Explore how the events and cultural and political changes that occurred in 1968 came to represent the upheaval and dramatic changes in American life during the 1960s.

The documentary [01:30:00], My Lai, examines the massacre of the village people in the Village of My Lai, Vietnam in 1968 by a company of American Soldiers. It poses the question, "Were they "just following orders" as some later declared? Or, did they break under the pressure of a vicious war in which the line between enemy soldier and civilian had been intentionally blurred?"

Original footage [28:11] from U.S. Department of Defense documents activities of the U.S. Army, Air Force and Navy and their combined effort to help stamp out the threat of communism in South Vietnam.

Students research the effects of the Vietnam war on a specific group of people who were involved. They then create Internet scavenger hunts to share with the class.

Oral History Interviews that bring students together with veterans help to foster empathy and make history come alive. This lessons offers a step-by-step guide to doing an oral history project with Vietnam War Veterans.

The 11th grade learning experience consists of 7 mostly month-long units aligned to the Common Core State Standards, with available course material for teachers and students easily accessible online. Over the course of the year there is a steady progression in text complexity levels, sophistication of writing tasks, speaking and listening activities, and increased opportunities for independent and collaborative work. Rubrics and student models accompany many writing assignments.Throughout the 11th grade year, in addition to the Common Read texts that the whole class reads together, students each select an Independent Reading book and engage with peers in group Book Talks. Students move from learning the class rituals and routines and genre features of argument writing in Unit 11.1 to learning about narrative and informational genres in Unit 11.2: The American Short Story. Teacher resources provide additional materials to support each unit.

In this unit, students will explore great works of American literature and consider how writers reflect the time period in which they write. They will write two literary analysis papers and also work in groups to research and develop anthologies of excellent American stories.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Students read and analyze stories from several 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century American authors. After researching a time period, they select stories from that period to create an anthology. The readings enhance their understanding of the short story, increase their exposure to well-known American authors, and allow them to examine the influence of social, cultural, and political context.
Students examine elements of short stories and have an opportunity for close reading of several American short stories. During these close readings, they examine the ways that short story writers attempt to explore the greater truths of the American experience through their literature.

GUIDING QUESTIONS

These questions are a guide to stimulate thinking, discussion, and writing on the themes and ideas in the unit. For complete and thoughtful answers and for meaningful discussions, students must use evidence based on careful reading of the texts.

If you were to write a short story about this decade, what issues might you focus on?
What defines a short story? Just length?
To what extent do these stories reflect the era or decade in which they were written?
To what extent are the themes they address universal?

CLASSROOM FILMS

History.com has short videos on the Vietnam War (“Vietnam” and “A Soldier's Story”).

In this lesson, students will examine Cheever's use of symbol and motif in his story. They will also expand their ideas through writing and share their understanding of the story.

In this lesson, students will begin the short story “The Swimmer.” As an introduction to the story, they will also read the myth “Echo and Narcissus,” considering Narcissus as a way to view the protagonist of “The Swimmer.”

In this lesson, students will continue to read, annotate, write about, and discuss “The Things They Carried.”

In this lesson, students will begin reading, writing about, and discussing the short story “The Things They Carried.”

In this lesson, to help students understand the next short story, they will learn about the Vietnam War. Students will watch videos about the Vietnam War, conduct some research, and make a short presentation.​

See the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial wall in Washington D.C. through the eyes of war veteran and contemporary poet Yusef Komunyakaa. In this video segment from Poetry Everywhere, Komunyakaa reads his poem Facing It.

Video [3:56] in which Thang Do and Andrew Ly tell the story of escaping Vietnam and coming to America. Includes support materials for teachers and students.

Fordham University, known for its excellent primary historical resources in English translation, provides one for Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese history.

Exhibition consisting of original materials and oral histories drawn from the Veterans History Project collections.

In August 1964, a small military engagement off the coast of North Vietnam helped escalate the involvement of the United States in Vietnam; the Vietnam War would become the longest military engagement in American history prior to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

In this 9-minute video lesson, Sal compares the pattern of U.S. Cold War interventions in Korea, Cuba, and Vietnam. [History playlist: Lesson 10 of 26]

Khan Academy learning modules include a Community space where users can ask questions and seek help from community members. Educators should consult with their Technology administrators to determine the use of Khan Academy learning modules in their classroom. Please review materials from external sites before sharing with students.

This 18-minute video lesson provides an overview of the Vietnam War. [History playlist: Lesson 9 of 26]

Khan Academy learning modules include a Community space where users can ask questions and seek help from community members. Educators should consult with their Technology administrators to determine the use of Khan Academy learning modules in their classroom. Please review materials from external sites before sharing with students.

This brief article overviews how American foreign policy perspectives have changed over time. Learn how the media has provoked some of the changes, how media coverage during the Vietnam War, for example, influenced society's perspectives about that war and war in general.