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1. Slides, attached below
2. Log into Kialo and clone the linked discussion in the main activity to make a copy for your students.

Present the central question: Can historical knowledge ever be entirely objective?

Introduce the concepts of objectivity (a view from nowhere) and subjectivity in the context of studying the past.

Show 2–3 headlines/images reporting the same historical event (e.g., a protest, a war, a colonial encounter) from different newspapers or time periods. Examples:

• British vs Indian textbook depictions of the 1857 Rebellion
• US vs Vietnamese portrayals of the Vietnam War
• Different media framings of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Ask students to consider:

• Whose perspective is reflected in this version of history — and whose is missing?
• If historical facts remain the same, why do different groups tell such different stories?
• Does removing bias from historical accounts make them more accurate, or less meaningful?

Debate Setup 

• Use the Kialo discussion: “Can historical knowledge ever be entirely objective?”
• Students will respond to the thesis "Historical knowledge cannot be entirely objective.”
• Give students time to examine the starter claims, based on the points below.
  • PRO: Historical accounts reflect the perspectives of those who write them.
    • Counterclaim: Some historians strive for impartiality by engaging with unfamiliar worldviews and challenging their own preconceptions.
    • Reasoning Question: Can historical writing ever fully escape the influence of the historian’s cultural and temporal context?
  • PRO: Dominant institutions often suppress dissenting historical voices to maintain control over public memory.
    • Counterclaim: Alternative narratives are now being reclaimed through oral histories, decolonial research, and archival activism.
    • Reasoning Question: What determines which stories are preserved, and how does that shape our understanding of history?
  • CON: Systematic methodologies and peer scrutiny help reduce subjective influence in historical work.
    • Counterclaim: Every act of selection — what to highlight, omit, or frame — reflects a value judgment.
    • Reasoning Question: Does shared academic rigor make historical knowledge more dependable, or just more uniform?
  • CON: Certain historical data points — like treaty dates or census figures — are verifiable and consistent across sources.
    • Counterclaim (updated): Even confirmed data can be selectively presented or framed to support particular agendas.
    • Reasoning Question: Can facts be separated from context, or are they always part of a larger narrative?

Debate

• Students present initial arguments, referencing examples like different perspectives on famous conflicts and their outcomes, various rights movements such as the Civil Rights movement in the US and how the news perceived it then versus now, etc.
• Encourage discussion by asking: 
  • What does it mean for a historian to be “objective”? Is that a realistic or useful goal?
  • Can subjectivity in historical writing ever be a strength rather than a flaw?
  • If every historian brings their own perspective, does that make all historical knowledge equally valid?
  • Is bias something we can eliminate from history—or something we should learn to recognize and interrogate?
  • How do concepts like justification and evidence help us decide what to believe about the past?

Discuss the following reflection questions in open discussion or exit ticket format:

• Did today’s discussion change how you think about historical truth? Why or why not?
• Which argument from the Kialo debate did you find most convincing, and what made it strong?
• Can you think of an example (from school, media, or personal experience) where history felt one-sided or incomplete? What do you think was missing?
• How does knowing that history is shaped by perspective affect your trust in textbooks, museums, or official narratives?
• Do you think historians have a responsibility to be objective — or to amplify marginalized voices? Can they do both at the same time?
• What role does power play in shaping the historical knowledge we accept as truth?
• Which TOK concepts (e.g., perspective, bias, evidence, power, justification) helped you understand today’s topic most clearly? Why?