Students will analyze primary source documents in order to answer the driving historical question: Was the U.S. planning to go to war with North Vietnam before the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution? In small groups, students will become experts on specific primary source documents and will teach their expertise to students from other expert groups and vice versa following the Jigsaw communication strategy. Students will discuss the driving historical question in a whole class discussion following the Taking a Stand strategy. Students will synthesize the primary sources and discussion in order to make a valid judgment in response to the driving historical question by writing a four paragraph essay.
California State Content Standards
3. Trace the origins and geopolitical consequences (foreign and domestic) of the Cold War and containment policy, including the following: •The Vietnam War
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-3. Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11.-1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content. a. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant data and evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims in a discipline-appropriate form that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.
Driving Historical Question
Was the U.S. planning to go to war with North Vietnam before the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
Students will listen to Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War” and Creedence Clear Water Revival’s (John Fogerty) “Fortunate Son.” The lyrics will be provided on the LCD projector while the song is playing and after so students can reference the language and words used. Students will complete a Sound Recording Analysis worksheet and think-pair-share one thing they thought was important in the song. The teacher will call on students using equity cards to gain responses from various students.
Vocabulary (Content Language Development) ‖ Time: Throughout Lesson
Content Vocabulary: Gulf of Tonkin-Incident and Resolution North/South Vietnam Lyndon Johnson
Academic Vocabulary: Incident Resolution
The vocabulary will be infused throughout the lesson. Students will be encouraged to use their cellphones, textbooks, and dictionaries when they do not understand the vocabulary words or any other words found in the primary source documents. The guided questions following the primary source documents will provide students the opportunity to explore, examine, and discuss the vocabulary terms. There will also be a map that provides a visual for students of North and South Vietnam. The video will provide background information and will address the vocabulary terms.
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) ‖ Time: 40
Students will watch short video and will take D-B-A notes in the worksheet provided. This video will provide students the necessary background information to help build their vocabulary and historical context. This will also provide an introduction into the topic and provide students background information to help facilitate the discussion. In addition to the video, students will be provided a timeline handout that outlines the Vietnam war and students will be provided a Vietnam map. (start at 5 minute mark and end at 22 minute mark in the video)
Students will read four primary source documents that will provide evidence which students can use to answer the driving historical question. The teacher will have each student read and answer guiding questions for each document using the Jigsaw strategy to develop community among students and disseminate knowledge of each document. The teacher will number-off students 1-4 so that there are four groups for each of the four documents. These students will become “experts” on their specific documents. Each expert group and experts will be expected to answer the specific questions listed for their document and discuss each question so that they come to a consensus on the best answer. Each document will contain the historical question so that all expert groups can contribute to the whole class discussion that will follow.
Students from expert groups will be mixed into “teaching groups” by the teacher through purposeful grouping so that ELL’s, striving readers, and students with special needs are scaffold the text by advanced students. This also helps advanced students in deepening their knowledge of the text because of their role as helpers makes them rethink and conceptualize the text. Each expert(s) in the group will take turns teaching their document to the other students and how it helps answer the historical driving question. Students who are learning from the experts will be expected to take bullet point notes for participation points on lined paper. This ensures students are actively listening to their experts and come away with a well-rounded understanding of each document.
Once all experts have presented their documents, students will be asked to synthesize the documents in their teaching groups and decide which document best answers the historical question. Students will also be asked to corroborate the documents so that they can present their valid judgments during the discussion. Questions that will help guide the synthesis and corroboration of the documents will be included in the Group Discussion Handout: Which document best supports the argument that U.S. was planning on going to war with North Vietnam before the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution ? Why? Which document best supports the argument that the U.S. was not planning on going to war with North Vietnam before the Gulf of Tonkin incident? Why? Compare and contrast all four documents using the Venn Diagram handout. Taking all the documents together, answer the historical driving question: Was the U.S. planning on going to war with North Vietnam before the Gulf of Tonkin incident? Why or why not?
After students have completed answering and discussing in their Expert and Teaching groups, the class will engage in a Taking a Stand discussion strategy. The Jigsaw strategy will have provided the necessary steps, background, discussion, and a chance to weigh the documents according to the historical driving question. The teacher will instruct the class that they now must “take a stand” on the historical driving question: Was the U.S. planning on going to war with North Vietnam before the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution? They must use their notes taken during the teaching groups and questions they answered in their expert groups. Lastly, students will use their answers in their synthesis and corroboration of the documents that they analyzed in their teaching groups.
The teacher will briefly overview the documents and background information that was covered. Students will be asked through equity cards which document best supports the argument that the U.S. was planning on going to war and which document supports the argument the U.S. was not planning on going to war. Once all key points have been overviewed and briefly discussed, the teacher will split the classroom in half. On one side, students will be asked to support the argument that the U.S. was planning on going to war before the incident, while the other side will support the argument that the U.S. was not planning on going to war. The class will be split randomly by the teacher at the outset of the discussion. Students will briefly think-pair-share their evidence and arguments that relates to whichever position they have been placed. The teacher will call on students from each side through equity cards and ask students to argue their position based on the documents and group/pair discussions they had.
