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The Vietnam War
Political Music Lesson Plan

Overview
In this lesson, students will discuss the nature of protest.  Students will understand that art can be a form of protest.  Specifically, students will learn about how music was used as a powerful tool for speaking out against the war.  The students will listen to some protest music and discuss the meaning behind the songs.  While listening to music, students will view slides that go back and forth between protests at home, and the war abroad.

Materials:
  • CD containing the following songs:
    • For What It ’s Worth- by Buffalo Springfield
    • Ohio- by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
    • What’s Going On- by Marvin Gaye
  • Music Lyrics
  • Slide Projector
  • Slides of the war and the protests of the war
  • Student worksheet

Objective
Students will evaluate the power of music as a form of protest during the Vietnam War

Warm Up (5 minutes)
Imagine the school board has just announced they want close campus for lunch.  What would you do to change the policy back to the way it was?   Teacher will listen to students brainstorm methods of protest.

Direct Instruction (2 minutes)

  • Teacher will instruct students that one of the most powerful forms of protest is music.
  • Teacher will inform students that today we will listen to some songs and view slides from the Vietnam era to try to experience the protest movement in America.
  • Teacher will inform students that the first song they will listen to was released the year after the war was escalated and the first battalions landed in Vietnam at Da Nang.

Listening Activity (3 minutes)
Students will listen to "For What It’s Worth" by Buffalo Springfield

Discussion (5 minutes)

  • "What do you think Buffalo Springfield is saying?  To what sound is he referring?"
  • "What is meant by ‘There’s battle lines being drawn and nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong?"
  • "Who is singing songs and carrying signs?  Is it just people against the war?"

Direct Instruction (2 minutes)
Teacher will inform students that the next song they are about to hear is about a specific incident that occurred at a protest.  Teacher will ask students to think about what the event is as they are listening.

Listening Activity (4 minutes)
Teacher will play “Ohio” by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young

Discussion (5 minutes)

  • "What event is this song about?  How do you know?"
  • "What do you think the group means by 'We’re finally on our own?'"
  • "What is meant by 'tin soldiers?'"  Tin is a cheap metal, the US was throwing away its soldiers like scrap metal.

Direct Instruction (2 minutes)
Teacher will instruct that not all protest music was rock and roll.  This next song is by the late Marvin Gaye.  Note that the beginning of the song is an audio recording after his brother returned from the war.

Discussion (5 minutes)

  • “When Marvin Gaye says ‘Talk to me,’ to whom is he speaking?”
  • “What is meant by, ‘who are they to judge us simply ‘cos our hair is long?’”
  • "Who is 'Father?'  Who is 'Mother?'"
  • "What is Marvin suggesting as a resolution?”  -communication

Closure (5 minutes)

  • "How did Buffalo Springfield’s song protest the war?"  -asked people to wake up to what’s happening.  Spoke out against the war.
  • "How did CSNY’s song protest the war?"  -pleaded with American people, music was angry and sad
  • "How did Marvin Gaye’s song protest the war?"  -specifically said “we don’t need to escalate.”  Music is gentle, pleads “War is not the answer”
  • Teacher will ask students, “Why is music such an effective and powerful form of protest?”
  • Teacher will ask students what they learned today.

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