project topics for history education

220+ Captivating History Project Topics For Students In 2023

History projects are a fascinating gateway to the past, allowing students to delve into the annals of time, discover intriguing stories, and gain a deeper understanding of our world’s evolution. But what exactly are history projects? These are comprehensive assignments that engage students in researching, analyzing, and presenting historical events, figures, or themes.

In today’s world, the importance of history projects in a student’s life cannot be overstated. They foster critical thinking, research skills, and a sense of connection to the past, making them valuable learning tools. However, the key to a successful history project lies in understanding the essential elements it should encompass.

In this blog, we will explore the world of history project topics, providing a list of over 220 captivating ideas for students in 2023. We’ll also share tips for selecting the best topics and highlight common mistakes to avoid. Stay tuned with us to uncover the exciting realm of history project topics.

What Are History Projects?

Table of Contents

History projects are educational assignments where students explore and investigate events, people, or themes from the past. These projects typically require students to conduct research, gather information, and present their findings in various formats. 

In a history project, students might choose a specific historical topic that interests them, such as a famous historical figure, an important event, or a particular time period. They then gather information from sources like books, articles, and websites, and sometimes even conduct interviews or surveys. Once they have collected their data, they organize it and create a presentation, report, or other creative work to share their discoveries with their classmates and teachers. This process helps students gain a deeper understanding of history and strengthens their research, critical thinking, and communication skills.

Importance Of History Projects In Student’s Life

Here are some importance of history projects in student’s life: 

1. Clear Topic and Question

A good history project should have a clear and focused topic or question. This helps students stay on track and ensures the project’s purpose is evident.

2. Research and Sources

Thorough research is crucial. Students should use a variety of reliable sources, like books, articles, and interviews, to gather information and support their project.

3. Organization and Structure

A well-organized project is essential. Students should structure their work with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion to make it easy for others to follow.

4. Visuals and Creativity

Visual elements and creativity enhance a history project. Using images, charts, and creative presentation methods can make the project more engaging and informative.

5. Proper Citations

To maintain academic integrity, students should include proper citations for all sources used. This shows respect for others’ work and helps avoid plagiarism issues.

Elements Must Be Present In A Good History Project

Here are some elements that must be present in a good history project:

In this section we provide 220+ captivating history project topics for students in 2023:

Ancient Civilizations

• The Rise & Fall of the Roman Empire.
• Ancient Greece: Democracy and Philosophy.
• The Pyramids of Giza: Engineering Marvels of Ancient Egypt.
• Mesopotamia: Cradle of Civilization.
• The Indus Valley Civilization: Uncovering an Enigmatic Society.
• Mayan Civilization: Astronomy and Mathematics.
• Inca Empire: Engineering and Road Systems.
• Ancient China: The Great Wall and the Silk Road.
• The Olmec Civilization: Mesoamerica’s First Great Culture.
• Carthage and Rome: Punic Wars and Mediterranean Dominance.
• Ancient India: Maurya and Gupta Empires.
• The Hittites: Masters of Iron and Diplomacy.
• The Persian Empire: Darius and Xerxes.
• The Hellenistic Era: Alexander the Great’s Legacy.
• The Sumerians: Early Urbanization and Writing Systems.
• The Causes of World War I.
• The Treaty of Versailles: Seeds of World War II.
• The Battle of Stalingrad: Turning Point in World War II.
• The Holocaust: Nazi Atrocities and Genocide.
• D-Day and the Normandy Invasion.
• The race to build the first nuclear weapon is known as the Manhattan Project.
• The Nuremberg Trials: Accountability for War Crimes.
• The Pacific Theater in World War II: Island Hopping and the Atomic Bomb.
• The Cold War: The United States and the Soviet Union.
• The Cuban Missile Crisis: Brinkmanship and Diplomacy.
• The Armenian Genocide: A Forgotten Tragedy.
• The African Front in World War I and II.
• The Home Front: Civilian Experiences During World War II.
• The Treaty of Tordesillas: Impact on Colonial Expansion.
• The Russian Revolution: Bolsheviks and the Fall of the Tsar.

Civil Rights Movements

• The United States Civil Right Movement: Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.
• Apartheid in South Africa: Nelson Mandela’s Struggle.
• Women’s Suffrage: The Fight for Women’s Voting Rights.
• The LGBTQ+ Rights Movement: Stonewall Riots and Beyond.
• Indigenous Rights Movements: Native American and Aboriginal Struggles.
• Cesar Chavez and the Farm Workers’ Movement.
• The Anti-Apartheid Movement Worldwide.
• Disability Rights Advocacy: Americans with Disabilities Act.
• The Black Lives Matter Movement.
• LGBTQ+ Rights in Modern Europe.
• Environmental Justice: The Intersection of Civil Rights and Ecology.
• Disability Rights: International Perspectives.
• The Arab Spring: Protests and Uprisings in the Middle East.
• Human Rights in the 20th Century: Key Milestones.
• The 1960s and 1970s Women’s Liberation Movement.

Industrial Revolution

• The Impact of the Steam Engine on Industry.
• Child Labor in the Industrial Revolution.
• Urbanization and the Industrial Revolution.
• The Cotton Gin: Revolutionizing Agriculture.
• Innovations in Transportation: Trains and Steamships.
• The Factory System: Labor Conditions and Organizing.
• Technological Advancements in Textile Manufacturing.
• Urban Planning and the Industrial City.
• The Luddites: Workers’ Resistance to Machinery.
• Economic Impact of the Industrial Revolution.
• The Role of Women in the Industrial Workforce.
• The Spread of Industrialization to Europe and Beyond.
• Industrial Revolution in Japan: Meiji Restoration.
• Iron and Steel Industry: Building the Modern World.
• Environmental Consequences of Industrialization.

Medieval History

• The Crusades: Holy Wars and Their Impact.
• Feudalism in Medieval Europe: Lords, Vassals, and Serfs.
• The Black Death: Plague and Its Consequences.
• The Round Table Legends and King Arthur.
• The Viking Age: Raiders and Explorers.
• Charlemagne: Carolingian Empire and the Holy Roman Empire.
• Byzantine Empire: The Eastern Roman Legacy.
• Medieval Castles: Fortifications and Siege Warfare.
• The Hundred Years’ War: England and France.
• Medieval Chivalry and Knights.
• Islamic Golden Age: Science, Medicine, and Philosophy.
• The Inquisition: Heresy and Religious Persecution.
• Joan of Arc: The Maid of Orleans.
• Medieval Monasticism: Monks and Monasteries.
• Gothic Architecture: Cathedrals and Church Building.

Ancient Egypt

• Pharaohs of Egypt: Power and Religion.
• Hieroglyphics and the Rosetta Stone.
• Tutankhamun’s Tomb: Discovery and Treasures.
• Ancient Egyptian Medicine and Healing Practices.
• The Nile River: Lifeblood of Ancient Egypt.
• Ancient Egyptian Art and Architecture.
• The Great Sphinx: Symbolism and Mystery.
• Akhenaten and the Amarna Period.
• Cleopatra: The Last Pharaoh of Egypt.
• Nubia: The Land of Ancient Kush.
• Ancient Egyptian Mummies and Burial Practices.
• Ancient Egyptian Mathematics and Geometry.
• The Book of the Dead: A Guide to the Afterlife.
• Ancient Egyptian Trade and Commerce.
• The Pyramid of Khufu (Great Pyramid): Construction and Purpose.

American Revolution

• The Boston Tea Party: Prelude to Revolution.
• The Declaration of Independence: Birth of a Nation.
• George Washington: Leadership in the Revolutionary War.
• The Battles of Lexington and Concord.
• The Loyalists: British Sympathizers in America.
• Women in the American Revolution.
• The Revolution’s Impact on Native Americans.
• The Continental Congress: Shaping the United States.
• African Americans in the Revolutionary Era.
• The Enlightenment and its Influence on American Revolution.
• The Siege of Yorktown: Final Battle of Independence.
• The Articles of Confederation: Early Government Challenges.
• The Marquis de Lafayette: A French Hero of the Revolution.
• The Constitutional Convention: Crafting the U.S. Constitution.

Colonial History

• Jamestown: The First Permanent English Settlement.
• The Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony.
• The Mayflower Compact: Early American Governance.
• Roanoke Colony: The Lost Colony Mystery.
• New Amsterdam and Dutch Colonialism.
• The Salem Witch Trials: Hysteria and Accusations.
• The Spanish Colonization of the Americas.
• French and Indian War: Impact on North America.
• The Proprietors of Carolina: Origins of Southern Colonies.
• The New England Colonies: Puritans and Religious Freedom.
• Slavery in the Colonial Era.
• The Navigation Acts and Colonial Trade.
• The Albany Plan of Union: A Step Toward Independence.
• Indentured Servitude: Labor in the Colonies.
• The Triangular Trade: Commerce and the Slave Trade.

Women in History

• Susan B. Anthony: Pioneering Women’s Suffrage Activist.
• Hatshepsut: Ancient Egypt’s Female Pharaoh.
• Marie Curie: Breakthroughs in Science and Gender Barriers.
• Sojourner Truth: Advocate for Abolition and Women’s Rights.
• Queen Victoria: The Longest-Reigning British Monarch.
• Rosa Parks and Ella Baker were two women involved in the Civil Rights Movement.
• Hypatia of Alexandria: Scholar and Mathematician.
• Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady of British Politics.
• Women in World War II: Rosie the Riveter and Beyond.
• Malala Yousafzai: Advocating for Girls’ Education.
• Harriet Tubman: Leading the Underground Railroad.
• Queen Isabella I of Castile: Patron of Columbus and Spanish Expansion.
• The Brontë Sisters: Literary Contributions in the 19th Century.
• Hatsune Miku: The Virtual Pop Star and Technological Impact.
• Empress Matilda: A Heir’s Quest for the English Throne.

