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AETN shares educational resources for 'The Vietnam War'

Posted 22 Sep 2017

AETN shares educational resources for 'The Vietnam War'PBS educational kits to be made available after broadcast

The Arkansas PBS is sharing educational resources made to accompany Ken Burns' "The Vietnam War," as part of AETN's local initiative, "AETN Salutes Arkansas Vietnam Veterans."

In an effort to help young students understand the impact of war and related issues, AETN, in partnership with MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, is offering lesson plans for a variety of military-themed children's books. Geared towards grades K-5, these lesson plans include activities, comprehension questions and vocabulary words to help children better grasp the theme and emotion of each book.

In addition to local content, PBS is creating an interactive website and an educational initiative to engage teachers and students through multiple platforms. AETN PBS LearningMedia features a collection of classroom resources to encourage students to explore the many dimensions of this history including key military, political and cultural events, as well as the diverse human experiences featured in the series. Lesson plans, videos and activities will be available for K-12 students, teachers and parents.

Through funding from Lynda & Stewart Resnick and The Better Angels Society, PBS will be providing comprehensive educational packages to approximately 20,000 high schools across the country. These companion kits will be available in the 2017-2018 academic year, featuring educational DVDs, activity packs, posters, and supplemental resources. AETN has requested a kit for each high school in Arkansas.

Educational resources can be found at aetn.org/thevietnamwar.

"The Vietnam War," a 10-part, 18-hour documentary film series directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, is currently airing on the Arkansas PBS. An immersive, 360-degree narrative, the series tells the epic story of the Vietnam War as it has never before been told on film. The first five episodes will air Sept. 17 through Thursday, Sept. 21, and the final five episodes will air Sunday, Sept. 24, through Thursday, Sept. 28, at 7 each night. A repeat broadcast will immediately follow the premiere of each episode.

The film will be accompanied by an outreach and public engagement program, providing opportunities for communities to participate in a national conversation about what happened during the Vietnam War, what went wrong and what lessons are to be learned.

Viewers are encouraged to join the conversation: #VietnamWarPBS.

AETN's local initiative, "AETN Salutes Arkansas Vietnam Veterans," also includes the following:

• Vietnam story collection – AETN is collecting stories of those who experienced the Vietnam War. The public is invited to share stories through social media outlets with #VietnamStoriesPBS or the "Share Your Story" tool at aetn.org/thevietnamwar.
• The Wall of Faces – The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is committed to finding a photo to go with each of the more than 58,000 names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. AETN is encouraging the public to help collect the more than 150 missing Arkansas photos for The Wall of Faces.
• Quilts of Valor – AETN and the Arkansas chapter of the Quilts of Valor Foundation have partnered to provide quilts of comfort and healing for Arkansas Vietnam veterans. The public is invited to nominate a veteran to receive a quilt. Anyone interested in contributing to the quilters' efforts may consider donating fabric and other quilting items at local screening events.
• Preview screening events – AETN and community partners have held multiple preview screenings of "The Vietnam War" throughout the state. An opportunity for discussion followed each screening.
• Local productions – AETN is producing local programs in conjunction with the series premiere, including "Arkansans Ask: Veterans History Project" that aired Sept. 14 and can be watched at aetn.org/arkansansask and "Barnes and…A Conversation With Col. Karen Lloyd" to premiere Oct. 9 at 6:30 p.m. Additionally, each Thursday night following regularly scheduled programs at 8 and 9 p.m., AETN will air short videos produced to complement "The Vietnam War."

Additional information about AETN's local initiative, including complete information on how to get involved, is available at aetn.org/thevietnamwar.

Funding for "The Vietnam War" is provided by Bank of America; Corporation for Public Broadcasting; PBS; David H. Koch; The Blavatnik Family Foundation; Park Foundation; The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; National Endowment for the Humanities; The Pew Charitable Trusts; Ford Foundation Just Films; Rockefeller Brothers Fund; and Members of The Better Angels Society.

The Arkansas PBS is Arkansas's only statewide public media network, which enhances lives by providing lifelong learning opportunities for people from all walks of life. AETN delivers local, award-winning productions and classic, trusted PBS programs aimed at sharing Arkansas and the world with viewers through the distinct channels AETN PBS, AETN Create, AETN PBS KIDS, AETN World and AETN AIRS on SAP. AETN depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. Additional information is available at aetn.org. AETN is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro) and KETZ (El Dorado).