Vietnam War Lesson Set January 4, 2010

Use while discussing: The Vietnam War, the 1969 lottery draft, etc.

No, it was not the first ever draft.. but the lottery draft, which began in 1969, tried to make the draft a bit more fair.

SET: You can do this several different ways, but to save class time, this is how I did it:

On the test immediately before this lesson, I asked my students to write their birthdays on the top of their tests.  I then wrote each student’s name and birthday on an individual note card.  I then went to this link: http://www.landscaper.net/draft.htm , and found their draft number (in what order their birthday would have been drawn in the 1969 draft).  The first 195 dates drawn in 1969 were called to service.

The day we began this topic, I started class by putting all of the note cards in a bowl.  I explained to students that we were going to re-enact the 1969 lottery draft, and that the first seven names I pulled out of the hat would have to do homework that night (of course, this is a joke, but they will get mad!).  After I had pulled out the seven names, I made up an assignment for them to do… of course, they started getting mad!  So I explained that I was joking, and then I asked them how they felt.  Did it make you mad? Did you think it was fair? I then handed the rest of the note cards out to the students.  The note cards had their name, birthday, and draft number.  I then briefly discussed the 1969 draft.  I then told the students to look at their note cards and find their draft number.  I then told them that the first 195 numbers drawn were called to service.  I then had the students raise their hands if they would have been drafted.  It was interesting… approximately half of all of my classes were drafted!

Berlin Wall Lesson Set

Use while discussing: The Berlin Wall

I use this photo on my PowerPoint while discussing the Berlin Wall... I felt so young when my kids actually recognized Tupac and Biggie!

SET: Divide the class into two halves (the kids don’t even have to get out of their seats!).  Explain to them that one side will represent communist East Berlin, while the other side of the class will represent free West Berlin.  Explain to the “West Berliners” that they will be voting on whether they want homework or not.  Of course, they will vote NO!!!  Then, look at the East Berlin side, and explain to them that you will be making them do homework.  Be as serious as possible (the students will start freaking out!).  Of course, you wouldn’t really make them do homework like this, but this set is a good way to introduce them to the differences between life in East Berlin and West Berlin.

Interesting Lesson Set for JFK

Use while discussing: JFK, the Great Debates, the Television Age, Richard Nixon, etc.

The Great Debates (1960)--the first ever televised Presidential debates which placed a heavy emphasis on "looks".

Note: This set is a good way to show your students how shallow they are, and it will get them to think about how they treat their classmates.  After completing this set, explain that, unfortunately, image is very important to the American people, and that the Election of 1960 was no different.  Explain to your students that they should do more than just watch the tube in the next election, as we should not  vote for a person based on their charm alone (I’m not saying that JFK was a bad choice because, looking back, we know that Nixon wasn’t perfect himself!)

SET: You will need to make 6 PowerPoint slides for this set.

Slide #1– Type the following three quotes on this slide (these are not exact quotes):

-“I graduated from Harvard, and I can speak English, Hebrew, Japanese, French, German and Arabic… and I love math!!”

-“I just like to party and have a good time”

– “I have a net worth of $19 million, and I like wine!”

Ask the BOYS in the classroom, based on these quotes, which girl they would rather hang out with.  Make a chart on the board to keep track of their answers.  Most of the kids will pick the second quote!

Slide #2- Type the following three quotes on this slide (again, not exact quotes):

-“I love music and dancing”

-“I am interested in biochemical engineering”

-“I love art and Willy Wonka”

Ask the GIRLS in the class, based on these quotes, which guy they would rather hang out with.  Most of the girls will pick #1 or #3.  Remember to create a chart to keep track of the girls’ answers, as well.

Slide #3– On this slide, place these three pictures on it (do not write the captions under the photos!):

Natalie Portman, Quote #1 (Harvard)

Amy Whinehouse, Quote #2 (your students will recognize her!)

Nancy Pelosi, Quote #3 (wine)

Now, ask the BOYS in the classroom, based on the photos, which person they would rather hang out with. Most of the boys will pick Natalie Portman because she is pretty.  (You will need to write their answers on the chart, but you will have to know which photo goes to which quote in order to do this, so keep reading).

Slide #4– Put the following slides on this slide:

Marilyn Manson, Quote #3 (Willy Wonka & art)

Ashton Kutcher, Quote #2 (biochemical engineering)... he studied this before becoming famous!

Richard Simmons, Quote #1 (dancing & music)

Now, ask the GIRLS, based on the photos, which guy they would rather hang out with.  Most of them will pick Ashton Kutcher.  Remember to write the responses on the chart!

