Student Activities
- Grade Level:
- Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- State Standards:
- Visual Arts K.1-18, 1.4-6, 1.14, 1.19. 2.11, 2.16-17, 3.6, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 6.17, 7.3, 7.14, 8.6, 8.12, AI.2, AI.15-16
Objectives: List three reasons why the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was built.Name four design requirements.Identify the main theme of Maya Lin’s design.
Common Core Standards: LITERACY.W.K.2, LITERACY.RH.9-10.2, D1.4.9-12, D2. His.4.9-12, D2. His.7.9-12.,
State Standards: Visual Arts K.1-18, 1.4-6, 1.14, 1.19. 2.11, 2.16-17, 3.6, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 6.17, 7.3, 7.14, 8.6, 8.12, AI.2, AI.15-16
Guiding Questions: What is the purpose of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial?How can a memorial be a symbol of unity and healing?Should monument and memorials have design competitions?
Key Vocabulary:
Memorial: a structure, established to remind people of a person or event
Harmonious: forming a pleasing or consistent whole
Reflective: relating to or characterized by deep thought; thoughtful or providing a reflection
Competition: an event or contest in which people compete
Sacrifice: an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy
BackgroundIn 1980, a national competition was held to select a design for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. According to the official announcement, the memorial must “stand as a symbol of our nation’s appreciation for the sacrifice and loss” that resulted from Vietnam War. Each design must comply with the following rules:
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It must contain the names of those who died and those who are still missing
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It will make no political statement regarding the war but instead begin a healing process
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Be reflective in character
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Be harmonious with the site and environment;
On May 1, 1981 it was announced that 21-year-old Yale architecture student Maya Lin had won the competition. The central element of Lin's memorial is the shiny black granite wall in a wide V shape, with one "arm" directed toward the Lincoln Memorial and the other toward the Washington Monument. The faces of visitors are reflected in the walls bearing the etched names of the 58,318 men and women who died in combat or are listed as missing in action (MIA).
Procedure Come up with your own design in small groups. What symbols of unity and healing would you use in your design?Take a look at a few of the 1,421 designs by other finalists in the Library of Congress - http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/97505811/. What do you think of some of the ideas? Did you come up with any features in your design that are similar to the ones you see?
Materials
Original Submission Image- Library of Congress
Last updated: August 3, 2023