April 30 & May 1, 2025
Agenda
Starter: 4/30 & 5/1
One way stories can be true without really happening is by representing or symbolizing something true or something that really happened.
What could the baby buffalo symbolize? (from last class)
What could the story—of torturing and killing it out of grief—symbolize? (Reminder: a whole story that’s symbolic is called an allegory.)
Assignment: “Americans Are Not Beautiful” / “How to Tell a True Vietnamese War Story” / Exit Ticket
Part 1 - “Americans Are Not Beautiful”
Directions: After we read the poem, answer the questions at the bottom. Groups of 1-4 allowed.
Part 2 - “How to Tell a True Vietnamese War Story”
Read the story your group is handed. Google Doc version
Choose one of O’Brien’s “rules” from the list. Type it on your doc and explain how the story in front of you does or doesn’t follow that rule.
When I call time, pass your story to the next group.
Repeat these steps with the new story you get.
Part 3 - Exit Ticket
What things do these stories have in common with the stories from The Things They Carried?
How are they different from the stories in The Things They Carried?
Include the following information in your answers:
In general, who are the people in the stories?
What types of roles did they have in the conflict?
How did they feel about what they were doing?
Why are they telling these stories?
*Lesson plan is the intellectual property of C. Stephens.