Slides 5 & 6- Now, tell the kids that the quotes that they just read correspond with the people depicted in the photos.  On slides #5 & 6, you can put up the six photos and put the appropriate quote beside of each photo!  The students will be surprise to see that they did not choose to hang out with Ashton Kutcher/Natalie Portman when reading the quotes about Harvard and biochemical engineering.  Explain to students that image is, obviously, very important to them, and that the Election of 1960 was no different. Here are the answers:

-“I love music & dancing” -Richard Simmons

-“I am interested in biochemical engineering”- Ashton Kutcher

-“I like art & Willy Wonka”- Marilyn Manson

-“I graduated from Harvard, and I can speak…”- Natalie Portman

-“I just like to party and have a good time”- Amy Whinehouse

-“I have a net worth of $19M, and I love wine”- Nancy Pelosi (she and her husband own a winery)

Cold War Lesson Set- Duck & Cover

Use while discussing: The Cold War, Cuban Missile Crisis, etc.

Note: Ok, we all know that ducking under a desk is not going to save your life if an atomic bomb is dropped in the school courtyard.  Nonetheless, most of my kids really enjoyed this. Hope you do, too!

SET: Show students the “Duck and Cover” video (here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2kdpAGDu8s ).  After the video is done, explain to students that this video was shown to children in during the Cold War.  Ask them to imagine how they would feel if they were six years old and were shown this video?  Would it scare them?  Explain to students that the “duck and cover” procedure was really just a way to ease the public’s fears of a nuclear attack, as ducking under a desk would not save you during an attack!  I go an extra step by adding an audio clip of a bomb raid warning into my PowerPoints (I randomly place one audio clip in my PowerPoint each day).  When students hear the siren, they have to get under their desks and cover up!

WWII Propaganda Cartoons

Use while discussing: WWII

"Blitz Wolf", 1942 propaganda cartoon

Ok, there’s a whole lot of WWII propaganda cartoons on Youtube.  Here are my favorite two. I show one every day while we are going over WWII.  The kids love watching these cartoons, but make sure to watch the cartoons, make a list of references that they might not get, and go over each reference before you show the clip.  If they don’t get the references, they won’t laugh!

Der Fuerher’s Face (1944): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq6H5w73I0Q

Blitz Wolf (1942): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLYzzH0IF_Y

Spaghetti Noodles=Fascism Set!!

Use while discussing: fascism, Benito Mussolini, WWII, etc.

Benito Mussolini

SET: To help students better understand fascism, here’s a cheap and easy set to help!  Buy a box of spaghetti noodles (come one, you can get them for 89 cents, cheapo!).  Take out one spaghetti noodle and hold it up in front of the class.  Explain to students that, in a fascist country, the welfare of the state comes before the welfare of the individual and that this is because the country, as a whole, is much stronger than just a bunch of individuals.  Back to the spaghetti noodle… break it!  Tell students that it is really easy to break one noodle.  Take the rest of the noodles out of the box… hold them over a trashcan.. and break them simultaneously.  Yes, I know that it doesn’t take a 300 pound bodybuilder to do this, but explain to students that it was harder to break all of the noodles as opposed to the individual noodle.

Non-violent Trench Warfare Reenactment!

Use while discussing: trench warfare, WWI, etc.

Nothing pisses me off more than when I am talking about men dying and my kids are just daydreaming... Ok, so you think that trench warfare is not as traumatic as your boyfriend dumping you last week? Let's see how long you can last!

Note: I know you’re going to be afraid to do this, but it worked for me! I tested it on my hell class, half of which are on probation… if they didn’t get violent, you’ll be ok!!

SET: Tell students to take out three pieces of paper each and to wad each piece up into a paper wad.  Don’t tell the kids what you are doing (I love leaving them in the dark!). Take the kids into a hallway, or outside (they’re going to get loud, so outside is a good idea 🙂 ).  Once you get outside, split the class up into two different groups.  Have each group line up facing each other, but leave some room in between them to represent “no-man’s land”.  Ask for three volunteers from each side.  Tell the three volunteers that they will be running from their side, through “no-man’s land”, and past the other group.  If they can successfully make it past the other side, then they could survive trench warfare (no one will make it, trust me!).  Tell everyone else that they are supposed to be throwing paper wads. Let one side go at a time.  While the volunteers are running through “no-man’s land”, their teammates will be throwing paper wads at the other team (but you can’t leave your trench!!) to defend their teammates.  The opposing side will be throwing paper wads as the runners.  Whenever someone gets hit, they must sit down and quit playing.  This was so much fun, and it proved to students that this trench warfare stuff was serious business!  It also helps them explain why WWI was so stagnant because of the trenches.

Funny lesson set for the Great Depression!

Use while discussing: The Great Depression

History with Holly... this is funny stuff!

SET:

Show students the video clip entitled “History with Holly”.  In this clip, “Holly” is trying to explain the Great Depression.  She relates it to a depression she falls into after her favorite television character dies.  She describes the stock market crash of 1929 as occurring when a “bus” crashed through the stock market.  The video is about 3 minutes long, and students who already have a good understanding of the Great Depression will certainly laugh.  Don’t worry! Some students are going to look confused because they don’t get the humor in it!  Be sure to show the video to them again once you cover the chapter… maybe, then, they will get a laugh out of it!  Here is the link (or you can google it): http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1209372/history_with_holly_the_great_depression/

MY FAV!! Fun Lesson Set for Yellow Journalism!

