The Vietnam War Inquiry
Please download the three links below for the activity.
Goals and Objectives
Goal: Students will analyze the role of the United States in Vietnam during the war.
Objective: Students will be working in groups; to gather and analyze primary sources, and work collaboratively as a class to create a timeline explaining the topic.
Objective: Students will be working in groups; to gather and analyze primary sources, and work collaboratively as a class to create a timeline explaining the topic.
California State Content Standards
11.9.3: Trace the origins and geopolitical consequences (foreign and domestic) of the Cold War and containment policy, including the following: The Vietnam War.
11.9.4: List the effects of foreign policy on domestic policies and vice versa.
11.9.4: List the effects of foreign policy on domestic policies and vice versa.
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.5: Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text contribute to the whole.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.5: Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text contribute to the whole.
Driving Historical Question
How did Americans went from supporting the war in Vietnam to opposing it?
Lesson Introduction
During passing period, the teacher will play music from the Forrest Gump soundtrack (strictly songs from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s). When the bell rings, the teacher will ask students the names of the songs and take a guess on what year(s) did the song came from. Most would either say 'Forrest Gump' or 'Vietnam War'. The teacher will ask the students what are their perceptions of the Vietnam War and ask 2-3 students about it. Students will answer that either the U.S. should not have been involved or that the actions could have been better. Teacher then explains how important the war was as a Vietnamese-American and offer their perspective on the war.
Vocabulary
These terms are to be worked on separately. It is expected that students will mention and incorporate these terms into their timeline and group project.
Ho Chi Minh
Ngo Dinh Diem
Vietcong
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Ho Chi Minh Trail
Tet Offensive
Lyndon Johnson
Richard Nixon
Vietnamization
Vietnam Veterans Against the War
Ho Chi Minh
Ngo Dinh Diem
Vietcong
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Ho Chi Minh Trail
Tet Offensive
Lyndon Johnson
Richard Nixon
Vietnamization
Vietnam Veterans Against the War
Content Delivery
In this lesson, students are to learn about primary source analysis. The students have perceptions of the Vietnam War mainly through their family's experiences via domestically or abroad, or by documentaries on the History Channel. However, the students did not live during the 1960s and 1970s, so the method for them to gain an understanding of the Vietnam War is through the primary source documents. This way, students can rely on their own skills of analyzing primary sources and come to their own conclusions without having to base their point-of-view by secondary sources.
The teacher will guide the class through a hands-on example of a primary source analysis. Using one primary source (i.e. speech transcript) the teacher then shows the students what kind of worksheet to use when analyzing the source. There will be a practice round so students can get an idea of what to do. Then the students will be given a minute to share their findings with fellow classmates and they share to the teacher, in which the teacher then highlights it on the white-board for students to know.
The teacher will guide the class through a hands-on example of a primary source analysis. Using one primary source (i.e. speech transcript) the teacher then shows the students what kind of worksheet to use when analyzing the source. There will be a practice round so students can get an idea of what to do. Then the students will be given a minute to share their findings with fellow classmates and they share to the teacher, in which the teacher then highlights it on the white-board for students to know.
Student Engagement
The class is split into five groups of six. Each group focuses on a particular section of the Vietnam War. The five sections are as follows: "Pre-War", "Beginning Phase", "Middle Phase", "Domestic Conflict", and "Final Phase". In the Weebly website, the primary sources for each group is provided.
Each group has a written document source as well as a picture source. The groups are to use the Written Document Analysis and the Photo Analysis to begin their examination of the primary sources. Once each member has complete it, they will share their thoughts (with thoughts documented on a piece of paper for teacher to collect as a form of assessment) and will form a narrative of that section for the class presentation. There will be a deadline for all groups to complete their analysis
Once every group has complete their analysis and formed their narratives, then the next step is the class presentation. It will be in order of the first section to the last one, so the first group will present first. The groups explain the primary sources being used, their conclusions on the sources (with multiple perspectives from each group member) and the narrative they conducted to their understanding of the Vietnam war. Other groups who are not presenting at the moment will write down notes via a Guided Note handout (which is a page with blank fill-in squares as notes).
