Accompanying slides for this lesson may be found here: https://ucdavis.box.com/s/hl65m8bbvfra8lfcyirp4ml4v3b8jate 

1. Cultural Energizer: Separation Activity (10–15 minutes)
   1. On a piece of paper, have students write down, in no particular order, 10 of the things they cherish the most.
      1. Optional: Students may also illustrate the things they cherish.
   2. Students will share with their group or pair about what they cherish most and why.
   3. Have a brief class discussion on things people cherish most and why.
   4. Next, have students think and choose carefully about two things they would eliminate:
      1. Teacher speaking points:
         1. “Strikeout two things you cherish. You will never have, see, or touch those things again.”
         2. “Strikeout two things you cherish again. You will never have, see, or touch those things again.”
         3. “Strikeout two things you cherish again. You will never have, see, or touch those things again.”
         4. “Strikeout two things you cherish again. You will never have, see, or touch those things again. You should only have two things you cherish left.”
         5. In between each strike-out, pairs or groups will have one minute to briefly share what they crossed out and why.
   5. Students will share in class what things they have left and why they chose those things.
   6. Possible discussion questions for whole class or in groups: 
      1. Why do you think we did this activity? 
      2. Rate the level of difficulty with this activity, and explain why.
      3. How do you think this relates to the boat people experience?
      4. If you had to leave your country (by boat) and never return, would this list be the same?
      5. What are some things your parents sacrificed that they may have cherished?
2. Teacher Input - Delivery of historical context (10 minutes)
   1. The teacher will deliver a short presentation on the history of the four stages of Vietnamese refugee experience.
      1. Students should follow along by taking notes. 
   2. Suggested points for lecture included but are not limited to the following:
      1. Title: Thuyền Nhân và Chuyến Vượt Biên (The Vietnamese Boat People)
      2. Overview of Vietnamese Refugees
         1. Four waves:
            1. First Wave 1975: 125,000 wealthy, educated Vietnamese connected to the US government after the Fall of Saigon
               1. Operation Babylift
               2. Anyone with family that worked for American companies, NGOS, or organizations
               3. Those connected to the Republic of Vietnam (government + top military)
               4. Civilians who fled by boat fearing a communist bloodbath
            2. Second Wave 1975-late 1980s: ‘boat people’ refugees, mainly rural people and ethnic Chinese fleeing persecution
               1. Third Indochina War and Sino-Vietnamese War 1980
               2. Ethnic chinese discrimination
               3. Reeducation camps
               4. Special economic zones
               5. Religious and geographic discrimination
            3. Third Wave 1980-1995: Refugees processed through Ordinary Departure Program after 1979 Geneva Conference
               1. International community originally refused or ignored boat people crisis
               2. ODP made by United Nations in order to prevent more deaths at sea as international outrage spread
            4. Late 1980s-2000s: Refugees processed through Humanitarian Operation (HO)
               1. Amendment passed to allow families of freed reeducation camp prisoners (ex-RVN soldiers) to come to the US
3. Interaction with first source (Đêm Chôn Dầu Vượt Biển) (20 min) 
   1. Background Context: Đêm Chôn Dầu Vượt Biển (Tonight You Bury Oil and Cross the Sea) is a poignant reflection on the experiences of Vietnamese boat people experience, who fled Vietnam by sea following the end of the Vietnam War. The song encapsulates the dangerous and uncertain journey these refugees undertook, often in overcrowded and ill-equipped boats, in search of safety and a better life. During this time, many refugees would bury oil near the shore and stockpile it in hidden boats that they bought, as they escaped communist police to go out to shore for a small chance of being able to be rescued by a neighboring Southeast Asian country. Many of these refugees had to leave behind loved ones and family, ironically, to bring other loved ones and family to freedom from persecution.
   2. Students will be given a handout (both in Vietnamese and English) of the song, “Đêm Chôn Dầu Vượt Biển” (“Tonight You Bury Oil and Cross the Sea”). See handout below. 
   3. Students will read aloud the lyrics together with the teacher as a class. 
      1. If the teacher can speak Vietnamese, singing or reciting the Vietnamese lyrics would also be helpful. 
      2. Vietnamese lyrics can be accessed here: https://genius.com/Nhu-quynh-em-chon-dau-vuot-bien-lyrics 
   4. Students will divide into groups and be assigned a different paragraph. Each group will annotate their section with the following guidelines:
      1. What is each line trying to say?
      2. What is the main idea of the stanza?
      3. Put yourself in the shoes of the composer. Based on the theme of separation and sacrifice, what do you think is trying to be expressed? 
      4. Based on the previous activity and your preliminary understanding of the boat people, what personal experiences and historical events can you imagine are attached to each line?
      5. This song was created and popularized in the Vietnamese refugee community in 1985. Why do you think this song was needed and made so popular in the community?
      6. Optional guiding questions to align with historical thinking skills: Whose perspective do these narratives represent? Where and when was this narrative developed? What is its context? Who benefitted or was harmed by the events described in these narratives?
4. Interaction with second source (Như Quỳnh) (15 minutes) 
   1. Students will then watch the full musical performance by Như Quỳnh.
   2. They will add to their notes how the interpretive dance motions, scenes, musical tones, mood, etc. add to their preliminary analysis. 
      1. Video can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g8csJl5U9E   
   3. Classes will come together and each group will share their findings.
5. Cultural Production (15 – 20 minutes)
   1. Based on their interaction with the sources, have students brainstorm theme words that relate to the Vietnamese refugee experiences. Students can brainstorm with a partner. Solicit student responses and write down common theme words on the board. Some potential ideas might include: separation, sacrifice, love, and family. 
   2. Then, have students identify one theme word that they prefer to guide their assessment. 
   3. Using that selected theme word, students can choose from one of the following assessment options:
      1. Theme Cloud: Students will create a theme word cloud that includes the theme word itself, theme statements, and images or symbols that reflect the overall theme. 
      2. Written Reflection: Students will write a reflection on how the chosen theme word is present in the sources from the lesson, and is reflective of the broader Vietnamese refugee experiences.
      3. The final product can be open to a written, visual, or audio narrative.