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The article explains the meaning of historical thinking and sheds some light on how it could be more successfully be taught. As historians pore through documents and assess their status, they simultaneously begin to build theories and models about the past they are investigating. Because the work of historical thinking is complex and often difficult, some teachers-particularly at the elementary and middle school levels-make the presumption that their students are incapable of engaging in such thought. By high school, with careful guidance from ambitious history teachers, students can learn to do it much as historians.

The article discusses about the "connect-the-dots method" used by the author in teaching history to middle school students. According to the article, the author thinks that his job as an eight grade history teacher is defined as a bridge between historical scholars and his students and through his method, he aims to make the study of history exciting. As an example, he would be giving his students the basic insights of the book "Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared Diamond. His method of "connect-the-dots method" is introduced by presenting a puzzle on day 1, followed by an assessment while learning on day 2 and finally a reflection on day 3.