Here's a must-have resource for your Vietnam War curriculum file. Class members view a PowerPoint that details the background of the conflict and then examines the reasons for and the effects of protest songs on American attitudes toward the Vietnam War.

Concepts

protest songs, the vietnam war, non-violent protest, protests

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Pair audio versions of SSG Barry Sadler's "Ballad of the Green Berets" with Country Joe and the Fish's "Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag" and discuss the differences in diction, instruments used, and tone of the two songs
• Pair the Doors' song "Unknown Soldier" with Wilfred Owens' "Dulce Et Decorum Est"
  

Classroom Considerations

• The 47-page packet includes a note suggesting that instructors preview the entire resource and only print those pages they intend to use
• The lesson is predicated on the assumption that class members have a basic understanding of the Cold War
• The PowerPoint contains powerful images 

Pros

• While the focus of the activity is on the role of music in the Vietnam War protests, the resource does point out the misinformation that fueled the debates

Cons

• None

Common Core

SL.9-10.1.a SL.11-12.1.a