Music Lesson Plan – Music as a Non-Violent Protest of the Vietnam War
Standard Information:
Grade Level: 7
Name of Classroom Teacher: Stephanie Miller
Descriptive Title: Music as a Non-Violent Protest of the Vietnam War
Lesson Description: Students will be involved in a brief discussion of the Vietnam War
and will listen to a Bob Dylan song from that time period in order to understand how
music can be used to express political views.
Objectives:
The student will explore the idea of expression of political views through music.
The student will listen to a song in order to discover meaning.
The student will analyze a musical work.
The student will explore/understand the importance of music in society and
historical periods.
The student will make connections with music to historical concepts.
Concept(s) and/or Key Words and Definition(s): The students will understand the
concept of non-violent protest (using voice instead of violence) as a form of protest.
Non-violent - Lack of violence, the doctrine, policy, or practice of rejecting violence in
favor of peaceful tactics as a means of gaining political objectives.
Protest - A formal declaration of disapproval or objection issued by a concerned person,
group, or organization, an individual or collective gesture or display of disapproval.
Students’ Background Knowledge: Students will need to know information about the
Vietnam War. They will need to know that the war took place in the 1950’s and there are
still repercussions of the war to this day.. Students will need to know why the United
States entered into the Vietnam War as well as how the war “ended”. This lesson will
take place after the Vietnam War was discussed in detail in class.
Materials and Teaching Aids:
“Blowin’ in the Wind” (Song) by Bob Dylan
Lyrics to the Song “Blowin’ in the Wind”
Map of Vietnam
World Map
Vietnam War Fact Sheet
Classroom Management Suggestions: Students will stay at their desks and participate
in the class discussion, they may discuss with the person sitting next to them their ideas
about the song.
Assessment: Student’s answers in the discussions as well as their original answers on
when discussing the song will allow for assessment of whether or not the lesson was
successful. Students who listen to the song and participate in the discussion will receive
a plus in the grade book.
Standards:
National Music Standards:
7. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
8. Evaluating music and music performance
9. Understanding music relation to history and culture
Montana State Music Standards:
Arts Content Standard 3 – Students develop and refine art skills and techniques to
express ideas, pose and solve problems, and discover meaning.
Arts Content Standard 4 – Students analyze characteristics and merits of their
work and works of others.
Arts Content Standard 5 – Students understand the role of the Arts in society,
diverse cultures, and historical periods.
Arts Content Standard 6 – Students make connections among the arts, other
subject areas, life, and work.
Links outside this lesson:
Let students know that there are many websites available to further research the
Vietnam War.
Accommodations for Diversity:
Juan who does not speak any English will have an interrupter if possible,
otherwise be placed with an ESL student, if time allows he will be asked if there was a
similar war with non-violent protests in Mexico. Juan will have the lyrics to the song
provided for him in both Spanish and English.
Teaching Model: Learning Cycle
Ask students what they remember from discussion yesterday and the day before
about the Vietnam War.
Show students the map of Vietnam and of Asia to refresh their memory.
Interesting Question –
Ask students:
Do you think that there were people who objected to the United States
being involved in the Vietnam War?
How did they protest? (Write the students ideas on the board)
Inform students that one way that people protested the war was through
non-violent protests.
What would be some ways to protest non-violently? (Write students ideas
on the board)
Inform students that musicians who opposed the war used their music to protest in
a non-violent manner.
Experiment/Experience
Inform students that they will be listening to a song called “Blowin in the Wind”
by Bob Dylan.
Play the song for the students.
Concept Development
After listening to the song, pass the lyrics to the song to the students.
Have a discussion with the students about what they believe Bob Dylan was trying
to say with his song. Student will apply the concept of non-violent protest to the
song.
Application
Discuss with the students that there were people in favor of the war, however they
obviously didn’t protest the war and were not as vocal as the war protesters were.
Chickenhawks were people who supported the Vietnam War.
Attachments:
“Blowin’ in the Wind” by Bob Dylan Lyrics
Sources:
http://www.vietnam-war.info/myths/
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/MusicVietnamWar.htm
“Blowin in the Wind” by Bob Dylan
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“Blowin’ in the Wind” by Bob Dylan
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
Yes, 'n' how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
How many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
Yes, 'n' how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head,
Pretending he just doesn't see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.