History often repeats itself, and so do the skills we use to make sense of it. Superstructures makes it simple to reuse structures across different eras to guide students through the same modes of inquiry. With a familiar framework, students can focus fully on the history and the thinking it demands. Take a look.
This Venn structure asks students to compare and contrast leaders’ goals, methods, and impact, noting where they align and where they differ. Replicate this for Progressive Era reformers, presidents who escalated the Cold War (Eisenhower, JFK, LBJ), Allied WWII leaders (FDR, Stalin, Churchill), civil rights leaders, revolutionary figures, or any group where similarities and differences reveal insight. Use this structure in your classroom!
This Columns structure asks students to break down major initiatives by goals, impact, and limitations. Replicate this for for the New Deal, Johnson’s Great Society, or any set of programs where students can evaluate how administrations tackled national challenges. Use this structure in your classroom!
With the Dot Plot structure, the significance of certain events comes to life when moments are ranked along two axes, such as impact (low to high) and duration (short-term to long-term). Students justify their placement, compare with classmates, and debate why some events matter more than others. Replicate this for World War II, Vietnam, or any global history unit. Use this structure in your classroom!
For more ideas, explore our Social Studies resources page—a vault of ready-to-use structures, lesson ideas, and sample structures from our team.