Lesson Plan

Emily Zann

Stage 1: Identify Desired Results

Title: Draft Lottery Simulation

Number of Class Periods: 1

Essential Questions:
● How was the draft handled in the past? How did it change during the Vietnam
War?
State of Michigan Content Standards:
● 8.1.2 Foreign Policy during the Cold War – Compare the causes and
consequences of the setbacks and successes of the American policy of
containing the Soviet Union, including:
○ U.S. involvement in Vietnam, and the foreign and domestic
consequences of the war
Learning Objectives:
● Students will be able to explain how the draft system has changed over time
and how it currently works.

Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence

Diagnostic/Formative Assessments:
● Collaboration boards/multiple choice questions/ polls for participation and
knowledge checks

Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences (Procedure)

Instructional Strategy:
Vietnam Lottery Draft- NearPod
● Vietnam War video (35 min)
○ (Multiple choice) “Why was Vietnam known as the first T.V. war?”
■ What were the pentagon papers?
■ How did the Tet Offensive change public perceptions of the war?
○ What does this leave you thinking or wondering about?
● Lottery Draft Video (4 min)
 ● Draft website
○ Students will look for their birthday on each draft
○ (Poll) What year were you drafted/or not?
○ (Collab board) Were you drafted? If yes, how do you feel about it? Are you
happy to serve your country or resentful? Explain. If no, how do you feel
about it? Are you relieved? Explain.
● Selective Service Lottery Method pdf reading
○ (Collab Board) How did the U.S. draft men during the Vietnam War? How
was this different from previous drafts?
○ (Poll) Would you be willing to serve under this system or are you going to
use a deferment?
○ (Collab Board) If yes, what deferment are you going to use and why?
● Making predictions- connecting to protests/music piece for the next lesson
○ (collab board) How do you think people reacted to this system of the
draft?

Other Important Information

Materials:
● Draft website
● pdf reading
● Draft Lottery Nearpod

Modifications/Accommodations:
● Some school computers did not allow the students to go to the website
because it was flagged for having the word, “lottery” in it. For these students
we found their birthdays as a class and when only about one student per class
made it each year without being drafted, the class would clap.