On This Day Bell Ringer for Grades 6–8: Two questions from both sides of the shoreline
A free on this day bell ringer for grades 6–8. Put the prompt on the board as students walk in, give them three to five minutes, then go over it together. The answer and teacher notes are in the box below the prompt.
The prompt
On October 12, 1492, Columbus's crew landed on an island that was already home to the Taíno people. Write one question you would ask a sailor on the ship and one question you would ask a Taíno person watching the ships arrive.
Answer and teacher notes
Answers will vary. Push students toward questions that show each side saw the moment differently, such as "What did you expect to find?" for a sailor and "What did you think these strangers wanted?" for a Taíno person. Good follow-up: why do the two people have such different information?
Source: Britannica: Christopher Columbus
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