Unit Plan Overview

Unit: The American War in Vietnam

Stage 1- Desired Results
Connections to Context:
The American War in Vietnam
profoundly changed the way many
Americans approached war, both at
home and abroad. The wars dubious
beginnings, the actual style of
fighting, the anti-war movement, the
draft, the murky reasons for going to
war and the way in which the media
covered the war all converged into
narrative that was unique to
American wars. Since then, this
Vietnamization of war has
permeated the American psyche
surrounding war, the justifications for
it and overall skepticism of the
government. This content fits in with
the schools goals of a well-rounded
modern historical education. It also
gives students a proper context to
current events while showing the
societal and historical continuities
and discontinuities brought on by the
war.
(How does this fit with students
experiences, the school goals, and the
larger societal issues?)

Established Goals
MDE Common Core
1. 8.1.1 Origins of the Cold War
Explain the economic,
political, and military origins
of the Cold War.
2. 8.1.2 Cold War Conflicts
Compare and contrast the

Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to
Explain and identify the various origins of the American War in Vietnam (supporting Diems South
Vietnamese government, the military advisor escalation, Cold War rationales and the Gulf of
Tonkin).
Identify and analyze the origins in a Cold War context (i.e. Domino Theory, proxy war, containment,
etc.)
Analyze and evaluate the extent to which there was or was not a continuity between the policies
relating to South Vietnam between the Eisenhower and Johnson presidencies.
Identify the key players in the war (Johnson, Ho Chi Minh, etc.).
Explain and analyze the use of various new kinds of weapons by the United States (i.e. Napalm).
Understand the lasting effects of chemicals like Agent Orange on the Vietnamese people.
Identify and analyze the evolution of public perception of the war.
Analyze and evaluate the medias role in public perception of the war.
Explain how the evolution of television played a role in war coverage.
Explain the differences between the different styles of warfare used by the Americans.
Understand the roots of the anti-war movement.
Explain the cultural shifts that occurred in the Vietnam era.
Identify important popular music groups of the era.
Explain how the war impacted both the Civil Rights movement and the counterculture.
Identify all the different ways Americans protested the war (college campuses, sit-ins, occupation,
etc.).
Explain the treatment of veterans upon their return to the United States and compare it to now.
Explain how pop culture changed due to the war.
Understand the Hippie movement.
(What kinds of long-term independent accomplishments are desired?)

Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Students will understand that
Students will keep considering
The American War in Vietnam had incredibly
How their lives are still being impacted by
complicated beginnings.
decisions made in the 1960s.
The war had a massive impact on the
The cost of war to both nations.
Vietnamese people as much as it had an
How wars like this can be avoided.
impact on the American people.
The lingering effects of Vietnam on American
How the media played an important role in
foreign policy.

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

causes and consequences of

major Cold War conflicts.
3. 8.1.4 Mapping the 20th
Century
4. C3.6.1 Define the
characteristics of modern
nation-states.
5. C4.3.3 Analyze the impact of
treaties, agreements and
international organizations on
global issues.
6. 6.2.1 Growth of US Global
Power.
7. 8.2.1 Demographic Changes
8. 8.2.2 Policy Concerning
Domestic Issues
9. 8.2.3 Comparing Domestic
Issues
10. 8.2.4 Domestic Conflicts and
Tensions
11. 8.3.1 Civil Rights Movement

public perception.
How the origins of the war, the meaning of
the war and the anti-war movement played a
role in altering how many Americans trust (or
do not trust) the government.

(What specifically do you want students to

understand?
What inferences should they make?)

Acquisition of Knowledge, Skill and Values/Commitments/Dispositions

Students will know
Students will be skilled at
Students will exhibit
All the key figures of the
Explaining the impact of the
An understanding of how
period on the American and
media on the public
disastrous the war was for
Vietnamese sides.
perception of the war.
both the United States and
the Vietnamese.
The reasons for starting the
Summarizing the origins and
An understanding of how
war.
key events of the war.
Cold War politics had a
Dates of all the major
Explaining the impact each
negative impact on the
moments of the war
American President of the
American people.
(escalation dates, Tet
Vietnam era had on the
Knowledge of the power of
Offensive, etc.).
Vietnam War (Kennedy
supporting Diem, Johnson
media.
The anti-war movements
escalating,
Nixon
instituting

A negative approach to wars

gains and losses.
Vietnamization,
etc.).
and conflicts that lack clear
The dates and key contextual
objectives.
events in American public life Identifying contextual events
in
the
1960s
and
their
roles
An understanding of the new
(passage of Civil Rights, etc.).
in the war.
weapons and combat
The major media outlets and
methods used by the United
their effects on public
States in the war and their
perception.
ramifications.
The lasting effects of the
(What discrete skills and processes
American War in Vietnam.
should students be able to use?)

