Human, Cultural, and Physical Geography in Vietnam

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Human, Cultural, and Physical Geography in Vietnam

Quan Su, the "Ambassadors' Pagoda" was built in the 1400s for diplomats from the neighboring Buddhist countries of Laos and Siam (now Thailand). It is the most active Buddhist center in Hanoi. Here a man prays for the soul of a relative whose picture joins others on the communal altar.

Author: Duyên Tống
Grades: 9-10

Suggested Amount of Time: 80-90 Minutes
Area of Study: Framing the Vietnamese American Experiences Model Curriculum

Compelling Question

  • Why is it important to learn about Vietnam, Vietnamese refugees, and Vietnamese American experiences? 

Lesson Questions
  • What are some parts of culture, language, borders, and geography in present-day Vietnam that help us understand Vietnam and Vietnamese Americans as a whole?
  • How do the differences between the regions of Vietnam help us understand Vietnam and the Vietnamese American community in a more diverse and holistic way?
  • How do we think about diverse definitions of culture, identity, community, history, geography, and ethnicity and how do they contribute to the framing of Vietnamese America?
Lesson Objective

Students will be able to describe the cultural, linguistic, and geographical differences of present-day Vietnam by exploring various sources and creating a collage.

Lesson Background

Vietnam has a unique shape, like a long letter S. The north has the Red River delta, while the south boasts the Mekong River delta. In the middle, there are narrow coastal plains between Trường Sơn on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. The shape of Vietnam is reminiscent of the bamboo pole with baskets hanging at both ends that street vendors carried to sell their goods. Or, the north of Vietnam resembles the head of a dragon with its ears by Đông Vân and Cao Bàng, the nose by Sơn La, and the mouth by Kỹ Sơn. Pointing this out may help students in remembering the geography of Vietnam better. 

Vietnam is not a very big country. The country stretches over 1,000 miles from its northern border with China to its southern tip on the Gulf of Thailand. The widest part is about 350 miles across, while the narrowest is only about 25 miles. In 2023, the estimated population was approximately 100,380,000 people. The form of government is socialist republic with one legislative house with its capital in Hà Nội.

Vietnam is a diverse country consisting of various ethnic groups, speaking different languages, with some having historical connections to neighboring regions like Thailand, Laos, southern China, and northern Myanmar. There are 54 ethnic groups that are recognized by the Vietnamese government. Some ethnic groups are: Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.9%, Muong 1.5%, Khmer 1.4%, Mong 1.4%, Nung 1.1%, and other 5.5% (2019 est.) (Vietnam Demographics Profile). The largest group of people in Vietnam are known as the Vietnamese or Kinh people. They make up about 85% of the country's population. They primarily reside in the deltas and coastal plains. The word 'Việt' was first used to describe people in southern China and northern Vietnam but later became connected to the Vietnamese and their way of life. The Kinh people traditionally lived near cities and were different from other groups called the Trại people, who lived in more remote areas. Over time, the Kinh people spread across Vietnam, shaping the country's modern culture, language, and identity.

See Vietnam War Commemoration website for map resources: https://www.vietnamwar50th.com/education/maps/  

Sourced from: Vietnam demographics profile. (n.d.). https://www.indexmundi.com/vietnam/demographics_profile.html 

Image Citation: Quan su pagoda, hanoi. (1988). https://oac.cdlib.org/ark:/28722/bk0000m4k0v/?brand=oac4

Historical Thinking Skills: This lesson will facilitate student proficiency in evidence, one of Seixas’ historical thinking skills (Seixas & Morton, 2013). To help students see the crucial role traces play in the construction of history. Students consider how asking good questions about a source can turn it into evidence.

