About Investigating History

Investigating History (IH) was not created in a vacuum. The National Council for Social Studies initiated a 3-year, state-led collaborative effort that resulted in the College, Career and Civic Life (C3) Framework; the C3 Framework informed DESE's own 2018 revisions to the History/Social Science Framework, which center inquiry-based instruction and the role of history and social science education at all grade levels in preparing students for civic participation in a diverse democratic society. With Investigating History, Massachusetts is ahead of the curve in developing a history and social studies curriculum that is comprehensive, culturally responsive, inclusive to all students, and aligned to both C3 principles and Massachusetts state standards.

Investigating History embodies the rigor of inquiry-based learning, challenging both teachers and students to develop greater skills. Inquiry-based instruction takes time and practice. With a comprehensive curriculum in hand, teachers can spend their time thinking about how best to support their students, not piecing together content. They also receive support from DESE-trained professional development providers with professional learning that is IH curriculum-based and focused on inquiry-based instruction.

Expanding access to high-quality, standards-aligned curricular materials can significantly improve student outcomes, especially when teachers have the professional learning opportunities they need to skillfully implement those materials to meet the specific needs of their students, families, and communities. Research suggests that if instructional materials are engaging, challenging, culturally relevant, and aligned to learning standards, they can improve student achievement by an amount comparable to a half-year of extra learning time. All students in Massachusetts deserve to reap the benefits of strong curricular materials.

In 2024-25, over 100 districts are using Investigating History across Massachusetts. They represent rural, suburban, and urban districts from a wide range of contexts—check out examples of Investigating History in the classroom or hear directly from some of our teachers, students, and leaders !

Whether in the Berkshires or Boston or beyond, DESE is committed to helping educators implement the curriculum thoughtfully within their given context, including identifying, training, and certifying professional development providers who are equipped to support districts and schools with the adoption and use of the materials. In partnership with the One8 Foundation, DESE has awarded a total of over $1.5 million in grants to districts to support the costs of implementing Investigating History through the 2024-25 school year.

It is important to note that DESE does not mandate that schools or districts use any specific curricular materials. Investigating History is intended to provide schools with a vetted, high-quality curriculum and professional development option that is directly aligned to the Massachusetts History and Social Science Framework. Whether to adopt these resources will be a decision made on a local level.

Investigating History is designed so that all students see themselves in the curriculum while also learning to appreciate the lives and stories of others from different backgrounds and cultures. By including multiple authentic sources and artifacts, students engage with a wide variety of narratives, gaining a deeper understanding of the diversity, fluidity, and complexity found within and across groups. Through engaging questions and meaningful, civically oriented tasks, the materials help students critically and thoughtfully understand the perspectives of those from different times and places.

Investigating History is designed around four key principles, elaborated further in the curriculum's design specifications :

1. Historical Inquiry and Investigation: The curriculum centers inquiry-based learning and questioning that leads to investigations with authentic source materials.

2. Historical Empathy and Human Connections: The curriculum deepens students' insight into human connections by activating their sense of wonder and imagination, prompting them to consider others' perspectives, and engaging them in collaboration across lines of difference.

3. Civic Engagement and Current World Relevance: The curriculum draws connections to the contemporary world and foster civic engagement, developing students' civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions.

4. Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy: The curriculum is rooted in the principles of culturally sustaining pedagogy, developing students' academic achievement, cultural competence, and sociopolitical awareness.

Investigating History is designed to allow for different access points, addressing all students' diverse and varied needs and supporting them in becoming better readers, writers, thinkers, and citizens. All students are engaged while learning challenging and relevant content and developing the skills of investigators and co-creators. Every lesson includes language objectives differentiated for students at different levels of English proficiency, as well as suggested scaffolds and supports for students with disabilities. Additionally, beginning in Summer 2024, new versions of the curriculum will be rolled out with expanded supports for Multilingual Learners.

When challenging topics like racism, prejudice, and bigotry appear in the content standards and therefore in the Investigating History curriculum, the materials and professional development are thoughtfully designed to support teachers in engaging in honest, informed conversations surrounding these issues. To this end, the curriculum addresses not only instances of racial oppression and prejudice in developmentally appropriate ways, but also highlights the individuals and movements who have challenged it, and the way in which diversity has been and continues to be a strength of our nation.

Investigating History was developed and vetted by subject matter experts, scholars, and teachers beginning in 2020. Curriculum writers initially consulted with subject-matter experts to ensure that the curriculum reflects the most accurate and up-to-date scholarship. Once drafted, materials were then vetted by numerous reviewers including historians, experts in social studies pedagogy, and Massachusetts teachers before being piloted in classrooms across the state.

Feedback from teachers and students is a critical part of the development process. In Grades 5–7, key learnings from the pilot resulted in adjustments to pacing and skill building as well as countless other smaller-scale adjustments to individual lessons and activities. DESE is fully committed to continuous improvement and even after Investigating History is released, will continue to learn from teachers' experiences with the curriculum.

DESE's lead partners in developing the curricular materials and associated professional development are Primary Source, a nonprofit organization based in the Boston area that has worked to advance global education in schools for more than thirty years, and Educurious, a Seattle-based nonprofit organization that specializes in project-based curriculum and professional learning. The pilot curriculum evaluation is being conducted by researchers at Tufts University's Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).

As part of this work, DESE has also worked with faculty from University of Massachusetts Boston's College of Education and Human Development, who led development of the design specifications for the materials, as well as researchers from Boston University's Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. Additional implementation supports have been developed in collaboration with Makematic and The Teacher Collaborative.