Teaching American History

This webpage provides examples of professional learning experiences that centered teaching of the fullness of American history. Use these example local Michigan district professional learning experiences in addition to the Guidance Document to assist you with the development of your own local district wide professional development experience.

 

About the Section 99d - Teaching American History Grant

Section 99d of the 2023-24 School Aid Act provided $6,000,000.00 from the state for local districts to do both of the following:

 

  • develop and implement plans for professional learning concerning the teaching of the fullness of American history, including, but not limited to, the teaching of the history of communities of color and other marginalized communities, the teaching of local history, and the teaching of cultural competency.

 

  • purchase books and other educational resources for educators and students to support the goal of teaching every middle school and high school student American history that reflects the diversity of this state, including, but not limited to, the teaching of the history of communities of color and other marginalized communities.

 

 

Thank You/Miigwetch Acknowledgement

"We start by saying thank you to all of the partners, advisors, and consultants who joined us in this project. Chi-miigwetch, wado/yakoke, and nya:węh to our Native partners who shared their time, stories, and efforts with our educators and our community. We are humbled by the trust, cooperation, and relationships that were established as part of this work." -(As prepared by Jared Aumen & Joslyn Hunscher-Young, Ann Arbor Public Schools - 99d Final Report, Oct. 31, 2025)

 

99d Grant Recipients, Initiatives, and Shared Resources

This is a list of Michigan schools that implemented 99d grant initiatives. Select the school district link to view information about their 99d grant initiative and/or to contact the school district to inquire about their Teaching American History experience.

 

Ann Arbor Public Schools

The Michigan Indigenous Histories, and Cultures Project was a comprehensive initiative in Ann Arbor Public Schools designed to enhance educator capacity for teaching Indigenous history and culture. The project featured a year-long teacher learning cohort that engaged in professional development, including place-based learning trips to significant Indigenous sites. Beyond teacher training, the initiative provided numerous Native-authored books to school libraries and classrooms and hosted a public "Native Artists Series" to engage the broader community. The project culminated in an educational summit featuring New York Times bestselling author Angeline Boulley and established long-term partnerships to sustain Indigenous-centered curriculum development.

Additional resource links coming soon!

 

Birmigham Public Schools

Birmingham educators participated in a three-phase professional learning series that focused on integrating diverse perspectives, facilitating student-driven discussions on social justice, and conducting curricular inventories. The initiative resulted in a significant increase in teacher confidence regarding equity-based instruction, newly designed lessons integrating diverse texts, the creation of a shared digital resource library, and the procurement of materials to support more representative coursework, including AP African American History.

Additional resource links coming soon!

  • Partners
    • Angela Church - Viable Consulting, LLC
    • Birmingham Office of School Development and Equity
    • Birmingham Student Learning and Inclusion Team
    • Birmingham DIstrict Social Studies Department
    • Oakland Schools' Office of School Development & Equity
    • Stacey  Woodward - Disciplinary Literacy and Social Studies Consultant, Oakland Schools
    • Molly Gale - Social Studies Consultant, Oakland Schools
  • Resources
    • Harvard Bok Center and Harard Ethics Project
    • Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi
    • This is Disciplinary Literacy by ReLeah Lent
    • Unearthing Joy by Gholdy Muhammad
    • C3 Framework and the Michigan K-12 Standards for Social Studies

 

Chippewa Valley Public Schools

This professional development project aimed to address significant demographic shifts in their student population by implementing culturally responsive teaching practices and enhancing the curriculum to better reflect diverse perspectives. The project featured partnerships with various community experts and organizations. The district provided professional development for staff—including specialized cohort training—focused on cultural competence, bias reflection, and inclusive pedagogical strategies. Additionally, new instructional materials were devleoped for African American History, U.S. History, and Women's History learning experiences. The project aimed to foster a school culture that supports academic excellence and belonging for every student.

Additional resource links coming soon!

  • Partners
    • Huda Essa from Culture Links, LLC.
    • Eugene A. Picor from Storyteller, LLC.
    • Chaldean Community Foundation
    • Arab American Community Center
    • Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
    • Altin Zaloshnja - Albanian Speaker from Utica Community Schools
    • Marsha Lewis - African American Speaker from Detroit Public Schools
    • Ebony Carter - At-Risk Specialist, Chippewa Valley Schools
    • Nicole Pemberton - Social Studies District Curriculum Leader, Chippewa Valley Schools
    • Dr. Karen Langlands - Executive Director of Innovation, Chippewa Valley Schools
    • Dr. Monica Eraqi - Instructor, Chippewa Valley Schools
    • Terry Wilson - Instructor, Chippewa Valley Schools
    • Josh Voss - Instructor, Chippewa Valley Schools
    • Kelly Sarver - Instructor, Chippewa Valley Schools
    • Kim Johnston - Instructor, Chippewa Valley Schools
    • Stephanie Lange - Student Assistance Professional, Chippewa Valley Schools
  • Resources
    • The Consciously Unbiased Educator (CUE) Resources
    • Cultivating Genious by Gholdy Muhammad
    • Educating for Equity and Excellence by Geneva Gay
  • Women's History Novels for Teaching, Integration, and/or Student Book Clubs
    • Three Sisters by Bi Feiyu
    • The Ladies of Managua by Eleni N. Gage
    • The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
    • The Awakening by Kate Chopin
    • Meridian by Alice Walker
    • The Women's Room by Marilyn French
    • Sabrina & Corina by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
    • Probably Ruby by Lisa Bird-Wilson
    • When We Were Sisters by Fatimah Asghar
    • Brown Girls by Daphne Palasi Andreades

