Students begin by sharing prior knowledge about the Vietnam War. Then, they learn about the origins of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and acquire facts. Next, they analyze the domino theory as it relates to U.S. interventions against communism. Finally, they evaluate a group of arguments for and against U.S. intervention in Vietnam.
Students view images and brief introductory text about Vietnam and the Vietnam War, then respond to a collaborative wall prompt describing what they already know about the Vietnam War and how they learned it.
Teacher MovesReview the lesson objectives and use student responses to prompt a brief discussion of prior knowledge. As time permits, ask students to generate questions they have about the Vietnam War, noting that many will be addressed in this and later experiences.
Students examine an image of U.S. and South Vietnamese leaders, then read The Vietnam War (sections “Overview” and “Origins of the war in Vietnam”) and the early portions of Vietnam War Timeline (up to “America Enters the Vietnam War”) to learn about the origins of the conflict and early U.S. involvement. They answer multiple-choice questions to check their understanding of Ho Chi Minh’s ideology and the goals of the National Liberation Front.
Teacher MovesClarify key background information about early U.S. involvement in Vietnam as needed and address misconceptions revealed by the questions. Offer Early Involvement as an optional extension resource for students who want additional detail on the war’s origins.
Students study an illustration depicting the domino theory in Asia and read explanatory text connecting the image to the idea of nations “falling” like dominoes. They post predictions on a wall explaining what they think the domino theory is, then read Domino Theory (including the sections “What Is the Domino Theory?” and “Nations Are Not Dominoes”) to compare their predictions with a historical explanation of the theory and critiques of it.
Teacher MovesHighlight one or two interesting or exemplary student predictions for class discussion. Emphasize that “Nations Are Not Dominoes” expresses an opinion and ask students what kinds of historical evidence would be needed to evaluate that claim. Encourage interested students to explore additional examples of the domino theory in other historical contexts and, if desired, to read further using resources such as Domino Theory and From Vietnam to Iraq: The Rise and Fall and Rise of the Domino Theory.
Students view an image of President John F. Kennedy and read text introducing the historical debate over whether the Vietnam War was justified. They read Arguments #1 and #2 in Debate: Vietnam War, vote in a poll on which argument they find most convincing, and post to a collaborative wall explaining why they found particular arguments convincing or unconvincing. They then review classmates’ posts and respond to at least two with questions or positive comments to extend the discussion.
Teacher MovesGuide students in considering the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments they read, noting that some arguments may contain exaggerations or logical and factual fallacies. Invite interested students to examine additional arguments on the debate page and analyze them for possible fallacies, supporting their evaluations with evidence.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
©2026 Exploros. All rights reserved.