Lesson Title: _The Trial of Thomas Preston______________ Grade:__8___

Rationale for contemporary technology integration: Students will be using the internet to analyze
several sources. Some of these sources I will give them some they will find for themselves. The internet
puts a massive amount of information at the disposal of students making it ideal for researching. Students
will not be given specific sites (see teacher needs) to look at but will also be encouraged to find resources
for themselves. (We would have already covered how to examine sources and web pages in previous
lessons) The students will also use a google doc to create a reader’s theater. The rational for using google
docs is that students can all work on the same doc at one time (collaboration) and as the teacher I can see
who added what to the doc which helps me with assessment.

Learning Target/Student learning outcome (SLO): Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of
the political climate in Boston in 1770, and how that led to the Revolutionary War by creating a Reader’s
Theater about the Trial of Thomas Preston and his men after the events of the Boston Massacre.

Grade Level Guide: Content Standards

Content Curriculum Focal
Points (ie: NCSS, Ohio
Standards)
(NCSS) Standard 5.
Individuals, Groups, &
Institutions: Social studies
programs should include
experiences that provide for
the study of interactions
among individuals, groups,
and institutions, so that the
learner can.
a. identify roles as learned
behavior patterns in group
situations such as student,
family member,
peer play group member, or
club member;
b. give examples of and
explain group and institutional
influences such as religious
beliefs, laws,
and peer pressure, on people,
events, and elements of
culture;
e. identify and describe
examples of tensions between
and individual’s beliefs and
government policies and laws;
(OHIO) THEME: U.S.
STUDIES FROM 1492 TO
Common Core State Standards
CCSS.ELA-
LITERACY.RH.6-8.1
Cite specific textual evidence
to support analysis of primary
and secondary sources.
CCSS.ELA-
LITERACY.RH.6-8.5
Describe how a text presents
information
CCSS.ELA-
LITERACY.RH.6-8.8
Distinguish among fact,
opinion, and reasoned
judgment in a text.
Interdisciplinary Connections
OHIO Language Arts 8th
Grade Standards
RL.8.1 Cite the textual
evidence that most strongly
supports an analysis of what
the text says
explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
RL.8.3 Analyze how
particular lines of dialogue or
incidents in a story or drama
propel the action,
reveal aspects of a character,
or provoke a decision.
W.8.1 Write arguments to
support claims with clear
reasons and relevant evidence.
W.8.5 With some guidance
and support from peers and
adults, develop and strengthen
writing
as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or
trying a new approach,
focusing on how well purpose
and audience have been
addressed.
 1877: EXPLORATION
THROUGH
RECONSTRUCTION
Content Statement:
1. Primary and secondary
sources are used to examine
events from multiple
perspectives and to present and
defend a position
6. Key events and significant
figures in American history
influenced the course and
outcome of the American
Revolution
20. Active participation in
social and civic groups can
lead to the attainment of
individual and public goals.
21. Informed citizens
understand how media and
communication influence
public opinion.

Academic Language: Loyalist, Patriot, judge, jury, witness, evidence, justice

Students’ Needs: Students will need to understand what a trial is and roughly how a courtroom is run and
operated.

English Language Learners (How can ELLs meet
instructional goals of the lesson while at the same time
develop English language competencies?)
ELL students will be given specific/customized
character cards that will have words that is in side of
their individual zones of proximal development. The
cards will help them participate in the activity while at
the same time helping them to work on specific English
vocabulary.
Special Needs (can be a group such as
“struggling readers” or individuals)
Because the resources and readers
theater document will be on the
computer. Students with visual
impairments will be able to use
technology to increase the font size
making the text easier to see. They can
also use any sort of read aloud software
that will be on their computers.

Materials: Student Needs: Computer (something to do research with) with access to the internet,
something to wright with, optional Hat that helps them become their character
Teacher Needs: Character cards for each student, (optional hats), gavel, computer with projector, pieces
of evidence from the trial (can be pictures, or props), sources for students to analyze:
http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/index.htm; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpK9qe0a-
WI; https://www.famous-trials.com/massacre/210-evidence;
https://publications.newberry.org/k12maps/module_13/images/preston_boston_massacre.pdf;
https://www.masshist.org/features/massacre/trials; http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/acct-
adams1.htm; https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/john-adams;
https://www.theclassroom.com/did-john-adams-defend-british-soldiers-11549.html;
http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/acct-preston1.htm; https://www.history.com/news/the-boston-
massacre-245-years-ago; http://www.bostonmassacre.net/players/preston-biography.htm; Any others
they find to be helpful during their inquiry.

Language Function: Students will analyze and evaluate sources about the Boston Massacre and the
presiding trial. They will then demonstrate what they learned by explaining their findings to the class in a
discussion.

Lesson Plan
Before: I would introduce the activity by playing the opening of a YouTube video: “The
Boston Massacre - Snow and Gunpowder - Extra History,” stopping the video at 7:18. This
portion of the video sets the stage for the Boston Massacre and describes the events before the
trial of Thomas Preston and I am stopping the video right before the trial. This video will serve
as a hook to get students interested in the topic. I will then ask the students what they think
will happen next. I will remind the class of the compelling question for this unit, “Why are
people willing to fight and at times even died to be represented and have rights?” I would also
remind them of this lesson’s supporting question, “Why was the protection of civil rights (ie.
The right to a fair trial) so important during the event after the Boston Massacre? (Think of the
reactions/opinions of the Loyalists and Patriots) These questions will lead us into an inquiry
activity about the trial, justice, and the political climate of Boston during 1770. I will then
provide each student with character cards of a person that was present during the trial. The
cards will also have links to resources about that character and specific guiding question to
help students focus on inquiry.

