LESSON 2

This lesson will be centered on the U.S. anti-war movement during the Vietnam War. While

students have read The Things They Carried they have seen instances where O’Brien presents

ideas that he is against the war. The major difference between this war and all others is that there

was a very vocal anti-war movement occurring during the conflict. Students must understand this

if they are to understand some of the major anti-war sentiments O’Brien gives. Students will use

this lesson to look at that movement, and then analyze different forms of literature that express

this anti-war sentiment.

11th

grade

86 minutes

Goals:

This lesson will address the following NYS Educational Standards:

NYS English Language Arts Standards

Students will read, write, listen and speak for information and understanding.

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response.

Students will read, write, listen and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.

NYS Social Studies Standards

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of

major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United

States.

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the

geography of the interdependent world in which we live—local, national, and global—

including the distribution of people, places, and environments.

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the

necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the US and other

nations; the US Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional

democracy, and the roles, rights and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of

participation.

NYS Art Standards

Students will respond critically to a variety of works in the arts, connecting the individual

work to other works and to aspects of human endeavor and thought.

Students will develop an understanding of the personal and cultural forces that shape

artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures of past and

present society.

Anti-War & Pro-War

Monday, April 11th

& Tuesday, April 12th

LESSON PLAN

Prior Learning Necessary

Students will use the information they learned about the Vietnam War in the introduction

lesson to understand some of the key points about the anti-war movement. They will have

also come to class having read passages in TTTC where these sentiments were clearly

stated. This background will be sufficient to allow them to analyze further.

Rationale:

It is difficult to talk about the Vietnam War without talking about the anti-war movement

as well—the two seem to go hand in hand. As such, students must have a background of this

movement in order to even begin to fully understand this war. Tim O’Brien expresses various

anti-war sentiments throughout his work. For example, if students want to understand why he

blames particular people for “forgetting to vote”, they must understand why people expressing

their opinions in any way, was considered so paramount. If I want my students to really grasp the

obstacles O’Brien was facing (especially when presented with a draft letter) then the more

background knowledge the better.

Additional Information

The key to this lesson is in maintaining focus during group work. Particular students will

need to be reminded to stay on task within their groups in order to get the work done.

Additionally, the teacher will need to ensure that one student isn’t carrying the burden for the

rest of the class.

Objectives:

Students will analyze and critique both a poem and a song in the context of the anti-war

movement.

Students will identify which pieces of the poem speak to them.

Students will compose answers to their questions that will best exemplify the key points

in their literature.

Students will synthesize the main ideas of both pieces into one succinct sentence.

Materials and Resources

PowerPoint & projection screen

Packets with songs and poems

Paper, pens/pencils, etc.

BODY OF THE LESSON:

Time for

Instruction

Teacher Actions Actions of the Typical

Student

Actions of a Student

With Special Needs

25 minutes

10 minutes

30 minutes

POWERPOINT

The teacher will run through a

PowerPoint presentation detailing the

major anti-war movements of the

1960’s and 1970’s. Students will be

required to use a 3x5 note card to

write down 3 things they learned

from the presentation about the anti-

war movement. She will inform the

students that O’Brien is writing about

a time period in which many people

were opposed to the war. In order to

understand some of the negative

sentiments the soldiers portray we

must understand the sentiments of the

U.S. during this time period.

KENT STATE MASSACRE

Students will watch a brief clip on

the Kent State Massacre. They will

listen to a song by Crosby, Stills,

Nash and Young (“Ohio”). Using

“Ohio” as an example the teacher

will run through a demonstration of

what the students will be expected to

do for each song or poem that they

will be reading later on in the period.

The teacher will present the

following question:

1. Knowing that there was a

riot on St. Patrick’s Day

with some UAlbany

students—how do you think

the public would react if the

police had decided to start

firing loaded weapons into

the crowd in order to

maintain order?

Students will watch as the

PowerPoint presentation is

being given. They will

pick three facts they find

most interesting or

intriguing and write them

on their note cards. If they

have questions they will

ask them. If questions are

asked of them, they will

answer if they feel

comfortable.

Students will watch the

clip on the Kent State

Massacre. If they have

questions they will ask, if

questions are asked of

them they will answer if

they feel comfortable.

Students will watch as the

PowerPoint presentation is

being given. They will

pick three facts they find

most interesting or

intriguing and write them

on their note cards. If they

have questions they will

ask them. If questions are

asked of them, they will

answer if they feel

comfortable. If they need

assistance writing down

facts they may ask the

cooperating teacher in the

room or myself to help

them after the presentation

is completed.

