TAH Lesson Plan

TAH Lesson Plan

Teacher / Leslie Morgan
Grade / 5th
Title / The Boston Massacre – Who do you believe?
Subject Area(s) / Social Studies
Overview / Students will be analyzing the differing points of view on the Boston Massacre. Their focus will be on analyzing engravings and documents about the Boston Massacre; creating a journal entry about the event; and presenting an editorial about the event to the class.
Essential Understanding / There are differing points of view about the Boston Massacre. The information made available to the public during that time may have had an influence on people’s opinions.
Essential Questions / 1.  What are the differing points of view on the Boston Massacre?
2.  How did the engravings and documents influence people’s opinions?
3.  How would the Boston Massacre have been different without Paul Revere’s engraving?
CT Standards / 2.2.3 - Describe an author’s point of view using relevant social studies information (e.g. editorials)
2.2.4 - Compare and contrast information provided by primary and secondary sources.
2.3.6 - Create written work (e.g. historical fiction essays) using primary sources (e.g. newspaper article, formal essay, poetry, play)
Objectives / Students will be able to explain how engravings and documents about the Boston Massacre may have influenced people’s opinions about the event.
Materials / ·  Classroom configuration – students will be divided into 4 groups (2 – Colonists and 2 – British Soldiers)
·  Materials
·  Texts – Harcourt Horizons United States History; “Choosing Freedom” and “On the Road to Revolution” by Ann Rossi
·  Engravings
·  “The Bloody Massacre Perpetuated in King Street” by Paul Revere (American Antiquarian Society)
·  Engraving of the Boston Massacre – from the trial of Captain Thomas Preston (located in textbook)
·  Documents
·  “The Boston Massacre” – Boston Gazette and Country Journal, March 12, 1770 (www.constitution.org)
·  “Captain Thomas Preston’s Account of the Boston Massacre” (www.bostonmasacre.net)
·  Websites
·  National Archives (www.archives.gov)
·  History Channel (www.history.com)
·  Scholastic (http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/our_america/revolutionary_war/)
·  Boston Massacre Historical Society (www.bostonmassacre.net)
·  Library of Congress (www.loc.gov)
·  Rubric for assessment (www.rubristar.4teachers.org)
·  Worksheets – photo analysis worksheet and written document analysis worksheet (www.archives.gov).
·  smart board
·  timer
·  journal entry paper
·  Timeframe – 3 days – 45 minutes each
·  Content that will be examined – engravings and documents
·  Differentiation – to be determined
Day 1
Engraving Analysis / Details of the Activity
Teacher will begin the lesson by reading aloud the goals and objectives of the lesson: Students are expected to analyze engravings of the Boston Massacre to determine the point of view then write their findings.
1.  Teacher will read from textbook about events leading up to the Boston Massacre.
2.  Teacher will direct students into their different groups (Colonists and British Soldiers) and explain the different groups.
3.  Teacher will hand out the 2 different engravings of the Boston Massacre (Paul Revere’s engraving to the Colonists groups and the engraving based on the descriptions given during the trial of the British Soldiers who fired at the colonists to the British Soldiers groups); hand out the photo analysis worksheet.
4.  The handouts will only be identified as A and B so that the students cannot easily identify the point of view.
5.  Teacher will read aloud the worksheet instructions; set timer for 2 minutes; instruct students to complete the worksheet independently for 15 minutes; group discussion for 15 minutes; Students need to identify the point of view.
6.  Teacher will monitor the classroom and conference with the groups to help students with the analysis.
7.  Teacher will direct students to the smart board to view each engraving as groups present their findings.
Homework
Students will research their questions and response(s) from Step 3A and B on the photo analysis worksheet. Students will come to class with answers to their questions for group discussion.
Day 2
Document Analysis / Details of the Activity
Teacher will begin the lesson by reading aloud the goals and objectives of the lesson: Students are expected to analyze documents on the Boston Massacre to determine the author’s point of view then write their findings.
1.  Teacher will direct students to their groups (Colonists and British Soldiers).
2.  Teacher will hand out copies of “The Boston Massacre” newspaper article to the British Soldier groups and “Captain Thomas Preston’s Account of the Boston Massacre” to the Colonists groups; hand out written document analysis worksheet.
3.  The handouts will only be identified as A and B so that the students cannot easily identify the author’s point of view.
4.  Teacher will monitor the classroom and conference with the groups to help students with the analysis.
5.  Teacher will direct students to the smart board to view each document as groups present their findings.
Homework
Students will write two facts and two opinions about the Boston Massacre and present them to the class the next day.
Day 3
Journal Entry / Details of the Activity
Teacher will begin the lesson by reading aloud the goals and objectives of the lesson: Students are expected to write a journal entry from the perspective of a Colonist or British Soldier using information from the past two days and today.
1.  Teacher will write facts and opinions (last night’s homework) on chart paper as students present them to the class and post the chart paper around the room.
2.  Teacher will then instruct the students to work independently on writing a journal entry.
·  Students will write their journal entry from the point of view of the either a Colonist or a British Soldier.
·  Students must use information from the past two days of analyzing engravings, documents, facts, and opinions to formulate their point of view.
3.  Teacher will pass out the journal entry paper.
4.  Teacher will monitor the classroom and conference with the groups to help students with their writing.
5.  Teacher will collect the journal entries.
Homework
Students will write a journal entry from the other point of view from what they chose today in class. This will be collected the next day. The teacher will conference with the students about the two journal entries.
Suggested Assessment/Evaluation
Write an Editorial / Students will write an editorial about the Boston Massacre from their own point of view using information from the past several lessons. As the students present their editorials, the students in the class will determine the point of view.
Rubric / Categories graded:
1.  Historical Accuracy
2.  Point-of View
3.  Knowledge Gained
4.  Extra Credit – Props/Costume
Please refer to the attached rubric from rubistar.4teachers.org.
Possible Extensions/Resources / Students will read an editorial about a recent local event (i.e. town budget, new train station) and determine the author’s point of view.