2004 Travel Project

 

Title:

Interdisciplinary Unit: Thailand, Vietnam and the Cu Chi Tunnels of Vietnam

Participant:

D. Fong

School:

F.A. Day Middle School, Newtonville, MA.

 

 

Project Description:

 

Grade Level: Seventh Grade

Subject Area: Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, Science

Expected Implementation Period: three–five weeks (Nov – Dec 04).

 

Learning Outcomes:

 

 At the end of the unit, students will be able to:

·         Write an essay describing the climate and geography of Vietnam and Thailand;

·         Write an essay comparing the similarities and differences of a particular topic (occupation, customs, culture, architecture, education) in Thailand and Vietnam as influenced by occupation and independence in the two countries;

·         Calculate the time-zone difference between the East Coast of USA and in Thailand and Vietnam;

·         Using the Cu Chi tunnels as a model, calculate the optimal size and features required of a tunnel to hold one person, and to hold a group;

·         Explain using science and mathematics, why the Cu Chi Tunnels worked in Vietnam but will not work in New England.

 

Proposed Project:

 

 I.         SOCIAL STUDIES & LANGUAGE ARTS

 

1.      Students study pictures of Vietnam and Thailand and discuss about what they observe about the climate and geography of the two countries from these pictures.  Students then research the climate and geographical features of Vietnam and Thailand for their first English essay.  

2.      Using the information from this research, students write a preliminary essay on the “Climate and Geography of Vietnam.”  The essay should include references to the photo images they saw, contain a topic sentence with paragraphs linked by transitions words, and a conclusion.

3.      Next, students research about the occupation of Vietnam, the occupiers, and the customs, architecture, education of the occupiers that were assimilated into the Vietnamese culture, and independence.

4.      Similarly, students also research the history of Thailand and foreign influences.

5.      In a class discussion, students compare the difference in occupation and independence, brainstorm the effects of occupation, debate the pros and cons of being occupied, and discuss the similarities and differences of these issues in Thailand and Vietnam.

6.      The class discussion is presented on a Venn diagram for use in the second English essay.

7.      Students identify one of the following topics: occupation, customs, culture, architecture, education, to compare and contrast for Thailand and Vietnam. They will use the information from their class discussions and the Venn diagram to help them write a two-paragraph essay on this topic.  The essay should contain a topic sentence, with paragraphs linked by transitions words, and conclusion.  Students start with a rough draft then edit it in a second draft, before submitting a final essay.

 

Optional: Topics for Further Research (These were informal topics of discussion as there have been many recent articles in the Boston Globe and of presentations from Asian groups at Massachusetts Institue of Technology and the University of Massachesette, Lowell Campus):

  • identify the refugees who left Southeast Asia over the past several decades, the countries they came from and why they are refugees;
  • how the Vietnamese settled in Quincy, MA and the Cambodians in Lowell and Lawrence, MA

       

Assessment:

· Participation in assigned research topics and class discussion;

· Completion of assigned essays according to criteria specified.

 

II.         MATH & SCIENCE

1.    Discuss with students how earth’s rotation and revolution causes time-zones and seasons;

2.    Students practice calculating current local times for cities in Vietnam and Thailand for different times in New England.

3.    Students look at pictures of the Cu Chi tunnels and discuss why they were built and how they were used. 

4.    Using an array of very large cardboard boxes, students simulate the Cu Chi Tunnels by building them into tunnels that will hold them, allow them to crawl through, and have enough ventilation to stay alive.

5.    Students review the formulas for perimeter, area and volume, and then measure their boxes to calculate the perimeters, areas and volumes of the tunnels.

6.      Students solve problems relating to the amount of space needed per person, the minimum size of the tunnels, the number of air holes, rooms, and the amount of people the tunnels can hold.

7.      In a class discussion, students brainstorm why building the tunnels in Vietnam worked and why they would not work so well in New England. They will use their prior knowledge from the social studies unit on the climate and geography of Vietnam, from math on measurement and volume, and from science on the topic of camouflaging to discuss this.

 

Assessment:

· Participation in class discussion on earth's rotation, time zones and seasons;

· Completion of practice math problems on time-zones for cities in Thailand, Vietnam and New England;

· Completion of Cu Chi Tunnel activity and mathematical solutions for minimum tunnel size for survival;

· Participation in class discussion on the success of using tunnels in Vietnam versus in New England.

    

Massachusetts State Content Standards (Grades 6-8) addressed:

Language Arts: 

·         Standard 2 - Questioning, Listening, Contributing

·         Standard 19 - Writing

·         Standard 21 - Revising

Social Studies:

·         Southeast Asia & Oceania Standard 1 - On a map of the world, locate Southeast Asia, the major oceans, and the South China Sea;

·       Southeast Asia & Oceania Standard 3a - explain relationships of absolute and relative location; 3b - climate; 3d - major natural resources;

·         Southeast Asia & Oceania Standard 4 - describe major ethnic religious groups in Thailand and Vietnam;

·         General - In what ways are nations formed?

Math:

·         Standard 8.N.11 - Determine when an estimate rather than an exact answer is appropriate and apply in problem situations

·         Standard 8.M.2 - Given the formulas, convert from one system of measurement to another.  Use technology as appropriate.

·         Standard 8.M.3 - Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and apply formulas and procedures for determining measures of area, perimeter, and volume of rectangular prisms and cylinders

Science:

·         Standard 1.11 - Explain how the tilt of the earth and its revolution around the sun result in an uneven heating of the earth, which in turn causes the seasons.

Technology:

·         Standard 2.1 - Identify a problem that reflects the need for shelter, storage, or convenience

·         Standard 2.2 - Describe different ways in which a problem can be represented (e.g., sketches, diagrams, graphic organizers, and lists.)

 

MCAS related goals for seventh grade:

1.      Students will use strategies of questioning, observing, investigating, experimenting, incorporating prior knowledge and drawing conclusions.

2.      Students will be able to write a complete, paragraphed essay with topic sentence, details, transition words, and conclusion.

3.      Students will demonstrate mastery of area, perimeter and volume.

4.      Students will be able to debate the pros and cons of being an occupied country.