Students explore the Battles of Lexington and Concord by creating a timeline and analyzing primary sources to see how different perspectives and artistic retellings shape historical stories.
Students explore the Battles of Lexington and Concord by creating a timeline and analyzing primary sources to see how different perspectives and artistic retellings shape historical stories.
Students read an introduction explaining rising tensions between the American colonists and Britain and how they erupted into the Battles of Lexington and Concord. They view an image of colonial militia battling British Redcoats and respond to a discussion wall prompt explaining why people might tell different stories about the same battle or event in a war.
Teacher MovesPreview the overall flow of the experience, including the focus on timelines, primary sources, and artistic retellings, and review key vocabulary. Emphasize the lesson objectives and the importance of examining multiple perspectives in history. As students respond to the discussion prompt, highlight how roles, loyalties, and experiences shape different accounts of the same event, reinforcing that multiple perspectives help build a fuller understanding of what happened.
Students read The Battles of Lexington and Concord: What Happened? and examine two maps showing the routes of the British expedition and Patriot messengers and the British retreat from Concord. Using the drawing tool, they create a timeline of four to five key events leading up to and during the Battles of Lexington and Concord, showing how actions on both sides escalated the conflict.
Teacher MovesFrame the scene as an opportunity to trace how small decisions and confrontations led to open fighting. Model how to use map details—such as movement and locations—as evidence to support events on the timeline. After students work, consider building a whole-class timeline to ensure major causes, actions, and outcomes are included and to provide a reference for later learning. Conclude with a brief discussion of why these battles are called the “shot heard ’round the world,” connecting the local conflict to its global significance. Organize students into small groups in preparation for the next scene.
In small groups, students are assigned different sources from Primary Source Packet: Perspectives on Lexington and Concord. Each group reads its source and completes a graphic organizer by answering analysis questions about the author, their connection to the events, their purpose, the details they emphasize, their tone toward the other side, what might be left out, and how their perspective shapes the story of Lexington and Concord.
Teacher MovesForm at least five small groups and assign each group a different primary source from the packet to create a jigsaw of perspectives. Clarify the purpose of the analysis questions and support groups as they interpret author background, purpose, and tone. After groups complete the organizer, have them share their findings with the class. Use synthesis questions to help students compare accounts and see how differing perspectives complicate the story of the battles and illuminate the larger conflict between Britain and the colonies. Extend the discussion by asking who was responsible for the fighting and whether it was an accident or the start of a war, prompting students to support their claims with evidence from their timelines and sources.
Students read a short text about Paul Revere and his midnight ride, then use the drawing/highlighting tool to mark key details that explain his role and why his ride was important. Next, they listen to The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, Reading while following along with the printed poem Paul Revere’s Ride. As they listen, they identify which details match historical facts and which are likely embellished, and then add examples to a shared Fact-or-Fiction Chart, categorizing details from the poem as “fact” or “fiction.”
Teacher MovesIntroduce Paul Revere and his ride, clarifying how it is often remembered versus the more complex historical reality. After students highlight the text, invite them to explain why they chose particular details and how those details show Revere’s role in warning colonists. When working with the poem, guide students to use prior knowledge from the experience to distinguish factual elements from artistic exaggerations. Facilitate discussion about why students labeled details as fact or fiction and why Longfellow might have altered events, prompting them to consider his perspective as a 19th-century poet and how artistic retellings influence public memory of historical events.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
©2026 Exploros. All rights reserved.