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A group of Vietnamese students offers their views on the symbols they would select to represent the national identity of Vietnam in Voices & Values: Citizenship in Asia (p 18). Some of the students chose symbols such as ao dai, the Vietnamese national dress; the Temple of Literature in Hanoi and the shape of the country.

The following investigation activity is designed to invite you to use and investigate some of the Vietnamese teenagers' ideas as well as researching the official national symbols of Vietnam.

There are two parts to this task:

1. Investigation of the national symbols of Vietnam
   
2. Designing a website entitled 'Vietnam: The Nation's Symbols' which uses your research into the official country symbols and of some of the Vietnamese teenagers' suggestions.

1 Investigation of the National Symbols of Vietnam

• What does the national flag of Vietnam look like and what does it mean?
• What is the National emblem and its meaning?
  
• What is the national anthem of Vietnam?
  
• What is the national flower of Vietnam?
  
• What is the national dress, ao dai?
  
• What does the Declaration of Independence reveal about what Vietnamese people valued in the past?
  
• What does the national constitution reveal about its ideals?

Helpful Hints

• Use the Search Engines listed on the National Library of Australia's site as a starting point:
  http://www.nla.gov.au/pathways/pthw_global.html#sear
  
• Brainstorm search words that you think are the key words or phrases that will be useful in locating websites to answer the set questions.
  
• Use all lower case letters in your queries.
  
• Examine only the first ten results for each search word or phrase. Rate each website on a scale of usefulness.

1	2	3	4	5
useless information	poor/limited information	some relevant information	very good information	excellent information

• Bookmark useful websites.
  
• Download any relevant information.
  
• Add to, delete or adjust your search criteria as you go. For example, you may find a website refers to 'national dress' as 'national attire'; 'emblem' may be 'coat-of-arms' and so on.
  
• Access to graphics may be particularly important in your search.
  
• Use the 'Search Help' links on the search engines to improve your research skills.

Research Recording Table

Draw up a table like the one below in your workbooks and keep track of your searches and any good website features you encounter

2 Designing a Website 'Vietnam: The Nation's Symbols'

• Compile a list of the best features you found in your web searches and discussed in class. Note which features you would like to use in designing your website.
  
• Design a website framework to present your information on Thailand's environmental problems and conservation movement. Use some or all of the features in your list to enhance the website.