  1. Warm-Up (5 min)
    1. Prompt students with the following questions:
      1. What do you already know about Vietnam? Think about food, movies, travel, blogs, etc.
      2. Share with a partner and the whole class.
      3. Introduce today’s objective and review the background information with students. As a note, it may be helpful to create slides using the information on background information with visuals to engage students.
  2. Interaction with first source: Source 1: North Vietnam (10–15 min) https://ucdavis.box.com/s/fnfo4r8zdrp9l6zx1l3mszejili40vmg
    1. These are some sample questions teachers can use to check for understanding. Use any text annotation strategies that you are comfortable with when looking through the sources. Create a graphic organizer that you are comfortable with where students can take notes and answer these prompts for all the sources.
      1. What are the three sub-regions of Northern Vietnam? Describe their geographical characteristics.
      2. What are the neighboring countries and bodies of water that border Northern Vietnam?
      3. Describe the geographical diversity of Northern Vietnam, including its major landforms.
      4. What is the significance of the Red River basin in Northern Vietnam's geography and development?
      5. Describe the climate of Northern Vietnam, and what are the key climatic influences in the region.
  3. Interaction with second source: Source 2: Central Vietnam (10–15 min) https://ucdavis.box.com/s/fnfo4r8zdrp9l6zx1l3mszejili40vmg
    1. Use text annotation strategies to interact with the second source.
      1. What are the main geographical features of Central Vietnam, and how do they impact the region's climate and landscape?
      2. What historical conflicts and events, such as the Trinh-Nguyen feud and the Vietnam War, took place in Central Vietnam?
      3. How was Central Vietnam divided after 1945, and which provinces became part of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the State of Vietnam?
      4. What are the distinct climate characteristics of North Central and South Central Coast regions in Central Vietnam?
      5. Explain the unique timing of the rainy and dry seasons in Central Vietnam compared to the North and South regions?
  4. Interaction with third source: Source 3: South Vietnam (10–15 min) https://ucdavis.box.com/s/fnfo4r8zdrp9l6zx1l3mszejili40vmg
    1. What are the major geographical features of Southern Vietnam, and how do they contribute to the region's landscape?
    2. How has Southern Vietnam evolved as a territory within Vietnam, and what were its historical names during different periods?
    3. During the period of French colonization, what was Southern Vietnam known as, and how did the term "South Vietnam" come into use after 1945?
    4. What are the significant roles of the Đồng Nai and Mekong rivers in Southern Vietnam, especially for the Mekong Delta?
    5. What are the two main seasons in Southern Vietnam's climate, and how do they affect daily life and agriculture in the region?
  5. Interaction with fourth source: Cultural Geography (10–15 min)
    1. Have students explore and read the information on the two web pages. Some important points to bring up:
      1. Ancestor worship (See “Ancestor Worship in Vietnam”, https://vietnamdiscovery.com/culture-arts/ancestor-worship-in-vietnam/):
        1. Ancestor worship is a significant part of Vietnamese culture, closely tied to its religion and social life.
        2. Ancestor worship is practiced during specific occasions such as festivals, new and full moons, and anniversaries of an ancestor's passing.
        3. Ancestor worship is not about ghosts or supernatural beliefs; it centers around the belief that ancestors exist in another world, and the living have a duty to care for them in exchange for guidance and good luck.
        4. Ancestor worship emphasizes the importance of family, the coexistence of past and present, and the idea that individual behavior influences future generations' well-being.
      2. Confucianism (See “Confucianism in Vietnam”, https://vietnamdiscovery.com/culture-arts/confucianism-in-vietnam/#:~:text=The%20Influence%20of%20Confucianism%20in%20Vietnam&text=Social%20order%20is%20defined%20by,positive%20relationship%20with%20the%20community) Confucianism has a strong and enduring influence on Vietnamese society, promoting order, rules, and community values.
        1. Confucianism encourages individuals to improve themselves while caring for their community and respecting their ancestors through offerings during special occasions.
        2. Vietnamese celebrations, like Tết, reflect Confucian values of renewal and hope, and ceremonies honoring the land emphasize the connection to one's birthplace.
        3. Confucianism plays a significant role in defining how Vietnamese women should behave, although societal changes are gradually impacting traditional ideas.
  6. Community Collaboration (10 min)
    1. Allow students time to conduct additional research on Vietnam. Categories may include:
      1. Famous places, food, mountains, rivers, etc.
      2. Celebrations: Tết, Ngày Đám Giỗ, and other holidays.
      3. Confucianism, religions, and other aspects that pique their interests.
  7. Cultural Production: Glimpse of Vietnam - City Collage (20–30 min)
    1. Students will research a city belonging to one of the regions and create a collage according to the following criteria:
      1. Research: Begin by researching each city and its famous landmarks, climate, language, traditional food, cultural practices, and dances.
        1. Teachers can minimize duplicates by having students do a first come, first serve of their preferred city for their project.
      2. Find photos: to represent and briefly describe each picture.
      3. Design: Design a layout and potential color scheme for your collage, designing it in a way that will showcase the unique aspects of each city.
      4. Organization: Finally, put it all together by arranging your text and images in a way that's visually appealing and easy to read.
    2. Alternatively, students can create a city brochure or infographic. The final product can be open to a written, visual, or audio narrative.
  8. Share Time (5–10 min)
    1. Conduct lines of communication for students to share their final product with their peers.
      1. How to conduct lines of communication: Divide class into two rows facing each other. After sharing has taken place with the peer standing in front of them, one row moves over in position and repeats the process until time is up.
    2. Reflection: Students can discuss which Vietnam destination they enjoyed learning about the most, share something new they discovered, connect it to something they already knew, or identify an area they wish to explore further.

Students will research a city in Vietnam and create a collage covering famous landmarks, climate, language, traditional food, and cultural practices. Alternatively, students can create a city brochure or infographic. 

