Field Trips
- Grade Level:
- Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- State Standards:
- WV: SS.5.6, 5.10, 5.21, 5.22, 8.22, US.20, 21, USC.23, C.10.
VA: VS.7, 8, USI.8, 9, USII.2, VUS.3, 8, 9, 10.
MD: G5 Slavery/Civil War, G6–7 Slave Trade, MS Slavery, Abolition, Civil War, Reconstruction.
Learning Objective: By evaluating multiple sources describing John Brown’s raid, students will be able to analyze how bias and perspective can impact one’s understanding of history. Students will also be able to explain how different perspectives about John Brown’s raid contributed to the start of the American Civil War.
Program Description: Students will work as newspaper journalists to investigate what happened in Harpers Ferry during John Brown’s raid. Can they piece together the story by interviewing eyewitnesses with conflicting accounts? Students will discover the importance of analyzing multiple perspectives to gain an understanding of history.
This is a 1-hour long program with a maximum class size of 35 students. Larger class sizes can be split into groups.
Tags: history john brown
Last updated: July 29, 2026