Environmental History

• The Dust Bowl: Environmental Disaster in the Great Plains.
• Silent Spring: Rachel Carson and the Environmental Movement.
• The Green Revolution: Agricultural Innovation and Challenges.
• Deforestation and its Global Impact.
• The Kyoto Protocol: International Climate Agreements.
• The Clean Water Act: Protecting Water Resources.
• Extinction Events in Earth’s History.
• National Parks System: Preserving Natural Wonders.
• The Love Canal Disaster: Environmental Contamination.
• Ecofeminism: Women’s Rights and Environmentalism.
• Ocean Pollution and Marine Conservation.
• Earth Day: Origins and Environmental Activism.
• Chernobyl Disaster: Nuclear Energy and Environmental Catastrophe.
• The Cuyahoga River Fire: Sparking Environmental Regulation.
• Solar Power Revolution: Sustainable Energy Solutions.

History of Science and Technology

• The Copernican Revolution: Heliocentrism and its Impact.
• The Gutenberg Printing Press: Spreading Knowledge.
• The Space Race: Cold War Competition and Exploration.
• The Internet: Birth and Evolution of the World Wide Web.
• The Steam Locomotive: Transforming Transportation.
• The Theory of Evolution: Charles Darwin and Natural Selection.
• The Manhattan Project: Science and the Atomic Bomb.
• The Wright Brothers: Pioneers of Powered Flight.
• The Human Genome Project: Decoding Life’s Blueprint.
• The Smartphone Revolution: Changing Modern Society.
• The Electron Microscope: Revealing the Microscopic World.
• The History of Medicine: Advancements in Health Care.
• The Transistor: The Foundation of Modern Electronics.
• The Green Revolution: Agricultural Innovation and Food Security.
• The History of Cryptography: From Caesar Ciphers to Cybersecurity.

Native American History

• The Trail of Tears: Forced Removal of Native American Tribes.
• Native American Tribes of the Great Plains: Nomadic Cultures.
• The Iroquois Confederacy: Political Structure and Diplomacy.
• Wounded Knee Massacre: The End of the Indian Wars.
• The Navajo Code Talkers: Native American Contributions in World War II.
• The Pueblo Revolt: Indigenous Resistance in Spanish America.
• Cahokia Mounds: Ancient Native American City in North America.
• Totem Poles of the Pacific Northwest: Cultural Symbols.
• The Apache Wars: Conflicts in the Southwest.
• The Ghost Dance Movement: Spiritual Renewal and Resistance.
• Native American Treaties and Broken Promises.
• The Mound Builders: Pre-Columbian Indigenous Civilizations.
• Native American Art and Pottery.
• The Cherokee Nation: Removal and Rebuilding.
• Native American Languages: Preservation and Revival Efforts.

Cultural and Artistic Movements

• The Harlem Renaissance: African American Cultural Revival.
• Surrealism: Artistic Exploration of the Unconscious.
• The Beat Generation: Literary Rebellion and Counterculture.
• Renaissance Art: Masters like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
• The Bauhaus School: Influences on Modern Design and Architecture.
• Impressionism: Capturing Light and Atmosphere in Art.
• Romanticism in Music: Beethoven and the Expressive Symphony.
• Abstract Expressionism: Artistic Freedom and Expression.
• Dadaism: Anti-Art and the Avant-Garde.
• Baroque Music: Bach, Handel, and the Ornate Style.
• Pop Art: Consumer Culture and Mass Media.
• Chinese Cultural Revolution: Art, Politics, and Propaganda.
• Art Nouveau: Nature and Ornamental Design.
• Neo-Classicism: Reviving Ancient Styles in Art and Architecture.
• Expressionist Cinema: Silent Film and German Expressionism.

Modern Political History

• The Cold War: Ideological Conflict and Superpower Rivalry.
• Decolonization in Africa: Nationalism and Independence Movements.
• The European Union: Integration and Cooperation.
• Germany was once again united with the fall of the Berlin Wall.
• The Arab-Israeli Conflict: A History of Tensions.
• The Vietnam War: Controversies and Consequences.
• The Korean War: Division and Stalemate.
• The Cuban Revolution: Fidel Castro and Communism in the Americas.
• Apartheid in South Africa: Racial Segregation and Resistance.
• The Rwandan Genocide: Ethnic Conflict and International Response.
• The Islamic Republic’s ascent during the Iranian Revolution.
• The Falklands War: Sovereignty Dispute in the South Atlantic.
• The European Refugee Crisis: Migration and Global Impact.
• The Arab Spring: Protests and Political Change in the Middle East.

The Renaissance Era

• Leonardo da Vinci: Renaissance Man and Polymath.
• Michelangelo: Sculptor of the Renaissance.
• The Medici Family: Patrons of the Arts and Politics.
• Humanism and Renaissance Literature: Petrarch and Boccaccio.
• The Invention of the Printing Press: Gutenberg’s Impact on Knowledge.
• The Italian Wars: Conflicts of the Renaissance.
• The Sistine Chapel Ceiling: Michelangelo’s Masterpiece.
• Renaissance Architecture: The Beauty of Florence and Venice.
• Copernicus and the Heliocentric Model: Revolutionizing Astronomy.
• Raphael and His Artistic Legacy.
• The Reformation: Martin Luther and the Challenge to the Catholic Church.
• The Age of Exploration: Vasco da Gama and Columbus.
• The Scientific Revolution: Galileo, Kepler, and Newton.
• The Enlightenment: Rationalism and Philosophical Change.
• The Baroque Period: Transition from the Renaissance to the Modern Era.
• Podcast Topic Ideas 
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Tips For Choosing The Best History Project Topics

Here are some tips for choosing the best history project topics:

Tip 1: Personal Interest

Select a history project topic that genuinely interests you. When you are passionate about the subject, it makes the research and presentation more enjoyable and compelling.

Tip 2: Relevance

Ensure your topic is relevant to the course or historical period you’re studying. A well-matched topic will align with your curriculum and help you gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Tip 3: Availability of Resources

Check if there are enough resources available for your chosen topic. Adequate books, articles, and online sources will make your research process smoother.

Tip 4: Scope and Manageability

Pick a topic that is manageable within your project’s timeframe. A topic that is too broad may result in a superficial presentation, while one that is too narrow might lack sufficient information for a comprehensive project.

Tip 5: Unique Perspective

Consider approaching your topic from a unique angle or perspective. This can make your project stand out and offer a fresh insight into a well-studied historical subject.

Common Mistakes That Must Be Avoid In History Project

In history projects, several common mistakes can hinder the overall quality and impact of your work. These mistakes should be avoided to ensure that your project is informative, well-researched, and effectively presented. Here are some common pitfalls to steer clear of:

• Lack of Clear Structure: If your project isn’t structured with a distinct introduction, body, and conclusion, it might be challenging for readers to follow your story.
• Inadequate Research: Relying on a limited number of sources or not thoroughly investigating the topic can lead to incomplete or inaccurate information.
• Plagiarism: Failing to properly attribute sources and ideas can result in plagiarism , a serious academic offense.
• Overcomplicated Language: Using overly complex language or terminology can make your project less accessible and harder to understand.
• Lack of Visuals: Neglecting to include relevant images, charts, or visuals can make your project less engaging and informative.
• Ignoring Citations: Failing to provide proper citations for your sources can lead to a loss of credibility and academic integrity.
• Procrastination: Waiting until the last minute to work on your project can result in rushed, subpar work that doesn’t reflect your true capabilities.

In conclusion, history projects are a valuable educational tool that enhances learning, critical thinking, research, and communication skills for students. To create a successful history project, it’s important to have a clear topic, comprehensive research, effective organization, and creativity with visuals. Proper citations are essential, and avoiding common mistakes like plagiarism and procrastination is crucial. We’ve also provided an extensive list of captivating history project topics to spark students’ interest. By following these guidelines and embracing the opportunities history projects offer, students can develop a deeper connection to the past, fostering a lifelong appreciation for the complexities and richness of history.

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101+ Interesting History Project Ideas For Students

Finding a good history project idea can be tricky, but with some help, students of all ages can pick a fascinating, doable, and educational topic. From biographies of influential people to historical events or places, there are many exciting ways to learn about the past. 

This blog post will explore potential history project ideas from different periods, locations, and views. Whether you want to understand your family’s history better, focus on a topic that connects to current events, or satisfy your curiosity about the past, you will find inspiration. 

With the right history project idea, you can gain valuable research skills while diving into a subject you’re passionate about. From Native American culture to the Civil Rights Movement and more, read on for historical project suggestions that will teach and engage you.

Are you struggling with History Assignment Help ? Do you need assistance in getting the best and A+ Quality human-generated solutions? Hire our tutors to get unique assignment solutions before the assignment deadline.

What Are History Projects?

Table of Contents

History projects are assignments, often given in school, where students research and present information about a particular topic or period from history. They typically require students to investigate using libraries, museums, interviews, online sources, and other methods to find useful facts and materials. 

Students then synthesize what they learned into a project that demonstrates their knowledge. Common types of history projects include research papers, exhibits, documentaries, posters, presentations, websites, and more. 

The format allows students to understand history through hands-on learning and exploration. Here are some key reasons history projects are essential:

• Develop research and critical thinking skills
• Gain perspective on how past events shape the present
• Make history come alive through creativity and engagement
• Learn to evaluate and analyze historical sources
• Practice presentation and communication abilities
• Promote an appreciation for the study of history

Here are 103 history project ideas for students, categorized to help you find a topic that suits your interests.