 

Detroit Public Schools Community District

Additional resource links coming soon!

This initiative Tracing Our Roots created a school-based digital museum that reimagines American history instruction. The project positioned K-12 students as historians and ethnographers of their own neighborhoods, where they work alongside teachers and community "griots" (elders and storytellers) to co-curate Detroit's living past. The initiative developed interlocking student, teacher, and community engagement frameworks, as well as a "Train-the-Trainer" professional development series, all designed to integrate inquiry-based local history and digital curation into the core curriculum.

 

Grand Haven Area Public Schools

Additional resource links coming soon!

This project launched a comprehensive initiative aimed at fostering an inclusive learning environment and promoting culturally responsive social studies instruction. It  addressed identified needs regarding student belonging and equity, including district implemention of professional learning programs like "Mitigating Microaggressions." The project expanded curricula including more diverse perspectives—such as a new AP African American Studies course and updated 11th-grade English Language Arts units while leveraging external partnerships. These efforts successfully enhanced teacher capacity and improved student belonging, strengthening the district's commitment to providing a high-quality, inclusive educational experience for all students.

 

Hazel Park Schools

Additional resource links coming soon!

This initiative aimed to modernize its social studies and ELA instruction by replacing outdated, Eurocentric materials with inclusive, inquiry-based curricula. The work included partnering with universities and cultural institutions to ensure students from all backgrounds see themselves reflected in their studies. New courses were developed and launched such as AP African American Studies while providing extensive professional development including place-based learning for teachers to build cultural competency, and transformative field-based learning experiences.

 

Kentwood Public Schools

Additional resource links coming soon!

 

Les Cheneaux Community Schools

Additional resource links coming soon!

 

Mattawan Consolidated School District

Additional resource links coming soon!

 

Muskegon Public Schools

Additional resource links coming soon!

 

Plymouth-Canton Community Schools

Resource links coming soon!

  • Partnerships
    • Historical Society of Michigan – David Hales
    • Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit – Raman Singh
    • University Liggett School – Chris Hemler & Adam Hellebuyck
    • City Institute – Jeanette Pierce
    • Canton Chamber of Commerce / National Civics Bee – Pamela Batcho
    • Pure Detroit (Old Chinatown Walking Tour) – Michael Boettcher
    •  Association of Chinese Americans – Richard Mui
    • Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA (Canton Chapter) – Chandru Acharya
    • Dr. Hasan Jeffries – Ohio State University Professor and Keynote Speaker on Teaching Diverse History
  • Museums & Cutural Institutions
    • Arab American National Museum
    •  Detroit Institute of Arts
    • Henry Ford Museum
    • Plymouth Historical Museum
    • Zekelman Holocaust Center
    • Old Chinatown Historical Tour
  • Religious Diversity Journeys
    • Islamic Center of North America (Dearborn - Islam)
    • Singh Sabha of Michigan (Canton – Sikhism)
    • Temple Shir Shalom (West Bloomfield – Judaism)
    • Hindu Temple (Canton – Hinduism)

 

Reeths-Puffer Schools

Resource links coming soon!

This professional learning project outlines a three-tiered structure that moved from broad foundational identity work to intensive individualized practice. Tier 1 launched with all-school assemblies and professional development sessions featuring guest speaker Kofi B., followed by book studies on cultural competencies and student engagement. Tier 2 focused on creating integrated, project-based learning units tied to local and regional histories. Tier 3 supported staff documentation on their growth in cultural competencies and classroom practice through a reflective educator portfolio for peer presentation.

  • Partners
    • Kofi B. - Artist and Speaker
    • Jennifer Anderson - High School Principal at Reeths-Puffer Schools
    • Dr. Simeon Frang - Director of State and Federal Programs at Reeths-Puffer Schools
    • Kristen Renes - Social Studies Consultant at Muskegon Area Intermediate School District
    • Joe Lane - Local Pastor, Education Leader, and Book Study Facilitator
  • Book Study
    • Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain - Zaretta Hammond
    • The Disengaged Teen - Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop

 

Royal Oak Schools

Resource links coming soon!

 

Troy School District

Resource links coming soon!

 

Waverly Community School District

Resource links coming soon!

