How Cambodia’s Border Was Influenced by Siam (Thailand), France, and the United States

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How Cambodia's Border Was Influenced by Siam (Thailand), France, and the United States

An old map of Sourtheast Asia in 1886

Author: Bandual Chansy
Grade: 10

Suggested Amount of Time: 180 minutes
Area of Study: Introduction to Cambodian History

Compelling Question
  • How does learning about Cambodian history promote a greater understanding of Cambodian American experiences?
Lesson Question

  • What was the impact on the geography of Cambodia from colonial rule?

Lesson Objective

Students will explain Cambodia’s geography and how patterns of global change from Siam, France and the United States impacted changing the border of Cambodia then and now. 

Lesson Background

Cambodia’s borders have changed significantly over time due to settlements, wars, colonialism, and treaties. The large territory that was controlled by the Khmer Empire in Southeast Asia which included present-day Cambodia was redrawn after independence from France in the mid-twentieth century. Cambodia’s disputed border with Thailand has also been a flash point for conflict for decades.

Image Citation: Abruozdielis:Cambodia indochina map 1886.jpg - Wikipedia. (n.d.). https://bat-smg.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abruozdielis:Cambodia_indochina_map_1886.jpg 

Historical Thinking Skill 

Historical Significance. This lesson will facilitate student proficiency in historical significance, one of Seixas’ historical thinking skills (Seixas & Morton, 2013). Students make personal decisions about what is historically significant, and then consider the criteria they use to make those decisions. Educators improve student familiarity with the criteria for historical significance.

Students consider how outside influences, events, people, or developments have historical significance if they resulted in change. That is, they had deep consequences, for many people, over a long period of time in the shaping of the geographic boundaries of Cambodia.

Videos
  • Introducing Cambodia 
  • Evolution of Cambodia 
  • Cambodian History 
  • How to say hello in Khmer | Two ways of Khmer greetings 
  • Bokanika Kan-Oral History
    • This resource contains materials that may be sensitive for some students. Teachers should exercise discretion in evaluating whether the resources are suitable for their class. 
  1. Engage: SEL/Welcoming (5 minute
  • Have students think about their culture and how they greet others in their culture. Allow students to teach two different peers how to do their cultural greeting.
  • Teacher will introduce the lesson topic and introduce students to the Cambodian greeting tradition, sampeah. This is done by putting two hands together towards the chin, lowering the elbow and slightly bowing. Teacher would respond: Chhum Reap Su. A video of the proper way to say hello: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYLWH55CGo0. Students can also learn how to greet in Cambodian culture. 
  • Teachers will then display a general map of the world and locate Cambodia.
    • Ask students to share what they notice about the geography, size, and surrounding countries of Cambodia.
  • Optional: Teachers can show this video as a “virtual field trip” to introduce the country of Cambodia: https://youtu.be/Cy-se1Wgdt8
  1. Interaction with first source: "Evolution of Cambodia": https://youtu.be/Cy-se1Wgdt8 (15 minutes)
  • Use the video clip and jump to these various timestamps to illustrate the evolution of Cambodia to students.
    • .43 Khmer Empire,:56 King of Cambodia (Post-Angkor)
    • 1:07 Rattankosin Kingdom 1782 CE–1932 CE Absolute Monarchy Bangkok
    • 1:20 King of Cambodia (French Protectorate) 1863 CE–1963 CE
    • 1:31 Empire of Japan 1940–1945
    • 1:44 King of Cambodia 1953–1970
  • First watch: Have students reflect on their initial thoughts, noticings, and wonderings. This can be done as a verbal class discussion, written on a sticky note, or an online discussion forum such as Padlet. 
  • Second watch: Have students consider the following questions. 
    • How has the country evolved? What appears to be different/ the same?
    • How would you describe what the country of Cambodia was in the past versus present? 
    • What do you think is the reason for this evolution and change?
  • The teacher will share the following definition of imperialism with the students: Imperialism is the control over other nations through military force, economic exploitation or political interference. Often nations use this control to gain resources or strategic advantages in the world. Inform students that this is what influenced the changes of Cambodia’s border.
     
