Activity Overview
Researching real people helps students to gain a more concrete and critical understanding of the lives and diverse perspectives of people who were involved in the Vietnam War. Giving students the perspective of those who lived during a time period helps them go beyond simply memorizing dates and names to acquire a more substantial, empathetic and realistic view of the period. In this activity, students will create a spider map highlighting at least 3 key figures from the Vietnam War. They should include information about their impact, importance or role, and core beliefs.
Examples of Key Figures related to the Vietnam War
North Vietnamese
- Hồ Chí Minh
- Le Duan
- Vo Nguyen Giap
South Vietnamese
- Bao Dai
- Ngô Đình Diệm
- Ngo Dinh Nhu
- Nguyễn Văn Thiệu
Americans
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
- John F. Kennedy
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- Robert McNamara
- Richard M. Nixon
- Henry Kissinger
- William Westmoreland
- Creighton Abrams
- William Calley
Anti-War Figures
- Muhammad Ali
- Robert F. Kennedy
- John Kerry
- Martin Luther King
- Jane Fonda
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Research some of the key figures from the Vietnam War and create a spider map that highlights 3-6 of them.
Student Instructions:
- Choose a person.
- Using school resources, conduct research on important figures from the Vietnam War
- For each cell, include the person’s name and dates of birth (and death if applicable). Choose a character that resembles your person, use search, or upload a picture. You may also choose to create a design that represents your person.
- Include a short description of the person and their role or importance during the Vietnam War.
- Save and exit when you're finished.
Requirements: 3-6 people with names, dates of birth/death, illustrations, accomplishments.
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