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|   | Write Lyrics for Songs with Social Themes |
|   | Write a Job Description for the Position of 'Government Minder' |
|   | Write About the Communist and Postcommunist Experience |
|   | |
|   | |
|   | Design Propaganda Posters to Bolster the United States' Image Abroad |
|   | Write letters describing your new capitalistic lifestyle |
|   | Fight poverty with information on a class Web page |
Write Lyrics for Songs with Social Themes
The Activity
Explore how music can be used to achieve social goals.
Show students where North Korea is on a map and then play a segment from 'North Korea: Suspicious Minds' in which a young girl sings a song that praises North Korea's 'Great Leader' Kim Il-sung.
www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/northkorea
At about 12:50 into the story
Song lyrics (translated): Sun, sun, if there's sun, it's the morning. Sun, sun, if there's sun, the birds fly. The Great Leader's picture is the sun, to whom I am grateful. I can't live without him. I am thankful to him.
Length of clip: 47 seconds
Discuss the message of the song and the purpose of teaching such a song to young children in North Korea. What would the lyrics be in a similar type of song written for children in the United States? Have students, working in teams, write sample lyrics then share them with the class.
What similarities and differences do students observe when comparing their own original lyrics to the song sung by the young girl? What political, cultural, and other factors may have influenced each composition?
Resources
For a children's song taught in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, please see the feature, 'Sophiline Shapiro: The Dancer'.
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/cambodia/shapiro.html
Visit the 'North Korea: Suspicious Mind' Web resources for a synopsis of the story, related links and facts, and more.
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/northkorea/
A transcript of the story is also available:
pbs.org/frontlineworld/about/episodes/201_transcript.html#northkorea
Relevant National Standards
Music, Standard 7: Understands the relationship between music and history and culture
Language Arts, Standard 5: Uses the general skills and strategies of the reading process
Level IV, Benchmark 4
Understands writing techniques used to influence the reader and accomplish an author's purpose
Related Activities
This activity is part of a suite of activities developed around the theme of the Cold War and Beyond. Additional activities under this theme include:
From Arms Race to Arms Sales (Politics)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/politics_sierraleone.html
Face-Off: United States Foreign Policy With North Korea (Politics)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/politics_northkorea.html
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Write a Job Description for the Position of 'Government Minder'
The Activity
Several journalists reporting for FRONTLINE/World were assigned 'minders,' or official government representatives, whose job it was to show these reporters specific details about the country while limiting access to unfavorable information. You can read about some journalists' experiences with such government minders in the interviews with reporters Nguyen Qui Duc in Vietnam,
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/vietnam/nguyen.html
Ben Anderson in North Korea,
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/northkorea/interview.html
Sam Kiley in Iraq,
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/iraq/profile.html
and Jane Kokan in Iran.
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/iran/kokan.html
Show students where the countries visited by these reporters are located. Then, ask students to write a job description for the position of government minder based on what they learn from the reporters. Be sure students include the background and qualifications that are required and a summary of the job's responsibilities. Then discuss how things would be different if the position of minder disappeared.
Resources
The full stories reported by Nguyen Qui Duc, Ben Anderson, and Sam Kiley are all available on the Web on the streaming video page:
pbs.org/frontlineworld/watch/
Transcripts of each story are also available:
'Vietnam: Looking for Home'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/about/episodes/203_transcript.html#vietnam
'North Korea: Suspicious Minds'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/about/episodes/201_transcript.html#northkorea
'Iraq: Truth and Lies in Baghdad'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/about/episodes/103_transcript.html#iraq
Visit the Web resources for each story for related links, facts, and features:
'Vietnam: Looking for Home'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/vietnam/
'North Korea: Suspicious Minds'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/northkorea/
'Iraq Truth and Lies in Baghdad'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/iraq/
Relevant National Standards
Language Arts, Standard 1: Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
Related Activities
This activity is part of a suite of activities developed around the theme of the Cold War and Beyond. Additional activities developed under this theme include:
From Arms Race to Arms Sales (Politics)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/politics_sierraleone.html
Face-Off: United States Foreign Policy With North Korea (Politics)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/politics_northkorea.html
back to top
Write About the Communist and Postcommunist Experience
The Activity
Show students the story 'Romania: My Old Haunts.'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/romania/
Before viewing the short (18 minutes long) film, show students where Romania is on a map and explain that Romania was ruled by communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu from 1965 until his execution in 1989. In the video, students will see and hear reporter Andrei Codrescu as he takes a personal journey back to his homeland to see how Romania is faring more than a decade after the fall of communism. Have students divide a sheet of paper in half and label one side 'During Communist Rule' and the other side 'After Communist Rule.' Ask students to take notes while they watch, listening closely and making careful observations about life in Romania, both during communist rule and afterward. After viewing the piece, have the class discuss what they observed, then have students use their notes as a content source for writing a poem, drawing a political cartoon, creating a travel brochure or writing a comparison/contrast essay.
