop questions to be used in the interviewing process. The class should then review the questions to make sure they are applicable to the project, are not leading or inappropriate, and require the respondent to use more than yes/no answers. Following the interview, students will transcribe the interview as well as any additional information provided during the interview. At the conclusion of the project, have the students complete an interview assessment. This follow-up assessment should be used as a part of their overall assessment for this activity. Concluding the Lesson In the opening of the lesson, students were asked why they thought the United States got involved in the Vietnam War. To conclude this unit, ask the same question, and see if the answers are the same. Next read a couple of the letters to the editor that strongly defend their opinion about the war. Finally, have the students share the most interesting ideas they learned during the oral history interview.
Extending the Lesson • Display the Compare and Contrast Cultures charts around the classroom during the lesson unit.
• Play excerpts from the best interviews to the class. Keep the tapes to use as examples for other classes who may use this activity.
Reading Sources:
Bernard Edelman, ed.,
Deborah Kent, The Vietnam War:
Website: <www.historyplace.com> <www.teacvietnam.org> Assessing the Lesson Individual handouts should be assessed based on the teacher's designed rubric. The group project, particularly the charts and the cooperative project, should be assessed both individually and as a group. The assessment should be based on the teacher's individual and group rubrics. For Activity 3, students should complete a follow-up interview assessment. Questions to ask may include: 1. What was the most interesting piece of information you collected? 2. How successful were you in gathering the information you requested?
3. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being lowest and 10 being highest, rate the success of the interview. Why did you give the interview this rating?
Activity 1 - Dove versus Hawk Imagine you are a dove or a hawk in 1969. Write a letter to the editor presenting to the newspaper why the United States should or should not be involved in the Vietnam War. Your editorial should clearly state an opinion and provide facts to support your position. Some sources you will find helpful in preparing to write this letter to the editor, include the following: Stanley I. Kutler, ed., Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War (New York: Simon and Schuster Macmillan), 1996); Neil Sheehan, "Not a Dove, But No Longer a Hawk," pp. 218-227, in The Vietnam War, A Historical Reader (Evanston: Nextext, 2000).
Activity 2 - Compare and Contrast Cultures
Students will be creating a chart or poster that compares and contrasts the cultures of Vietnam and Illinois. Upon completion of the charts, a wall display could be used to help supplement the unit on Vietnam. Use the charts to discuss the impact that cultural differences had on the war. The chart or poster should include: Vietnam as it compares to Illinois
Size (in square miles)
Some sources you will find useful in preparing for this activity include the following: Karen Wills, Vietnam, Modern Nations of the World (San Diego: Lucent Books, 2000). Websites:
U. S. Library of Congress Country Study: Vietnam, with in-depth sections
World Factbook: Information about Vietnam at Yahoo! Reference <http://education.yahoo.com/reference/factbook/vm/index.html> Illinois: http://encarta.msn.com/reference/Keyword in Encyclopedia drop down box-Illinois
Activity 3 — Oral History — Illinois Perspective
Before beginning this activity review the steps in the process of recording good oral history. The teacher should stress the following: 1. Good recording—students should make sure that the audio-tape recorder works, microphone is checked, a supply of tapes and batteries are gathered, and equipment is tested. 2. Pre-arrange the interview—students should make sure they explain the project to the person being interviewed and get written permission to use his/her comments in the final project. 3. Be prepared—students should practice the questions before the actual interview. 4 . Use good interview techniques—students should allow the interviewee time to reflect and answer the questions. Let the veteran tell his story as he remembers it. 5. Finalizing the activity—students need to transcribe the questions and answers word for word from the tapes. After interviewing techniques are covered, the students should pair up and work on developing questions. Once all questions are completed, decide as a class which questions a) meet the lesson objectives, b) are not leading, and c) require more than a yes/no answer. Next, set up interview times and conduct the interviews. Finally, upon completion of the interviews, compile a class notebook of all the transcribed interviews and present the notebook to your school library. You may also want to keep a copy of the notebook for your class to be used as a reference tool. If your school has a Web page, you may consider posting several of the best interviews on the page. Make sure the students have obtained permission to use the interview in the notebook and on the Web page.
A source you will find helpful in preparing for this activity is Patricia Chambers and Gertrude Murphy, ed., The Vietnam War Twenty-Five Years Later: An Oral History (OIney, III.: OIney Central College, 1998).
|
|
|