Use while discussing:  yellow journalism, Spanish-American War (heck, any way for that matter!), modern media, William Randolph Hearst, Joseph Pulitzer, etc.

For real??????!!!!!!

WTH?????

Note: This is probably one of my favorite sets.  My kids really had fun with it, and they enjoyed listening to each other’s responses. I also loved hearing what they came up with!  They were completely surprised at the end of the set! It kind of showed students that they can not believe everything they see in the media! This set is going to seem really long, but hang with me! It’s worth it! 🙂

SET:

I have posted pictures that can be used for this set at the bottom of this post.  You will have to arrange them as you want and print them off to hand out to groups (just make sure that each group gets photos that contradict each other; for example, make sure one group gets a photo of a hut and of a million dollar estate!).

Have students get in pairs or groups.  Hand each pair/group two or three images of Africa, but do not tell them where the photos were taken.  The photos depict different aspects of Africa.  For example, one photo shows a poor African woman while another photo depicts Charlize Theron, a popular actress in America who was born in South Africa.  Another photo shows the desert, while yet another photo depicts the African bush.  Even more, other photos depict the African jungle and crowded African cities.  Ask students to create a short, flashy newspaper headline that describes their particular photo and to also guess where the pictures were taken.  After a few minutes, have each pair/group share their news caption with the class and tell where the objects in the pictures are from (at this point, the teacher should have each group’s set of photos on a PowerPoint so that the whole class can see the photos). Once all groups have shared their answers, explain to students that each of the images depicts a different aspect of the African continent. Explain that the African continent is very diverse.  Tell students that I could get them to believe anything I want them to about Africa by just showing them one of the pictures and that it is important not to be deceived by one, single photo.

Busineswoman from Africa. Most kids think that everyone who lives on the African continent are poor and uncivilized.

My kids can not believe that all 6 of these women are from Africa.

Charlize Theron- American movie star who was born in South Africa.

You will get some great captions from your students with this picture!

Pop singer, Christelle, who is from Gabon, West Africa.

Helen Suzman, politican in South Africa

African hut... what most kids envision when they think about African homes

A multi-million dollar home in South Africa--not what most students have in mind when they think of African housing.

Ethiopian castle

Capetown, South Africa- much different from the desert we envision all of Africa to be!

Port at Durban... wait, where's the desert and lions???!!

Yes, there are theme parks in Africa, kids!!

Victoria Falls (Zambia & Zimbabwe); wait... all of Africa is a desert, so what's up with this water??!!!

Mickey Ds... Arabic style!

Mall & Mickey Ds in Capetown... where's the lions??!!

Berber girl, North Africa.

Private school kids, South Africa

Crowded school house

Rwanda

New York Journal (William R. Hearst) article on the U.S.S. Maine explosion

New York World (Joseph Pulitzer) article on Maine explosion

Are your students CLUELESS about the Harlem Renaissance??

Use while discussing: The Harlem Renaissance, jazz, blues, etc.

Does this remind you of some of your students?

OK, you’ll have to rent or buy the 1995 movie “Clueless”, or (if you absolutely can’t stand this movie, rent the 2007 movie, “Blades of Glory”).

SET for Clueless:

Show students a clip from the 1995 “Clueless” movie, starring Alicia Silverstone.  This movie is about a ditsy, spoiled Beverly Hills girl with little common sense.  Students will probably recognize the movie.  The clip that will be shown shows Alicia Silverstone’s character, Claire, getting into the car with her boyfriend, Christian (well, he turns out to be gay, but you know what I mean!), before a date.  Her boyfriend asks her if she likes Billie Holiday.  Claire replies, “I love him!”.  End the video after this clip.  Explain to students that Billie Holiday was not a man, but was a female jazz singer from Harlem.

Blades of Glory

SET for Blades of Glory:

Show students a clip from the 2007 “Blades of Glory” movie, starring Will Ferrell.  Students should also recognize this movie.  Show the clip where Will Ferrell’s character says “Hey, they laughed at Louis Armstrong when he said he was going to the moon”.  Explain to students that Louis Armstrong was also 1920s jazz singer/musician from Harlem, and that “Chaz” should have said Neil Armstrong instead of Louis Armstrong. Remind students that Louis Armstrong sung “What a Wonderful World”, a song they might recognize.  Explain to students that we will be discussing the Harlem Renaissance today, and these characters make it very clear why we need to study history.  Explain to students that they probably listen to some jazz/blues music today.  Ask students if they have heard of Norah Jones, a modern, popular, multi-Emmy winning jazz/blues singer.  Ask students if they watched the Presidential Inauguration last year.  Ask them if they watched Beyoncé perform.  Ask them if they can remember what she sang (“At Last”).  Students should recognize this song as it has been used for many commercials since the inauguration.  Explain to students that this is another popular jazz/blues song.  These two examples might give students a better idea of what jazz/blues music is.