Controversies of the Vietnam War
5th Grade

Lesson: Controversies of the Vietnam War

Grade: Fifth Grade

Concept: Students will learn about how some of society felt toward the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

Objectives: The students will listen to "Blowin In the Wind" by Bob Dylan and analyze what the song is saying about Vietnam.

Materials Needed:

1. "Blowin In the Wind" by Bob Dylan
2. Good listening ears
3. Copy of the song "Blowin in the Wind"

Preliminary Procedures:The teacher will refresh the students' memories about what they have been talking about in the past two social studies classes, (the Vietnam War), by asking them if anyone can tell her/him the reason the U. S. got involved in the Vietnam War.

Procedure:

1. After the teacher refreshes the students' memories about the Vietnam War she/he will teach them about the domestic controversies that were going on due to the Vietnam War. Mainly the fact that some people loudly protested the War through songs.
2. After the discussion is over the teacher will play the song "Blowin in the Wind" by Bob Dylan and ask the students to listen closely to the song and see if they can analyze what he is singing about.
3. The teacher will pass out the sheet that has the words to the song on it and the class will discuss.

Evaluation: Evaluation occurs while the students are discussing the song, when the words are placed in front of them. The teacher may need to guide the students on some of the lines.

Follow­up: The next day the teacher can play another song, "For What it is Worth" by Buffalo Springfield or "Fortunate Son" by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Musical Concepts: Music history. The teacher could discuss the different controversial songs written back in the sixties and seventies and what made them so controversial.

"Blowin In the Wind" written and performed by Bob Dylan

How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?

How many seas must a white dove sail before she sleeps in the sand?

Yes and how many times must the cannon balls fly before they're forever banned?

The answer my friend is blowin in the wind. The answer is blowin in the wind.

Yes and how many years can a mountain exists before it is washed to the sea?

Yes and how many years can some people exist before they're allowed to be free?

Yes and how many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see?

The answer my friend is blowin in the wind. The answer is blowin in the wind.

Yes and how many times must a man look up before he can see the sky.

Yes and how many ears must one man have before he can hear people cry.

Yes and how many deaths will it take till he knows that too many people have died.

The answer my friend is blowin in the wind. The answer is blowin in the wind.

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