THE THINGS WE CARRIED ACTIVITIES BEFORE/ AFTER VISIT ACTIVITY 1 Review with students some of the things the soldiers carried. Do they have questions as to why something was carried, or what it did? Have them make a list or keep them in mind for the exhibit and for the speaker, if one is requested. If possible, submit list before visit date so all available information can be obtained to answer these questions. ACTIVITY 2 In The Things They Carried, the real and imagined (or made-up) is blurred or intentionally altered: “I want you to feel what I felt. I want you to know why story-truth is truer sometimes than happening-truth.” “‘Daddy, tell the truth,’ Kathleen can say, ‘did you ever kill anybody?’ And I can say, honestly, ‘Of course not.’ Or I can say, honestly, ‘Yes.’” Personal narration and memory are imperfect, as well as subjective, and in this case, volitional and deliberate. Likewise, the perceptions of an audience can also affect communication. Have the students consider what is meant by “story-truth” and “happening-truth”: • How do they differ? • Is the narrator made less or more reliable in making the disclosure that not every story he tells is true? Why might the narrator have brought this ambiguity into the stories? • How can these same “truths” be applied to artwork? What about the different truths’ applications to direct interaction with an object or a person—is it easier to stretch or challenge the truth in writing versus in an in-person dialogue or conversation, or when discussing an object instead of an event or personal experience? • Is a photograph or video more reliable or honest than a painting, sculpture, or the written/spoken word? ACTIVITY 3 What were the items soldiers carried that surprised students most? If they were going to war themselves, are there objects they would want with them that they have not seen listed in the exhibits or the book? Why do they consider these items so important? DURING THE VISIT ACTIVITY 1 When trying the gear on, walk around, climb the stairs a little, or even do some squats. This will give the individual a better sense of how hindering the gear is, and a sense of how heavy it can be with physical activity. ACTIVITY 2 Have students find a piece of art or an artifact that reminds them of a story or character from The Things They Carried, and explain why. ACTIVITY 3 Was there an artifact or artwork that made war and the soldiers’ struggles more real to them? What was it, and how or why did it affect them? ACTIVITY 4 Have the students look at Michael Kelley’s Self Portrait and read the accompanying poem on the east wall facing the main thoroughfare. Then have them think about it after their visit—does it strike them differently or have more meaning for them after their time with their speaker and the exhibits? 5.) In Michael Kelley’s Goodbye, Old Friend, above his self portrait, Kelley has drawn a memorial portrait to his friend who was killed. Emotions are also carried by soldiers. Do you think that drawing his friend helped ease the burden of the emotions Kelley felt and carried after his death? What about other artists? Explain your reasoning. 6.) Have the students consider Dale Samuelson’s Untitled piece, hanging on the south wall directly opposite the gear. There are two “grunts,” mirror images of each other, from each side of the war. What do they have in common? What are the differences? Do they seem more different than similar?		TEACHER PACKET CONTENTS Overview Activities Works Cited