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6-8 Korean War Legacy Project

Children and War

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the consequences faced by children of war, including hunger, displacement, trauma, and the loss of family and stability. By investigating the compelling question “How does war affect children?” students attempt to contextualize the consequences of war on children. The formative performance tasks help students build knowledge and skills through the course of the inquiry as they examine the experiences of Korean children during the war, the role members of the armed forces played in helping these children, and the human costs of displacement and war. Students create an evidence-based argument about Korean children’s war-time experiences and members of the armed forces’ role in helping the children and then write historical questions about the human costs of displacement and war to prepare for a guided Socratic Seminar.

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Compelling Question:

How Does War Affect Children?

Staging the Question:


Discuss the affects of war on children by viewing the clip from the Korean War Legacy Foundation where Veteran George Drake describes the evacuation of 950 Korean Orphans prior to the Chinese occupation of Seoul.
1

Supporting Question What were the experiences of Korean children during the Korean War?

Formative Task Construct the story of a child depicted in the photographs during the Korean War.

Sources Source A: Photographs of children during the Korean War

2

Supporting Question What were the experiences of Korean children during the Korean War from the perspective of US soldiers?

Formative Task Write a paragraph about the experiences of Korean children during the war from the perspective of American soldiers.

Sources Source A: Video clip, interview with Charles Buckley
Source B: Video clip, interview with Everett Kelley
Source C: Video clip, interview with Andrew Lanza

3

Supporting Question What are the human costs of displacement and war?

Formative Task Create four historical questions about the human costs of displacement and war to prepare for a guided Socratic Seminar.

Sources Source A: Video clip, Syrian children describing experiences with war and conflict
Source B: Video clip, effects of war on children in South Sudan
Source C: Information from the UN Refugee Agency on the effects of war and global displacement due to war and conflict

Summative Performance Task

Argument: How does war affect children? Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, or essay) that discusses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from the sources provided and one other source, while acknowledging competing views.
Extension: Discuss a current refugee/orphan crisis in the context of the summative argument.

Taking Informed Action

Understand: Examine the plight of contemporary refugees and orphans of war, and the effects of their displacement.
Assess: Consider what the United Nations, individuals, and non-governmental organizations can do to promote the common good of contemporary refugees and orphans of war.
Act: Working with a partner, create a short story or picture book portraying how war affects children. Students will share their books with refugees or orphans of war in their schools and community.