Evidence Versus Interpretation
Distinguish between historical evidence and historical interpretation — evidence is what survived, interpretation is the argument a historian builds from it, and the same evidence can support different arguments
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“Does your child understand that two historians can look at the same evidence and reach different conclusions — and that history involves argument and judgment, not just facts?”
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- Activity. Distinguish between historical evidence and historical interpretation — evidence is what survived, interpretation is the argument a historian builds from it, and the same evidence can support different arguments
What to notice. Development of historical understanding among 9-14 year olds • Ways of Seeing: Evidence and Learning in the History Classroom (RRCHNM)
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Does your child understand that two historians can look at the same evidence and reach different conclusions — and that history involves argument and judgment, not just facts?
Distinguish between historical evidence and historical interpretation — evidence is what survived, interpretation is the argument a historian builds from it, and the same evidence can support different arguments
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- Development of historical understanding among 9-14 year olds
- Ways of Seeing: Evidence and Learning in the History Classroom (RRCHNM)
“Does your child understand that two historians can look at the same evidence and reach different conclusions — and that history involves argument and judgment, not just facts?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Meta
- Subject
- History
- Domain
- Historical Thinking
- Age range
- Ages 10–11