"The Grave"

Lesson 3:

"The Grave"

Grade Level:

11 - 12

Subjects:

  • English/Language Arts
  • Social Studies
  • Fine Arts
  • Vocational/Technical Skills

Learner Outcomes: 

  • The student will:
    • Describe the increase in soldiers sent to the Vietnam War
    • Debate the relationship of the increase in soldiers and the political philosophy
    • Analyze the sociological impact of Vietnam War protests
    • Demonstrate an understanding of the draft's sociological and emotional impact
    • Compare and contrast the Vietnam War memorials with the WWII memorials
    • Execute a three-dimensional artwork to symbolize the war
    • Analyze the dedication speeches for the Vietnam War memorial in Washington, DC, for tone, imagery, allusion, and mood, and compare it to dedication speeches from other wars, i.e., the Gettysburg Address

Duration of Lesson:

twenty-one 41-minute class periods

Materials:

Technology Tools/Courseware:

  • computer lab
  • laptop/computer with PowerPoint
  • data projector

Teacher Notes:

  • Schedule computer lab
  • Have access to Internet for presentation
  • Review school's acceptable use policy for work on the Internet
  • Preview web links for those that may be out of date

Procedures: 

  • Synthesizing Irving's references to the escalation of the number of soldiers in the war with the actual surges of draftees, the students will use Internet research to determine the number of soldiers sent to war, the number of casualties, the number of POW/MIAs, and the number of soldiers who returned home.  The results will be presented on a timeline graph using Excel spreadsheet software.
  • Students will debate the topic, "Resolved:  The escalation in the number of soldiers reflected the philosophies of the government."
  • Students will examine war protests ( e.g. Internet, news clips, documentaries, and newspaper and magazine articles) to analyze the sociological impact
  • Students will draw new "birth dates" (a month and a date) and identify that date according to the 1972 lottery.  Students will also draw for new classifications, and assuming the new identity of a draft-age person write an essay about how the 1972 lottery would have affected them, their family, their feelings and their choices.  The essay will be incorporated into the multi-media scrapbook at the conclusion of the unit.
  • The student will use a self-designed interview sheet to obtain three realistic accounts from individuals who were participants in the 1969-1972 lotteries.  Using this data the students will compare the actual accounts to the three creative writing assignments regarding the lottery.
  • Cooperative learning groups will do an Internet research on the war memorials of the Vietnam War, with emphasis on designer, location, style, and materials.  Groups will also research the war memorials of WWII comparing and contrasting them with the memorials of the Vietnam War.  Groups will utilize technology to present the research to the class.  Photos and web links should be saved for use in the multi-media scrapbook at the conclusion of the unit.
  • Analyze the dedication speech for the Burial of the Vietnam War Unknown Soldier for tone, imagery, allusion, and mood, and compare it to dedication speeches from other wars, i.e. The Gettysburg Address
  • Students will design and execute a three-dimensional artwork symbolizing the war.

Modifications:

Provide adaptations that meet with student IEPs

Enrichment Activities: 

Evaluation/Assessment:

  • A rubric will be used to assess the implementation of the software in the development of the graph
  • Students will use a speech rubric to evaluate the effectiveness of the argumentation in the debate
  • Students will use a writing prompt to demonstrate their understanding of the sociological impact of war protests
  • Student creative writing assignments will be evaluated for correct usage of standard English as well as appropriateness to the period
  • Group presentations will be evaluated using a speech/art rubric
  • Class critique of three-dimensional works will evaluate the use of design elements and principles

West Virginia IGOs:

  • English/Language Arts:
    • 11.8, 11.9, 11.10, 11.12, 11.13, 11.14, 11.15, 11.16, 11.17, 11.18, 11.21, 11.24, 11.27, 11.28, 11.29, 11.31, 11.32, 11.33, 11.34, 11.35, 11.37, 11.38, 11.39, 11.40, 11.41, 11.42, 11.44, 11.45, 11.46, 11.47, 11.49, 11.51, 11.53, 11.54, 11.59, 11.60, 11.61, 11.62, 11.65, 11.68, 11.81, 11.82, 11.83, 11.84, 11.86, 11.88, 11.89, 11.94, 11.97, 11.98, 11.99
    • 12.3, 12.5, 12.6, 12.8, 12.9, 12.10, 12.11, 12.14, 12.17, 12.18, 12.19, 12.20, 12.21, 12.22, 12.24, 12.25, 12.26, 12.27, 12.30, 12.31, 12.32, 12.33, 12.34, 12.35, 12.36, 12.37, 12.40, 12.42, 12.44, 12.47, 12.53, 12.54, 12.55, 12.61, 12.73, 12.74, 12.75, 12.76, 12.77, 12.78, 12.79, 12.81, 12.83, 12.84, 12.90, 12.93, 12.94, 12.95
  • Social Studies:
    • 11.40, 11.41, 11.42, 11.45, 11.47, 1.48, 11.49, 11.51, 11.52, 11.53, 11.57, 11.59, 11.62
  • Fine Arts:
    • GAIII.2, GAIII.3, GAIII.4, GAIII.5, GAIII.7, GAIII.11, GAIV.2, GAIV.3, GAIV.9, GAIV.12
    • AH.1, AH.2, AH.3, AH.4, AH.5, AH.6, AH.7, AH.14

National Standards:

  • Language Arts:
    • NL-ENG.K-12.1, NL-ENG.K-12.3, NL-ENG.K-12.4, NL-ENG.K-12.5, NL-ENG.K-12.6, NL-ENG.K-12.7, NL-ENG.K-12.8, NL-ENG.K-12.12
  • Social Studies:
    • NSS-USH.5-12.9, NSS-USH.5-12.10, NSS-WH.5-12.8
  • Art:
    • NA-VA.9-12.1, NA-VA.9-12.2, NA-VA.9-12.3, NA-VA.9-12.4, NA-VA.9-12.5, NA-VA.9-12.6

      •  

Job/Career Clusters:

Fine Arts and Humanities

References:

Additional Resources:

Links to Lessons:

   Unit Plan

"As You Shall See"
Lesson 1

"Doomed to Remember"
Lesson 2

"The Voice"
Lesson 3

"The Grave"
Lesson 4

"MADE FOR TELEVISION"
Lesson 5

"Time to Leave...
Too Many Ghosts"

Created By:

George Washington High School


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