University of West Alabama

COE
5E Lesson Plan

Teacher: Cole Kelley

Subject area/course/grade level: Teaching the Boston Massacre, 10th Grade United States History I

Standards: 3.) Trace the chronology of events leading to the American Revolution, including the French and Indian
War, passage of the Stamp Act, the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre, passage of the Intolerable Acts, the
Battles of Lexington and Concord, the publication of Common Sense, and the signing of the Declaration of
Independence. [A.1.a., A.1.b., A.1.d., A.1.g., A.1.i.]
http://alex.state.al.us/standardAll.php?ccode=US10&subject=SS2010&summary=3

Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and
make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others. [ISTE Standard: Knowledge Constructor]
https://www.iste.org/standards/standards/for-students

Objectives:
Students will research, identify, and interpret primary and secondary source documents (i.e. eyewitness
testimonies) to increase understanding of an event that led towards the American Revolution
Students will interpret and make educated guesses based on conflicting eyewitness testimonies and other
important evidence.
Students will research and then construct a visual of two conflicting eyewitness accounts and present their
findings to their class in a brief presentation.

Differentiation Strategies:
My unit lesson is centered around encouraging student choice and voice. I believe that students should construct their
own knowledge and that it is my responsibility as the teacher to guide and facilitate their learning. Also, for the
assignments that incorporate group work, I would be especially strategic in determining the groups. I almost rarely allow
my students to form their own groups when completing important assignments. For difficult content, I would pair my
struggling, low level learners with a supportive student who would help build and encourage them. If I had a
paraprofessional, I would alternate between instructing them to shadow these selected students and to not, to allow
them the independence and freedom to try it on their own. Lastly, I constructed my lesson around their interests with
the hopes that this will cause them to be more engaged and see the importance of the material, as it is real-world
focused.
 Lesson 1
ENGAGEMENT: Video Hook with Discussion (Using Verso)
I will begin the unit on the Boston Massacre with this powerful video (only three minutes long)
http://www.schooltube.com/video/d59b79cf2097f4bcd78b/The-Boston-Massacre of one persons account of
the events. I will begin the video without any introduction of the material to build suspense and intrigue.
What are we about to learn about?! As the video begins to play, I will quietly and informally ask my
students to look for the answers to my questions while watching the video (to hopefully increase
engagement):

What is happening?
What time of day is it?
What time of year is it?
What are the people yelling?

Assessment: Building on their previous knowledge, most of, if not all, of the students should be able to
recognize that this was the Boston Massacre or at least recognize that the event was between the British
and the American colonists. After some immediate, light discussion (student feedback to questions), I will
transition them to a formal classroom discussion by using a new technology (to me) called Verso. Using the
app, students will answer three questions and comment/respond on at least two of their classmates
responses. After adequate time, I will ask more difficult, probing questions based off of their responses to
generate a class wide discussion. I will also make clarifications when needed.
EXPLORATION: Dissecting Eyewitness Testimony (Using Canva)
Students will work in groups (3 members per group) to research and determine the credibility of a given
eyewitness testimony. Groups will randomly be given one of four testimonies and they will be responsible in
identifying the strong and weak, persuasive and unconvincing parts. For each testimony, a graphic organizer
will be provided that is separated into three sections (Close Reading, Sourcing, and Contextualization). Each
section will be assigned to a group member to focus on.
Assessment: Groups will then use the eyewitness testimony, graphic organizer, and any additional outside
research to create a flyer (using Canva) to share with the rest of the class. In the flyer, the group must
include important aspects of the testimony, as well as determine whether the eyewitness testimony is
Extremely Credible, Somewhat Credible, Somewhat Uncredible, or Extremely Uncredible. Once every
group is finished, we will use the flyers as a whole group discussion tool.

Extremely Credible
Somewhat Credible
Somewhat Uncredible
Extremely Uncredible
EXPLANATION: Presentation of Information (Using Slides, Inc.)
http://slides.com/colekelley/deck

ELABORATION: Eyewitness Fakebook Creation (Individual Product)

Students will do outside research to be able to create two Fakebook pages of two different eyewitnesses of
the Boston Massacre. One eyewitness must be an American colonist and the other must be a British
eyewitness. Further, this assignment requires additional research, thus you c annot use any of the previous
discussed testimonies (William Wyatt, Andrew (Slave), Captain Preston, or George Sanderlin). Each
individual will present his or her two Facebook pages to the class in a one-minute presentation. See rubric
for grading details.
3: Exceptional: Work is original, thorough, insightful, and free of major grammatical and syntactic errors. It
shows a superior understanding of the material and how it applies in real-classroom contexts. Ideas,
thoughts and opinions are creatively presented, well written and reflect an ability to go beyond the course
material. It is excellent completion of the assignment or course.

2: Proficient: Work is above average, original and demonstrates solid understanding of class materials.
Ideas, thoughts and opinions are presented in detail, well written and have very few grammatical and
syntactic errors. It is above normal completion of the assignment or course.

1: Basic: Work is average. It merely meets assignment criteria and has several grammatical or syntactic
errors. It shows understanding of the readings and lectures, yet doesnt apply them well. Ideas, thoughts and
opinions are developed in ways that identify minimal comprehension of course concepts and materials. It is a
basic completion of the requirement

0: Unacceptable: Work is below average. It fails to meet assignment criteria and numerous grammatical
and syntactic errors. It shows hastily prepared effort and/or inability to grasp and apply course materials.
Ideas, thoughts and opinions are not well presented and under-developed. It is incomplete and/or deficient
completion of the assignment or course.
Student Sample