Perspectives from the Present

There really are two sides to every story! Seventh graders analyze various texts and media types to compare and contrast how perspective is conveyed. The fourth and fifth days of the unit focus on learners writing first drafts of a...

Explore multiple perspectives through a jigsaw activity that will improve your pupils' understanding of the characters in Esperanza Rising as well as their understanding of strikes and human rights. Tapping into prior knowledge, and...

Use primary sources to delve into seven different perspectives of the Boston Massacre. Here, historians read and examine images taken from the Boston Massacre's witnesses and participants. Then, they answer questions dissecting each...

As part of a case study of U.S. immigration during the first part of the 20th century, class members examine a variety of primary sources that present multiple perspectives of the responses of those in favor of immigration and those...

Invite your young historians to discover the distinct perspectives of Muslim, European, Jewish, and Byzantine groups during the Crusades. Class members are divided into groups and are given a packet of handouts, including background...

After viewing clips from a documentary on factory work in China and US outsourcing, learners have a fishbowl discussion. They work in groups to build both personal points of view and strong arguments on the effects of outsourcing in...

Middle and high schoolers are walking into a world rife with strong political viewpoints and vocal opinions. Help to prepare them for controversial discussions with a lesson in which they choose, research, and learn more about a...

We all know that things change over time, but is it something we can see socially or politically? Learners examine Samurai warrior codes from the Kamakura, Muromachi, and Edo periods as they analyze a literary and visual arts piece that...

Seward's Folly or brilliant strategic move? Class members investigate primary source documents from each country to determine the rationales behind the sale and purchase of Alaska, and then stage a debate.

The working conditions in the cotton mills at the turn of the 20th century are the focus of a series of activities that ask learners to examine primary source documents written from different perspectives. In the first activity, groups...