Students will watch the

clip on the Kent State

Massacre. If they have

questions they will ask, if

questions are asked of

them they will answer if

they feel comfortable.

15 minutes

6 minutes

POEM V. SONG

The teacher will inform students that

they will be breaking into groups.

Each group will receive a poem

(written before the Vietnam War) and

a song (written during the Vietnam

War) that is anti-war in nature. She

will ask students to read both the

song and the poem and begin to

analyze the two using the following

questions:

1. What words or phrases show

feelings of disapproval with

war?

2. What words or phrases

speak directly to the reader?

3. Summarize the main idea of

the song and the poem into

one sentence.

PRESENTATIONS

Since not every student received the

same song/poem, the teacher will

read the first group of songs/poems to

the class. She will explain that the

poem (written by Stephen Crane) was

composed around the time of the

Civil War, that Crane was himself a

soldier, and that he has written

volumes on the true nature of war.

She will explain that the song (“For

What It’s Worth” written by Buffalo

Springfield) was composed during

the Vietnam War. After, she will ask

the students who had this poem to

present their findings to the class.

They will explain their answers for

both the poem and the song and

summarize the main idea of both into

one sentence. After this grouping of

poems/songs has gone the teacher

will move onto the next set (“Anthem

for Doomed Youth by Wilifred Owen

& “I Feel Like I’m Fixin’ To Die

Rag” by Country Joe). She will tell

the students that Owen wrote based

off his experiences during WWI and

Country Joe wrote his song during

the Vietnam War. She will show

Students will break

themselves into groups.

They will receive their

poem/song and then begin

to read them individually.

After all members of their

group have finished

reading, they will begin to

talk about the texts

together. They will work

as a group to answer the

three questions. One

member of the group

(voluntarily) will record

the answers on a sheet of

paper.

Students will take turns

presenting their answers.

They will respond to any

questions presented by the

teacher. They will first

give their responses to the

first 2 questions, and at the

end of their mini

presentation they will give

their summarization

sentence. Not every

student needs to talk, and

the presenter can be

voluntary.

Students will break

themselves into groups.

They will receive their

poem/song and then begin

to read them individually.

If they need assistance

reading the cooperating

teacher or the main teacher

may offer assistance

reading. After all members

of their group have

finished reading, they will

begin to talk about the

texts together. They will

work as a group to answer

the three questions. One

member of the group

(voluntarily) will record

the answers on a sheet of

paper.

Students will take turns

presenting their answers.

They will respond to any

questions presented by the

teacher. They will first

give their responses to the

first 2 questions, and at the

end of their mini

presentation they will give

their summarization

sentence. Not every

student needs to talk, and

the presenter can be

voluntary.

students a video clip of the song

being performed at Woodstock. Then

she will ask the students who had this

grouping to present their findings as

well.

Both groups will present the sentence

they wrote to summarize both after

they have talked about each

separately.

SARCASM

The teacher will talk about the impact

of sarcasm. She will first ask students

to explain what sarcasm is (saying

something you don’t necessarily

mean to emphasize a point). She will

then ask why someone would use

sarcasm when writing about the war.

The main idea is that by utilizing

sarcasm you are able to use the

opponents own views to contradict

them. By stating them in a sarcastic

manner it helps to bring about the

absurdity of your opponent’s claims.

Students will act like they

are in a seminar and talk

with the teacher about

sarcasm. They will offer

examples, questions, or

insight into her posed

questions.

Students will act like they

are in a seminar and talk

with the teacher about

sarcasm. They will offer

examples, questions, or

insight into her posed

questions.

Evaluation & Assessment:

Students will be evaluated mainly on their contributions during group work. To do this,

the teacher must be vigilant in observing her students while they are working in groups. They

will also be graded on the content that their group comes up with.

They will receive a class participation grade (10 pts) for having worked in a group.

Additionally, they will receive a grade out of 20 points for the content of their analyses. They

must have answered all questions. When citing quotations they must then explain the quotations

in the context of the anti-war movement. For example, when picking a quote from “For What It’s

Worth” by Buffalo Springfield they may use: “Paranoia strikes deep, Into your life it will creep,

It starts when you’re always afraid, You step out of line, the man come and take you away.”

However, they must explain how these words show they are representing an anti-war mentality.

They may write about how paranoia with the concept of communism was a prominent theme

during this time, how people were worried about being drafted and “taken away”—anything will

work as long as they explain and support their information.

Finally, students will be given a check-plus, check, or check-minus for their note cards.

Guidelines for this grading system are presented in Lesson 1.

“War Is Kind” by Stephen Crane

Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind,

Because your lover threw wild hands toward the sky

And the affrighted steed ran on alone,

Do not weep.