Ancient Civilizations

• The Rise & Fall of the Roman Empire
• Life in Ancient Egypt: Pharaohs, Pyramids, and Daily Life
• Contributions of Ancient Greece to Modern Civilization
• Mesopotamia: The Cradle of Civilization
• Indus Valley Civilization: Mystery of the Lost Civilization
• Ancient Chinese Dynasties: Han, Qin, and Tang

Medieval Times

• Knights and Chivalry: Code of Honor in Medieval Europe
• The Black Death: Impact on Europe in the 14th Century
• Feudalism: Structure of Medieval Society
• Crusades: Holy Wars and Their Consequences
• Vikings: Raiders of the North Sea

Renaissance and Enlightenment

• Renaissance Art and its Influences
• The Scientific Revolution: Changing the Paradigm
• Enlightenment Thinkers: Ideas That Shaped Modern Society
• The Age of Exploration: Discoveries and Consequences
• The Printing Press: Revolutionizing Communication

Also Read:- STEM Project Ideas For Middle School

Colonial America

• 17. Jamestown vs. Plymouth: Contrasting Early American Colonies
• Salem Witch Trials: Hysteria in Colonial Massachusetts
• Founding Fathers: Architects of the United States
• The Triangle Trade: Economic Forces in Colonial America
• Indigenous Peoples and European Contact

American Revolution

• Causes and Effects of the American Revolution
• Revolutionary War Battles: Turning Points and Strategies
• Declaration of Independence: Crafting a Nation’s Identity
• The Role of Women in the Revolutionary Era
• African Americans in the Revolutionary War

19th Century

• Industrial Revolution: Impact on Society and Economy
• Manifest Destiny: Expansion Westward in the United States
• Abolitionist Movement: Struggle for the End of Slavery
• Immigration Waves: Contributions of Immigrants in the 1800s
• California Gold Rush: Boomtowns and Prospecting

Civil War and Reconstruction

• Causes of the Civil War: Sectionalism and Tensions
• Battle of Gettysburg: Explore the Turning Point in the Civil War
• Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln’s Bold Move
• Reconstruction Era: Rebuilding the United States
• Freedmen’s Bureau: Aid to Former Slaves
• World War I: Causes, Events, and Consequences
• Trench Warfare: Life on the Front Lines
• Treaty of Versailles: Impact on the Interwar Period
• Rise of Adolf Hitler: Factors Leading to World War II
• Holocaust: Remembering the Atrocities

Cold War Era

• The Cuban Missile Crisis: Tensions between the U.S. and Soviet Union
• Space Race: Race for Supremacy in Space Exploration
• McCarthyism: Anti-Communist Hysteria in the United States
• Vietnam War: Causes, Events, and Legacy
• Civil Rights Movement: Struggle for Equality

Post-Cold War

• 47. Fall of the Berlin Wall: Symbol of the End of the Cold War
• Apartheid in South Africa: Nelson Mandela’s Fight for Equality
• The collapse of the Soviet Union: End of the Superpower Era
• Gulf War: Operation Desert Storm
• Rwandan Genocide: Tragedy and International Response

Also Read:- Statistics Project Ideas

Recent History

• 9/11 Attacks: Impact on Global Politics
• War on Terror: U.S. Military Interventions in the Middle East
• Arab Spring: Protests and Political Change in the Middle East
• Brexit: The United Kingdom’s Decision to Leave the EU
• COVID-19 Pandemic: Global Responses and Lessons Learned

Historical Figures

• Alexander the Great: Explore Conqueror of the Ancient World
• Joan of Arc: Explore Heroine of the Hundred Years’ War
• Martin Luther King Jr.: Explore Leader of the Civil Rights Movement
• Winston Churchill: Explore Prime Minister during World War II
• Cleopatra: Queen of Ancient Egypt

Women in History

• Suffragette Movement: Struggle for Women’s Right to Vote
• Eleanor Roosevelt: Explore First Lady and Human Rights Advocate
• Marie Curie: Pioneering Scientist in Radiology
• Rosa Parks: Explore Catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement
• Malala Yousafzai: Advocate for Girls’ Education

Cultural History

• Harlem Renaissance: Cultural and Artistic Flourishing
• Beat Generation: Literary and Cultural Rebellion
• Woodstock Festival: Music and Counterculture in the 1960s
• Mayan Civilization: Art, Architecture, and Culture
• Japanese Tea Ceremony: Tradition and Ritual

Economic History

• Great Depression: Causes and Effects on Global Economies
• 1929 Stock Market Crash: Precursor to the Great Depression
• Keynesian Economics vs. Supply-side Economics
• Gold Rushes: Economic Booms and Busts
• Silicon Valley: Technological Innovation Hub

Social Movements

• LGBTQ+ Rights Movement: Struggles and Achievements
• Environmentalism: Origins and Impact on Policy
• Anti-Apartheid Protests: Global Solidarity
• Occupy Movement: Protests Against Economic Inequality
• #MeToo Movement: Addressing Sexual Harassment and Assault

Military History

• Sun Tzu and the Art of War: Ancient Military Strategy
• Battle of Thermopylae: Spartan Stand Against the Persians
• D-Day Invasion: Allied Assault on Normandy
• Code Talkers: Navajo Language in World War II
• Military Technology Advancements: From Swords to Drones

Historical Artifacts

• Rosetta Stone: Decoding Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs
• The Dead Sea Scrolls: Unearthing Ancient Texts
• The Shroud of Turin: Controversy Surrounding the Relic
• The Rosetta Disk: A Modern-Day Rosetta Stone
• The Declaration of Independence: Preserving a National Treasure

Also Read:- Social Studies Fair Project Ideas

Historical Places

• Machu Picchu: Inca Civilization’s Hidden Citadel
• The Acropolis: Symbol of Ancient Greek Civilization
• The Great Wall of China: Construction and Purpose
• The Louvre: Home to Priceless Art and Artifacts
• Auschwitz Concentration Camp: Remembering the Holocaust

Historical Events

• The Great Fire of London: Investigate Destruction and Rebuilding
• The Boston Tea Party: Investigate Prelude to the American Revolution
• The Cuban Revolution: Investigate Fidel Castro and the Rise of Communism
• The Moon Landing: Apollo 11’s Historic Achievement
• The Treaty of Westphalia: Shaping Modern Diplomacy

Historical Science and Medicine

• Hippocrates and the Hippocratic Oath: Foundations of Medicine
• Darwin’s Theory of Evolution: Impact on Biology and Society

These History Project Ideas cover a wide range of historical topics, allowing students to delve into different periods, regions, and themes within history. Students can select projects based on their interests and explore various aspects of human history.

How Do You Plan A History Project?

Here are some tips for planning a successful history project:

• Choose a history topic that interests you and fits the scope of the assignment. Consider a critical event, period, location, historical figure, or cultural phenomenon you want to explore further.
• Research general background information on your topic to help refine and focus your project idea. Determine what’s most important to convey or what questions you want to answer.
• Determine the type of project – will it be a research paper, documentary, website, exhibit, reenactment, or something else? Choose a format that aligns with your topic and allows you to convey what you learned creatively.
• Create a work timeline accounting for research, creating a rough draft, gathering materials, fact-checking, and finalizing the project. Leave time for revisions and editing.
• Locate primary and secondary sources to conduct your research. Use libraries, academic databases, museums, interviews, archives, credible online sources, etc. Evaluate each source for accuracy and credibility.
• Take careful notes and document all sources used, tracking which information comes from each source. This will be important for citations/bibliography later.
• Outline your project and draft a structure before beginning. Use your research to shape the narrative or argument you’ll present.
• Stick to your timeline as you move through the drafting and production process. Review the project requirements and rubric to ensure you meet all expectations.
• Double-check your facts, polish the final product, and practice presenting/explaining your work if required. Revise as needed to create an informative, engaging history project!

How Do You Write A History Project?

Here are some tips for writing a successful history project:

• Craft an introduction that presents your topic and establishes its significance in history. State your central thesis, argument, or purpose for your analysis.
• Provide background context so your reader understands your topic’s setting and circumstances. Give relevant details about time, place, politics, culture, etc.
• Present your research and findings in a logical structure with clear organization. Use sections and headings to divide details and make connections.
• Blend narrative explanation and evidence from sources. Paraphrase, summarize, and directly quote relevant research information to support your points.
• Analyze and interpret your findings to make arguments, draw conclusions, and explain historical significance. Move beyond just restating facts.
• Consider different perspectives and causes when analyzing historical events and figures. Provide context for their motivations and obstacles.
• Use transitions to connect ideas and paragraphs so your writing flows smoothly.
• Define key terms, events, and concepts so readers understand their meaning and historical significance.
• Summarize your main points, emphasize your central argument, and explain why your topic matters.
• Correctly note all sources within the text and in a bibliography using the required citation style.
• Revise your writing to check for clarity, organization, grammar, and spelling before finalizing. Make sure your writing is clear, concise, and compelling.

Final Remarks

In summary, working on a history project gives students an excellent chance to explore the exciting stories of the past. They can build essential skills while exploring different topics that they find exciting. Students can get creative by picking a topic they like, whether it’s for a research paper, a documentary, or a presentation. Being organized, doing careful research, and sticking to deadlines are super important for doing well.

As students learn about ancient civilizations, essential events, incredible people from history, and significant social changes, they understand history better and get better at thinking critically, doing research, and talking to others. History projects make the past feel alive and help us appreciate how history significantly impacts how things are now and what might happen in the future.

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199+ reMarkable US History Project Ideas For Students

Let’s dive into some awesome US history project ideas! We’re going on a journey through America’s past, where cool stories pop up everywhere. Whether you’re a curious student, a teacher looking to spice up class, or just love history, get ready for a fun ride.

We’ll act out important events and uncover interesting tales. Get set to discover the amazing story of the USA in a way that’s super interesting and exciting!

