Building Vietnam War scavenger hunts through web-based inquiry
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=821
A lesson plan for Grade 9 English I, English III, and United States History
This lesson uses fiction or nonfiction books on the Vietnam War as a catalyst for research on how the war affected different groups of people. Once small groups are formed based on student interest, the teacher models how to write effective questions and the class brainstorms questions that could be asked for the scavenger hunt. Students use website evaluation forms to determine the appropriateness of the chosen website for answering their specific questions. After completing research, students compose a scavenger hunt by constructing a series of questions to answer “What was the effect of the Vietnam War on the particular group?” Student groups then share their scavenger hunts with one another and reflect on how their research relates to the books they have read. Culminating activities in this lesson include a class discussion about the Vietnam War, writing journal entries, and completing a student self-reflection. This lesson plan provides a project outline, a list of books that can be used, links to Vietnam War websites, and all the resources necessary to conduct a scavenger hunt.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Social Studies (2003)
Grades 11–12 — United States History
- Goal 12: The United States since the Vietnam War (1973-present) - The learner will identify and analyze trends in domestic and foreign affairs of the United States during this time period.
- Objective 12.04: Identify and assess the impact of social, political, and cultural changes in the United States.
- Objective 12.05: Assess the impact of growing racial and ethnic diversity in American society.
- Objective 12.06: Assess the impact of twenty-first century terrorist activity on American society.
Computer Technology Skills (2005)
Grades 9–12
- Goal 3EN — English: The learner will use a variety of technologies to access, analyze, interpret, synthesize, apply, and communicate information.
- Objective 3EN.02: Use electronic resources for research.
- Objective 3EN.03: Select and use technological tools for class assignments, projects, and presentations.
- Goal 3SS — Social Studies: The learner will use a variety of technologies to access, analyze, interpret, synthesize, apply, and communicate information.
- Objective 3SS.03: Use electronic resources for research.
- Objective 3SS.05: Adhere to Fair Use and Multimedia Copyright Guidelines, citing sources of copyrighted materials in papers, projects, and multimedia presentations.
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 9 — English I
- Goal 1: The learner will express reflections and reactions to print and non-print text and personal experiences.
- Objective 1.02: Respond reflectively (individually and in groups) to a variety of expressive texts (e.g., memoirs, vignettes, narratives, diaries, monologues, personal responses) in a way that offers an audience:
- an understanding of the student's personal reaction to the text.
- a sense of how the reaction results from a careful consideration of the text.
- an awareness of how personal and cultural influences affect the response.
- Objective 1.03: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
- selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
- identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
- providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
- demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
- summarizing key events and/or points from text.
- making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
- identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
- analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
- identifying and analyzing elements of expressive environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
- Objective 1.02: Respond reflectively (individually and in groups) to a variety of expressive texts (e.g., memoirs, vignettes, narratives, diaries, monologues, personal responses) in a way that offers an audience:
- Goal 2: The learner will explain meaning, describe processes, and answer research questions to inform an audience.
- Objective 2.01: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print informational texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
- selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
- identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
- providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
- demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
- summarizing key events and/or points from text.
- making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
- identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
- analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
- identifying and analyzing elements of informational environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
- Objective 2.01: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print informational texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
- Goal 3: The learner will examine argumentation and develop informed opinions.
- Objective 3.02: Express an informed opinion that:
- states clearly a personal view.
- is logical and coherent.
- engages the reader's interest or curiosity.
- Objective 3.03: Support that informed opinion by:
- providing relevant and convincing reasons.
- using various types of evidence, such as experience or facts.
- using appropriate and effective language, reasons, and organizational structure for the audience and purpose.
- demonstrating awareness of the possible questions, concerns, or counterarguments of the audience.
- Objective 3.04: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print argumentative texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
- selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
- identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
- providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
- demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
- summarizing key events and/or points from text.
- making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
- identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
- analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
- identifying and analyzing elements of argumentative environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
- Objective 3.02: Express an informed opinion that:
- Goal 4: The learner will create and use standards to critique communication.
- Objective 4.01: Evaluate the effectiveness of communication by:
- examining the use of strategies in a presentation/product.
- applying a set of predetermined standards.
- creating an additional set of standards and applying them to the presentation/product.
- comparing effective strategies used in different presentations/products.
- Objective 4.02: Read and critique various genres by:
- using preparation, engagement, and reflection strategies appropriate for the text.
- identifying and using standards to evaluate aspects of the work or the work as a whole.
- judging the impact of different stylistic and literary devices on the work.
- Objective 4.03: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print critical texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
- selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
- identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
- providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
- demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
- summarizing key events and/or points from text.
- making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
- identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
- analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
- identifying and analyzing elements of critical environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
- Objective 4.01: Evaluate the effectiveness of communication by:
- Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of various literary genres, concepts, elements, and terms.
- Objective 5.01: Read and analyze various literary works by:
- using effective reading strategies for preparation, engagement, reflection.
- recognizing and analyzing the characteristics of literary genres, including fiction (e.g., myths, legends, short stories, novels), non-fiction (e.g., essays, biographies, autobiographies, historical documents), poetry (e.g., epics, sonnets, lyric poetry, ballads) and drama (e.g., tragedy, comedy).
- interpreting literary devices such as allusion, symbolism, figurative language, flashback, dramatic irony, dialogue, diction, and imagery.
