Goals and Objectives
Goal: Students will discuss U.S. and Communist intervention in Southeast Asia especially with regard to Vietnam.
Objective: Students will engage in a classroom discussion regarding the U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Students must contribute at least once in order to receive participation points and more than once for extra credit
Objective: Students will engage in a classroom discussion regarding the U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Students must contribute at least once in order to receive participation points and more than once for extra credit
California State Content Standard/Common Core Standard
CA Content Standards:
10.9.2 Analyze the causes of the Cold War, with the free world on one side and Soviet client states on the other, including competition for influence in such places as Egypt, the Congo, Vietnam, and Chile.
10.9.3 Understand the importance of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan, which established the pattern for America's postwar policy of supplying economic and military aid to prevent the spread of Communism and the resulting economic and political competition in arenas such as Southeast Asia (i.e., the Korean War, Vietnam War), Cuba, and Africa.
Common Core Standards:
RH.9-10.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
10.9.2 Analyze the causes of the Cold War, with the free world on one side and Soviet client states on the other, including competition for influence in such places as Egypt, the Congo, Vietnam, and Chile.
10.9.3 Understand the importance of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan, which established the pattern for America's postwar policy of supplying economic and military aid to prevent the spread of Communism and the resulting economic and political competition in arenas such as Southeast Asia (i.e., the Korean War, Vietnam War), Cuba, and Africa.
Common Core Standards:
RH.9-10.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
Introduction (Hook/Access Prior Knowledge)
[5-7minutes] The students will be asked to write for five minutes in their opening activities journal (which I will come around and stamp) to answer this question: "You are President Lyndon Johnson. You've just taken office and are faced with the Vietnam issue. You have just been informed that the U.S.S. Maddox has been fired upon by Communist North Vietnamese forces in the Gulf of Tonkin. You are told by your advisors that you can get a special resolution to allow for 'boots on the ground' to retaliate or you can pull your forces from Southeast Asia and allow the Domino Theory to work itself out. What do you do?"
Vocabulary (Content Language Development)
Key Terms: Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Containment, Domino Theory, Truman Doctrine, Vietcong, Vietminh, Ho Chi Minh, Ngo Dinh Diem, Tet Offensive, Operation Rolling Thunder, Hawks, Doves.
Students will be expected to use these key terms in their explanations for the class discussion. As such, it is necessary for them to have a solid understanding of each of these key terms. The previous lesson touched on most of this content specific language and some of the terms like Truman Doctrine, Containment, and Domino Theory should be well entrenched by this point in the unit. Vietnam specific vocabulary will need to be highlighted during the content delivery and then repeated during the discussion to ensure that students are aware of the important key terms and content specific concepts.
Students will be expected to use these key terms in their explanations for the class discussion. As such, it is necessary for them to have a solid understanding of each of these key terms. The previous lesson touched on most of this content specific language and some of the terms like Truman Doctrine, Containment, and Domino Theory should be well entrenched by this point in the unit. Vietnam specific vocabulary will need to be highlighted during the content delivery and then repeated during the discussion to ensure that students are aware of the important key terms and content specific concepts.
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction)
[15 minutes] Students will watch a brief documentary video clip about the Vietnam War to help them recall the previous day's lesson on the escalating U.S. involvement in South Vietnam. This should help reinforce key terms and also build background knowledge for the discussion.
Student Engagement and Critical Thinking (Student Activities)
[30 minutes] Following the video clip, Students will be given several discussion questions that they will answer quietly in preparation for the whole class discussion. These discussion questions will prompt the students to think critically about the discussion and to help them form a valid argument and to allow them to use their notes to provide evidence for their claims. The discussion questions are as follows:
Answer the following questions in 2-3 complete sentences using key vocabulary to support your argument.
Upon completion of these discussion questions, students will Pair-Share with their seat partner to answer each of the questions and discuss their answers. This will allow students to practice discussing their points and also debating with their partner. When students are finished Pair-Sharing, the instructor will go over the Rules and Expectations for the Discussion which are as follows:
Rules and Expectations for Socratic Seminar:
This discussion will be a whole class discussion. The classroom will be arranged in a large circle. Every student is expected to participate and each student is given three tickets. Every student must speak once in order to get their participation points for the day. Students who speak more than once will be given extra credit points. If you wish to speak, raise your hand and the teacher will come by with a jar to collect your ticket. Students my rebut the comments made by another student or contribute an additional talking point. The instructor will facilitate by asking questions, but students may also ask questions as part of the discussion process.
Students must adhere to the following rules during the discussion:
Answer the following questions in 2-3 complete sentences using key vocabulary to support your argument.