Table of Contents

US History Project Ideas

Check out US history project ideas:-

Colonial America

• Create a timeline of colonial events.
• Describe daily life in a colonial town.
• Compare Northern and Southern colony economies.
• Analyze the Salem Witch Trials’ impact.
• Map the 13 colonies’ growth.
• Explore colonial religion’s role.
• Study Native American-colonist relations.
• Present a colonial industry’s significance.
• Design a colonial town poster.
• Write a colonial settler’s diary entry.

American Revolution

• Timeline of key events.
• Women’s role in the Revolution.
• Impact of the Declaration of Independence.
• Compare Continental and British armies.
• Map major Revolutionary War battles.
• African Americans’ role in the Revolution.
• Foreign aid’s impact.
• Significance of a battle (e.g., Saratoga).
• Colonial newspaper article.
• Patriot or loyalist speech.

Early Republic

• Constitution’s creation overview.
• Louisiana Purchase impact.
• Compare Federalists and Democratic-Republicans.
• Map westward expansion.
• Native Americans’ role in expansion.
• Impact of the War of 1812.
• Founding father biography.
• Political cartoon on early republic issues.
• Frontier settler’s diary entry.
• Industrial Revolution’s impact analysis.

Civil War and Reconstruction

• Civil War causes timeline.
• Impact of the Emancipation Proclamation.
• Union vs. Confederate armies comparison.
• Map Civil War battles.
• Women’s role in the Civil War.
• Reconstruction Amendments’ impact.
• Civil War figure biography.
• Civil War newspaper article.
• Soldier’s diary entry.
• Reconstruction’s impact on American life.

Westward Expansion

• Lewis and Clark expedition overview.
• Oregon Trail impact.
• Compare migration experiences.
• Map major expansion trails.
• Native American impact.
• Gold Rush impact.
• Western expansion figure biography.
• Westward expansion poster.
• Pioneer’s Oregon Trail diary entry.
• Impact on Native American tribes.

Industrialization and Urbanization

• Industrial growth overview.
• Urbanization’s impact.
• Immigrant experiences comparison.
• Map late 1800s city growth.
• Labor unions’ role.
• Inventions’ impact.
• Industrial Revolution figure biography.
• Political cartoon on industrialization.
• Child laborer’s factory diary entry.
• Environmental impact analysis.

Progressive Era

• Progressive movement goals overview.
• Impact of muckraking journalism.
• Compare Progressive Era presidents.
• Key reforms timeline.
• Women’s role in the era.
• Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire impact.
• Progressive Era figure biography.
• Poster promoting a reform.
• Child laborer’s Progressive Era diary entry.
• Prohibition’s impact analysis.

World War I

• World War I causes overview.
• Impact of new weapons.
• Soldier experiences comparison.
• Key events timeline.
• Women’s role in the war.
• Treaty of Versailles impact.
• World War I figure biography.
• World War I propaganda poster.
• Soldier’s trench diary entry.
• Impact on America’s global role.

Roaring Twenties

• Cultural changes overview.
• Impact of new technologies.
• Urban vs. rural experiences comparison.
• Women’s role in the 1920s.
• Prohibition’s impact.
• 1920s figure biography.
• 1920s event or product poster.
• Flapper’s diary entry.
• Great Migration impact analysis.

Great Depression and New Deal

• Great Depression causes overview.
• Impact of the 1929 stock market crash.
• Experiences of different groups comparison.
• New Deal programs’ role.
• Dust Bowl impact.
• Great Depression figure biography.
• Political cartoon on the Depression.
• Dust Bowl survivor’s diary entry.
• New Deal’s impact analysis.

World War II

• World War II causes overview.
• Holocaust impact.
• World War II figure biography.
• World War II propaganda poster.
• Soldier’s wartime diary entry.
• Impact on America’s superpower status.
• Cold War origins overview.
• Impact of the Korean War.
• Containment vs. détente comparison.
• Espionage’s role.
• Cuban Missile Crisis impact.
• Cold War figure biography.
• Political cartoon on Cold War issues.
• Cold War citizen’s letter.
• Impact on American foreign policy.

Civil Rights Movement

• Civil Rights Movement overview.
• Impact of nonviolent resistance.
• Civil Rights leaders comparison.
• Women’s role in the movement.
• Civil Rights Act of 1964 impact.
• Civil Rights Movement figure biography.
• Equality and justice poster.
• Civil Rights protest participant’s diary entry.
• Impact on modern American society.

Vietnam War

• Vietnam War causes overview.
• Impact of media coverage.
• Anti-war movements’ role.
• Impact on the Vietnamese people.
• Vietnam War figure biography.
• Vietnam War era propaganda poster.
• Soldier’s Vietnam War diary entry.

Modern America

• Watergate scandal overview.
• Reagan Revolution impact.
• George H.W. Bush vs. Bill Clinton comparison.
• Technology’s role.
• Impact of 9/11.
• Modern American figure biography.
• Political cartoon on modern issues.
• Survivor of a modern event’s letter.
• Impact of social media analysis.

Cultural and Social History

• Cultural movement overview.
• Musical genre impact.
• Immigrant groups’ experiences comparison.
• Minority group timeline.
• Sports’ role.
• Impact of a Supreme Court case.
• Cultural figure biography.
• Cultural group contribution poster.
• Immigrant’s letter.
• Social movement impact analysis.

Economic History

• Economic event overview.
• Impact of economic policy.
• President economic policy comparison.
• Economic events timeline.
• Industry impact.
• Impact of an economic theory.
• Economic figure biography.
• Economic policy or theory poster.
• Economic event survivor’s letter.
• Impact of globalization analysis.

Political History

• Political event overview.
• Impact of political ideology.
• US vs. another country political systems comparison.
• Political events timeline.
• Party impact.
• Political movement impact.
• Political figure biography.
• Political cartoon on an issue.
• Political era citizen’s letter.
• Campaign finance impact analysis.

Environmental History

• Environmental event overview.
• Impact of environmental policy.
• President environmental policy comparison.
• Environmental events timeline.
• Impact of an environmental disaster.
• Environmental figure biography.
• Environmental conservation poster.
• Environmental disaster survivor’s letter.
• Impact of climate change analysis.

Military History

• Battle overview.
• Military technology impact.
• Military events timeline.
• Military branch impact.
• Impact of a war on society.
• Military figure biography.
• War propaganda poster.
• War impact on foreign policy.

These project ideas offer a variety of topics and can be tailored to different grade levels and interests.

What can I do for my history project?

Check out some of the best history project:-

Research and Writing

• Explore a historical event or person.
• Compare two historical times or events.
• Discover a lesser-known historical figure.
• Learn about daily life in history.

Creative Projects

• Make a historical documentary .
• Design a museum exhibit.
• Write a historical fiction story.
• Build a model of a historical landmark.
• Create a historical comic strip.

Interactive Projects

• Develop a historical board game.
• Organize a historical debate.
• Create a historical podcast.
• Host a historical fashion show.

Personal Connections

• Research your family history.
• Investigate local history.
• Choose an inspiring historical figure.
• Pick a project that interests you and fits your class requirements!

How do you write a history project?

Check out the best ways to write a history project:-

Pick a Fun Topic

• Choose something you like.
• Make sure it’s not too big.
• Use different sources.
• Take notes carefully.
• Have a clear main idea.
• Start with a good intro.
• Use paragraphs for your points.
• Finish with a summary.
• Keep it simple and clear.
• Cite your sources.
• Check for mistakes.
• Use pictures or maps.
• Keep your timeline clear.
• Think about your audience.

Following these steps will help you make a great history project!

What are some history project ideas?

Check out some of the best history project ideas:-

• Highlight a lesser-known historical figure.
• Compare two major events.
• Explore daily life of a social group.
• Present different views of a controversial event.
• Design a history-themed escape room.
• Write a historical screenplay.
• Develop a historical video game.
• Compose a historical song.
• Host a historical simulation.
• Create a historical walking tour.
• Organize a living history event.
• Run a historical social media campaign.
• Research a family heirloom.
• Study a local business’s history.
• Interview a witness of a historical event.

Remember, make your project fun and interesting!

How to do a history project?

Check out how to do a history project:-

Choose a Topic

• Pick something you like.
• Check for good sources.

Research and Evidence

• Take notes.
• Find facts that support your topic.
• Explain why it matters.

Structure Your Project

• Start with an interesting intro.
• Use paragraphs for each point.
• Summarize at the end.

Writing Tips

• Keep it clear.
• Use descriptive words.
• Give credit to your sources.
• Use visuals.
• Keep a timeline.

In short, there are lots of fun ways to learn about U.S. history through your projects. You can focus on lesser-known people, compare big events, or explore daily life back then. These projects teach you and spark your curiosity.

By doing them, you not only learn history but also get better at important skills. So, dive into the stories of the past and enjoy your journey through U.S. history!

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US History Project Ideas

Get ready to embark on an exciting journey through American history with our amazing list of 150 project ideas. Whether you’re a student seeking an engaging project or simply passionate about learning the past, we’ve got you covered. From the Revolutionary War, where independence was fought for, to the impactful Civil Rights Movement, we’ll dive into captivating events and influential figures that have shaped the USA.

Each topic is a doorway to a new adventure, awaiting your exploration. So, don your explorer’s hat, grab your magnifying glass, and let’s delve into enthralling stories of resilience, innovation, and change that define America’s rich heritage. Get ready for a historical journey unlike any other!

Table of Contents

150 US History Project Ideas

Colonial america:.

