Crossing the Mekong River - Examining the Secret War in Laos through Hmong Culture & Stories
This kit contains:
Pre-Reading Activity: K-W-L, Video Questions, and Embroidery Analysis
Story Link: Crossing the River
Video Link: What was the Secret War in Laos?
Embroidery Link: Village, Farming, and War Experience
Readability Assessment for Educators: PDF Copy
Reading Guide: GIST Summary & Cause-Effect Graphic
Vocabulary Words: List with Definitions
Vocabulary Quilt Activity: Quilt Template
Vocabulary Connections Activity: Tic-Tac-Connect
Lesson Objectives
Identity: The students will depict a pivotal moment in their life through a drawing, writing or collage.
Skills: The students will analyze visual art, written stories, and video clips depicting Hmong culture & experiences.
Intellect: The students will explain the experience of refugees affected by the Vietnam Conflict.
Criticality: The students will evaluate the role the United States played in the Secret War.
Essential Questions
Who are the Hmong people?
What is the Secret War in Laos?
How are stories preserved in different cultures?
What was the role of the United States in the Secret War?
Note for Educators
This lesson plan occurs over the course of multiple class periods in order to scaffold a cultural understanding of the Hmong people and their experiences in the Secret War. Using this extended time can address multiple standards associated with historical thinking and analysis as well as ELA in Social Studies standards. Additionally, the refugee story contained in this lesson is a translation of an oral story told in the Hmong language - for this reason, the quantitative readability is on the lower end of the scale.
As a note, it is imperative to be cognizant of any refugees or Hmong students in the classroom prior to this lesson. It is essential for students to learn the history and context of the Secret War, but the refugee story included later in this portfolio contains tragic events that may require students to have a content warning or to inform specific students of the content and provide alternatives (find one on this site using the "Refugee Filter"). Education is not designed to force students to relive personal or familial trauma. This is especially pertinent with with recency of these events and the possibility that Hmong students have family member whom are alive and experienced these events first hand.
Lesson Plan created by Kylee Mongold-Campbell
Hmong Fellow Authors: Ger Yang (pre-service educator) and Ee Thao (middle school educator)