Lesson Plans

Remembering Vietnam Veterans

Author: Matt Doran

Grade(s): 10
Suggested Time: 2-4 class periods

Materials

• Microsoft Publisher
• Internet Explorer or Netscape Communicator
• Desktop or laptop computer
• Digital projector
• printer
• Graph paper
• The Americans, p. 722-755
• World History: Patterns of Interaction, p. 866-867
• The Americans, Reading Study Guide for Chapter 22
• Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
• We Were Soldiers DVD
• 60 Minutes Video Clip - My Lai Massacre
• Video of The District - Vietnam Memories episode

Core Instruction

Preview Activity:
Using their Interactive Student Notebooks, students will complete the following preview activity. Think about what a hero is to you. Do you know someone you consider a hero? What makes that person a hero? Describe this hero with three adjectives. Design a medal to honor your hero and sketch the design in your notebook.

Considerate Texts/Graphically Organized Reading Notes:

1. Vietnam Wall Reading: Read together the extension in the novel Fallen Angel (students have read this novel in Literature class) which discusses the construction of the Vietnam Veterans Wall in Washington D.C.
2. Students read independently the chapter Reading Study Guide (Chapter 22 for The Americans, Chapter 33 for World History from the textbook ancillaries and complete the questions and graphic organizers at the beginning of each chapter section. Have student volunteers complete the graphic organizers on the chalkboard over overhead toshare the answeres with the class. Students should paste the graphic organizers into their Interactive Student Notebook.

Multiple Intelligence Teaching Strategy: Visual Discovery and Writing for Understanding
Spiral Questions: Students work alone or in pairs to answer the spiral questions on William Pitsenbarger. Students log on the Ohio Memory Scrapbook of William Pitsenbarger - Vietnam Hero and answer the questions on a separate piece of paper.

Processing Assignment:
Creating an Ohio Vietnam Veterans Memorial Project: Students work in small groups to complete the following project:

• Task: Design an original memorial to honor the Ohio veterans of the Vietnam War.
• Process A: 1.) Using graph paper, draw a diagram of your memorial; 2.) Create a scale for your diagram. For example: 1/2 inch = 1ft. Draw your memorial to scale on the graph paper. Specify the length, width or height of each line; 3.) Label the parts of the memorial on the graph paper; 4.) Remember that your design communicates a particular message.
• Process B: 1.) Write one brochure for your memorial that would explain the memorial to visitors. Include the following information in the brochure: (a) the name of the memorial; (b) a description of who or what is memorialized; (c) a description of the size, shape and materials used to construct the memorial; (d) where it is located and why; (e) what visitors will learn by visiting the memorial. 2.) Write one brochure with information about at least 10 Ohioans who served in the Vietnam War. Include the following information about their service: (a) name and hometown; (b) position in the military; (c) accomplishments/medals won; (d) when, where and how he was killed; (e) a picture (if avaliable)

Information about Ohioans who died in Vietnam is availabe through the following websites:

• The Wall
• National Archives & Records Administration
• Some images are available from the Ohio Pix and Ohio Memory

Assessment

Core Theme Spiral Questions: Use the sources below to answer the following questions:

1. Describe the setting of the photograph.
2. Who is pictured in the photograph?
3. About how old does he look?
4. What role did Pitsenbarger play in the Vietnam War?
5. How can you tell that Pitsenbarger was a war hero?
6. Based on your knowledge of the Vietnam War and Pitsenbarger's role in the War, describe what he would have seen, heard, smelled and felt on a typical mission.
7. Suppose you are a Vietnam soldier who was rescued by Pitsenbarger. Write a brief tribute (one paragraph) to Pitsenbarger.

Standards

• History 9-10, Benchmark E: Analyze connections between World War II, the Cold War and contemporary conflicts.
• Indicator: Grade 10, GLI 8. Explain how the Cold War and related conflicts influenced U.S. foreign policy after 1945 with emphasis on: c. The Korean War and the Vietnam War.

• The United States in the World: American Foreign Relations

• OhioPix
• Ohio Memory