the things they carried intro” monday, march 28th...
TRANSCRIPT
LESSON 1
This lesson is meant to act as an introduction to the novel The Things They Carried by
Tim O‟Brien. It is intended to help students orient themselves with the Vietnam War and the
atmosphere of the United States during this time. Since this is a topic in US History that is
generally glossed over students will need some sort of background in order to understand some
of the ideas, concepts, and sentiments that surrounding this war.
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.
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.
Prior Learning Necessary
Students will have come from their 7th
and 8th
grade social studies classes that focused on
United States history. Due to this, they are at least mildly knowledgeable of the Vietnam
War, American democracy and the structure of the US military and the Cold War.
Currently, they are all enrolled in US History at the 11th
grade level, so some of these
concepts will be discussed as we read—even if they have not gotten to the Vietnam War
yet.
Rationale:
“The Things They Carried Intro”
Monday, March 28th
& Tuesday, March 29th
LESSON PLAN
I felt it was important to give students background information with which to process the
novel and various future lesson plans. I also want students to begin to think about themselves in
relation to The Things They Carried. To do this, I will need to get them thinking about how they
would react in particular situations. The last part of this lesson plan will help them begin to do
just that. In addition, by reading the first few pages of the novel out loud I can help set the tone
for the novel. By emphasizing particular passages and changing the tone of my voice I can help
them analyze the way in which to read O‟Brien‟s sometimes difficult prose.
Additional Information
This is a lesson that all students can easily participate in. As there is much classroom
discussion, and minimal amounts of writing or reading on their own, students who struggle in
these areas can benefit greatly. In addition, the final exercise asks them to think about
themselves. This is a topic that each student is more than capable of analyzing and as such, they
should have no problems generating ideas.
Objectives:
1. After viewing the The Things They Carried PowerPoint, students will restate at least
three facts they have learned about the Vietnam War.
2. Students will relate the text to their own lives by analyzing which items they would bring
with them to war.
3. Students will assess their motivations behind bringing these items and identify what they
will symbolize about themselves.
Materials and Resources
PowerPoint & Overhead projector
Paper
Markers
Paper
3x5 Note cards
TTTC texts
BODY OF THE LESSON:
Time for
Instruction
Teacher Actions Actions of the “Typical
Student”
Actions of a Student
with Special Needs
5 minutes
30 minutes
25 minutes
INITIAL
The teacher will hand each student a
3x5 index card. She will also
introduce the novel they are about to
begin reading; The Things They
Carried by Tim O‟Brien. She will
introduce the day‟s lesson by
informing the students they will be
going through a PowerPoint on the
Vietnam War. She will emphasize that
in order to understand many of the key
concepts and ideas that O‟Brien
presents, they must first have an
understanding of the conflict he writes
about.
POWERPOINT
The teacher will go through the
PowerPoint presentation; a brief
introduction to the Vietnam War.
Before playing the movie clip on the
second slide, she will inform students
that they are about to watch a clip
from a famous movie (Forrest Gump)
that many of them may have seen. She
will ask them to pay attention to the
landscape, the battles, and the soldiers
presented in the film. After it is
finished she will ask students to talk
about what they saw, offering up
comments about the general
atmosphere of this war.
She will continue to go through the
presentation, stopping to emphasize
main points (i.e. Tim O‟Brien‟s being
drafted into the war right after he
graduated college). Allow students to
share information they already know
(Cold War)—use prompts to question
them about various ideas.
Student will listen as the
teacher explains the
agenda for the day. They
will utilize the “Agenda”
written on the board if
they have any questions
regarding the assigned
work/schedule. They will
ask for clarification when
needed.
The student will listen as
the PowerPoint
presentation is being
given. If they have
questions regarding the
information listed, they
will ask it of the teacher.
In addition, they will offer
up answers to any
questions presented to
them (i.e. Can anyone tell
me what the Cold War
was?). They will write
down 3 pieces of
information they learned
from the PowerPoint
while it is being
presented.
Student will listen as the
teacher explains the
agenda for the day. They
will utilize the “Agenda”
written on the board if
they have any questions
regarding the assigned
work/schedule. They will
ask the general teacher or
the special educator in
the room for clarification
when needed.
The student will listen as
the PowerPoint
presentation is being
given. If they have
questions regarding the
information listed, they
will ask it of the teacher.