• Jamestown: The First Permanent English Colony
• Plymouth Colony and the Mayflower Compact
• The Salem Witch Trials
• The Founding of Maryland: A Haven for Catholics
• The Quakers and the Founding of Pennsylvania
• The New England Colonies: Puritans and Pilgrims
• Dutch New Amsterdam: The Beginnings of New York

American Revolution:

• The Boston Tea Party
• The Continental Army: George Washington’s Leadership
• The Declaration of Independence
• The Battle of Bunker Hill
• Valley Forge: A Winter of Hardship
• The Role of Women in the Revolutionary War
• The Treaty of Paris 1783

Early Republic:

• The Louisiana Purchase
• Lewis and Clark Expedition
• Marbury v. Madison: Establishing Judicial Review
• The War of 1812
• The Monroe Doctrine
• Andrew Jackson and the Trail of Tears
• The Industrial Revolution in America

Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion:

• The Oregon Trail
• The Alamo and the Texas Revolution
• The California Gold Rush
• The Transcontinental Railroad
• The Mexican-American War
• The Oregon Trail: Challenges and Triumphs

Civil War and Reconstruction:

• Abraham Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation
• Battle of Gettysburg
• Underground Railroad
• Sherman’s March to the Sea
• Reconstruction Era
• Freedmen’s Bureau
• The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

Gilded Age:

• Robber Barons vs. Captains of Industry
• The Progressive Era
• Women’s Suffrage Movement
• The Spanish-American War
• The Panama Canal
• The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
• Ellis Island: Gateway to America

World War I:

• The Zimmerman Telegram
• The Harlem Hellfighters
• The Treaty of Versailles
• Wilson’s Fourteen Points
• The Red Scare

Roaring Twenties:

• Prohibition and the Speakeasies
• The Scopes Monkey Trial
• Jazz Age and the Harlem Renaissance
• The Great Migration
• Wall Street Crash of 1929

Great Depression:

• New Deal Programs
• Bonus Army March
• Social Security Act
• The Works Progress Administration (WPA)

World War II:

• Pearl Harbor
• D-Day: The Invasion of Normandy
• The Manhattan Project
• Rosie the Riveter
• The Nuremberg Trials
• The Holocaust

Post-War Era:

• The Cold War
• The Korean War
• The Red Scare: McCarthyism
• The Civil Rights Movement
• Brown v. Board of Education
• The Space Race

Vietnam War:

• Gulf of Tonkin Incident
• Tet Offensive
• Anti-War Movement
• My Lai Massacre
• Nixon’s Vietnamization

Modern America:

• Watergate Scandal
• Roe v. Wade
• Reaganomics
• The Fall of the Berlin Wall
• The Gulf War

Contemporary Issues:

• The War on Terror
• Hurricane Katrina
• The Election of Barack Obama
• LGBTQ+ Rights Movement
• Black Lives Matter Movement
• COVID-19 Pandemic

Innovations and Inventions:

• The Internet Revolution
• The Personal Computer
• The Space Shuttle Program
• The Human Genome Project
• Green Energy Initiatives

Cultural and Social Movements:

• Beat Generation
• Hippie Movement
• Punk Rock Movement
• #MeToo Movement
• Indigenous Rights Movements

Sports History:

• The Miracle on Ice
• Title IX and Women in Sports
• The Super Bowl: A Cultural Phenomenon
• Jackie Robinson and the Integration of Baseball
• The 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Hockey Game

Presidential Profiles:

• George Washington
• Abraham Lincoln
• Franklin D. Roosevelt
• John F. Kennedy
• Ronald Reagan

Landmark Supreme Court Cases:

• Miranda v. Arizona
• United States v. Nixon
• Obergefell v. Hodges

Historical Monuments and Memorials:

• Mount Rushmore
• The Lincoln Memorial
• Vietnam Veterans Memorial
• Statue of Liberty
• Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Space Exploration:

• Apollo 11 Moon Landing
• Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster
• Hubble Space Telescope
• Mars Rover Missions
• International Space Station

Native American History:

• The Trail of Tears
• Wounded Knee Massacre
• Native American Boarding Schools
• The American Indian Movement (AIM)

Environmental History:

• The Dust Bowl
• The Clean Air Act
• Earth Day Movement
• Rachel Carson and Silent Spring

Women’s History:

• Feminist Movement

African American History:

• The Underground Railroad
• Harlem Renaissance
• Civil Rights Movement

Latino/Hispanic History:

• Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers
• The Bracero Program
• The Cuban Missile Crisis
• Latino Civil Rights Movement

Asian American History:

• Chinese Exclusion Act
• Japanese Internment during World War II
• The Model Minority Myth
• Asian American Civil Rights Movement

Media and Entertainment:

• The Birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll
• The Golden Age of Hollywood
• The Rise of Television
• The Internet and Social Media
• Video Game Industry
• Streaming Services and the Future of Entertainment

These 150 project ideas offer a diverse and engaging exploration of United States history. From the founding of the nation to contemporary issues, there’s a wealth of topics to choose from. So, grab your time machine—whether it’s a research paper, a presentation, or a creative project—and dive into the captivating story of America!

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Words at Ease

35 History Project Topic Ideas

When it comes to exploring history, the breadth of topics available is as vast as time itself. Each era, each event, and each pivotal figure offers a unique window into the past, helping us understand not just where we came from, but also, in many ways, who we are today.

Choosing the right topic for a history project is about finding a balance between personal interest, academic relevance, and the potential for rich exploration. In this article, we’ll journey through 35 diverse history project topic ideas, each with its own unique flavor and perspective.

Topic Ideas for History Projects

These topics aren’t just gateways to the past; they’re invitations to unravel stories, to discover connections, and to gain insights that resonate through time.

Whether you’re a student, a history enthusiast, or a researcher, these ideas will guide you to choose a topic that not only captivates your interest but also enriches your understanding of the past.

1. The Evolution of Ancient Civilizations

Appropriate for : Exploring foundational human societies. Delve into how ancient civilizations, like Egypt, Mesopotamia, or the Indus Valley, laid the groundwork for modern society. Ideal for projects aiming to understand the roots of human civilization.

2. The Rise and Fall of Empires

Appropriate for : Examining power dynamics. Study the rise and decline of major empires like the Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire, or the British Empire. This topic is perfect for understanding how power is gained, used, and lost over time.

3. The Impact of World Wars

Appropriate for : Analyzing global conflicts. Focus on the causes, events, and consequences of World Wars. This theme is suitable for projects looking to comprehend the global impact of large-scale conflicts.

4. The History of Science and Technology

Appropriate for : Tracing technological progress. Investigate how scientific discoveries and technological advancements have shaped our world. This is great for projects interested in the intersection of history, science, and technology.

5. The Women’s Rights Movement

Appropriate for : Exploring social change. Examine the evolution of the women’s rights movement across different eras and regions. Ideal for projects that aim to understand the struggle and progress of gender equality.

6. The Development of Democracies

Appropriate for : Studying political systems. Look into the birth and evolution of democracy, from ancient Greece to modern times. This topic is well-suited for those interested in political history.

7. The Exploration and Colonization of New Worlds

Appropriate for : Understanding exploration impacts. Research the era of exploration and the effects of colonization on indigenous populations. This topic is apt for projects that seek to understand the consequences of exploration.

8. The History of Art Movements

Appropriate for : Analyzing cultural expression. Explore various art movements throughout history, such as Renaissance, Baroque, or Modernism. Suitable for projects that merge history with cultural studies.

9. The Industrial Revolution and Its Effects

Appropriate for : Examining economic and social change. Study how the Industrial Revolution transformed societies, economies, and environments. This topic is ideal for understanding the relationship between industry and societal shifts.

10. Influential Leaders in History

Appropriate for : Profiling historical figures. Research the lives and impacts of influential leaders like Alexander the Great, Cleopatra, or Abraham Lincoln. Great for projects focused on individual impact in history.

11. The Evolution of Music through the Ages

Appropriate for : Tracing cultural expression. Investigate how music has evolved over time and its impact on society. This topic is excellent for projects that look at the cultural aspects of history.

12. The History of Medicine

Appropriate for : Exploring medical advancements. Delve into the development of medical practices and discoveries throughout history. Ideal for projects at the intersection of history and medicine.

13. Ancient Myths and Legends

Appropriate for : Understanding cultural narratives. Explore the myths and legends of different cultures and their meanings. Suitable for projects interested in the intersection of history, literature, and culture.

14. The Rise of City-States

Appropriate for : Examining urban development. Study the development and influence of city-states, like those in ancient Greece or Renaissance Italy. This is great for projects focusing on urban history and governance.

15. The Slave Trade and Its Legacy

Appropriate for : Confronting dark chapters. Research the history and enduring effects of the slave trade. This topic is important for projects looking to understand this tragic part of human history and its long-lasting impacts.

16. Revolutionary Movements in History

Appropriate for : Studying change catalysts. Examine various revolutionary movements, like the French Revolution or the American Revolution. Ideal for projects focused on societal change and the factors driving it.

17. Ancient Trade Routes

Appropriate for : Exploring economic history. Investigate ancient trade routes like the Silk Road and their influence on different civilizations. Perfect for projects interested in the economic and cultural exchanges in history.

18. The History of Writing and Language

Appropriate for : Tracing communication evolution. Delve into the development of writing systems and languages across the world. This topic is suitable for projects that intersect history with linguistics.

19. The Age of Enlightenment

Appropriate for : Understanding intellectual movements. Research the Enlightenment period and its influence on modern thought and governance. Great for projects interested in the evolution of ideas and philosophies.

20. The Cultural Impact of Religions

Appropriate for : Examining spiritual influence. Study the history and impact of major world religions on cultures and societies. This topic is apt for projects exploring the intersection of religion, culture, and history.

21. The Cold War Era

Appropriate for : Analyzing post-war tensions. Focus on the global political and social climate during the Cold War. Suitable for projects interested in understanding the nuances of political rivalries and their effects.

22. The History of Education Systems

Appropriate for : Tracing educational development. Investigate the evolution of education systems in different parts of the world. Ideal for projects exploring the impact of education on societal development.

