Overview
The Lasting Impact of the Genocide
Author: Laura Ouk
Grade: 10
Suggested Amount of Time: 60 minutes
Area of Study: Genocide in Cambodia
Compelling Question
- What were the conditions, development, and lasting effects of the genocide in Cambodia?
Lesson Questions
How have genocide survivors in Cambodia shared their experiences?
How might genocide survivors move forward
Lesson Objective
Students will gain an understanding of the impact of the Cambodian Genocide on its survivors and will examine possible approaches toward justice and peace.
Lesson Background
In the 1970s, the Vietnam War spilled into Cambodia. Rebel Khmer Rouge forces, led by Pol Pot, took power and set out to establish a classless, agrarian society. One out of every four Cambodians died under the rule of the Khmer Rouge. In reference to this genocide, Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen has said, “We should dig a hole and bury the past.” Prach Ly, a young Cambodian American living in Los Angeles, disagrees, and he’s using his rap music to tell the world what happened in Cambodia so that history won’t repeat itself.
This lesson contains content that may be sensitive for some students. Teachers should exercise discretion in evaluating whether the resources are suitable for their class and provide a content warning to their students at the beginning of the lesson.
Image Citation: McGrath, T. (n.d.). 2019 - Cambodia - Phnom Penh - 46 - Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum - For those who are no longer here - A bronze sculpture by Séra Ing. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/time-to-look/49468588691
Skills
Historical Thinking Skill
This lesson will facilitate student proficiency in cause and consequence one of Seixas’ historical thinking skills (Seixas & Morton, 2013). To help students to understand that there are short-term and long-term consequences of events. To help students understand and assess the varying importance of causes.
Events result from the interplay of two types of factors: (1) historical actors, who are people (individuals or groups) who take actions that cause historical events, and (2) the social, political, economic, and cultural conditions within which the actors operate. Students will consider the long-term impact of the genocide on its survivors.
Materials
Supplies
- Computer and internet access
Readings
Videos
- Power, Territory, and Rice
- Cambodia: Pol Pot’s Shadow
Handouts
- “Power, Territory and Rice” Lyrics Handout
- Link to handouts: https://ucdavis.box.com/s/h8c4zto0p7g5z61af4k8kmjjd5jp7yr1
Procedures
Content Warning: This resource contains material that may be sensitive for some students. Teachers should exercise discretion in evaluating whether this resource is suitable for their class.
- Warm Up
- Display the title of Prach-Ly’s song, “Power, Territory and Rice” to the class.
- Have students make predictions of what the song may suggest or be about. Students will pair-share with a peer, then teachers can ask for volunteers to share with the whole class.
- Review the lesson background, objectives, and questions.
- Optional: Display a world map and identify where Cambodia
- Interaction with first source with multiple reads:
- Distribute copies (or make accessible online) the handout: “Power, Territory and Rice” Lyrics
- First Read: During the first read, teachers will play the music video while students follow along with their lyrics handout. Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqmd5tvnLMg.
- Identify and annotate any unfamiliar terms. Encourage students to look up definitions and make notes of meanings.
- Ask students to revisit their predictions from the warm-up. Were their predictions right or wrong? Ask students to elaborate.
- Second Read: Have students independently read the lyrics of the song “Power, Territory and Rice”
- Also available at: https://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/cambodia/ly.html#
- Have students annotate the lyrics of the song for the following questions:
- What is the subject of the song?
- What images does the song describe?
- What do you think is the rapper’s purpose in writing the song?
- Interaction with second source with multiple reads:
- Next, expand student understanding of the rule of the Khmer Rouge by watching the story Cambodia: Pol Pot’s Shadow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1medq9lbMCA (about 24 minutes long).
- Prior to watching, the class should discuss who Pol Pot is and his relevance and significance to understanding Cambodian history.
- Help students focus their viewing by asking them to take notes on the various ways in which Cambodians have coped with the memory of the mass killings.
- Cultural Production
- Ask students to write or record a journal entry about what they think should be done in order for Cambodians to feel justice and peace for the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge. Would it be best for Cambodians to simply “dig a hole and bury the past,” as suggested by the Cambodian prime minister? Why or why not?
- The letter can also be constructed as a spoken word poem.