Each group has a written document source as well as a picture source. The groups are to use the Written Document Analysis and the Photo Analysis to begin their examination of the primary sources. Once each member has complete it, they will share their thoughts (with thoughts documented on a piece of paper for teacher to collect as a form of assessment) and will form a narrative of that section for the class presentation. There will be a deadline for all groups to complete their analysis
Once every group has complete their analysis and formed their narratives, then the next step is the class presentation. It will be in order of the first section to the last one, so the first group will present first. The groups explain the primary sources being used, their conclusions on the sources (with multiple perspectives from each group member) and the narrative they conducted to their understanding of the Vietnam war. Other groups who are not presenting at the moment will write down notes via a Guided Note handout (which is a page with blank fill-in squares as notes).
Group One: Pre-Vietnam War Primary Sources
1. President Kennedy's Letter to Ngo Dinh Diem. 2. Self-Immolation of Thích Quảng Đức picture. |
Group Two: Beginning Phase
Primary Sources 1. Aggression from North Vietnam. 2. Battle of Ia Drang picture. |
Group Three: Middle Phase
Primary Sources 1. Letter from Ho Chi Minh to Lyndon B. Johnson. 2. Soldiers at the Battle of Khe Sanh picture. |
Group Four: Domestic Conflict
Primary Sources 1. Vietnam Veterans Against the War Statement. 2. Kent State Massacre picture. |
Group Five: Final Phase
Primary Sources 1. U.S. Forces Out of Vietnam; Hanoi Frees the Last P.O.W. 2. Fall of Saigon picture. |
Lesson Closure
After the final group's presentation, the teacher explains that by analyzing the primary sources, the students gain a better perspective of actually doing the activity of evaluating the sources on their own. This will help them come to their conclusions rather than basing their opinions on others. The teacher then allows students to share if any of their perceptions of the Vietnam War changed after going through this activity. If there is time, there will be a short debate on whether or not the U.S. should not have gotten involved with Vietnam or was it a right act to do. Students can use the primary sources used in other groups as a way to prove their stance.
Assessments
Formative:
For formative assessment, it will be walking around the classroom to make sure that the students are doing the activity and not straying off. The way to conduct this is to walk around and overhear the students' conversations and answer any questions that the groups have for the project. Also, the teacher will collect a paper of documented final thoughts that the students have for the primary sources.
Summative:
The main summative assessment is the group presentation. The presentation will be evaluated by the teacher based on the student's analytical methods, the multiple perspectives (if any) offered including an explanation of that perspective, and knowledge of the material.
For formative assessment, it will be walking around the classroom to make sure that the students are doing the activity and not straying off. The way to conduct this is to walk around and overhear the students' conversations and answer any questions that the groups have for the project. Also, the teacher will collect a paper of documented final thoughts that the students have for the primary sources.
Summative:
The main summative assessment is the group presentation. The presentation will be evaluated by the teacher based on the student's analytical methods, the multiple perspectives (if any) offered including an explanation of that perspective, and knowledge of the material.
Accommodations
English Learners: They will benefit by working in a group with mainstream English-speakers. There, they can ask for help for clarification as well as talk among their fellow peers on the material. Also, the group presentation will make it necessary for them to talk, so they can develop their English language literacy.
Striving Readers: Being placed in a group will help them focus on material. The conversations being held within the group will help Striving Readers understand the main summary of the primary source and help them figure out what topics they can come up with to write about and focus on it.
Students w/ special needs: Students with special needs will be met depending on the condition. For the lecture and Primary Source Analysis example sections, students with bad eye sights, bad hearing, or mental medical issues will sit in the front rows of the classroom for aid. When it comes to the group activities, the group members will help them with what they need.
Striving Readers: Being placed in a group will help them focus on material. The conversations being held within the group will help Striving Readers understand the main summary of the primary source and help them figure out what topics they can come up with to write about and focus on it.
Students w/ special needs: Students with special needs will be met depending on the condition. For the lecture and Primary Source Analysis example sections, students with bad eye sights, bad hearing, or mental medical issues will sit in the front rows of the classroom for aid. When it comes to the group activities, the group members will help them with what they need.
Resources
Books: Textbook
Websites: Digital History, Shmoop, and PBS for primary source documents
Handouts: Written Source Analysis, Picture Analysis, Guided Notes
Materials: Pen, Pencil, Tape, long class timeline
Websites: Digital History, Shmoop, and PBS for primary source documents
Handouts: Written Source Analysis, Picture Analysis, Guided Notes
Materials: Pen, Pencil, Tape, long class timeline