The Vietnam War

Vietnam War

Grade Level: Middle School (6-8)                                

Subject: Social Studies

Duration: 1-2 class periods

DOK Level: 4

Indiana Standard:

7.1.11 Explain the reasons for European colonization of Africa, Asia, and the Southwest Pacific and analyze the long and short term impact that colonization and imperialism had on the social, political, and economic development of these societies from both European and indigenous perspectives.

7.1.14 Identify and explain recent conflicts and political issues between nations or cultural groups and evaluate the solutions that different organizations have utilized to address these conflicts.

7.1.18 Compare and contrast perspectives of history in Africa, Asia, and the Southwest Pacific using fictional and nonfictional accounts including visual, literary, art, and musical sources

Objective: Students will be able to identify the causes of the Vietnam War, explain the consequences and effects of the war on both the people of Vietnam and America, and compare and contrast differing opinions on America’s involvement in the Vietnam War.

Essential Question: What were the causes of the Vietnam War, and what effects did the Vietnam War have?

Procedure: Students will view a video lecture on the Vietnam War. After viewing the video lecture, students will go to National Archives website. Students should scroll down until they see the topic "Photograph Analysis", and specifically look at #2. Students will chose one of the photographs (they are hyperlinked in blue, and there are 13 options). After students have selected a photograph they will type on a Google Doc (Times New Roman, 12 point font, double spaced), their answers to the following questions:

(1) What can you infer from the photograph?

(2) What questions does this photograph raise in your mind?

(3) How might you categorize this photograph?  (battle tactics, weapons, tanks, etc.)

(4) What would your caption be for the photograph?

(5) Does this photography make you "for the war" or "against the war"? Why? Explain.

Product or Assessment:

Students responses need to be in complete sentences (answers can be numbered). Students should also include what photograph they have chosen. Students will be submitting their papers on Google Classroom.