This presentation provides an easy guide to use the PERSIA+GT model to teach historical inquiry to middle school students.

1. Historical Inquiry
How can the historical inquiry process help
explain major events, movements, and
historical artifacts?
By Dawn Bartz

2. The PERSIA+GT model provides different
lenses, or perspectives, to view major
events, social movements and historical
documents in order to gain a deeper
understanding and richer context.

3. Political
● Who are the leaders?
● Who has power?
● What are the government structures, political
issues and political roles?
● Is there conflict occurring?

4. Economic
● What is the monetary/economic
system?
● What is the system of trade?
● What type of labor system exists?
● What industry exists?
● What are the natural resources?
● What is the class structure?

5. Religious
● How does religion influence events?
● What change or event is happening in the religious realm, or in a specific
religion, that is having an impact on society?
● What are the important beliefs and teachings?

6. Social
● What do people do for
entertainment?
● What are lifestyles like?
● Explain the roles of men and
women in society?
● How does ethnicity and cultural
background play a role in
society?

7. Intellectual
This encompasses the ideas of the time.
What were some new thoughts during
this time period?

8. Aesthetic
This refers to the artistic value of various
works (things that are pleasing to the eye). It
relates to the fine arts (painting, drawing,
theater, poetry, music, sculpture…), artistic
movements, and the techniques used.
Did art provide a reflection of the changes in
society or did the artistic movement help to
promote change?

9. Geography
How does the area, location, and/or physical features
of a place or region impact a movement?

10. Technological
● What technology and technological
advances are prevalent?
● What did people invent to make their
lives easier or more productive?

11. How do these big ideas relate to the theme: Pop
Art: Exchange of Consumerism and Culture?
How can we take apart and examine the Pop Art
movement through PERSIA + GT?
Questions to guide your research and thinking