Breaking Down Cultural Flattening: How AI Can Help Create More Inclusive Elementary Social Studies Materials
I just returned from the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference in San Antonio. One session that really stood out? Cultural flattening in elementary social studies—basically when we strip away all the complexity and multiple perspectives from historical events.
Cultural flattening happens when textbooks reduce complex history to oversimplified stories that center one perspective while pushing others to the margins. You've probably seen this: history told from the dominant culture's viewpoint, euphemistic language that hides harm, "progress" narratives that ignore suffering, and marginalized groups treated as obstacles rather than people with rich cultures and valid experiences.
When we flatten historical narratives for young learners, we're doing real damage. Kids internalize these one-sided stories as truth and carry those perspectives into adulthood. We erase voices, miss chances to build critical thinking and empathy, and fail to prepare students for our complex, multicultural world.
AI tools like Claude can analyze existing materials and identify problematic language, missing perspectives, and cultural biases that educators might not immediately notice. If you have never used Claude (much like ChatGPT), you might give it a shot - Claude offers educators powerful ways to identify and address cultural flattening. Here’s how:
Bias Detection - Claude can analyze existing materials and identify problematic language, missing perspectives, and cultural biases that educators might not immediately notice.
Perspective Expansion - AI can help rewrite content to include multiple viewpoints while maintaining age-appropriate language and complexity.
Critical Analysis - Claude can help educators ask better questions about their materials: Whose voices are centered? Whose are missing? What assumptions are being made?
Inclusive Revision - AI can suggest ways to honor all parties in historical events while still being honest about harm and injustice.
Here is how Claude modified some historical text to be less biased and problematic for third graders learning about the Trail of Tears in Missouri.
Prompt: Unflatten the following text to add missing perspectives, eliminate cultural biases, include multiple viewpoints, and honor all parties in this historical events - but keep the reading level (third grade) the same: (insert original text here).
Flattened Original Text
Early Missouri - Long ago, Missouri was mostly empty wilderness. Some Indian tribes lived there, but they moved around a lot and didn't build permanent towns like we do today.
Brave Pioneers Come to Missouri - In the early 1800s, brave American families came to Missouri to build new towns and farms. These pioneers worked very hard to clear the land and plant crops. They wanted to make Missouri a better place for everyone to live.
New People Arrive - In the early 1800s, many white settlers came to Missouri looking for new places to live and farm. The government wanted to help these new settlers find land. But there was a problem - Native Americans were already living on much of the good farmland.
The Government Helps - President Andrew Jackson wanted to help both the settlers and the Indians. In 1830, he signed the Indian Removal Act. This law helped solve problems between the settlers and Indians by giving the Indians new land in the west where they could live peacefully.
Moving to Better Land - The government offered the Indian tribes good land in the west where they could hunt and live as they wanted. Some Indians were happy to move to this new land. The government helped them travel there and gave them supplies for the journey.
The Journey West - Many Indian families moved west to their new homes in what is now Oklahoma. The journey was long, but the government tried to help them. Some people got sick during the trip, just like pioneers did when they traveled west.
The Long Journey - Starting in the 1830s, thousands of Native Americans were forced to leave Missouri and other states. They had to walk hundreds of miles to new territory in what is now Oklahoma. This journey was very hard and dangerous. Many people got sick. There was not enough food or warm clothes. Thousands of Native Americans died along the way.
Building Missouri - After the Indians moved west, the settlers could build farms, towns, and schools in Missouri. They worked hard to make Missouri the great state it is today. The Indians were able to live peacefully in their new homes too.
What We Can Learn - This shows us how America grew and how people found ways to live together. The pioneers who came to Missouri helped build our state into the wonderful place we know today.
New/Updated/Accurate Text - Using Claude AI
Native Americans in Missouri - Long before Missouri became a state, many Native American tribes lived on the land. These tribes included the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, and Chickasaw people. They had lived there for hundreds of years. They built homes, farmed the land, and had their own governments.
New People Arrive - In the early 1800s, many white settlers came to Missouri looking for new places to live and farm. The government wanted to help these new settlers find land. But there was a problem - Native Americans were already living on much of the good farmland.
The Indian Removal Act - In 1830, President Andrew Jackson signed a law called the Indian Removal Act. This law said that Native American tribes had to move from their homes in the eastern United States to land far away in the west. The government promised to give them new land, but it was in places they had never lived before.
Leaving Their Homes - Many Native American families did not want to leave Missouri and their homelands. This was where their families had lived for generations. But the government said they had to go. Some tribes tried to fight this decision in court, but they lost.
The Long Journey - Starting in the 1830s, thousands of Native Americans were forced to leave Missouri and other states. They had to walk hundreds of miles to new territory in what is now Oklahoma. This journey was very hard and dangerous. Many people got sick. There was not enough food or warm clothes. Thousands of Native Americans died along the way.
Why It's Called the Trail of Tears - Native Americans called this forced journey the "Trail of Tears" because so many people cried and died during the trip. Families were separated, and people lost their homes forever. It was one of the saddest times in American history.
What We Can Learn - Today, we remember the Trail of Tears to honor the Native Americans who suffered during this time. We learn about it so we can understand how important it is to treat all people fairly and with respect, no matter who they are or where they come from.
Notice how the revised version acknowledges the humanity and established lives of Native Americans, uses honest language about what happened, and includes multiple perspectives. It maintains age-appropriate complexity while focusing on lessons about fairness and respect—showing students that we can discuss difficult history truthfully without overwhelming them.
Educators can start addressing cultural flattening by:
Auditing existing materials with AI assistance to identify biased language and missing perspectives
Collaborating with AI to develop more inclusive content that honors all voices
Teaching students to question whose stories are being told and whose might be missing
Using AI as a research tool to find diverse primary sources and perspectives
Creating classroom discussions about why different perspectives matter
The Bigger Picture
Cultural flattening isn't just about making textbooks more fair—it's about preparing students to be thoughtful, empathetic citizens in a diverse world. When we use AI tools thoughtfully, we can create learning materials that honor the full complexity of human experience while still being accessible to young learners.
The goal isn't to make elementary social studies more difficult, but to make it more honest, inclusive, and ultimately more meaningful. Our students deserve to learn about the real world in all its complexity, and AI can help us give them that gift.
As we continue to integrate AI into education, let's use these powerful tools not just to make our work easier, but to make it more equitable and inclusive. The future of social studies education depends on it.
A Final Thought
The reality is that many teachers inherit curriculum materials that contain cultural flattening—it's not their fault, but it becomes their opportunity. With AI tools like Claude, educators don't have to accept these limitations or spend countless hours researching and rewriting from scratch. Instead, they can quickly identify bias, expand perspectives, and create more inclusive materials that still meet their learning objectives and grade-level standards. This isn't about perfection; it's about progress. Every step toward more honest, inclusive storytelling in our classrooms helps create students who think critically, embrace complexity, and value all voices in our shared human story. And that's a lesson worth teaching.