12. 8.3.5 Tensions and Reactions

to Poverty and Civil Rights
13. K1.10 Understand significant
concepts, generalizations,
principles, and theories of
civics as a discipline

(What thought-provoking questions will foster inquiry,

meaning- making and transfer?)

(What facts and basic concepts

should students know and be
able to recall?)

(What values and commitments and

attitudes should students acquire or
wrestle with?)

14. P2.4 Use multiple

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

perspectives and resources to

identify and analyze issues
appropriate to the social
studies discipline being
studied.

(What content standards and programor mission-related goal(s) will the unit
address?
What habits of mind and crossdisciplinary goal(s)- for example 21st
century skills, core competencies- will
this unit address?
Include source and identifying number)

Evaluative Criteria
Content
Analysis/evaluation
Evidence
Relevance
Style
(What criteria will be used in each
assessment to evaluate attainment of
the desired results?)
(Regardless of the format of the
assessment, what qualities are most
important?)

Stage 2- Evidence
Students will show their learning by
PERFORMANCE TASK(S):
Pre-Assessment: Write down quick responses to prompts on the whiteboard/PowerPoint slide.
Formative Assessment: Group work (discussions, written activities, small presentations, etc.).
Summative Assessment: A final essay comparing and contrasting World War II and the Vietnam War
in terms of origins, public perception and combat methods.
(How will students demonstrate their understanding- meaning-making and transfer- through complex
performance?)

OTHER EVIDENCE:
Calling on students in class during lecture/lesson. By calling on the students during the lesson, I can
ascertain their progress.
The level of participation in the lesson.
(What other evidence will you collect to determine whether Stage 1 goals were achieved?

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

Stage 3- Learning Plan

I plan on discussing with them prior to the lesson what they do know, what they want to know and what questions they have.
Pre-assessment- due ________
(What pre-assessments will you use to check students prior knowledge, skill levels, and potential misconceptions?)
(Toward which goal does
Learning Events
each learning event build?)
Acquisition
Meaning
Transfer

Student success at transfer, meaning, and acquisition depends upon their

participation in these learning events
Class Discussion
Contextual events such as the division of Vietnam into north and
south.
The Cold War context.
The origins of the war.
The scope of the anti-war movement.
The power of media in shaping public opinion.
Small Group Work
Small group discussions of various in-class prompts.
Working in small groups to come up with an argument for or against
the further implementation of a certain combat method or weapon in
the Vietnam War.
Working in small groups to create a mock news broadcast of different
events in the Vietnam War (i.e. Tet Offensive, Vietnamization, Fall of
Saigon, etc.).
Videos and Music
Excerpts from evening news broadcasts.
Showing cultural shifts by listening to music from various years during
the war.
Written Assignment
A compare and contrast essay about how the origins, public
perceptions and the combat methods of World War II and the Vietnam
War.

Progress Monitoring

(How will you monitor students

progress toward acquisition,
meaning, and transfer during
lesson events?)

I plan on monitoring my students

progress observing their
participation levels in the class,
how well they answered the
daily prompt, their engagement
in their small group projects
and the quality of the answers
given during class lectures.

(How will students monitor

their own progress toward
acquisition, meaning, and
transfer?)

The students will be able to

monitor their own progress by the
level by the quality of their
answers to the pre-assessments. In
addition, they will also be able to
monitor their progress based on
the work they do in their groups.

(What are potential rough spots

and student misunderstandings?)

An information overload is
possible.

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

 My directions for the group

work might be misunderstood.
Student responses to my
questions may be too
inadequate and force me to
lecture for more than the selfimposed 20-minute time limit I
have.

Star the multiple means of representation; underline the multiple means of

action and expression; circle the multiple means of engagement
(Are all three types of goals (acquisition, meaning, and transfer) addressed in
the learning plan?)

(Does the learning plan reflect principles of learning and best practices?)

(Is there tight alignment with Stages 1 and 2?)

(How will students get the

feedback they need?)

Students will receive verbal

feedback for the in-class work
not meant to be turned in
(discussions, opening prompt,
etc.).

For larger assignments and

assignments turned in, I will
give written feedback with a
corresponding grade that is
either a letter or a percentage.
For the essay, a comprehensive
rubric will be provided.

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum