Getting an Overview and Creating your Essential Question:

What do I already know about my topic?  What do I want to find out?

I want to think about what I already know about the Boston Massacre and then do some background research with a few secondary sources to see what else I can find out about my topic.  

What I know already:

  • British soldiers were stationed in Boston after the French and Indian War
  • British soldiers killed 5 American colonists
  • It happened in Boston in 1770
  • This is one of the most important events leading up to the American Revolution


What I found out by doing some general reading and research:

  • There was a lot of conflict between the people of Boston and the soldiers from 1768 onward
  • John Adams,  American colonist and patriot, defended the British soldiers and commanding officer Captain Preston
  • Some of the soldiers, including Captain Preston, were found innocent at their trial


What are some questions I have after doing this background research?

After doing my background research, something doesn't make sense to me.  I know that John Adams was a well-known American patriot; even as early as 1770, Adams hated the British in Boston.  Why would he be willing to defend the British soldiers? Was there something about the event that would make sense of this? 

And how could the soldiers have been found innocent when they killed 5 people?  Were there circumstances that could explain or justify the soldiers' actions?  I'm going to use my essential question to explore these ideas and guide my research.

 

My Essential Question:

Why would British soldiers shoot and kill American colonists at the Boston Massacre?

_______________________________________________

Take Action:
Get an Overview and Create your Essential Question

  • Think about your topic and what you already know.  Look at other descriptions of the event to get an overview.
  • What questions or problems do you see now?  Use these 'wondering' questions to create your essential question. 
  • Write your essential question in the Book Builder response area or in a Word document.

Terry's Tips

Provide resources for students to gain background knowledge

Building background knowledge is essential to supporting students recognition of the 'landscape' of any learning task. 

In historical inquiry, getting an overview is particularly important. Gaining background knowledge helps students see the central issues of the time.  Then, students can find problems or contradictions, generate their own research questions and engage their own interests.

For ideas on designing instruction to support students background knowledge and building recognition, see Chapter 5:  Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age