Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

Who are the Hmong as a people? What is their history? What cultural traditions do they have?

Teaching Suggestion: Readers may have learned about the Hmong people during social studies class units on the Vietnam War or from their own reading or history interests. If students do not recall learning about the Hmong, the prompt might be introduced through brief general discussion of the theme of Cultural and Familial Ties as a Source of Resilience, followed by investigation of these and similar resources for greater context before addressing the questions.

• “Who Are the Hmong?” is a short article with statistics and history from the Hmong American Peace Academy.
• “10 Things About Hmong Culture, Food, and Language You Probably Didn’t Know” from Minnesota Public Radio may serve as a brief overview for those unfamiliar with the Hmong. Hmong background, history, and connection to Minnesota are presented along with cultural details and other resources.
• This detailed timeline from the Minnesota Historical Society explores Hmong history from ancient times to the early 21st century.

Short Activity

Research one of the following topics related to Hmong involvement in the Vietnam War. Prepare a short presentation for classmates to educate them about this topic.

• Laos—population and cultural information
• Laos—location and significance during the Vietnam War
• The intent of secrecy in the Secret War
• Key leaders or figures in the Secret War
• Timeline, statistics, and impact of the Secret War
• History of the Hmong people in Laos

·        Impact of the Secret War and its aftermath on the Hmong people in Laos

Teaching Suggestion: Preparation and presentations can be completed individually, in pairs, or in small groups. Monitoring or assigning topics may eliminate repetition and expand coverage during class presentation. These and similar resources may be useful in starting research.

• This website from Minnesota PBS offers interviews and documentary clips on a variety of topics related to the Secret War.
• This timeline from the Elk Grove Unified School District’s Oral Histories Project offers a concise breakdown of people, places, and events associated with the Secret War.
• This brief overview from Atlas of Humanity of the Hmong peoples’ history in Laos connects their involvement in the Secret War.
• A 2022 CNN article, “How a New Library Sheds Light on the US ‘Secret War’ in Laos,” offers modern context and discusses still-existing ramifications of the war.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

Write and reflect on a time when you experienced a culture other than your own. For some, this may occur frequently, so it may help to focus on a singular event. For others, this might include experiences such as visiting a different place of worship or staying with friends whose family speaks a language other than your own. How did the experience make you feel? What did you encounter, and what key takeaways do you have? Based on your experience, what advice might you give to people working in a setting in which many cultures are represented, such as teachers, social workers, or doctors, to make experiences like yours positive and instructive?

Teaching Suggestion: As this prompt may touch on sensitive topics, it may be helpful to remind students of SEL strategies and make sharing with classmates optional.