- Could this conflict have been avoided or did the cold war make it inevitable?
- Were the reasons given for initiating the conflict reasonable? Why or Why not?
- If the United States did not get involved in Vietnam, what do you think would have happened to the rest of Southeast Asia?
- Do you think the United States must honor its commitment under the Truman Doctrine? Why or Why not?
- If you were alive during the Vietnam War, would you have been a Hawk or a Dove? Why?
- What influence did the media have on public opinion toward the war? Do you think people have a right to protest the acts of the government during a time of war?
Upon completion of these discussion questions, students will Pair-Share with their seat partner to answer each of the questions and discuss their answers. This will allow students to practice discussing their points and also debating with their partner. When students are finished Pair-Sharing, the instructor will go over the Rules and Expectations for the Discussion which are as follows:
Rules and Expectations for Socratic Seminar:
This discussion will be a whole class discussion. The classroom will be arranged in a large circle. Every student is expected to participate and each student is given three tickets. Every student must speak once in order to get their participation points for the day. Students who speak more than once will be given extra credit points. If you wish to speak, raise your hand and the teacher will come by with a jar to collect your ticket. Students my rebut the comments made by another student or contribute an additional talking point. The instructor will facilitate by asking questions, but students may also ask questions as part of the discussion process.
Students must adhere to the following rules during the discussion:
- Only one person speaks at a time
- Raise your hand to be recognized if you want to speak
- No interruptions while someone is talking, a chance to rebut an argument will be allowed before changing topics
- Disagreements are part of the debate, but disagree with the person's ideas, not the person themselves
- No laughing or any other rude conduct
- Encourage everyone to participate
- Students must support their arguments with facts and evidence
Demonstrated Learning (Formative & Summative Assessments)
Formatve assessments will occur throughout the lesson through the instructors observation of Pair-Share's and the Discussion Forum itself. The instructor will ask probing questions and check for understanding throughout the lesson to ensure that the students are following along with the material and that they are prepared for the discussion.
The Summative Assessment will be the discussion seminar itself. The instructor will collect tickets to ensure that every student participates, but students will also have the opportunity to earn extra credit for participating more than once. If students are not participating, the instructor will resort to cold calling on students to make sure that they have mastered the content.
The Summative Assessment will be the discussion seminar itself. The instructor will collect tickets to ensure that every student participates, but students will also have the opportunity to earn extra credit for participating more than once. If students are not participating, the instructor will resort to cold calling on students to make sure that they have mastered the content.
Lesson Closure
This lesson will close with a thoughtful reflection on the discussion and any lasting thoughts from students who did not have an opportunity to speak. The overarching question, "Could this conflict have been avoided or did the cold war make it inevitable" will be readdressed and specific students will be singled out to summarize their arguments either for or against whether this conflict could have been avoided. This will allow students form a lasting impression about the discussion and hopefully highlight some key terms.
Accommodations for English Learners, Struggling Readers, and Students with Special Needs
English Learners will benefit from having the discussion questions before hand and the opportunity to Pair-Share their answers before having to speak in front of the whole class. Ideally, this will lower their affective filters and allow them to participate actively in the discussion because they have already formulated their argument and practiced their responses.
Struggling Readers will be accommodated in this lesson through the use of visual material as content delivery instead of a powerpoint, like the previous lesson would have been. This allows struggling readers to view the same material two different ways and it will reinforce and support their background knowledge so they will be prepared for the class discussion. The teacher will also read the discussion questions out loud, which will model good reading and clear up any confusion or misconceptions caused by literacy issues.
Students with additional Special Needs will be accommodated according to their IEP or any other additional resources on campus.
Struggling Readers will be accommodated in this lesson through the use of visual material as content delivery instead of a powerpoint, like the previous lesson would have been. This allows struggling readers to view the same material two different ways and it will reinforce and support their background knowledge so they will be prepared for the class discussion. The teacher will also read the discussion questions out loud, which will model good reading and clear up any confusion or misconceptions caused by literacy issues.
Students with additional Special Needs will be accommodated according to their IEP or any other additional resources on campus.
What Came Before...
Student's had one full day of lecture and student activities regarding the War in Vietnam and the escalation of U.S. Involvement in the war. Students seemed to be very interested in the war, so a discussion will allow them to demonstrate what they know.
References:
Discussion Lesson adapted from the website, "Confrontation to Coexistance: The Cold War"
http://otis.coe.uky.edu/ccsso/cssapmodules/coldwar/activity2.html
http://otis.coe.uky.edu/ccsso/cssapmodules/coldwar/activity2.html