Who is in the Story?

A Case Study About Columbus

Case Study at a Glance

"Who is in the Story?" gives children opportunities to investigate who is included/not included in sources of information in stories and history. Specifically, this case study is focused on the history of Columbus and what that history teaches about understanding and valuing all peoples’ voices and stories. This unit is intended to give young children a system to critically analyze sources of information, a skill that can be applied across disciplines throughout students’ lives.

Author: Randi Beckmann

School: Belle Sherman Elementary

Grade: First

21st Century Skills

  • Think Creatively

  • Work Creatively with Others

  • Implement Innovations

  • Solve Problems

  • Access and Evaluate Information

  • Analyze Media

Social Justice Standards

  • Students will recognize their own responsibility to stand up to exclusion, prejudice, and injustice.

  • Students will make principled decisions about when and how to take a stand against bias and injustice in their everyday lives, and will do so despite negative peer or group pressure.

Students look at local newspapers to determine whether advertisements say Indigenous Peoples Day Sale or Columbus Day Sale.

Students look at song lyrics, articles, videos, and books to collect data on "who is in the story."

Students research, compile data, make comparisons, and write persuasive essays.