Consider extending this activity to examine the similarities and differences between post-communist Romania and post-communist Russia. Have students record observations about life in Moscow as they watch the approximately 18-minute story, 'Rich in Russia.'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/moscow/thestory.html
Students should compare their notes on Russia to those made when watching the Romania story. What social, economic, and other characteristics do these two countries share? What differences did students observe? What might account for these similarities and differences?
Resources
Visit the 'Romania: My Old Haunts' Web resources to see the story in streaming video, read a synopsis of the story or interview with the reporter, or gather related links and facts:
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/romania/
A transcript of the story is also available:
pbs.org/frontlineworld/about/episodes/102_transcript.html#romania
Relevant National Standards
Language Arts, Standard 1: Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
Related Activities
This activity is part of a suite of activities developed around the theme of the Cold War and Beyond. Additional activities under this theme include:
From Arms Race to Arms Sales (History)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/politics_sierraleone.html
Face-Off: United States Foreign Policy With North Korea (History)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/politics_northkorea.html
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Write an Editorial on the Wall Being Built to Separate Jews and Arabs in Israel
The Activity
Ask students the purpose of building fences and walls. Begin the class discussion with backyard fences and walls, then move to those found throughout the community. And finally, discuss the purposes of large-scale political walls, for example, the Berlin Wall and the Great Wall of China. Are walls and fences to keep things out? to keep things in? both? Point out the locations of these walls on a map. What would happen if no fences or walls were put up in each of the circumstances discussed? On a blackboard or marker board that is visible to everyone, list some of the issues raised during the class discussion.
Next, break students into seven groups and assign each group a different section of the Web-exclusive story 'Israel: Tracing Borders'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/fellows/israel/
Have all the groups read the introduction to the story, then have them read their assigned section. As they read, students should take notes on the purpose of Israel's Seam Line Project and on social, political and economic issues that the building of the wall raises. How do these issues compare with the list of issues made earlier?
Ask students to write a newspaper editorial that seeks to persuade readers either that the Seam Line Project will help ease tensions between Jews and Arabs or that the project will intensify these tensions. Editorials should be based on what students believe after learning and thinking about the issue, and should include specific evidence drawn from 'Israel: Tracing Borders' to make the case.
Relevant National Standards
Language Arts, Standard 7: Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts
Levels III and IV, Benchmark 1Uses reading skills and strategies to understand a variety of informational texts
Levels III and IV, Benchmark 2 Knows the defining characteristics of a variety of informational texts
Related Activities
This activity is part of a suite of activities developed around the theme of Conflict, Tyranny and Renewal. Additional activities under this theme include:
Coping With Genocide in Cambodia (History)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/history_cambodia.html
Teaching About the Vietnam War in Vietnam (History)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/history_vietnam.html
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Create a Dracula-inspired Travel Brochure
The Activity
To help fuel its postcommunist economy, Romania is capitalizing on the legend of Dracula, made famous by the Hollywood movie. To appeal to Western tourists, two towns have even proposed competing vampire-based theme parks: Dracula Land and Empire Dracula. What is the fascination with vampires? And how can a concept so creepy be successfully marketed to bring big bucks to Romania?