In addition, they will
offer up answers to any
questions presented to
them (i.e. Can anyone
tell me what the Cold
War was?). They will
write down 3 pieces of
information they learned
from the PowerPoint
while it is being
presented. Though all
students are capable of
this activity (i.e. none
require a scribe, etc.) it
can be easily adapted to
work for students who
need more guidance. For
example, they can simply
tell the general/special
educator 3 pieces of
information they learned.
25 minutes
READ
The teacher will read aloud the first 17
pages of TTTC. She will use different
tones and inflection in her voice to
emphasize key points (already
highlighted in her text). She will also
read in a flow that emphasizes to the
students they are hearing a list of
things.
THE THINGS WE CARRY
Using the overhead projector the
teacher will give students prompts for
the next activity. They will be
choosing three (3) items they would
bring with them to war if they found
out they were deployed to Vietnam.
They must keep in mind some
basic guidelines:
-There„s nowhere to charge cell
phones, iPods, laptops, or other
electronic devices on the battlefields.
-Whatever you bring, YOU MUST
CARRY.
-It must fit into your rucksack.
-Whatever you choose, has to LAST.
For each item they choose, they will
answer the following questions:
1. What will it symbolize for you?
2. How will it help you endure?
3. What will it represent about you?*
They may also draw what they are
bringing with them.
*If someone found this item in 20
years what would it tell them about
the kind of person you are?
The student will follow
along in the text as the
teacher reads the first 16
pages of the novel. If she
asks for volunteers to
read, they will volunteer
if comfortable.
The student will listen as
directions are given.
When they are told to do
so, they will begin to
work independently to
come up with 3 things
they would “carry”
themselves over to
Vietnam. They will
answer the 3 questions for
each item. If they prefer,
they may draw a picture
of that item. Each student
will be issued a piece of
colored paper to work
with and a marker.
The student will follow
along in the text as the
teacher reads the first 16
pages of the novel. If she
asks for volunteers to
read, they will volunteer
if comfortable.
The student will listen as
directions are given.
When they are told to do
so, they will begin to
work independently to
come up with 3 things
they would “carry”
themselves over to
Vietnam. They will
answer the 3 questions
for each item. If they
prefer, they may draw a
picture of that item. Each
student will be issued a
piece of colored paper to
work with and a marker.
Though all students in
these classes are capable
of this activity (as per
their IEPs) it can be
adapted for students with
more specific needs. For
example, the student can
work to draw pictures for
their items instead of
writing the names. Then,
a special educator (or
even another student
when appropriate) can
help them write down
answers to the three
questions given.
Evaluation and Assessment
This lesson works nicely as an introduction to the Vietnam War. I am undoubtedly
saturating the students with immense amounts of information. However, I believe that by
requiring them to only identify three facts they learned, it allows them to choose three pieces that
stuck out to them the most. As the unit goes on, their facts will come back into play and help
them further. For this part of the assignment, students will receive a “check-plus” if they have 3
substantial (and accurate facts), a “check” if they have only 2, and a “check-minus” if they have
listed only 1 fact.
I am most concerned with what the students produce for their “Things We Carry” mini-
project. Not only is it important because they will be seeing a grade, but it will also serve as an
indicator to me where the students are in their thinking of the larger global world. I will be able
to assess how much they really know about what life is like in the military, and feed off of this
for the rest of the unit.
For their mini projects they will be receiving grades out of 50 points. To receive full
points they must answer in depth each of the three questions, and show substantial effort. Finally,
students must also show that they followed the guidelines laid out for them (i.e. no cell-phones).
Each item is worth 15 points (5 points for each question), a remaining 5 points is assigned for
creativity and effort.
Assignment Directions
Imagine you are going off to fight in the Vietnam War. As you are packing your bag you realize:
whatever you choose will be the only “comforts” of home you have with you for the next few
years.
What do you bring?
Remember:
There‟s nowhere to charge cell phones, iPods, laptops, or other electronic devices on the
battlefields.
Whatever you bring, You Must Carry.
It must fit into your rucksack.
Whatever you choose, has to last.
Directions:
Pick three items that you would want to have with you.
On your paper: draw, write, or create a symbol for each item.
Explain why you chose it.
1. What will it symbolize for you?
2. How will it help you endure?
3. What will it represent about you?