Minilesson Print
Using Perspective Shifting to Imagine History
© Thoughtful Learning 2015
Perspective shifting involves intentionally shifting out of your normal point of view to discover new ways of thinking and understanding. The strategy can help you connect to history. In this example, a student considers the perspective of a Cherokee Indian of a similar age during the tragic Trail of Tears.
Topic: American Indian Studies
| I am (a/an) | What if I were (a/an) |
|---|---|
| Boy | Boy |
| American citizen | Cherokee Indian in America |
| From Tennessee | From Tennessee |
| 11 years old | 11 years old |
| Living in 2015 | Living in the 1800s |
| Learning multiplication | Learning to set animal traps |
| Responsible for cleaning my room | Responsible for hunting and fishing |
| Living at home | Forced to leave my home |
Your Turn Make your own perspective-shifting chart (or copy this Google doc). In the left column, write facts about yourself, from general to specific. In the right column, change some facts to match someone in history. Now, write about a historical event from the viewpoint of the person in history.
Using Perspective Shifting to Imagine History by Thoughtful Learning is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at k12.thoughtfullearning.com/minilesson/using-perspective-shifting-imagine-history.