- understanding the importance of tone, mood, diction, and style.
- explaining and interpreting archetypal characters, themes, settings.
- explaining how point of view is developed and its effect on literary texts.
- determining a character's traits from his/her actions, speech, appearance, or what others say about him or her.
- explaining how the writer creates character, setting, motif, theme, and other elements.
- making thematic connections among literary texts and media and contemporary issues.
- understanding the importance of cultural and historical impact on literary texts.
- producing creative responses that follow the conventions of a specific genre and using appropriate literary devices for that genre.
- Objective 5.02: Demonstrating increasing comprehension and ability to respond personally to texts by selecting and exploring a wide range of genres.
- Objective 5.01: Read and analyze various literary works by:
- Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
- Objective 6.01: Demonstrate an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression that:
- uses varying sentence types (e.g., simple, compound, complex, compound-complex) purposefully, correctly, and for specific effect.
- selects verb tense to show an appropriate sense of time.
- applies parts of speech to clarify and edit language.
- addresses clarity and style through such strategies as parallelism; appropriate coordination and subordination; variety and details; appropriate and exact words; and conciseness.
- analyzes the place and role of dialects and standard/nonstandard English.
- uses vocabulary strategies such as roots and affixes, word maps, and context clues to discern the meanings of words.
- Objective 6.02: Discern and correct errors in spoken and written English by:
- avoiding fragments, run-ons, and comma splices.
- selecting correct subject-verb agreement, consistent verb tense, and appropriate verbs.
- using and placing modifiers correctly.
- editing for spelling and mechanics (punctuation and capitalization).
- Objective 6.01: Demonstrate an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression that:
Grade 11 — English III
- Goal 1: The learner will demonstrate increasing insight and reflection to print and non-print text through personal expression.
- Objective 1.02: Reflect and respond expressively to texts so that the audience will:
- discover multiple perspectives.
- investigate connections between life and literature.
- explore how the student's life experiences influence his or her response to the selection.
- recognize how the responses of others may be different.
- articulate insightful connections between life and literature.
-consider cultural or historical significance.
- Objective 1.02: Reflect and respond expressively to texts so that the audience will:
- Goal 2: The learner will inform an audience by using a variety of media to research and explain insights into language and culture.
- Objective 2.01: Research ideas, events, and/or movements related to United States culture by:
- locating facts and details for purposeful elaboration.
- organizing information to create a structure for purpose, audience, and context.
- excluding extraneous information.
-providing accurate documentation. - Objective 2.03: Respond to informational texts by:
- using a variety of strategies for preparation, engagement, and reflection.
- paraphrasing main ideas and supporting details present in texts.
-explaining significant connections among the speaker's/author's purpose, tone, biases, and the message for the intended audience.
- Objective 2.01: Research ideas, events, and/or movements related to United States culture by:
- Goal 3: The learner will demonstrate increasing sophistication in defining issues and using argument effectively.
- Objective 3.02: Select an issue or theme and take a stance on that issue by:
- reflecting the viewpoint(s) of Americans of different times and places.
- showing sensitivity or empathy for the culture represented.
- supporting the argument with specific reasons.
- Objective 3.02: Select an issue or theme and take a stance on that issue by:
- Goal 4: The learner will critically analyze text to gain meaning, develop thematic connections, and synthesize ideas.
- Objective 4.02: Develop thematic connections among literary works by:
- connecting themes that occur across genres or works from different time periods.
- using specific references to validate connections.
-examining how representative elements such as mood, tone, and style impact the development of a theme. - Objective 4.03: Assess the power, validity, and truthfulness in the logic of arguments given in public and political documents by:
- identifying the intent and message of the author or artist.
- recognizing how the author addresses opposing viewpoints.
- articulating a personal response to the message and method of the author or artist.
-evaluating the historical significance of the work.
- Objective 4.02: Develop thematic connections among literary works by:
- Goal 5: The learner will interpret and evaluate representative texts to deepen understanding of literature of the United States.
- Objective 5.02: Analyze the relationships among United States authors and their works by:
- making and supporting valid responses about the text through references to other works and authors.
-comparing texts to show similarities or differences in themes, characters, or ideas.
- Objective 5.02: Analyze the relationships among United States authors and their works by:
- Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
- Objective 6.01: Demonstrate an understanding of the conventions of language by:
- decoding vocabulary using knowledge of Anglo-Saxon, Greek, and Latin bases and affixes.
- discerning the relationship of word meanings between pairs of words in analogies (synonyms/antonyms, connotation/denotation).
- revising writing to enhance voice and style, sentence variety, subtlety of meaning, and tone in considerations of questions being addressed, purpose, audience, and genres.
- contrasting use of language conventions of authors in different time periods of United States literature.
-analyzing the power of standard usage over nonstandard usage in formal settings such a job interviews, academic environment, or public speaking events. - Objective 6.02: Discern and correct errors in speaking and writing at a level appropriate to eleventh grade by:
- reviewing and refining purposeful use of varying sentence types with correct punctuation.
- reviewing and refining correct pronoun usage, antecedents, and case.
- refining subject/verb agreement and choice of tense.
- extending effective use of phrases and clauses. - discussing parts of speech as they relate to writing.
-editing for correct spelling and mechanics.
- Objective 6.01: Demonstrate an understanding of the conventions of language by:



