The Art of War

Describe Sun Tzu’s essential aspects of warfare. What is the importance of leadership, and how should leadership be executed in warfare? What role does information play in warfare, and how is it acquired? How can the enemy be assessed to identify weaknesses? What makes a good general, and what makes a poor one? What role do weather and terrain play in warfare?

Teaching Suggestion: Consider permitting students to create a written response before discussing aloud. Students may find a T-chart useful in organizing their thoughts, listing war strategies in the left column and everything they can remember about each strategy in the right column.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who require additional assistance, consider permitting them to work in pairs or small groups to discuss the text prior to responding orally. Students may benefit from recording peer responses to use in discussion.