 

Westwood Community School District

Resource links coming soon!

 

Whitmore Community Schools

Resource links coming soon!

 

Ypsilanti Community Schools

Resource links coming soon!

 

* Full project overviews and resources are being updated as completed. Continue to review this page for additions.

 

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  • Ann Arbor Schools 99D
  • Let’s Talk about Race: It isn’t Real, but Racism is Lesson Plan and Materials
    "Objective: Students will begin the process of “unlearning” the deeply ingrained societal myth that race is a biological reality by tracing the origins of the invention of ‘race.' "THIS KEY CONCEPT IN AN ANTIRACIST CLASSROOM: “Racism is real, Race is not...so race does not account for racism.” - Dr. Barbara Fields "If race isn’t real, where does racism come from? This lesson follows the research of Dr. Barbara Fields and Dr. Ibram X. Kendi to show to students that racism does not actually come from ignorance or hate, but from racist policies which were created for the financial benefit of people in power. Later, racism was invented to justify those racist policies. Unfortunately, the made-up idea of race is going to have a gigantic impact on the story of American history. "
  • Teacher’s Guide: Analyzing Primary Sources
    A one-page guide for teachers on how to support students learning from and about primary sources.
  • Jewish Life in Colonial America
    5 – U2.1.3 Describe significant developments in the Middle colonies, including immigration patterns leading to ethnic diversity in the Middle colonies. 5 – U2.1.5 Explain the economic, political, cultural, and religious causes of migration to colonial North America.
  • Ugly History: The Armenian Genocide
    WHG 7.2.1 World War I – explain the causes, characteristics, and long-term consequences of World War I, including the major decisions of the Versailles Treaty.
  • Who Killed Vincent Chin: Civil Rights Activism
    USHG 8.3.4 Civil Rights Expanded – evaluate the major accomplishments and setbacks in securing civil rights and liberties for all Americans over the 20th century.
  • Integrating Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans (APIDA) in Your Everyday Teaching
    These slides are from a webinar by the Asian American Education Project aimed to help teachers integrate APIDA histories into their existing teaching. The slides share examples of APIDA inclusion into existing curriculum, pedagogical strategies to do so, and reflective questions to help K-12 history teachers probe their own teaching. Example teaching strategies/historical moments are: - Angel Island and Ellis Island - Japanese Incarceration during WWII, Treatment of Muslim Americans and South Asian Americans post 9/11, and U.S. Detention Facilities at the Border - Tape vs. Hurley and Brown vs. Board - Immigration Patterns of Southeast Asian refugees as a result of the Vietnam War - Lue Gim Gong saves Florida's Citrus Plants - Colonization of Hawai'i
  • This Land is Our Land Inquiry Unit: "How did (does) Europeans’ view of land impact their (our) relationship and interactions with Indigenous peoples?"
    SOCIAL STUDIES: 3 – H3.0.5 Use informational text and visual data to compare how Indigenous Peoples and non-Indigenous Peoples in the early history of Michigan interacted with, adapted to, used, and/or modified their environments.
  • How To Celebrate and Honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day
    Paul Flores IV (Apache) details ways to include Indigenous knowledges, histories, and cultures into your teaching, especially if you do not identify as Indigenous. Flores says in paragraph 3, and we want to highlight: "It’s important to approach topics related to Indigenous peoples with thoughtfulness and care, as many of these subjects can be quite sensitive. Previewing any content before showing your class is recommended to make sure it’s presented in a respectful, culturally appropriate manner. By making the effort to learn directly from Native voices, you can gain invaluable insights into the vibrant, living cultures that have inhabited this land for millennia and participate in the important work of honoring and preserving these irreplaceable traditions."
  • The LGBTQ+ Identity: Teacher's Guide
    From the website: "Understanding LGBTQ+ Identity: A Toolkit for Educators offers a series of digital media resources to help teachers, administrators, guidance counselors, and other educators understand and effectively address the complex and difficult issues faced by LGBTQ students. "These resources, intended for use in teacher professional development settings or with GSAs, feature short segments of video content from the groundbreaking PBS Digital Studios show First Person. First Person delivers candid personal narratives illustrating larger conversations about gender, sexuality, social norms, and identity development. "All video content is scaffolded by a suite of materials (informational text, conversation guides, discussion questions, and teaching tips) to facilitate their use in either classroom or professional development settings. The videos and accompanying educational resources are designed to help promote understanding, awareness, and self-esteem."
  • Chaldean American Month Video Series
    A 4 minute, 4-part YouTube playlist that explores: 1. Who are the Chaldeans? 2. Aramaic Language 3. Religion 4. Demographics
  • Chaldean History: Who are the Chaldeans?
    A brief article outlining the over 5,500-year history of Chaldean people: from their beginnings in Mesopotamia to Metro Detroit becoming the second largest community of Chaldeans worldwide. The article also includes information about language, religion, and demographics.
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