MAPPING MEMORY, STORY, AND PLACE: WHEN DOES U.S. HISTORY BEGIN AND WHO GETS TO DECIDE?
History in Layers (900-present) invites students to root their learning in place, beginning their U.S. history journey with the Indigenous histories that have shaped, sustained, and endured in the lands they call home.
Students examine local histories and cultural legacies, challenge dominant myths, and amplify Indigenous presence, past and present. They uncover the layers of history embedded in places they care about, discovering stories, perspectives, and artifacts along the way to piece together their own historical narrative.
Created in generous partnership with XQ Institute, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (CFAT), and with the invaluable contributions of educators, students and partners in California, Iowa, Missouri, and New Jersey.
Educator tools that pair with History in Layers (left) help teachers deepen engagement, offer feedback, connect with their local community, and guide students through this immersive civic learning experience. Student-facing slide from the unit shown on the right.
YOUTH-LED INQUIRY: THE SEARCH HISTORY PROJECT
At the heart of this learning experience is the Search History Project—a student-driven inquiry into a place they care about. Using diverse sources and community perspectives, students investigate the Indigenous histories of that place, assemble multimedia artifacts, and create a narrative that challenges the Myth of Discovery.
As they explore how U.S. history has been told—and what has been left out—students build skills in evaluating perspectives, connecting with community, historical thinking, and translating ideas into impact. Each project is unique, rooted in curiosity and a deepening understanding of place.
Student-facing slides that appear in History in Layers, a civic learning experiences designed with and for teens.
WHAT STUDENTS DISCOVER AND CREATE
Throughout History in Layers, students sharpen their skills as historians, storytellers, and community-connected learners. They learn to critically analyze sources for bias, omission, and distortion, and to challenge pervasive myths about Indigenous histories with accuracy and care. As they deepen their understanding of place, they connect personal perspective to broader historical narratives and build meaningful, public-facing work rooted in community relationships.
TEEN-CREATED ARTIFACTS INCLUDE:
Original Search History multimedia projects
Community-informed historical narratives
Source analyses using the unit's Reality Check Tool
Reflections on place, presence, and perspective
These works reflect teens' growing ability to uncover the many threads of the past, elevate the diverse voices that have shaped it, and build the skills to question, amplify, and contribute to a more complete understanding of U.S. history.
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!