23. The Evolution of Fashion

Appropriate for : Studying cultural expression. Explore how fashion has changed over time and what it reveals about society. This topic is great for projects that blend history with cultural studies.

24. The History of Human Rights

Appropriate for : Understanding legal and moral progress. Research the development of human rights concepts and laws throughout history. Suitable for projects focused on legal and ethical developments.

25. The Influence of Ancient Philosophies

Appropriate for : Delving into foundational ideas. Study the impact of ancient philosophies, like those of Socrates, Confucius, or the Vedas, on modern thought. Ideal for projects that explore the roots of philosophical ideas.

26. The Age of Discovery

Appropriate for : Exploring global exploration. Focus on the Age of Discovery and its impact on the world. This topic is perfect for projects interested in the consequences of exploration and encounters between different cultures.

27. The Development of Transportation

Appropriate for : Tracing technological progress. Investigate the history of transportation, from ancient chariots to modern vehicles. Suitable for projects at the intersection of history and technology.

28. The Impact of Epidemics and Pandemics

Appropriate for : Examining public health crises. Study the historical impact of major epidemics and pandemics, such as the Black Death or the Spanish Flu. This topic is crucial for understanding the intersection of disease and societal change.

29. The History of Environmental Change

Appropriate for : Understanding human-nature interaction. Research how human activities have historically impacted the environment. Ideal for projects focused on the environmental aspects of history.

30. The Legacy of Ancient Architecture

Appropriate for : Exploring architectural wonders. Delve into the history and significance of ancient architectural feats. This topic is great for projects interested in the intersection of history and architecture.

31. The Evolution of Sports and Games

Appropriate for : Studying recreational aspects. Investigate the history of sports and games and their role in different cultures. Suitable for projects exploring the cultural and social aspects of recreation.

32. The History of Currency and Trade

Appropriate for : Understanding economic systems. Research the development of currency systems and their impact on trade and economies. Ideal for projects interested in the economic aspects of history.

33. The Social Impact of Cinema

Appropriate for : Analyzing cultural expression. Explore how cinema has influenced and reflected societal changes over time. This topic is perfect for projects that blend history with media studies.

34. The History of Exploration in Space

Appropriate for : Tracing space endeavors. Investigate the history of space exploration and its impact on science and culture. Suitable for projects at the intersection of history and space science.

35. The Cultural Significance of Festivals

Appropriate for : Exploring social traditions. Study the history and meaning of various cultural festivals around the world. This topic is great for projects interested in the cultural and social aspects of history.

10 History Passion Project Ideas for High School Students

By Jin Chow

Co-founder of Polygence, Forbes 30 Under 30 for Education

By Jordan Ellington

Project Support Manager at Polygence

5 minute read

If past events fascinate you or if you truly feel as if you were born in the wrong century, you should consider becoming a historian! Knowing when, why, and how decisions have been made over time is a great skill to have. Those who possess a good understanding of the outcomes of past events have the upper hand in helping create a better future.

Explore this topic even further by conducting your own history research project! Here’s a list of 10 history passion project ideas to get you started.

Interesting History Project Ideas to Research and Explore

1) history research paper about your favorite event.

Jump in and get your hands dirty by exploring your favorite historical event! Once you choose your theme, identify your primary questions, find primary sources, and study up on your topic, draft your findings into a history research paper. 

Idea by previous history research mentor Charles

Do your own research through polygence

Polygence pairs you with an expert mentor in your area of passion. Together, you work to create a high quality research project that is uniquely your own.

2) Research Your Family History

Gain a better understanding of your family’s past and the historical events surrounding your ancestors. Start by interviewing your relatives and listening to their stories to collect as much information as possible. Ask questions about your ancestors, and places where they’ve lived, collect documents, record oral histories, etc. By using the information given, you can do a deeper dive into your family's past. Write your own family’s history or create a podcast!

Idea by history research mentor Luther

3) Explore Comparative (Ancient) History Topics

Conduct a research paper focused on an ancient historical event of your choosing. Once your topic is chosen, determine a research gap within your event that you would like to explore further. From there, identify five research questions revolving around your event gap that can help you fill in the blanks. Do your research to find the answers to your questions!

Idea by previous history research mentor Supratik

4) History vs. Hollywood

Choose a few different movies that revolve around real historical events. After watching the movies and taking detailed notes, do your research by reading up on each of these topics. How realistic are the movies? What information was added, left out, or exaggerated?

Idea by previous history research mentor Holly 

5) Propaganda in World War II

If the Second World War fascinates you, this is your project! Pull together as many pieces of propaganda from that period as you can find. This could range from anything relating to a poster, milk carton, comic book, etc. Analyzing your findings will provide you with an understanding of the different reactions portrayed through society at this time. How does this compare to today?

Idea by history research mentor Jonathan  

6) Create a Video or Podcast About History

Choose a recent event that revolves around race and capitalism within the U.S. Pull together articles, news stories, and social media posts to view the different reactions to this event that occurred. Compare this current event to a similar past event and create a podcast or video of your findings. 

Idea by previous history research mentor Samantha

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Interested in History? We'll match you with an expert mentor who will help you explore your next project.

7) The Interwar Herald: News of the World

Are you intrigued by the roaring 20s? If so, create your newspaper revolving around historical events from the 1920s! Choose multiple different news stories from that time and get creative. Get creative and design your paper using pictures, articles, ads, interviews, and letters all from that time period.  

Idea by previous history research mentor Erin

8) Finding Global History in China

Learn more about the history of China! Choose a specific time period and topic revolving around Chinese history that you would like to further explore. Conduct a research paper summarizing your findings.

Idea by previous history research mentor John

9) Henry VIII - The Misunderstood Tyrant

If you like to hear about the drama of other people's lives, studying up on Henry VIII might also entertain you! Henry is best remembered for establishing the Church of England and having six wives, but there has to be more to him than that. Dive into this project to uncover the secrets of this notorious British monarch!

Idea by previous history research mentor Rebecca

10) Nature's Past: Let's Do Environmental History!

When you think of “history” you might think of politics and battles but it is so much more than that! Instead of writing a paper on a specific event, try focusing on the environment and the material world. How much better was the environment when everyone rode horses instead of driving cars? What environmental problems did society face in the past and how do those compare or differ from today? 

Idea by previous history research mentor Gustave

Independent High School Research Project About History

Interested in taking part in a dedicated history research program for high school students ? Explore some of our previous students’ history research projects , or learn more about how to get started on your own history research project !

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A Crafting Project to Boost Engagement in History

Having middle or high school students do historical research and show their learning on a 3D representation can spark deep interest.

As a high school history teacher, I often had difficulty getting my students immersed in and excited about our topics of study, but over time I developed a hands-on activity in which students created a learning product that they could keep and display. This was a simple yet powerful learning tool that my students loved working on.

Lecturing was not working well for me or my students—they needed to be more engaged in their learning. One day, as I was looking at the state social studies standards for World War II and wondering what I could do differently. I noticed that there were 12 topics or ideas listed. My first thought was to have my students make a hanging mobile using a hanger, yarn, and note cards, but when I had tried this before students just threw them in the trash as they left the room—they liked doing something different but didn’t care for mobiles. Then I thought of trying a 3D geometric display to capture each of the 12 topics in the standards.

A dodecahedron has 12 sides, so I had my students cut out and build dodecahedrons. If you’re doing a short unit or if 12 topics aren’t needed, you can do this with pyramids or cubes using triangles or squares. For this exercise, each student will need 12 of these template sheets . Plain copy paper will work, but cardstock will make the dodecahedron sturdier and longer lasting. Additionally, students will need crayons and or markers, scissors, and tape or a stapler.

Beginning the Dodecahedron Project

Since I started this strategy decades ago, state standards have slightly changed and indicators are more detailed, so now, instead of assigning the 12 topics, I allow my students to choose 12 topics from an extensive list we develop as a class. When I taught high school, after I introduced a unit such as World War II, I would have students brainstorm related topics, ideas, and events. With my guidance, they might list topics such as the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Axis and Allied powers, totalitarianism, isolationism, Japanese internment, battles, the Holocaust, victory gardens, etc., and I would write them on the board.

At the end of the brainstorming session, we might have up to 20 topics, ideas, or events listed. We would discuss them, and I would add any topics of importance in the state standards that we hadn’t listed. Each student was then allowed to pick 12 topics they wanted to learn more about.

Depending on the amount of time you have for a unit, students can do the work in class or at home. My history units generally took one to two weeks, and for the most part my students would work on this project in class. Once they had their topics, I would give them each 12 template sheets, one for each topic.

With template sheets in hand, students would start researching their topics. To prepare for the research, I would ask the media specialist to pull World War II content books, materials, and encyclopedias and put them on a cart for a rolling library; you can also have students do research online, to help them learn how to vet materials.

To help students stay on track during independent research, I had them complete one information sheet for each topic . I didn’t give a grade for completing this page, but I could walk around the room and quickly see what students were finding and learning. During this research time, students could sit on the floor, use a standing desk, or work at the classroom tables. Small freedoms like this, combined with the chance to make choices about their topics of study, helped make this experience enjoyable.

Once students had finished researching a topic and filling in the research information, they would get a template sheet and write a summary and illustrate the topic with a drawing. Because the writing space was limited, they weren’t overwhelmed as they sometimes were when writing a long paper. Their summaries had to be concise but still include details and examples to demonstrate their comprehension of the topic. I emphasized writing with purpose and clarity.

After my students had completed all 12 sheets, it was time to assemble their dodecahedrons. First they cut out the circle of each template and then folded along the dotted lines and used tape or a stapler to attach each side. When each dodecahedron was assembled, it looked a bit like a soccer ball.

