Teacher
Grade
Title
Subject Area(s)
Overview
Essential
Understanding
Essential Questions
CT Standards
Objectives
Materials
TAH Lesson Plan
Leslie Morgan
5th
The Boston Massacre – Who do you believe?
Social Studies
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.
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.
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?
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)
Students will be able to explain how engravings and documents
about the Boston Massacre may have influenced people’s opinions
about the event.
 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
Day 1
Engraving Analysis
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
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
Day 2
Document Analysis
Day 3
Journal Entry
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.
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.
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 Students will write an editorial about the Boston Massacre from
their own point of view using information from the past several
Write an Editorial
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
Students will read an editorial about a recent local event (i.e.
Extensions/Resources town budget, new train station) and determine the author’s point
of view.