TikTok Meets Textbook: Creative History Lessons for Today’s Students

Gen Z (and Gen Alpha hot on their heels) are growing up in a world where storytelling, video creation, and memes are second nature. In fact, nearly 60% of Gen Z say they want to become content creators or influencers.

What we think that really means:
kids are curious about individuality, redefining success, and craving creative expression.
That doesn't change just because they're in a classroom.

When brainstorming this resource for teaching more exciting History classes, we were inspired by a few friends of the flock:

• Empowered: A Stand Together program, Empowered is an organization that offers educators free access to classroom resources, training, and a vibrant community. They champion experimental, engaging, learner-lead, teacher-guided instruction, and we couldn't be more on board with that program (👋 Hello, Jim!)
• Vince Wall: Long-time Goosechase creator and even longer-time, award-winning educator, Vince Wall, uses Goosechase to disrupt dull and traditional history classes. Ever the early adopter, he constantly explores the tension between old (content) and new (technology), all in service of building a better world. 🌎
• High School Librarian, Jenni George: Every school needs a Jenni! She has a knack for turning any lesson into a creative challenge. One of her standout ideas: zooming in on historical events (in her case, scenes from Romeo and Juliet) with Missions that challenged students to reenact the balcony scene or create calendar invites from the POV of historical characters.

Clearly, we’re often flocked by brilliance. 🧡

Our expertise and belief in interactive experiences means that we’re uniquely positioned to help educators bring learning to life, giving them the platform and support to create interactive experiences for every need:

• In the classroom
• On field trips
• For professional development
• Even extracurriculars.

We provide the tools that turn everyday lessons into meaningful adventures, helping students make history, not just study it.

So, back to that resource...

We’ve put together a set of 5 interactive History Missions designed to tap into your students’ creativity, empathy, and love for all things digital. These activities bring textbook material to life while building critical thinking, media literacy, and storytelling skills.

How to Use These Missions

Customize these Missions to match any historical unit, theme, or learning goal. You can assign just one for a quick activity or use them all as part of a bigger interactive project or scavenger hunt. Either way, they help students explore history through place, empathy, and creativity.

The Missions

1. Interview a Family Member About a Major Historical Event: Where were they when it happened? What do they remember? Students explore how history shaped their own family or community through firsthand storytelling.
2. Create a Meme or TikTok-Style Post Based on a Primary Source: Use humor or creativity to bring a historical document or moment to life, and stretch both their understanding and imagination.
3. Vlog the “Day in the Life” of a Historical Figure: Walk a mile in Frederick Douglass’s shoes or spend a day with Cleopatra. This POV-style activity boosts empathy and imagination.
4. Record a 1-Minute Podcast on an Unsung Hero: Students spotlight someone history books often overlook and explain why they mattered.
5. Design a Protest Sign Based on a Historical Movement: Students channel their inner activist by designing a sign and taking a photo in a meaningful location. It’s art, it’s history, it’s impact.

When students are active participants in their learning, everything changes.

Interactive experiences aren't just opportunities for socializing and creativity. They're doorways to empathy, inquiry, and imagination.

It's our mission to make it easier – and more scalable – to bring these kinds of engaging, meaningful, student-centered activities into your classroom.