  • Engagement: Consider the following method to support lesson engagement:
    • Construct communities of learners engaged in common interests or activities.
  • Representation: Consider the following method to support with multiple means of representation:
    • Display information in a flexible format so that the following perceptual features can be varied: 
      • The size of text, images, graphs, tables, or other visual content
      • The layout of visual or other elements 
      • The font used for print materials   
    • Pre-teach vocabulary and symbols, especially in ways that promote connection to the learners’ experience and prior knowledge. 
  • Action and Expression: Consider the following method to support in presenting their learning in multiple ways:
    • Use social media and interactive web tools (e.g., discussion forums, chats, web design, annotation tools, storyboards, comic strips, animation presentations). 
    • Compose in multiple media such as text, speech, drawing, illustration, comics, storyboards, design, film, music, visual art, sculpture, or video.  

For additional ideas to support your students, check out the UDL Guidelines at CAST (2018) http://udlguidelines.cast.org.

  • Emerging: Consider the following method to support with emerging students:
    • Reading: Pair students to read one text together.
      • Students read with a partner and concisely summarize text together using critical content vocabulary, but limiting summary to essential words. Begin in pairs of two, but move to partnerships of four for more practice. 
      • Teacher deliberately partners specific students for conversations.
  • Expanding: Consider the following method to support with expanding students:
    • Reading: Use jigsaw reading to scaffold independent reading.
    • Reading: Teach skimming for specific information.
  • Bridging: Consider the following method to support with bridging students:
    • Reading: Use focused questions to guide reading.
      • Students use inquiry posing their own questions and wonderings to guide shared research experiences. 

For additional guidance around scaffolding for multilingual learners, please consult the following resources:

  • English Learner Toolkit of Strategies

 https://ucdavis.box.com/s/ujkdc2xp1dqjzrlq55czph50c3sq1ngu 

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

  1. Instead of creating a collage, students can also create a video recap of their particular region. The video can be a combination of the following items: songs from the region, photos, video clips, symbols, and more. 
  2. Students can explore the language and tones spoken of inhabitants of each region. This can be done by searching up videos of northern, southern, and central dialects in Vietnam. They can compare and contrast the vocabulary, tones, and language features. 
  3. Students can learn about Agent Orange that was used during the Vietnam War. Have students explore the short term and long term effects of the chemical on the landscape and geography of Vietnam, the Vietnamese people, as well as returning U.S. service people.

Bộ Quốc gia giáo dục (VNCH) [National Department of Education (RVN)] 1963. Văn hóa, nguyệt san: tập-san nghiên-cứu và phổ-thông [Culture, monthly journal: research and general knowledge magazine], Tập 12-13 [Volume 12-13]. Nhà Văn Hóa [Cultural House] [và] [and] Bộ Quốc Gia Giáo Dục [National Department of Education].

BBC News. 2023, April 5. Vietnam country profile. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-16567315

Britt, K. 2020, 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

Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2023, September 13. Vietnamese language | Vietnamese Grammar, Dialects & Writing. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vietnamese-language 

Học viện quốc gia hành chính [National Administrative Academy] 1957. Niên-giám hành-chánh [Administrative Yearbook]. Học viện quốc gia hành chính [National Administrative Academy].

Johnson, S. 2022. Dam Gio Guide: Vietnamese Death Anniversary Celebration. Cake Blog. https://www.joincake.com/blog/dam-gio/ 

Lê Văn An [Le Van An] 1963. Tổ-chức hành-chánh Việt-Nam [Vietnam Administrative Organization] [Book]. Học viện quốc gia hành chính [National Administrative Academy].

Maps | Maps | Vietnam War Commemoration. 2019. Vietnamwar50th.com. https://www.vietnamwar50th.com/education/maps/

Rehahn. 2023. 54 Ethnic groups in Vietnam. Réhahn. https://www.rehahnphotographer.com/ethnic-minorities-in-vietnam/

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

The World Factbook. (n.d.). Vietnam. The World Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/vietnam/

Tran, R. 2020, February 7. Confucianism in Vietnam. Vietnam Discovery. https://vietnamdiscovery.com/culture-arts/confucianism-in-vietnam/#:~:text=The%20Influence%20of%20Confucianism%20in%20Vietnam&text=Social%20order%20is%20defined%20by,positive%20relationship%20with%20the%20community 

Tran, R. 2020, January 2. Ancestor Worship in Vietnam. Vietnam Discovery.

https://vietnamdiscovery.com/culture-arts/ancestor-worship-in-vietnam/

Tulare County Office of Education. (n.d.). Strategies for ELD. https://commoncore.tcoe.org/Content/Public/doc/Alpha-CollectionofELDStrategies.pdf 

Model Curriculum

Vietnamese American Experiences

Standard(s)

WL.CL2.S: Cultural Products, Practices, and Perspectives WL.CN2.S: Diverse Perspectives and Distinctive Viewpoints RI.9-10.1

Grade(s)

Grade 9 Grade 10