Presenting the Dodecahedrons

Next, I had students present their dodecahedrons to the class. I gave each student four minutes to explain and show four or five sides of their dodecahedron. After each presentation, the class had two minutes to ask questions for clarity. My grading was based on quality of summaries, artistic expression of topic through illustration, efficient use of research time, and clear communication during the presentation.

Following the presentations, I hung the dodecahedrons from the classroom ceiling for all to enjoy for a few weeks. After that, students took them home—and most of them told me that they hung them in their bedrooms.

If your students needed extra motivation or if you have classes that are highly competitive, you could make the project into a competition by asking faculty members to judge the dodecahedrons and presentations, and award a first, second, and third place for each class.

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Interactive, Hands-on lessons and test prep ideas for US History Classrooms

Decades Project for US History

March 16, 2023

Have you ever assigned a decades project for your US History class?  It’s the end of the year.   You’ve finished your US History curriculum and need something engaging for students to go as an end of the year project?  It’s time to try a US History end of the year decades project!

Are you like me?

It’s May and standardized testing season is over.  You feel like you’ve done all of the fun review activities you can handle for the year.  You need to keep your students engaged and everyone is exhausted!  You want something that students can do independently that will hold their interest.  Sound familiar?

I have tried several projects over the years:  Oral History projects, “pick a topic from this year and research deeper”, Instagram summaries, etc.  All of these were fine, but I found that students really didn’t “get into them” and the work they produced was just ok.  

What is a decades project?

I created a one-pager type summary page for each decade covering the 1920s – 2010s.  Students will research a decade and create images for a variety of topics that relate to that decade.  Finally, they explain how each image relates to the decade they chose.  

The final product is a highly visual representation of each decade!

Benefits of a decades project?

• High interest due to student choice and topics
• Independent research means no direct teaching from you!
• Hand drawn or digital – students get to choose!
• Students love to research the “non history” stuff of a decade such as fashion and music.

How does it work?

• I created a sign up sheet for each decade.
• Students sign up for the decade of their choice.  I capped each decade at 4 because, let’s be honest, 1999s rap is cool.
• After students sign up, they choose to complete the digital version or hand drawn version.
• Students begin their research on the following topics for their decade:  fashion, innovations, music, fads, key events, literature, popular culture, kids/toys.  
• For each topic, students would include 4 images.  You could require more or less.
• I allowed students to include keywords with their visuals, but told them not to use sentences.  The point is to have each decade be a visual representation.
• I required students to use color and be neat.
• Students created a separate document/paper that explained each image for the decade.  They stapled it to their decades page or added a slide before turning it in. 

Student feedback?

Students love this project.  They love the ability to have free research time and that they can be creative.  

Why do I love it?

• The creativity students have is outstanding!
• I love the high quality work they produce on this project!
• We have been so content/standards driven all year, it’s nice to allow students a chance to breathe and research the fun stuff!  
• While they are working I can wrap up end of the year requirements for my school, like grades.

High interest, low stress = it’s a win, win for both teachers and students.  Check out this free and editable decades project and let me know how your students love it! 

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Interesting Hands-on History Projects for Teens

Middle school history is one of those subjects where there doesn’t seem to be a lot of middle ground for people. They either love it or hate it. I have found that most adults who don’t like history found it boring when they were kids. That’s because they learned primarily from reading a textbook. A dry, boring textbook.

Luckily, as homeschoolers, we have the opportunity to make history one of our children’s favorite subjects.

Want to know the secret?

Make it interactive.

That’s it.

Very few middle schoolers want to sit down and read about history from a dull textbook that only includes small paragraphs of information about specific topics. Kids want to get their hands dirty, build stuff, and really get a sense of what it was like to live during the time periods they’re studying.

Think about it. Don’t you think students would love to recreate a Roman feast, get suited up for a medieval battle, or play a game that colonial kids played?

I want to help you make history interesting. I’ve put together a wide variety of hands-on projects that are teen approved, for five different time periods, that you can easily add to your lesson plans. Trust me, you’ll want to click through and check them out.

If you let your middle schooler drop the history book for a day and instead work on a project from whatever part of history you’re studying, you’ll both see how much fun history can be.

You’ll find all kinds of things to do on these pages. Fun ideas like cooking through history, playing a game, building something cool, or completing an art project. Many take little time to prepare or complete and can be done with simple supplies found around your house.

From Ancient History to the Civil War

Have fun studying the following time periods. I’ve included a sample of the kinds of things your middle schooler can do as part of their history lesson.

Ancient History

• build a roman road
• create an Egyptian relief tile
• prepare a Greek feast

Medieval History

• build a catapult and learn about trajectory
• create medieval weapons out of duct tape
• play Minecraft and build within the Middle Ages there

Early American History

• build a Jamestown replica
• cook a recipe with a diet staple of the time – corn
• play colonial games

Pioneer America

• build a covered wagon
• keep an animal journal
• make a quilt
• draw maps and document troop movements
• listen to music and bugle calls from the war
• take a walking simulation of the underground railroad

When students interact with history instead of just reading about it, it’s amazing how engaged they can be.

Make sure to share which historical time period’s project your teen enjoyed most – I would love to hear about it.

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Resources for 2020 national history day projects.

Newseum Education offers rich online and on-site content for student projects related to the NHD 2020 theme of "Breaking Barriers in History."

When thinking about what is a barrier, the first thought that might come to mind is a wall or a fence. However, barriers can be much more than physical structures, whether man-made or natural.. They can be  ideological, theoretical, or even dispositional. Political, legal or legislative, social or societal. Barriers can have positive or negative consequences, or they can even serve as markers for historic milestones.

We've compiled a list of examples from our resources to help you brainstorm ideas for your National History Day project. Expand your thinking regarding all the different types of barriers, and good luck with your project!

Students can find plenty of project ideas among our 1,500+ digital resources of historical front pages, artifacts, original newsreels and photographs. These primary sources have explanatory text and are searchable by topic, century, person and more.

(To access many of these resources that are copyright protected, you must have a NewseumED account;  registration  is free. We do not collect data on students, nor do we spam, sell or share the email addresses.)

SIGN UP FOR NEWSEUMED.ORG

A sampling of NewseumED content related to 2020's theme:

Social & Societal

• Jesse Owens: Overcoming Discrimination to Break World Records
• Executive Order 9981: Breaking Down Barriers of Segregation in the Military
• Loving v. Virginia: Interracial Couple Fights Legal Barrier to Marriage
• Executive Order 11478: Breaking Down Barriers of Federal Discrimination
• Brown v. Board of Education: Removing the Barrier of Educational Segregation
• Breaking Barriers for Blacks to Vote: From the 15th Amendment to the Voting Rights Act of 1965
• The Removal of Poll Taxes: Ratification of the 24th Amendment
• Check out our EDCollection (described below) on the civil rights movement to learn more about key figures, such as  Martin Luther King Jr. , John Lewis , Medgar Evers , A. Phillip Randolph , Ida B. Wells-Barnett , Rosa Parks , W.E.B. Du Bois , James Meredith  and Fred Shuttleworth .
• Woman Suffrage Activists Hold  First Protest at the White House Fence
• Breaking Barriers by Women Suffragists and their Organizations: From the Seneca Falls Convention to the League of Women Voters
• Sylvia Pankhurst and the Movement for Women's Suffrage in the United Kingdom
• Check out our EDCollection (described below) on the women's suffrage movement to learn about key figures that secured voting rights for women, including  Alice Paul , Susan B. Anthony , Elizabeth Cady Stanton  and  Carrie Chapman Catt .
• Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation: Breaking Religious Barriers

Political & Governmental

• Nelson Mandela: Breaking the Barrier of Apartheid in South Africa
• Ratification of the U.S. Constitution: The Colonies Overcome the Final Barrier to Statehood  as The Pillars of the Republic Are Built
• Mohandas Gandhi: Breaking the Barrier for Indian Independence
• The Fall of Saddam Hussein: Breaking Down Authoritarian Rule
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt: First U.S. President to Serve Three Terms
• Barack Obama: First African American U.S. President
• Thurgood Marshall: First African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice
• First U.S. Congresswoman , First Woman Nominated for U.S. Presidency , First Female Speaker of the House of Representatives  

Discovery & Exploration

• The First Solo Transatlantic Trips: Breaking the Barrier of Flight  
• First Americans in Space: Pushing the Limits of Our Galaxy  
• The First U.S. Transcontinental Railroad: Furthering Westward Expansion
• Major Breakthrough in Treatment for AIDS: Breaking Scientific Barriers

One of the largest physical barriers constructed, the Berlin Wall was the most prominent symbol that separated the West from the East during the Cold War. The wall did more than just prevent the movement of people between the two sides as it also prevented the exchange of cultures, ideas, and innovations.

Free Expression (First Amendment issues):

• The Debut of LBGTQ Literature: Rising Up Through the Power of the Pen  
• The Pentagon Papers: A Call for Governmental Accountability    
• Jacob Coxey's Army: Petitioning Against Income Inequality  
• Mary Beth Tinker's Black Armband of Peace: Giving a Voice to Students
• The Skokie March: Removing Barriers to Allow Hateful Assembly
• Citizens United Ruling: Breaking Down Barriers to Corporate Donations to Campaigns

Physical & Natural

• The Berlin Wall: Dividing East from West
• President Kennedy Ends the Naval Blockade: Thawing of Tensions in Cuba
• D-Day: Overcoming Cliffs and Nazi Defenses in Push to Liberate
• The Selma March: Breaking Through the Line of Law Enforcement Officers

EDCollections

• “Making a Change " illustrates how the civil rights movement embraced the freedoms provided under the First Amendment to break through the barriers of inequality and discrimination in society. It contains an interactive timeline  on key events and people. Watch a newsreel of President Lyndon B. Johnson signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , one of the crowning accomplishments of the movement. 
• “Women, Their Rights and Nothing Less"  reveals how women overcame societal barriers and stereotypes to earn the right to vote in the United States. An interactive timeline details the various strategies women employed to break down the barriers that kept them out of the  voting booth. 
• "Free Speech Essentials"  pairs historical and contemporary case studies to show how the barriers to free expression have enlarged or restricted our freedoms over time. Explore the collection to see how the removal of certain barriers to the freedoms of the First Amendment have been both beneficial and harmful to society.

