Digging Into History
At DiscoverUAcademy, a microschool in Chandler, AZ, students don’t just read about history— they experience it. Founder and educator Dezirea Contreras is using AI to bring history to life. Contreras used Empowered’s Activity Creator AI to create an activity with that turned her students into members of ancient tribes preparing to barter in a bustling marketplace.
The idea sparked as Contreras and her mixed-grade students read Susan Wise Bauer’s “The Story of the World“. Students were interested in life within early settlements. They learned that early in human history, families began to acquire and use tools, contribute collectively, and trade without currency. Her students really latched on to the idea that “everyone had to contribute” and that “barter(ing) was how needs were met.” Dezirea wanted to capitalize on that spark and deepen their discovery with something hands-on.
Using AI to Bring History to Life
Dezirea, wanting something truly unique for her learners, used Empowered’s classroom AI tool to create a custom learning experience. In just a few minutes, the tool turned Dezirea’s ideas into a full activity generating 14 unique tribes—each with its own resources and location—for students to inhabit. In addition to the tribes, the tool also helped Contreras build a five-phase project that guided students through their “new world” in an early civilization:
- DISCUSSION and BRAINSTORMING Students shared what they knew about early civilizations and what they thought might be important for survival.
- TRIBAL PLANNING Students formed mixed-age “tribes,” given Tribe Resource Cards, and worked together to determine what products they would create for trade.
- CREATION PHASE Using classroom craft supplies, learners built “mini” versions of the goods their tribe would bring to the market. (NOTE Students gravitated to this model on their own – it was not an initial prompt when Dezirea imagined how students would engage with the activity.)
- MARKETPLACE SIMULATION Students experienced what it was like to live in a society without currency as they bartered with other tribes to trade in a replica market.
- DEBRIEF In true “Empowered” style, Contreras and her students as part of closing out the learning discussed not just history but bigger ideas like creativity, negotiation, and working together (across grade levels and a simulated society).
Enjoy these images of just some of the creativity students showed in bringing their learning to life:
Creating Learning for Life
What makes this project stand out is the way it blends STEM, ELA, history, and entrepreneurship into an immersive experience. Students aren’t memorizing what bartering is; they’re feeling the challenges and opportunities of it. They’re practicing communication, problem-solving, and innovation—all while getting a deeper sense of what life might have been like thousands of years ago.
As Dezirea put it, the possibilities with this one activity are endless: “It’s entrepreneurship, it’s history, it’s STEM—and the kids get so excited to see what they can build with what they have.” When asked for tips to make the project go smoothly, she stressed, “Discussions are very important. This helps students connect what they already know to what they will be experiencing in the project.”
With inspiration from a book and the support of Empowered’s AI tool Dezirea created an unforgettable journey into the past. The results prove that engaged students learn much more than just facts.
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