lenny

Citizen Voices: Perspectives & Positive Communication

user image

Lesson Plan

Citizen Voices: Perspectives & Positive Communication

Students will be able to evaluate the credibility of historical sources by comparing multiple accounts of an event and considering the authors' perspectives.

Understanding how to critically evaluate historical sources is essential for developing a nuanced understanding of past events and for fostering informed citizenship in the present.

Audience

11th Grade Students

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Through direct instruction, collaborative analysis, and class discussion.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Do Now: Poll - How do we know what really happened in the past?

5 minutes

  • Display the poll question on the board or through your virtual platform: "How do we know what really happened in the past?"
    - Have students respond briefly (e.g., on a sticky note, digital poll, or quick share-out).
    - Briefly discuss a few student responses to activate prior knowledge.

Step 2

Direct Instruction: Primary vs. Secondary Sources & Historical Perspective

15 minutes

  • Use the Analyzing Historical Sources Slides to guide a discussion on:
    - What are primary sources?
    - What are secondary sources?
    - How do we define 'historical perspective'?
    - Why is it important to consider the author's perspective and the context of a source?
    - Emphasize the key concepts: Primary Source, Secondary Source, Corroboration, Context, Historical Perspective.

Step 3

Collaborative Work: Digital Source Comparison

15 minutes

  • Divide students into digital breakout rooms (or small groups in class).
    - Distribute the Digital Source Comparison worksheet.
    - Provide students with two different historical accounts of the same event.
    - Instruct groups to complete the worksheet, comparing and contrasting the sources and considering the authors' perspectives using the Breakout Room Discussion Prompts to guide their conversation.

Step 4

Wrap-up: Discuss Differences and Importance

7 minutes

  • Bring the class back together.
    - Facilitate a brief discussion based on the group work:
    - What differences did you notice between the accounts?
    - Why do you think these differences exist?
    - Why is it important to compare multiple sources when studying history?
    - How does considering perspective help us evaluate credibility?

Step 5

Exit Ticket: Questions for Historical Sources

3 minutes

  • Distribute an exit ticket or ask students to write down:
    - "List two questions you should always ask when examining a historical source."
    - Collect responses to gauge student understanding.
lenny
0 educators
use Lenny to create lessons.

No credit card needed

Slide Deck

How Do We Know What Happened?

Uncovering the Past

  • Where do our ideas about history come from?
  • Can we always trust what we read or hear?

Welcome students and introduce the day's topic: how we know about the past. Connect to the 'Do Now' poll.

Primary Sources: First-Hand Accounts

What are they?

  • Direct evidence from the time period.
  • Created by someone who experienced or witnessed an event.

Examples:

  • Letters, diaries, speeches
  • Photographs, artifacts
  • Original documents (treaties, laws)

Explain primary sources. Give examples relevant to 11th graders (e.g., historical letters, diaries, speeches, photographs from an event they've studied). Emphasize they are 'first-hand' accounts.

Secondary Sources: Stepping Back

What are they?

  • Accounts created after the event.
  • Analyze and interpret primary sources.

Examples:

  • History textbooks
  • Biographies
  • Documentaries (often)
  • Scholarly articles

Explain secondary sources. Give examples (textbooks, biographies, documentaries). Highlight that these are interpretations and analyses of primary sources.

Historical Perspective: Whose Story Is It?

Every author has a viewpoint.

  • Perspective: The way someone sees and understands events.
  • Influenced by:
    • Their background, experiences
    • Their beliefs, values
    • The time and place they lived

Why does this matter for history?

Introduce the concept of historical perspective. Discuss how an author's background, beliefs, and time period influence what and how they write. Use a simple example if helpful (e.g., two people describing the same school event).

Evaluating Credibility: Corroboration & Context

To get the full picture, we need to...

  1. Corroborate: Compare information from multiple sources.

    • Do they agree? Disagree? Why?

  2. Consider the Context: What was happening when the source was created?

    • Who was the audience?
    • What was the purpose?

Discuss corroboration (comparing multiple sources) and context (the circumstances surrounding the source). Explain how these help determine credibility and provide a more complete picture.

Your Turn: Compare & Contrast!

Today, you will:

  • Work in groups.
  • Examine two different accounts of a historical event.
  • Think critically about perspective and credibility.
  • Discuss your findings!

Transition to the activity. Explain that students will apply what they've learned by comparing two accounts of the same event.

lenny

Worksheet

Digital Source Comparison: Unpacking History

Instructions: In your groups, carefully read the two historical accounts provided for the same event. Use this worksheet to analyze each source individually and then compare them. Remember to think about the author's perspective and the context in which each source was created.

Source 1 Analysis

Title of Source 1:


Type of Source (Primary or Secondary):


Author of Source 1:


Date of Creation:


Main Idea/Summary of Source 1:











What is the author's likely perspective or bias? How might their background or situation influence their account?










Who was the intended audience for this source? What was its purpose?





Source 2 Analysis

Title of Source 2:


Type of Source (Primary or Secondary):


Author of Source 2:


Date of Creation:


Main Idea/Summary of Source 2:











What is the author's likely perspective or bias? How might their background or situation influence their account?










Who was the intended audience for this source? What was its purpose?





Comparison and Credibility

  1. What are the key similarities between Source 1 and Source 2?











  2. What are the key differences between Source 1 and Source 2? Be specific about details, events, or interpretations.











  3. How do the different perspectives of the authors contribute to the differences you observed?











  4. Considering both sources, and what you know about corroboration and context, which source do you find more credible or useful for understanding the historical event? Explain your reasoning.











  5. What additional information or types of sources would help you further evaluate these accounts and get a more complete understanding of the event?











lenny
lenny

Discussion

Breakout Room Discussion Prompts: Unpacking Historical Accounts

Instructions: Use these prompts to guide your discussion in your breakout rooms as you complete the Digital Source Comparison worksheet. Make sure everyone in your group participates and shares their thoughts.

Getting Started

  • What is your initial reaction to each source? Do they feel similar or very different?
  • What key information does each source provide about the event?

Analyzing Perspectives

  • Based on what you know about the authors and the context, what perspective do you think each author is bringing to their account?
  • Are there any words, phrases, or details in either source that hint at the author's viewpoint or bias?
  • How might the author's background (e.g., social status, political leanings, personal experiences) have shaped their telling of the event?

Comparing and Contrasting

  • Where do the two sources agree? What facts or events are consistent between them?
  • Where do the two sources disagree? What details, interpretations, or events are different?
  • Why do you think these differences exist? Is it due to different information, different perspectives, or something else?

Evaluating Credibility

  • Which source, if any, do you initially find more trustworthy or believable? Why?
  • What are the strengths of each source? What are their limitations?
  • How does comparing both sources together give you a more complete (or complex) understanding than if you only read one?
  • What questions do these sources leave you with about the historical event?

Preparing for Class Discussion

  • As a group, be ready to share one significant similarity and one significant difference you found between the sources.
  • Be prepared to explain how considering author perspective helped you understand the historical event better.
lenny
lenny