During: During the inquiry I expect students to be reading and analyzing the resources that I
provided them as well as find new resources using the internet. Students will write down the
answers to the specific guiding question on each of their character cards. Students will be
allowed to work in pairs or groups (up to four members). These groups and pairs can be fluid
allowing students to move between them learning from their peers. I will be walking around
the classroom observing students and keeping them on task. During this time, I will use a list
to make sure that I check in with every student. I will be making sure they have participated in
the activity and providing any support to students who may be struggling. When a student
finishes, they will participate in a hot seat activity with a small group answering questions as if
they were the character on the card.

After: Once all the students are done with their inquiry about the trial, we will finish watching
the YouTube video that we started at the beginning of class. The end of this video pushes the
point that Adams and the jury had to look beyond their prejudice toward the British and make
a just decision. (they had to do the right thing) This will lead into a class discussion about what
they learned. Students will be given an opportunity to say what they think their character
would have done. This should lead into the topics of integrity and the importance of justice. To
sum up the entire activity the class (or groups depending on class size) will collaboratively
write a reader’s theater of the trial for one of the lower grade classes. This will be done in their
 Language arts class with the help of their English teacher. (I will most likely leave how the
writing process will be structured for the English teacher so she can provide whatever structure
he or she wishes to implement.) The readers theater will be used as an assessment for both
social studies and language arts.

Assessment: I will assess my students in the following manner:

Type of Description of Modifications Evaluation Criteria
assessment assessment
Informal formative During my time of No modifications Students don’t need to answer all of the
observation during needed questions I ask them, but they must
inquiry students will show that they have been doing some
be orally asked form of inquiry
questions about their
inquiry
Formal Formative Students will Larger printed Students will be able to answer all the
demonstrate there cards will be guided questions on their cards though
understanding of the available research and the provided sources.
political climate of
the times by
answering the
specific guiding
questions on each of
their character cards
Formal summative Students will be able As stated above, Each student must be able to add
to demonstrate their students with pertinent information about the trial
knowledge of the visual disabilities and the surrounding political tension to
political climate in will be able to use the readers theater. They will also
Boston in 1770, and technology to include why this event helped lead to
how that lead to the help them see (or the Revolutionary War. This work will
Revolutionary War. hear) the be demonstrated in the google doc.
By creating a reader’s assignment better
theater about the
Trial of Thomas
Preston. This readers
theater must include
the view points of
both the loyalists and
the patriots.

Resources: Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpK9qe0a-WI , Google docs,

http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/index.htm; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpK9qe0a-
WI; https://www.famous-trials.com/massacre/210-evidence;
https://publications.newberry.org/k12maps/module_13/images/preston_boston_massacre.pdf;
https://www.masshist.org/features/massacre/trials; Any others they find to be helpful during their
inquiry.
 Rubric to the social studies potion of the readers theater Total: _____/ 29 points

Total Student has contributed Student has contributed Student has Each student has not
possible dialogue, background background knowledge contributed very contributed any
points: 15 knowledge, and and some relevant little relevant relevant knowledge
relevant information information about knowledge of of his/her assigned
Content about his/her assigned his/her assigned his/her assigned character. This will
character. This will be character. This will be character. This will be turned in
turned in individually turned in individually be turned in individually outside
outside of the google outside of the google individually outside of the google doc.
doc. doc. of the google doc.

15. 10. 5. 0.
Total It is clear from looking It is unclear that the Student did not
possible at the Google Doc. that student contributed contribute any
points: 8 the student relevant relevant information to information to the
contributed to the the Google Doc. google doc.
Contribution/ group project as a
Collaboration whole. (this should be
to overall through the dialogue or
project narration of their
individual character.)
8. 4. 0.
Total Student has provided at Student has provided Student has Student has
possible least three credible two credible sources that provided one provided at zero
points: 6 sources that contain contain relevant credible source that credible source that
relevant information information about their contain relevant contain relevant
Sources about their individual individual character. information about information about
character. their individual their individual
character. character.
6. 4. 2. 0.

Your rubric for the Language arts portion of this project will be provided by your English teacher. This
includes but is not limited to the amount of writing (page limit), the style, spelling/grammar
presentation, flow, use of the writing process and formatting.
 Character Chard for John Adams
Title/Occupation: statesman, attorney, and writer

Relation to the trial: Attorney to the Defendant

Guiding questions:

Why did John Adams agree to defend the Thomas Preston and his solders? (explain) Did he do the right
thing? (remember what we talked about with the importance of rights)

What was the outcome of the Trial for Thomas Preston? What happened after the trial/what was the
effect that it had on his life?

Helpful links:
 http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/acct-adams1.htm (focus on this link it is his opening
address)
 https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/john-adams
 https://www.theclassroom.com/did-john-adams-defend-british-soldiers-11549.html

Character Chard for Thomas Preston

Title/Occupation: Captain/officer of the 29th Regiment of Foot

Relation to the trial: Main Defendant

Guiding question:

Do you think that Thomas Preston was guilty? Why or Why not? Please provided evidence that supports
your opinion.

What was the out come of the Trial for Thomas Preston? What happened after the trial/what was the
effect that it had on his life?

Helpful links:
 http://www.bostonmassacre.net/trial/acct-preston1.htm (Focus on this link it is his
whiteness/testimony)
 https://www.history.com/news/the-boston-massacre-245-years-ago
 http://www.bostonmassacre.net/players/preston-biography.htm