Show students where Romania is on a map and explain that they have been contracted by the Romanian government to create a promotional brochure that will draw American tourists to Romania's Dracula-related haunts. Pique student interest by having them take the brief online quiz How to Identify and Cure a Vampire.
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/romania/quiz.html
Next, ask students to trace the origin of the Dracula legend by reading 'Dracula: The Metamorphosis of a Fiend'.
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/romania/dracula.html
Students should then work in teams to design, write, illustrate and present their brochures to the class. Have the class or a larger group vote for their favorite brochure and reward the winning team with a creepy prize.
Resources
Visit the 'Romania: My Old Haunts' Web resources to find the features mentioned in this activity, to watch the full FRONTLINE/World segment in streaming video, or to gather related links and facts:
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/romania/
Relevant National Standards
Language Arts, Standard 6: Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of literary texts
Visual Arts, Standard 1: Understands and applies media, techniques, and processes related to the visual arts
World History, Standard 44: Understands the search for community, stability and peace in an interdependent world
Level III, Benchmark 6 Understands the emergence of a global culture (e.g., connections between electronic communications, international marketing and the rise of a popular 'global culture' in the late 20th century; how modern arts have expressed and reflected social transformations and political changes and how they have been internationalized) ---
Related Activities
This activity is part of a suite of activities developed around the theme of U.S Influence Abroad. Additional activities under this theme include:
Isolationism Versus Interventionism in the Philippines (Culture)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/culture_philippines.html
Calming Tensions Between Arabs and Iraqi Kurds (Culture)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/culture_iraq.html
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Design Propaganda Posters to Bolster the United States' Image Abroad
The Activity
Some groups around the world have an unfavorable opinion of U.S. president George W. Bush, and they use propaganda to shape how others view him. In your study of World War I or other conflicts in which propaganda played an important role, extend your discussion of propaganda techniques by showing and discussing these perspectives on President Bush as U.S. forces engaged in Iraq in 2003.
Story: 'India: Starring Osama Bin Laden'At about 1:13 into the story
In: 'And I had arrived at a provocative time.'
Out: '... the opera 'Osama Bin laden.'
Length of clip: 28 seconds
Description: Images of Indian protests against the United States, plus a poster of President Bush with devil horns and fangs with the caption'Warmonger!'
Story: 'Lebanon: Party of God'
At about 9:33 into the story
In: 'They operate a satellite TV ...'
Out: Pictures of George W. Bush juxtaposed with Adolf Hitler
Length of clip: 27 seconds
Description: A Hezbollah television broadcast shows images of President Bush side-by-side with Adolf Hitler
Ask students also to speculate on what would be the economic, political and social consequences of anti-U.S. sentiment in Lebanon and India. And finally, have students apply their knowledge of propaganda techniques to create posters with messages designed to improve the United States' image in the Middle East and India.
Resources
The full stories referenced above are available on the Web on the streaming video page.
pbs.org/frontlineworld/watch/
Transcripts of each story are also available:
'India: Starring Osama bin Laden'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/about/episodes/205_transcript.html#india205
'Lebanon: Party of God'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/about/episodes/202_transcript.html#lebanon
Visit the Web resources for each story for related links, facts, and features:
'India: Starring Osama bin Laden'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/india205/
'Lebanon: Party of God'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/lebanon
English To Spanish
Relevant National Standards
Language Arts, Standard 6: Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of literary texts
Visual Arts, Standard 1: Understands and applies media, techniques and processes related to the visual arts
World History, Standard 44: Understands the search for community, stability and peace in an interdependent world
Level III, Benchmark 6 Understands the emergence of a global culture (e.g., connections between electronic communications, international marketing and the rise of a popular 'global culture' in the late 20th century; how modern arts have expressed and reflected social transformations and political changes and how they have been internationalized)
Related Activities
This activity is part of a suite of activities developed around the theme of the U.S Influence Abroad. Additional activities under this theme include:
Isolationism Versus Interventionism in the Philippines (Culture)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/culture_philippines.html
Calming Tensions Between Arabs and Iraqi Kurds (Culture)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/culture_iraq.html
back to top
Write Letters Describing Your New Capitalistic Lifestyle
The Activity
Show students where Romania and Cambodia are on a map. Then, explain that after being ruled by strict dictators for a period of time, both Romania and Cambodia now participate in capitalistic behaviors that earlier would not have been allowed. Some Romanian girls, for instance, train to go be exotic dancers in Japan and Italy because they will be able to earn $1,000 a week, about 40 times more than they could make if they stayed in Romania. To get these girls' story, have students watch this video clip.