- Allow time for students to share their letters or spoken word poems to peers
Assessments
Students will write or record a journal entry about what they think should be done in order for Cambodians to feel justice and peace for the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge. They will reflect on the following prompt: Would it be best for Cambodians to simply “dig a hole and bury the past,” as suggested by the Cambodian prime minister? Why or why not? The letter can also be constructed as a spoken word poem.
Scaffolds
Engagement: Consider the following method to support with lesson engagement:
- Differentiate the degree of difficulty or complexity within which core activities can be completed
Representation: Consider the following method to support with multiple means of representation:
- Use advanced organizers (e.g., KWL methods, concept maps)
Action and Expression: Consider the following method to support in presenting their learning in multiple ways:
- Post goals, objectives, and schedules in an obvious place
For additional ideas to support your students, check out the UDL Guidelines at CAST (2018) http://udlguidelines.cast.org.
Multilingual Learner Supports
Emerging: Consider the following method to support with emerging students:
- Listening: Restate/Rephrase and use oral language routines
- Teacher paraphrases student responses as they explain their thinking in effort to validate content learning and encourage the use of precise language.
Expanding: Consider the following method to support with expanding students:
- Listening: Provide graphics or objects to sequence steps in a process
Bridging: Consider the following method to support with bridging students:
- Listening: Confirm students’ prior knowledge of content topics
- Students find connections between familiar vocabulary related to content learning, explaining how their words are connected. (Our words are connected/linked/related because __________.)
For additional guidance around scaffolding for multilingual learners, please consult the following resources:
English Learner Toolkit of Strategies https://ucdavis.box.com/s/ujkdc2xp1dqjzrlq55czph50c3sq1ngu
Providing Appropriate Scaffolding https://www.sdcoe.net/educators/multilingual-education-and-global-achievement/oracy-toolkit/providing-appropriate-scaffolding#scaffolding
Strategies for ELD https://ucdavis.box.com/s/dcp15ymah51uwizpmmt2vys5zr2r5reu
ELA / ELD Framework https://www.caeducatorstogether.org/resources/6537/ela-eld-framework
California ELD Standards https://ucdavis.box.com/s/vqn43cd632z22p8mfzn2h7pntc71kb02
Enrichment
- Consider having students access Janet Vanniroth’s Oral Story to continue learning more about the first hand experiences of the Khmer Rouge. Play this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGAQf0QJWJs from 0:00-26:30.
- Students can also consider how the genocide should be remembered including preserving historic sites. https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6461/
Works Cited
Britt, K. 2020c, May 11. English learner toolkit of strategies. California County Superintendents. https://cacountysupts.org/english-learner-toolkit-of-strategies/
California Department of Education & English Learner Support Division. 2012. California English Language Development standards (Electronic Edition) kindergarten through grade 12 (F. Ong & J. McLean, Eds.). California Department of Education. https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/er/documents/eldstndspublication14.pdf
California Educators Together. (n.d.). ELA / ELD framework. https://www.caeducatorstogether.org/resources/6537/ela-eld-framework
CAST. 2018. The UDL guidelines. http://udlguidelines.cast.org
FRONTLINE/WORLD . Cambodia - Pol Pot’s Shadow . Cambodian-Americans Speak . Prach Ly - The Rapper | PBS. (n.d.). https://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/cambodia/ly.html#
International Reporting Project. (2009, January 10). Pol Pot’s Shadow [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1medq9lbMCA
San Diego County Office of Education. (n.d.). Providing appropriate scaffolding. https://www.sdcoe.net/educators/multilingual-education-and-global-achievement/oracy-toolkit/providing-appropriate-scaffolding#scaffolding
Sexias, P. & Morton, T. 2013. The big six: Historical thinking concepts. Nelson Education.
Sarah Fortunati. 2016, January 7. Power Territory and Rice lyrics by Prach Ly [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqmd5tvnLMg
Tulare County Office of Education. (n.d.). Strategies for ELD. https://commoncore.tcoe.org/Content/Public/doc/Alpha-CollectionofELDStrategies.pdf
Supplementary Sources:
Historical Society of Long Beach. 2023c, June 16. Janet Vanniroth - Oral history [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGAQf0QJWJs
UNESCO World Heritage Centre. (n.d.). Former M-13 prison/ Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (former S-21)/ Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (former Execution Site of S-21) - UNESCO World Heritage Centre. https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6461/