Presented at the ILCHE Conference at IMSA on 2/28/14. Although this activity/project was conceived (originally) for a Special Education section of US History, it can be adapted to any level of students, including honors. Using materials from a primary source reader, I will present a pair of activities which evaluate both textual and visual literacy by having students interpret a single historical event: the Boston “Massacre”. Students are assigned roles based on eyewitness court testimony from the trial of Captain Thomas Preston. After student oral presentations, the same students contribute to and help create a single shared visual presentation, utilizing quotes from the oral presentation.

1. “The B LOODY M ASSACRE ”
Whodunnit?
Spiro Bolos & Anne Twadell
New Trier High School

2. ush.posthaven.com
Spiro Bolos & Anne Twadell
New Trier High School

3. “The B EGINNING ”
Primary versus Secondary Sources

4. The Death of Mr Bolos:
An Exercise in Interpreting Artifacts

5. “The B ACKGROUND ”
Collaborative Lecture

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15. “S EE / T HINK / W ONDER ”
An Exercise in Visual Literacy

21. “The P REPARATION ”
Materials

22. www.gilderlehrman.org
www.bostonmassacre.net
(free registration required)

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41. “The A SSIGNMENT S ”
Tips for Organization

46. Parallel Teach

49. Whole Class

53. “The O RAL P RESENTATIONS ”
Document Camera & Dialogue

56. 1) Who is your character?
2) Translate the testimony IYOW (in
your own words)
3) Prosecution or Defense? Why?
4) What is the single best quote that
either helps or hurts Preston?

61. “The V ISUAL P RESENTATION ”
Shared on Google Drive

72. “The E ND ”
Stay in Touch!
http://is.gd/bostonmassacre
boloss@nths.net
twadella@nths.net