Story: 'Romania: My Old Haunts'Also show this clip on capitalist activities conducted by the remnants of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.
At about 5:20 into the story
In: 'My capitalist pal ...'
Out: 'They are patriots.'
Length of clip: 2 minutes
Story: 'Cambodia: Pol Pot's Shadow'After viewing the clip, have the class discuss these questions.
At about 14:10 into the story
In: 'The remnants of the Khmer Rouge ...'
Out: '... mentally disabled man boxing a child.'
Length of clip: 2:15
- What types of capitalistic activities have attracted some of the Romanian and Khmer Rouge people? Why those activities?
- Does vice always have to play a role in a capitalistic society? Why or why not?
Resources
The full stories are available on the Web on the streaming video page.
pbs.org/frontlineworld/watch/
Transcripts of each story are also available:
'Romania: My Old Haunts'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/about/episodes/102_transcript.html#romania
'Cambodia: Pol Pot's Shadow'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/about/episodes/102_transcript.html#cambodia
Visit the Web resources for each story for related links, facts, and features:
'Romania: My Old Haunts'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/romania/
'Cambodia: Pol Pot's Shadow'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/cambodia/
Relevant National Standards
Language Arts, Standard 1: Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
English To Tagalog
World History, Standard 44: Understands the search for community, stability and peace in an interdependent world
Level III, Benchmark 6
Understands the emergence of a global culture (e.g., connections between electronic communications, international marketing and the rise of a popular 'global culture' in the late 20th century; how modern arts have expressed and reflected social transformations and political changes and how they have been internationalized)
Related Activities
This activity is part of a suite of activities developed around the theme of Poverty. Additional activities under this theme include:
A Newscast on Nigerian Women (Economics)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/economics_nigeria.html
Track the Path of Coffee From Farm to Store Shelf (Economics)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/economics_guatemala.mexico.html
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Fight Poverty with Information on a Class Web Page
The Activity
Explore what happens when poor children in India are given the opportunity to surf the Internet. Show students where India is on a map. Then, either watch the short (about 8 minutes long) film 'India: Hole in the Wall' or have students read 'Reporter's Notebook: Making Connections.'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/india/connection.html
Ask students to think about what impact computer literacy could have on India's poor. Next, see what Web sites are the most popular with these children who live in poverty by looking at 'Kids-Eye View.'
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/india/kids.html
And finally, work with students to design a Web page for these children to access that either introduces the students of your class to the kids in India or summarizes the most important links for the children to visit if they want to improve their economic situation.
Resources
Visit the 'India: Hole in the Wall' Web resources to find the features utilized in this activity, to watch the full FRONTLINE/World segment in streaming video, or to gather related links and facts:
pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/india/
Relevant National Standards
Language Arts, Standard 6: Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of literary texts
Technology, Standard 2: Knows the characteristics and uses of computer software programs
Technology, Standard 3: Understands the relationships among science, technology, society and the individual
World History, Standard 44: Understands the search for community, stability and peace in an interdependent world
Level III, Benchmark 6
Understands the emergence of a global culture (e.g., connections between electronic communications, international marketing and the rise of a popular 'global culture' in the late 20th century; how modern arts have expressed and reflected social transformations and political changes and how they have been internationalized) ---
Related Activities
This activity is part of a suite of activities developed around the theme of Poverty. Additional activities under this theme include:
A Newscast on Nigerian Women (Economics)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/economics_nigeria.html
Track the Path of Coffee From Farm to Store Shelf (Economics)
pbs.org/frontlineworld/educators/economics_guatemala.mexico.html