Medal of Honor

Overcoming Obstacles

Lesson Time: 45 minutes

Suggested Application: History, Language Arts, Vietnam War

Suggested Level: Middle/High School

Objectives
Students will:

demonstrate their knowledge of events that occurred during the 1960s, specifically
through a soldiers life during the Vietnam War.

make personal connections to the recipient.

Medal of Honor Focus: Clarence Sasser, Private First Class, U.S. Army, Headquarters Co.
3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division / Vietnam War
Introductory Activity:
Teacher will write the following on the board: Describe a time in your life when you overcamea difficult
circumstance and how you did so. Students will write five to seven lines to answer the question. Students will
share their response with a partner and then discuss their responses as a class.
Whole Group Activity:
The teacher will give students the "Double Entry Journal template." The template has pre-selected quotations
from Clarence Sasser about his experience. The teacher will ask students to write down their connections and
wonderings about Clarence Sassers vignette.
Small Group/Individual Activity:
At the conclusion of the vignette, the teacher will pair students to share their double entry journal responses
and lead a discussion about what stands out for them about Clarence Sassers story and how he overcame this
difficult time.
Concluding Activity:
Students will complete a 3-2-1 reflection, describing three things that stood out, two questions they have, and one
connection or application they made to own their life.
Assessment:
Student discussion, double entry journal, reflection

Resources:
Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty. NY: Artisan, 2006.
Extended activity:
Students will view items in a box with artifacts from the 1960s and make inferences on their purpose and use.
Discussion on how the Vietnam War differed from other wars.

Lesson C4

"The most important possession you have is your name

never dishonor it." ~David H. McNerney, Army-Vietnam War
DOUBLE ENTRY JOURNAL TEMPLATE
Name of Video: Medal of Honor
Quotations from Vignette

Although a lot of medics werent sent

into combat, I always knew I would. Its
one of those things you just know.
I was almost hit with a mortar round, I
was just totally sprayed in my back. Shell
fragments are something, I just will never
forget how they feel.
If you stood up you were dead.
Especially if they see your bag, they know
youre a medic, you know if you kill a
medic a lot of people probably would die.
It was the rationale.
My job was to care for the guys to get
them to carry on.

We laid there that night. All you could

hear was guys moaning, calling for their
momma'help me'theres nothing I
could do
It's confirmation to me that I did my job.
Thats how I had to deal with it because
it was my job. I dont think what I did was
above and beyond. I never have.
And I dont make a point of it, but being
one of the only two black guys alive
nowI think it means a lot to the country
that I am who I am.

Focus: Clarence Sasser

Connections, Meanings, Wonderings

Medal of Honor
Overcoming Obstacles (continued)

Sample Worksheet / 3-2-1

Reflect on the Medal of Honor recipient you learned about today. Please answer the following questions:
Name 3 things that stood out for you.
1.
2.
3.
List 2 questions you have.
1.
2.
Name 1 connection or application to your own life.
1.

Lesson C4 (continued)