Texas TEKS 7.20.D

Social Studies7th GradeSocial studies skills

The Standard

identify bias and points of view from the historical context surrounding an event that influenced the participants

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students compare historical accounts and identify each speaker’s viewpoint and biased language. They use the time period’s events, beliefs, and pressures to explain why participants acted as they did.
What Mastery Looks Like: Given two sources, students name each viewpoint and cite words or details that reveal bias. They connect each viewpoint to a specific historical circumstance and explain its influence.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think bias means a source is completely false or useless. They may judge people by modern beliefs or assign a viewpoint based only on identity without citing evidence.
How to Assess It: Display two short excerpts about Texas annexation. Ask: “Whose viewpoint does each excerpt represent, which phrase shows bias, and what 1840s circumstance shaped it?”

Lesson moves

Give pairs quote cards from Anglo settlers, Tejanos, and Mexican officials to sort by viewpoint, then match each quote to a context card.
Ask students to write how land, citizenship, war, or economic concerns could lead two participants to view one event differently.
Play Bias Detective by awarding points for identifying loaded words, naming the speaker’s viewpoint, and linking it to historical context.
Compare two headlines about a school policy, then have students explain how each writer’s role and situation shaped the wording.

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