History is a Discipline, not a content.
Empowering students through disciplinary thinking is at the core of our resources and assessments. Where the various contents within social studies can silo us, the disciplinary thinking skills inherent to our classes can unite us.
Our Curriculum is Historian Approved
Thinking Nation asks expert historians to review our curriculum before it is used in the classroom. We believe that students should engage with history in a way that mirrors the conversations happening at the scholarly level. Also, by including expert historians in the curriculum-writing process, we can build a better bridge between secondary classrooms and the university.
As a nonprofit, Thinking Nation cannot serve students without the generosity of others.
We're especially grateful for the scholars who have given their time and expertise to making our resources stronger.
Dr. Carol Berkin
Baruch College (Emeritus)
Dr. James Merrell
Vassar College (Emeritus)
Dr. Denver Brunsman
The George Washington University
Dr. Paul Cheney
The University of Chicago
Dr. Pearl Young
University of Houston-Clear Lake
Dr. H. Paul Thompson, Jr.
North Greenville University
Dr. Benjamin Gross
Jacksonville State University
Dr. Jennifer Cullison
California State University, Stanislaus
Dr. Manisha Sinha
University of Connecticut
Dr. Katlyn Carter
University of Notre Dame
Dr. Marc Van De Mieroop
Columbia University
Dr. J.B. Mayo
University of Minnesota
Dr. Vincent J. Cannato
University of Massachusetts Boston
Dr. Robert Elder
Baylor University
Dr. Sheen Rajmaira
California State University, Channel Islands
Dr. Alicia Jackson
Covenant College
Dr. Sean Jacobson
University of North Alabama
Dr. Curtis Austin
Arizona State University
Dr. James Walvin
University of York (Emeritus)
Dr. Nadya Williams
University of West Georgia
Dr. Lily Anne Welty Tamai
California State University, Channel Islands Dr. Benjamin Foreman
The Master's University - IBEX
Dr. Michael Kazin
Georgetown University
Dr. Andrew Robertson
Lehman College
Dr. John Fea
Messiah University
Dr. Adam Seagrave
Arizona State University
Causation
Comparison
Contextualization
Continuity and
Change over Time
Life is complicated, and understanding that nothing has a singular cause reveals that. Students who can identify causes can identify solutions. Teaching causation in the history classroom is imperative for this skill to develop throughout students’ lives. This way, they can correctly identify the causes of their own historical moment and how to best improve it.
Causation
Comparison
Contextualization
Continuity and
Change over Time
If our students are equipped to compare similarities and differences, they will be much stronger in assessing their communities around them—both local and global. Furthermore, the historical thinking skill of comparison breeds empathy by not simply showing how things are different, but what they have in common. This skill is necessary in any civic environment.
Causation
Comparison
Contextualization
Continuity and
Change over Time
Nothing happens in a vacuum. To understand any person, place, or event, one must understand what surrounds them—the context. The more that students see context as vital to understanding the past, the more equipped they are to understanding the context of the present. Learning to look for context helps students become empathetic listeners, seeking to gather more relevant information before jumping to conclusions.
Causation
Comparison
Contextualization
Continuity and
Change over Time
To best understand history, it may be helpful to see the past as many histories. That is, there is not one simple story to describe the past. Rather, the past is filled with changes. Of course, even within the many changes that have taken place, there remain some continuities. Thus, recognizing patterns and trends, and where those patterns and trends end, is a key skill in civic and social life.
Our Curated Research Papers are aligned to the Common Core, influenced by content standards, and written with AP courses in mind.
Aligned to the Common Core
In order to best serve students in all of their courses, we align our CRP rubrics to the Common Core. This way, students are better prepared for the writing requirements of all classes as well as the demands of high-stakes testing.
Influenced by Teacher's scope and sequence
Teachers' scope and sequences have guided which topics are covered in our CRPs so that Thinking Nation can be efficiently integrated into what teachers are already doing.
Aligned to AP Courses
Both the content and skills of our CRPs are put together with AP courses in mind. More students are equipped for the rigors of Advanced Placement with an earlier introduction to the types of thinking and writing AP courses demand.
