1. The Wall by Eve Bunting
“Always to Remember:
The Vision of Maya Yin Ling”
by Brent Ashabranner
8th Grade Language Arts

2. Building Academic Vocabulary
Tone
Flashback
Compare &
Contrast

3. Memorial
What is the purpose of a memorial?
How do memorials move people?

6. Essential Questions
1. Why might an author use
FLASHBACK instead of presenting
events in the order they occur?
2. In what ways does the TONE of The
Vision differ from The Wall?

7. In 1961, President John F.
Kennedy sent 3,000
military troops to help the
South Vietnamese
government fight against
communist rebels
supported by North
Vietnam. By 1968, the U.S.
had more than 500,000
troops in Vietnam. In the
United States the war
sparked many protests.
Our nation became bitterly
divided between those
who supported the war
and those who opposed it.

8. The Vietnam Veterans
Memorial is located in
Washington, D.C.
Three million people
visit and pay respect
to the V-shaped
granite structure
every year.
The memorial was
dedicated on
November 13, 1982.

9. Do you think youth and inexperience stop
someone from making a major contribution to
society?
In “Always to Remember:
The Vision of Maya Ying
Lin,” the author describes
a contest held for the
memorial in Washington,
D.C., to honor the
veterans. This selection is
a brief biographical sketch
of a remarkable college
student.

10. As you read, think about how the author’s portrayal of the Vietnam Wall
compare and contrast with the picture book, The Wall.

11. Discuss ways that The Wall and The Vision
are similar and ways they are different.
Focus on contrasting the two selections’
details and descriptions.
Inside-Outside Circle
1. Students face each other
2. Inside Circle answers first
3. Outside Circle answers
second
4. Outside Circle Rotate to
new partner
5. Repeat

12. As you are identifying
sequential events in
the biographical
sketch, record a list
of SIGNAL Words on a
sticky note.

13. 1. Why might an author use flashback
instead of presenting events in the
order they occur?
2. In what ways does the TONE of The
Vision differ from The Wall?

15. Writing Situation
Many writers, scientists, and politicians have a view of
what the world will be like fifty years from now.
Directions for Writing
Think about what the world will be like by the time you
are in your sixties. Think about the future and the
direction you think the world is headed.
Write to explain what you believe the world will be like in
fifty years from now.