The Deeper Discussions in World History curriculum helps educators facilitate historical inquiry through meaningful, student-to-student discussion.
At the core of each lesson is a central historical question that students discuss using evidence from a curated set of historical documents. The sources are designed to set up a tension about how we understand the past that invites multiple interpretations and perspectives. Before jumping into the sourcing activity, each Deeper Discussions lesson begins with an on-ramp discussion that explores relatable themes found in both the sources and students’ own lives. Each lesson concludes with an off-ramp discussion that helps students reflect on their new historical understanding and see history as a way to understand the world they live in.
Embedded within each lesson are features meant to support teachers in facilitating these discussions, from tips for creating discussion norms, to strategies for asking probing questions if a discussion stalls, to having students reflect on their own performance and what they learned from the experience. Learn more about how to use Deeper Discussions lessons with the accompanying professional development toolkit.
All the lessons are hosted within the OER Project curriculum and designed to be used either as stand-alone lessons or in conjunction with other OER Project course materials. The Mapping Guide showcases how our lessons map onto the OER Project Courses.
Use this step-by-step template to design a Deeper Discussions style lesson using the structured arc of on-ramp, CHQ, and off-ramp questions.
