Propaganda and the Boston Massacre

This detailed lesson focuses on propaganda and how it was used to incite the colonists against the British after the Boston Massacre.  It follows the Into, Through, and Beyond method of lesson planning and offers many opportunities for students to engage in critical thinking.

Into Lesson: Creating Schema

• Students will dive deeply into the meaning of propaganda to set the stage for their understanding by using a word exploration chart on propaganda.

• Through Lesson: Learning the Content

  Students will read a secondary source overview of the events surrounding the Boston Massacre, a primary source eyewitness letter, and the primary source engraving by Paul Revere. They will answer questions after each document.  In addition, they will complete a chart on some of the types of propaganda Revere used in his engraving.

• Beyond Lesson: Summative Assessment: Argumentative Paragraph

  Students will write an argumentative paragraph to prove how Paul Revere used propaganda in his engraving and what its impact was.  This paragraph is scaffolded for English Language Learners, RSP students, and students who struggle with writing.

A rubric is included.