War is kind.

Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment,

Little souls who thirst for fight,

These men were born to drill and die.

The unexplained glory flies above them.

Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom--

A field where a thousand corpses lie.

Do not weep, babe, for war is kind.

Because your father tumbles in the yellow trenches,

Raged at his breast, gulped and died,

Do not weep.

War is kind.

Swift blazing flag of the regiment,

Eagle with crest of red and gold,

These men were born to drill and die.

Point for them the virtue of slaughter,

Make plain to them the excellence of killing

And a field where a thousand corpses lie.

Mother whose heart hung humble as a button

On the bright splendid shroud of your son,

Do not weep.

War is kind!

“For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield

There's something happening here

What it is ain't exactly clear

There's a man with a gun over there

Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound

Everybody look what's going down

There's battle lines being drawn

Nobody's right if everybody's wrong

Young people speaking their minds

Getting so much resistance from behind

I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound

Everybody look what's going down

What a field-day for the heat

A thousand people in the street

Singing songs and carrying signs

Mostly say, hooray for our side

It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound

Everybody look what's going down

Paranoia strikes deep

Into your life it will creep

It starts when you're always afraid

You step out of line, the man come and take you away

We better stop, hey, what's that sound

Everybody look what's going down

Stop, hey, what's that sound

Everybody look what's going down

Stop, now, what's that sound

Everybody look what's going down

Stop, children, what's that sound

“Anthem For Doomed Youth” by Wilifred Owen

What passing-bells2 for these who die as cattle?

Only the monstrous anger of the guns.

Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle

Can patter out3 their hasty orisons.

4

No mockeries5 now for them; no prayers nor bells;

Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, –

The shrill, demented6

choirs of wailing shells;

And bugles7 calling for them from sad shires.

8

What candles9 may be held to speed them all?

Not in the hands of boys but in their eyes

Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.

The pallor10

of girls' brows shall be their pall;

Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,

And each slow dusk11

a drawing-down of blinds.12

1 Anthem - perhaps best known in the expression "The National Anthem;" also, an important religious

song (often expressing joy); here, perhaps, a solemn song of celebration

2 passing-bells - a bell tolled after someone's death to announce the death to the world

3 patter out - rapidly speak

4 orisons - prayers, here funeral prayers

5 mockeries - ceremonies which are insults. Here Owen seems to be suggesting that the Christian religion,

with its loving God, can have nothing to do with the deaths of so many thousands of men

6 demented - raving mad

7 bugles - a bugle is played at military funerals (sounding the last post)

8 shires - English counties and countryside from which so many of the soldiers came

9 candles - church candles, or the candles lit in the room where a body lies in a coffin

10 pallor - paleness

11 dusk has a symbolic significance here

12 drawing-down of blinds - normally a preparation for night, but also, here, the tradition of drawing the

blinds in a room where a dead person lies, as a sign to the world and as a mark of respect. The coming of

night is like the drawing down of blinds.

“Feel Like I’m Fixin’ To Die Rag” by Country Joe

Well, come on all of you, big strong men,

Uncle Sam needs your help again.

He's got himself in a terrible jam

Way down yonder in Vietnam

So put down your books and pick up a gun,

We're gonna have a whole lotta fun.

And it's one, two, three,

What are we fighting for ?

Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,

Next stop is Vietnam;

And it's five, six, seven,

Open up the pearly gates,

Well there ain't no time to wonder why,

Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

Come on Wall Street, don't be slow,

Why man, this is war au-go-go

There's plenty good money to be made

By supplying the Army with the tools of its trade,

But just hope and pray that if they drop the bomb,

They drop it on the Viet Cong.

And it's one, two, three,

What are we fighting for ?

Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,

Next stop is Vietnam.

And it's five, six, seven,

Open up the pearly gates,

Well there ain't no time to wonder why

Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

Well, come on generals, let's move fast;

Your big chance has come at last.

Now you can go out and get those reds

'Cause the only good commie is the one that's dead

And you know that peace can only be won

When we've blown 'em all to kingdom come.

And it's one, two, three,

What are we fighting for ?

Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,

Next stop is Vietnam;

And it's five, six, seven,

Open up the pearly gates,

Well there ain't no time to wonder why

Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

Come on mothers throughout the land,

Pack your boys off to Vietnam.

Come on fathers, and don't hesitate

To send your sons off before it's too late.

And you can be the first ones in your block

To have your boy come home in a box.

And it's one, two, three

What are we fighting for ?

Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,

Next stop is Vietnam.

And it's five, six, seven,

Open up the pearly gates,

Well there ain't no time to wonder why,

Whoopee! we're all gonna die.