WHAT IF U.S. HISTORY CLASS DIDN'T JUST TEACH THE PAST—BUT HELPED TEENS SHAPE THE FUTURE?
Living U.S. History: Humans and Ideas in Motion, Democracy in Action is a new kind of U.S. History course, currently in development. We've built and piloted three immersive CIVIC learning experiences—History in Layers, The Echo in Voice, and Power Play—and outlined five more that invite students to step into real-world civic roles, engaging with history through action, inquiry, collaboration, and meaningful, project-based learning rooted in lived experience.
Early results are promising: In eight pilot classrooms across six states, 270 students engaged with the course. An overwhelming 83% demonstrates growth in core competencies and achieved proficiency in academic content. Teachers rated student engagement 4 out of 5 and reported a teaching experience of 4.3 out of 5—exceeding ratings for most curricula they use.
This course is more than a curriculum-it's a model for how civic learning and history education can support voice, purpose and agency in young people. These project-based history units blend learning science, relevance, and reflection to create immersive, standards-aligned, teen-centered experiences that build competencies for learning and thriving.
A LOOK AT THE CIVIC & HISTORY LEARNING EXPERIENCES:
Students act as historians, uncovering and sharing the layered histories of a place of their choosing. They engage with and amplify multimedia artifacts, stories, and Indigenous perspectives, challenging common misconceptions in this immersive exploration of historical narrative.
Students explore the power of oratory across five social movements—Black rights, women's rights, immigrant rights, labor rights and Indigenous rights—before remixing historical speeches into their own messages and calls for change in today's world.
Students explore diplomacy during the Cold War through collaborative roleplay on the iThrive Sim platform. They apply policy evaluation and practice the skills of negotiation, empathy, and problem-solving through historically inspired dilemmas.
A NEW TAKE ON U.S. HISTORY
We created and tested three full civic learning experiences and outlined five additional ones to complete an eight-unit course spanning from c. 900 to present. Grounded in research on adolescent development and learning science, each unit blends academic rigor with immersive, inquiry-driven community-connected learning. A throughline in each learning experience are these two guiding questions —
How have people and ideas in motion shaped U.S. history?
And how can I shape what comes next?
CO-DESIGNED FOR CURIOSITY, VOICE, AND GROWTH
"When we give [students] language to articulate their growth, they become agents over their growth in a new way." — Kat McCritchie, a Power Play pilot teacher at Crosstown H.S., Memphis, TN
REAL GROWTH, REAL CONNECTION
Each civic learning experience includes reflection tools like Competency Reflections and Peer Feedback, supporting students in tracking their growth in core XQ competencies like contextualizing their perspectives, persuasive communication, and navigating power. This course isn't just about learning history—it's about living it. And it centers the people most impacted by the learning: students.
Here's what some teachers said:
"One of the most reserved students in the group was fully invested and consistently shared that he couldn't wait to work on the project."
— Brian Robbins, a Power Play pilot teacher at Methacton H.S., Eagleville, PA
"A student who typically keeps to herself used a bullhorn to perform her final speech. I was stunned. She felt powerful. She felt heard."
— H.S. Teacher, after piloting The Echo in Voice
"They were asking questions I didn't expect them to ask—big questions. It's like something cracked open."
— Eric Shulz, a History in Layers pilot teacher at Anamosa H.S., Anamosa, IA
"He saw himself in the historical narrative for the first time—and now he's asking how to get more involved in local government."
— Kat McCritchie, a Power Play pilot teacher at Crosstown H.S., Memphis, TN
A CALL TO ACTION
We're actively developing this course—and we're looking for visionary partners to help us bring it fully to life. If you're a funder, educator or institutional partner committed to youth wellbeing, educational equity, and civic imagination, we invite you to co-create with us. Together, we can build a U.S. History course that helps students not only understand the world, but contribute to it meaningfully.
Take a deeper look at our teen-centered approach to U.S. history.
Explore what teens & teachers shared about their civic learning.
Fill out our interest form to receive everything you need to get started!
