Nick Martel

That's when you start to realize your immersive history lesson isn't landing quite the way you'd imagined. I mean, Jack, the kids, they know when something's cool and they know when something's cringe. That's the situation that Don Rawitsch finds himself in 1971. Don's just 21, barely older than the kids he's trying to teach. He's not even a full-fledged teacher yet.

He's in the last year of his teaching degree at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, about an hour south of Minneapolis. But the junior high Don's been assigned to isn't in Northfield. He's working in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Minneapolis. In Mighty Duck's terms, I believe this is geographically District 5.

He's in the last year of his teaching degree at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, about an hour south of Minneapolis. But the junior high Don's been assigned to isn't in Northfield. He's working in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Minneapolis. In Mighty Duck's terms, I believe this is geographically District 5.

He's in the last year of his teaching degree at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, about an hour south of Minneapolis. But the junior high Don's been assigned to isn't in Northfield. He's working in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Minneapolis. In Mighty Duck's terms, I believe this is geographically District 5.

Don's trying to spice up his dull American history textbook using props and costumes to make history come alive. But so far, the history, it just feels like it's flatlining. Don's next unit is the Oregon Trail, the historic 2,000-mile route settlers took to emigrate west. It extends from Independence, Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon.

Don's trying to spice up his dull American history textbook using props and costumes to make history come alive. But so far, the history, it just feels like it's flatlining. Don's next unit is the Oregon Trail, the historic 2,000-mile route settlers took to emigrate west. It extends from Independence, Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon.

Don's trying to spice up his dull American history textbook using props and costumes to make history come alive. But so far, the history, it just feels like it's flatlining. Don's next unit is the Oregon Trail, the historic 2,000-mile route settlers took to emigrate west. It extends from Independence, Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon.

And in case you fell asleep in history class or you missed our Levi's 501 Genes episode, here's what you need to know. All right, Jack, let me set the scene for you. Late 1840s, thousands of gold rush prospectors poured into California. But another group of folks was also heading west. And these guys, they were the merchants, the fur traders, the missionaries, and the families.

And in case you fell asleep in history class or you missed our Levi's 501 Genes episode, here's what you need to know. All right, Jack, let me set the scene for you. Late 1840s, thousands of gold rush prospectors poured into California. But another group of folks was also heading west. And these guys, they were the merchants, the fur traders, the missionaries, and the families.

And in case you fell asleep in history class or you missed our Levi's 501 Genes episode, here's what you need to know. All right, Jack, let me set the scene for you. Late 1840s, thousands of gold rush prospectors poured into California. But another group of folks was also heading west. And these guys, they were the merchants, the fur traders, the missionaries, and the families.

Anyone who felt their circumstances would improve with a six-month grueling journey westward through purple mountains and fruited plains. For a few hundred miles, the prospectors and the pioneers were basically on the same trajectory. But somewhere around Idaho, the two paths split.

Anyone who felt their circumstances would improve with a six-month grueling journey westward through purple mountains and fruited plains. For a few hundred miles, the prospectors and the pioneers were basically on the same trajectory. But somewhere around Idaho, the two paths split.

Anyone who felt their circumstances would improve with a six-month grueling journey westward through purple mountains and fruited plains. For a few hundred miles, the prospectors and the pioneers were basically on the same trajectory. But somewhere around Idaho, the two paths split.

The prospectors swung south along the California Trail, and the pioneers on the Oregon Trail, they split and went north. The travelers who went north to Oregon, they hunted their own food, repaired their own wagons, they faced diseases, supply shortages, flooded rivers, and if they failed to brave these obstacles, they die. This is some high-stakes drama.

The prospectors swung south along the California Trail, and the pioneers on the Oregon Trail, they split and went north. The travelers who went north to Oregon, they hunted their own food, repaired their own wagons, they faced diseases, supply shortages, flooded rivers, and if they failed to brave these obstacles, they die. This is some high-stakes drama.

The prospectors swung south along the California Trail, and the pioneers on the Oregon Trail, they split and went north. The travelers who went north to Oregon, they hunted their own food, repaired their own wagons, they faced diseases, supply shortages, flooded rivers, and if they failed to brave these obstacles, they die. This is some high-stakes drama.

And Don, our teacher back in Minnesota, he really wants to convey all of that to the students. If only he can make it exciting without coming off as lame. One day, as he drives home to his shared apartment, Don gets an idea. What if he were to ditch the whole dress-up game and try something more interactive? So once Don gets home, he grabs a long roll of white butcher paper.

And Don, our teacher back in Minnesota, he really wants to convey all of that to the students. If only he can make it exciting without coming off as lame. One day, as he drives home to his shared apartment, Don gets an idea. What if he were to ditch the whole dress-up game and try something more interactive? So once Don gets home, he grabs a long roll of white butcher paper.

And Don, our teacher back in Minnesota, he really wants to convey all of that to the students. If only he can make it exciting without coming off as lame. One day, as he drives home to his shared apartment, Don gets an idea. What if he were to ditch the whole dress-up game and try something more interactive? So once Don gets home, he grabs a long roll of white butcher paper.

He spreads the paper out across the living room floor, and he gets to work. With a fat black marker, Don draws a squiggly line from one end to the other, representing the trail route from Independence, Missouri to Oregon's Willamette Valley.