CS teacher here. This is my preferred way to teach stuff. Way easier to remember and understand knowledge if you know its origin story.
When I was in school, a lot of teachers did a little tidbit of history at the start of topics, but I never latched onto it and found it boring. It was only after my studies that I started to really love going back to the origin.
That said, some students cannot be activated whatever your do. We're all people.