Purpose: This lesson is part of an English III unit on Dear America: Letters Home From Vietnam, a collection of real letters written by servicemen and women in Vietnam to their friends and families at home.
Targeted Standards:
Academic Expectations
1.1 Students use reference tools such as dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, and computer reference programs and research tools such as interviews and surveys to find the information they need to meet specific demands, explore interests, or solve specific problems.
1.2 Students make sense of the variety of materials they read.
1.3 Students make sense of the various things they observe.
1.4 Students make sense of the various messages to which they listen.
Core Content for Assessment
RD-H10-2.8
Students will make inferences, draw conclusions or make generalizations based on evidence from a passage. DOK 3
RD-H10-4.1
Students will analyze the content or make connections as it applies to students' lives (text-to-self), real-world issues (text-to-world) or other texts (text-to-text). DOK 3
RD-H10-5.4
Students will compare or contrast elements, views, ideas, or events presented in one or more passages. DOK 4
Program of Studies
ELA-EIII-R-1
Students will analyze and evaluate the four types of reading materials (literary, informational, practical/workplace, and persuasive) in both print and nonprint (e.g., computer, media) formats.
ELA-EIII-R-5
Students will apply analytical reading skills to make connections to the real world.
Essential Questions
What were the daily hardships faced by soldiers in Vietnam?
What fears and concerns were shared in the letters or seem to be intentionally omitted and why?
What role did the helicopters, hospitals, doctors, and nurses play, according to the letters and the video clip?
Lesson Summary
This lesson would occur in the third week of the unit, after students are introduced to background on the Vietnam War and have read from the first three chapters of letters.
To introduce the lesson, review with students by having them share what they have learned so far about what made the Vietnam War different from previous wars the U.S. was engaged in (i.e. climate and terrain conditions, strategies used by the enemy troops, attitudes about the war). Use the video clip from KET EncycloMedia (Our Men in Vietnam) to introduce the role of helicopters, doctors, nurses and hospitals in Vietnam. Read selected letters from Dear America and discuss what the servicemen and women, nurses, etc. shared about this topic. Write letters in response to reading.
Instructional Activities and Assessments
Pre-reading/viewing Guide Questions:
Comparison/Contrast Chart of Vietnam War with previous wars (each group can address a war)—strategies from Marzano (http://www.marzanoandassociates.com/) identifying similarities and differences, non-linguistic representations, cooperative learning, summarizing and note-taking.
C/C Handout: http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/readquest/pdf/compare.pdf
During reading/viewing:
Viewing questions: What was the mortality rate for Vietnam? For Korea? For WWII? What contributed to the change in numbers? In what role did many women serve in the Vietnam War?
During Reading: What were the daily hardships faced by soldiers in Vietnam? What fears and concerns were shared in the letters or seem to be intentionally omitted and why? What role did the helicopters, hospitals, doctors, and nurses play, according to the letters and the video clip?
After reading/viewing: Create analogies. Partners work to fill in analogy, explain the relationship, and discuss with class.
Response to letters: After reading the selected letters, choose one and write a response as the friend or family member who received the letter.
Scoring Rubric for Letter Responses
Core Content for Assessment
18-20 points 4 Response
Student response shows clear understanding of the issues raised in the letter (i.e. shock of combat/injury, desire to protect family/friend/loved one from the reality of the situation, relief/guilt to be alive) and addresses the issues through the response with insight, depth
15-17 points 3 Response
Student response is connected to details of the letter and shows understanding of the issues raised in the letter. Response is appropriate and developed.
12-14 points 2 Response
Student shows some awareness of the issues raised in the letter, but idea development is limited, lacks depth or is general.
11-01 Response
Student response is brief and shows little or no awareness of the issues raised in the letter.
Resources/Technology
Video hyperlink to Our Men in Vietnam—American Medical Facilities and Personnel in Vietnam (2:32)
Highlight and right click to hyperlink: http://www5.unitedstreaming.com/clickDirector