Historical Bias Teacher Resources

Young journalists use the E.S.C.A.P.E. (evidence, source, context, audience, purpose, and execution) strategy to evaluate historical and contemporary examples of bias in the news. The class then uses the provided discussion questions to...

How many of you found the video to be useful? Young statisticians learn about surveys in the 10th installment of the Crash Course Statistics playlist. An informative video describes different sampling methods and possible sources of bias.

Arm your class members with the six C's of primary source analysis—content, citation, context, connections, communication, and conclusions—and help them to establish a solid system for analyzing historical sources of information. 

The world relies on statistics for important predictions like earthquakes, volcano eruptions, and winners of presidential elections. Examine some popular failed predictions and identify their flaws while watching the 43rd installment of...

Students compare and contrast writings about pre-American Revolution events. In this political agenda lesson, students conduct research to determine how bias and perspective have made their way into historical documents. Students examine...

A Venn Diagram is used to compare artistic and historical representations of a single event. Young analysts view the provided images, read textbook descriptions, and discuss the validity of each representation in terms of bias and...

Young scholars examine a variety of maps and documents to identify physical and cultural features of neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries, to explain the historical migration of people, expansion and disintegration of empires,...

Learners explore the types of media that U.S. teens prefer the ways in which viewers identify and account for journalistic bias. They explore the ways in which media shapes one's opinion or affects their judgment.

Students explore the complexities of organizing information and to support librarians in developing strategies for reducing cultural bias. Students extend strategies to help raise solutions. Students list a variety of definitions on bias...

Learners examine political cartoons to gain an understanding of the political issues that George Washington faced. In this historical perspectives lesson plan, students analyze political cartoons about the National Bank, the title...

How accurately do public opinion polls reflect the views of their participants? We often take for granted the results of such polls, but this resource will encourage your class to look at results with greater discretion. Instruction...

How has your local neighborhood changed throughout recent history? Young researchers evaluate census data, images, and primary source descriptions describing the living situation in the antebellum Five Points neighborhood. They consider...

There are specific constitutional requirements that candidates must meet to become president of the United States. In addition, there are societal opinions that affect a candidate's electability. Class members examine historical...

"Love it or leave it." "You're either for us or against us." Rhetoric and it's polarizing effects are the focus of a lesson that uses John Brown's attack on Harper's Ferry as an exemplar. Groups examine primary source documents,...

What strategies do historians use for interpreting visuals? This simple worksheet lists four questions that learners can use to approach and analyze historical photographs, fine pieces of art, etc., as well as an opportunity to apply the...

Students read and discuss "Japan's Refusal to Revise Textbooks Angers Neighbors." They discuss how accurately textbooks account for historical events, then collaborate to write unbiased textbook entries for current events.

Students debate the causes of the American Revolution. In this American history instructional activity, students conduct research to determine how bias and perspective have made their way into historical documents. Students compose...

Historical events do not occur in a vacuum. Such is the case of the Dreyfus Affair, where the connection between Captain Alfred Dreyfus, Emile Zola, and Hannah Arendt is fused by the events of the early 20th century. The informative...

Fifth graders identify stereotypes of Indian people based on perceived characteristics. They discuss the misconceptions. Students define quality of information and give an example from the story "Seaman's Journal: On The Trail With Lewis...

Students evaluate the credibility and reliability of various sources. Students survey the coverage of a particular event in different newspapers, select a current event and compare different perspectives. They write an article...

Test the test takers' knowledge of statistics about data from the SAT and ACT tests. Future collegians explore the idea of gender and racial bias in high-stakes college admissions exams. They analyze historical data on average scores by...

Dear Nancy, how do you analyze a letter? Love, Trez. Dear Trez, you use a Letter Analysis Worksheet. Love, Nancy. This richly detailed worksheet provides multiple questions that lead researchers step-by-step through the process of...

What do BC and AD mean on a timeline? What is the difference between a decade and a century? Here is a nice handout that offers all the foundational knowledge your young historians will need on how to look at historical timelines.

Two activities look at how rumors are spread and ways class members can stop them. The first activity brings forth an in-depth conversation about how reporters gather information to write articles and how students can implement the same...