Redesigned Honors U.S. History Class Fosters a More In-Depth Historical Lens

How best to explore U.S. history and create an engaging learning atmosphere has been the question for Upper School history teacher Matthew Thomsen as he has worked diligently to redesign the current U.S. Honors History class.

The preparation work began over summer break as Mr. Thomsen spent time at the Case Method Institute of Education and Democracy presented by Harvard Business School. He completed a two-day training with instructor Professor David Moss, author of Democracy: A Case Study, to learn more in depth about the case study method approach to teaching. Through the training, Mr. Thomsen had access to various case studies and began work on integrating six case studies into the new curriculum plan. Each case study serves as an in-depth reading assessment that exposes students to deeper layers of historical events and developments - and thus providing students with the foundational knowledge to succeed.

“I took a lot of the topics and conversations covered in the new tenth-grade Human Rights, Equity, and Health class and wanted to further build upon what resonated with students,” said Mr. Thomsen. “The students have really developed a historical lens and understand there is more to the story than what has been presented in textbooks.”

The course models a college-level humanities class with an AP level book, but does not fall under AP guidelines. It has become more project-based with a focus on class discussions and presentations. For example, students spent time at the beginning of the year learning about the 13 colonies. Instead of writing a paper, the students were instructed to create an ad presentation detailing the government structure, the religious background, and the social and economic condition of the colonies.

In addition to the case studies, Mr. Thomsen weaves writers and historians into class discussions including Preacher Henry Highland Garnet, the first African American to speak in the House Chamber of Congress, Jon Meacham, author of And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, author of An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States, and Ronald Chernow. The class covers one Supreme Court case a week, which allows for further analysis and discussion around the arguments and final decision.

“Teaching this course has reinforced my beliefs as an educator that building a classroom community matters, and it’s important to work with the students to help them develop the desire for learning and willingness to ask questions,” said Mr. Thomsen. “The depth of the outside texts and excerpts from historians and primary sources has raised the contextual skills of the students.”