Once students have shared key points in relation to their position with the class, they will be asked to take a stand based on their own belief and judgment on the driving historical question. Students will be free to move from side to side and in the middle which will represent the “undecided.” The teacher will then have students think-pair-share again and discuss their reasoning for moving or not moving. The teacher will then purposefully call on students to explain why they moved and what evidence they believe supports their position. Finally, each position or side will be asked to have three or four students to explain their strongest arguments and document(s) that best support their position. After each side explains their argument, the opposing side will be asked to respond directly to the comments made by the students. The teacher will allow students to continue the discussion until each side has argued all points. The teacher will only facilitate and keep students on topic and in line with the comments.
After all points are exhausted, students in each group will gather in a circle and develop an answer to the question: What could the U.S. have done differently to avoid the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution? What would have been a possible solution to the issue in North Vietnam? Which document best supports the argument that U.S. was planning on going to war with North Vietnam before the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution ? Why? Which document best supports the argument that the U.S. was not planning on going to war with North Vietnam before the Gulf of Tonkin incident? Why? Compare and contrast all four documents using the Venn Diagram handout. Taking all the documents together, answer the historical driving question: Was the U.S. planning on going to war with North Vietnam before the Gulf of Tonkin incident? Why or why not? Once students have finished discussing this question, the class will come back as a whole and discuss their arguments. If students ask for more information on the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, the teacher will provide an opportunity for students to complete further reading, research, and discovery at home, in the library, and on the internet.
Lesson Closure ‖ Time: 25-35
Students will write a four paragraph essay response to close the lesson. Students will be provided clear directions and the teacher will model the response. The response will answer the driving historical question and prompt/directions: Was the U.S. planning to go to war with North Vietnam before the Gulf of Tonkin incident? Write a one page response that uses at least three of the primary source documents. Refer to your notes and questions you answered and reflect on your group and whole class discussions. Follow the format below:
Paragraph 1. Introduce the Gulf of Tonkin incident and historical background information from the video notes and the timeline. Address all the main events. Paragraph 2. Describe the primary argument(s) that support the idea the U.S. was planning on going to war with Vietnam before the Gulf of Tonkin incident. Paragraph 3. Describe the primary argument(s) that support the idea that the U.S. was NOT planning on going to war with Vietnam before the Gulf of Tonkin. Paragraph 4. Conclude the paper by answering the historical driving question. Be sure to include evidence from the primary source documents to support your claim.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
Formative: The lesson begins by having students complete a sound recording worksheet and has them think-pair-share their thoughts about what they think was important or significant in the song. This provides the teacher informal and formal feedback on whether students are accessing prior knowledge and anticipating the upcoming lesson. The DBA worksheet will provide the teacher feedback on how well students understand the background information and whether re-teaching, additional information, or other steps are needed so that all students have accessed the background information and historical context. The jigsaw and taking a stand instructional strategies will provide the teacher continuous verbal feedback and informal assessment of student learning throughout the body of the lesson. This will provide the teacher opportunities to make clarifications, re-teach, revisit the content, and make other necessary adjustments, changes, or corrections when needed so that all students meet the learning goals.
Summative: The four paragraph essay will provide a summative assessment for the teacher. The essay will have students address the driving historical question and demonstrate they have a full range of knowledge about the various events and arguments that support their claims. Using evidence from the documents, students will demonstrate that they have analyzed, close read, corroborated, and synthesized the primary sources. Although their discussions will not be implicit in their essay, their writing should reflect the arguments that were made in both the small and whole group discussions. This essay will provide the teacher formal feedback that will help to assess whether students met the learning goals.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
English Learners: ELL’s will be engaging in discussion and think-pair-share strategies that will provide a low anxiety, shared community experience in discussing the content. Purposeful grouping will provide ELL’s scaffolding of the content. The jigsaw and taking a stand strategy will have ELL’s engage in discussion but will not put them “on the spot” if they are uneasy about speaking in front of their peers. ELL’s who have strong primary language skills will be provided the documents in their native language if possible. Also, ELL’s will be given the option to complete the four paragraph summary in their primary language so long as they can either present it in a one on one meeting with the teacher or provide a summary of what they wrote in English.
Striving Readers: Striving readers will gain support from the guiding questions and purposeful grouping. Students will provide the necessary scaffolding in their expert and teaching groups for striving readers. Striving readers will be assigned specific guiding questions that build upon their strengths. They will also be given handouts that are modified and annotated so that they can focus more closely on becoming an expert and answering the specific questions.
Students with Special Needs: Students with special needs will benefit from the various strategies. The Jigsaw and Taking a stand discussions will provide students with specific tasks and severe time limits so that students stay on task. Purposeful grouping will ensure that students with special needs are grouped heterogeneously so that they are provided the necessary scaffolding and individual students who can best help them meet the learning goals.
Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)
Youtube videos for “Fortunate Son” and “Masters of War” Sound Recording Worksheet D-B-A Video Worksheet Timeline Vietnam Map Venn Diagram Primary Source Documents/Discussion Directions