  1. Interaction with second source: Needham, S 2023.19th and 20th Century Cambodian Culture and History. CSU, Dominguez https://ucdavis.box.com/s/qca45bpfc3x6qy2sizw0iuecfxsk7xav (15 minutes)
    • Teacher will read the source with the class. Teacher to model identifying five crucial details that illustrate the evolution of Cambodia’s borders. These five elements will then be added onto a flow chart map. If possible, this flowchart should be constructed digitally to allow for manipulation of different note boxes.
  2. Interaction with third source: Chandler, D 2009. Cambodian History. Cambodia Tribunal Monitor. https://cambodiatribunal.org/history/cambodian-history/ (20 minutes)
    • Students will now read this second source with a peer. 
    • Using the same flowchart from source 1, encourage students to add new information and details that illustrate the evolution of Cambodia’s borders.
    • Once student partners are done, have a class discussion of new findings. 
    • (Optional) Discussion prompts: 
      • How is Cambodia’s border affected by culture, landmarks and resources?
      • What was the impact on the geography of Cambodia from colonial rule?
  3. Summative Assessment 
    • Students will create a digital or hand-drawn storyboard including 6 tiles. Students will answer the question: How did Siam, France and the United States impact the border of Cambodia? 
    • The story board should…
      • Explain how Siam, France and the United States changed Cambodia’s border, culture and agriculture and way of life.
      • Include illustrations or images that are not just the photos of the map. The images should include a two to three sentence caption description.
  1. Students will create a digital or hand-drawn storyboard including six tiles. Students will answer the question: How did Siam, France and the United States impact the border of Cambodia?
  2. The story board should…
    1. Explain how Siam, France and the United States changed Cambodia’s border, culture, agriculture and way of life.
    2. Include illustrations or images that are not just the photos of the map. The images should include a two to three-sentence caption description.

Engagement: Consider the following method to support with lesson engagement:

  • Alerts and previews that can help learners anticipate and prepare for changes in activities, schedules, and novel events
  • Display the goal in multiple ways 

Representation: Consider the following method to support with multiple means of representation:

  • Give explicit prompts for each step in a sequential process

Action and Expression: Consider the following method to support in presenting their learning in multiple ways:

  • Provide differentiated feedback (e.g., feedback that is accessible because it can be customized to individual learners)

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

  • Writing: Teach note taking on a graphic organizer 
    • Students use a Frayer graphic organizer to support understanding of a key word or concept. Place the target word in the center amid four surrounding quadrants to support different facets of word meaning. 

Expanding: Consider the following method to support with expanding students

  • Writing: Provide rubrics and exemplars to scaffold writing assignments 
    • Students investigate how authors of stories invite readers to make inferences about characters by showing what the character does instead of simply telling how the character is feeling.
    • Using mentor text - Text written by authors used to analyze craft, a particular writing style, word usage, structure, etc.

Bridging: Consider the following method to support with bridging students

  • Writing: Require academic writing and the use of target academic vocabulary
    • Apply domain­-specific vocabulary and general academic vocabulary in open sentence frames to perform functions, like describing or explaining, that target specific grammatical structures.

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

  1. Create a digital or paper version illustration of: Cambodia’s History of Border, Then and Now. The paper or document should be divided into two parts. The left side is the ‘then’ side, the right side is the ‘now’ side. Each side should include maps, visuals and photos of Cambodia's people, agriculture, landscape and resources. Each side should also have a three to four sentence caption that best explains Cambodia then and now. 
  2. Make a newsletter about Cambodia. 
  3. Depending on the grade you teach, differentiate your extension by having students, using different forms of art to reflect their final thoughts about Cambodia’s Borders. 
  4. Allow students to express their writing in the form of a poem, bulletin points or essay reflecting how Cambodia’s borders have changed over time. 
  5. Watch the oral history: Historical Society of Long Beach Bokanika Kan-Oral History [Video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPTpqncUvbc 

Audley Travel. 2014, July 23. Introducing Cambodia with Audley Travel [Video]. YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy-se1Wgdt8

Blu Mapping MY. 2023, July 3. Evolution of Cambodia [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qhrN_SoWVg

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

Chandler, D 2009. Cambodian History. Cambodia Tribunal Monitor. https://cambodiatribunal.org/history/cambodian-history/

Needham, S, 2023. 19th and 20thCentury Cambodian Culture and History. CSU, Dominguez Hills. https://ucdavis.box.com/s/qca45bpfc3x6qy2sizw0iuecfxsk7xav

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.

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

Thet Cambodia. 2021, November 7. How to say hello in Khmer | 2 ways of Khmer greetings [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYLWH55CGo0

Historical Society of Long Beach Bokanika Kan-Oral History [Video] History https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPTpqncUvbc

Model Curriculum

Cambodian American Studies

Standard(s)

HSS 10.4.2 RI.9-10.1 W.9-10.1

Grade(s)

Grade 10