Students are free to use images of any sources from the Newseum Collection in their National History Day projects as long as they visibly credit “Newseum Collection." If you have any questions, please email  [email protected] .

Sign up for Newseum ED updates and newsletter today.

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Water and Environmental Racism

Teaching activity. by matt reed and ursula wolfe-rocca. rethinking schools. a mixer activity, inspired by the 2016 democracy now documentary thirsty for democracy , introduces students to the struggle of residents to access safe water for drinking, cooking, and bathing in the majority-black cities of flint, michigan; jackson, mississippi; and newark, new jersey..

How We Remember: The Struggle Over Slavery in Public Spaces

Teaching activity. by bill bigelow, jesse hagopian, cierra kaler-jones, ana rosado, and ursula wolfe-rocca. students read about sites of memory in how the word is passed and imagine how to commemorate what occurred there. they then compare that to how the respective site is currently commemorated and described by docents..

Subversives: Stories from the Red Scare

Teaching activity. by ursula wolfe-rocca. in this mixer lesson, students meet 27 different targets of government harassment and repression to analyze why disparate individuals might have become targets of the same campaign, determining what kind of threat they posed in the view of the u.s. government..

Repair: Students Design a Reparations Bill

Teaching activity. by ursula wolfe-rocca. in this activity, students take on the role of activist-experts to improve upon a congressional bill for reparations for black people. they talk back to congress’ flimsy legislation and design a more robust alternative..

The Rebellious Lives of Mrs. Rosa Parks

Teaching activity. by bill bigelow. in this mixer lesson, students learn about rosa parks’ many decades of activism by taking on roles from various times in her life. in this way, students learn about her radicalism before, during, and long after the montgomery bus boycott..

Deportations on Trial: Mexican Americans During the Great Depression

Teaching activity. by ursula wolfe-rocca. in this role play students analyze who is to blame for the illegal, mass deportations of mexican americans and immigrants during the great depression..

Teaching SNCC: The Organization at the Heart of the Civil Rights Revolution

Teaching activity. by adam sanchez. rethinking schools. 24 pages. a series of role plays that explore the history and evolution of the student nonviolent coordinating committee, including freedom rides and voter registration..

When the Impossible Suddenly Became Possible: A Reconstruction Mixer

Teaching activity. by adam sanchez and nqobile mthethwa. 25 pages. a mixer role play explores the connections between different social movements during reconstruction..

The Zinn Education Project promotes and supports the teaching of people’s history in middle and high school classrooms across the country. Based on the lens of history highlighted in Howard Zinn ’s best-selling book A People’s History of the United States , the website offers free, downloadable lessons and articles organized by theme , time period , and reading level.

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What Our Students Should Know About the Struggle for the Ballot — but Won’t Learn from Their Textbooks

By Ursula Wolfe-Rocca From voter ID laws to voter-roll purges, gerrymandering to poll closures to the deadly in-person voting conditions during a pandemic, the right to vote is under attack and the stakes are high. It is critical that students learn about the fight for voting rights, past and present.

May 2, 1963: Children of Birmingham Fill the Jails...

Teaching about palestine-israel and the unfolding genoc..., teach truth day of action 2024..., why teach people's history.

I can UNDERSTAND pessimism, but I don’t BELIEVE in it. It’s not simply a matter of faith, but of historical EVIDENCE. Not overwhelming evidence, just enough to give HOPE, because for hope we don’t need certainty, only POSSIBILITY.

—howard zinn.

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• A History of School History

Topics in History education

• Edited highlights
• School-work
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You are here

There are many interesting aspects to the teaching of history over the past century, for instance, the impact of technology, the development of examinations and the role of teacher training in developing new teaching styles. We prepared papers on such topics as background reading to inform the writing of the book. These papers are self-contained accounts, but they can also be read alongside our draft chapters here .

• Teacher training - up  the 1960s
• Teacher training - 1960s to present day
• Analysis of teacher numbers 1960s to present day

Examinations

• Examinations and school leavers 1945-65
• History examinations from the 1960s to the present day
• History examination syllabuses 1960s to the present day
• Technology and the history teacher
• The use of technology from the teacher survey forms
• In the classroom - textbooks 1900-1950s
• History text books from 1965 to the present day

BBC Radio 4 programme

Listen to ‘ The Red Bits are British ’ which features interviews from this website.

Narrated by Professor Sir David Cannadine. Programme produced by ‘ Just Radio ’ for Radio 4.

Project Staff

Acknowledgements

Banner photo 'Empire Day at Mauldeth Road Primary School, Manchester, c1938', courtesy of Enid Deeble (Platt)

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Social Studies Lesson Plans & Activities for Middle School

Bring history to life with timelines and comics! With these lesson plan and activity ideas, students will depict historical events, outline important philosophies, and analyze different periods with our American and World History lesson plans. They can even create posters and infographics for summative projects or information reinforcement.

Project Ideas

• Cause & Effect of Events
• Compare and Contrast Events
• Forms of Government
• Biography Posters
• Historical Narrative Comics
• Political Cartoons & Propaganda
• Development of Ancient Cultures

Example from the Declaration of Independence

• 13 Colonies
• 1850s America
• Age of Exploration in America
• American Revolution
• Atlantic Slave Trade
• Civil Rights Movement
• Cold War: 1945-1962
• Common Sense
• Constitutional Convention
• COVID 19 Pandemic
• Declaration of Independence
• Election of 1800: Jefferson vs. Adams
• Emancipation Proclamation
• Events Leading Up to the American Revolution
• French and Indian War
• Great Depression
• History of the US Civil War
• Indigenous Peoples
• Jacksonian Democracy
• Japanese American Incarceration in WWII
• Massachusetts Bay Colony Teacher Guide
• Missouri Compromise of 1820
• Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony
• Presidency of Abraham Lincoln
• Presidency of Harry Truman
• Presidency of Richard Nixon
• Presidency of Ronald Reagan
• Reconstruction Era
• Revolutionary War
• Tinker vs. Des Moines
• Transcontinental Railroad
• U.S. Territorial Expansion 1783-1959
• Voting Rights
• War of 1812
• World War II: (1939-1941)
• World War II: (1942-1945)
• World War II: An Introduction

World History

Introduction to World War 2

• Ancient China
• Ancient Civilizations
• Ancient Egypt
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient India
• Ancient Mesopotamia
• Ancient Rome
• Canadian History
• Canadian History 1784-1896
• Christianity
• Communism and the Russian Revolution
• Early Humans
• Enlightenment & Scientific Revolution
• French Revolution
• Geography of Canada
• History of Imperialism
• History of the Holocaust
• Industrial Revolution
• Primary and Secondary Sources
• Vietnam War
• World Geography Projects
• World War I (1914-1918)

Introduction to US Government

• Bill of Rights
• Canadian Government
• Executive Branch
• How to Become President
• Introduction to Democratic Principles
• Introduction to Government
• Judicial Branch
• Legislative Branch
• Political Parties
• US Elections

Primary Sources

Diary of Anne Frank

• Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
• Boy on the Wooden Box, The
• General History of Virginia, The
• I Have a Dream
• Letter from Birmingham Jail
• Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
• Of Plymouth Plantation
• Speech in the Virginia Convention

Historical Fiction

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

• A Single Shard
• Al Capone Does My Shirts
• Anne of Green Gables
• Book Thief, The
• Breadwinner, The
• Bud, Not Buddy
• Calico Girl
• Catherine, Called Birdy
• Dragonwings
• Elijah of Buxton
• Esperanza Rising
• Full Cicada Moon
• Inside Out and Back Again
• Johnny Tremain
• Julie of the Wolves
• Last Cherry Blossom, The
• Lily's Crossing
• Lions of Little Rock, The
• Long Walk to Water, A
• Midnight Without a Moon
• Moon Over Manifest
• Night Diary, The
• Night Divided, A
• Number the Stars
• One Crazy Summer
• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
• Sylvia & Aki
• Towers Falling
• Underground to Canada
• War That Saved My Life, The
• Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963, The
• Wednesday Wars, The
• Witch of Blackbird Pond, The
• Wolf Hollow

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65+ Real-World Project-Based Learning Ideas for All Ages and Interests

Find and implement solutions to real-world problems.

Project-based learning is a hot topic in many schools these days, as educators work to make learning more meaningful for students. As students conduct hands-on projects addressing real-world issues, they dig deeper and make personal connections to the knowledge and skills they’re gaining. But not just any project fits into this concept. Learn more about strong project-based learning ideas, and find examples for any age or passion.

What is project-based learning?

Project-based learning (PBL) uses real-world projects and student-directed activities to build knowledge and skills. Kids choose a real-world topic that’s meaningful to them (some people call these “passion projects”), so they’re engaged in the process from the beginning. These projects are long-term, taking weeks, months, or even a full semester or school year. Students may complete them independently or working in small groups. Learn much more about project-based learning here.

What makes a good PBL project?

In many ways, PBL is more like the work adults do in their daily jobs, especially because student efforts have potential real-world effects. A strong PBL project:

• Addresses a real-world issue or problem
• Requires sustained and independent inquiry, in and out of the classroom
• Allows students voice and choice throughout the project
• Combines elements of many disciplines
• Includes collaboration with public partners, such as universities, community organizations, or businesses
• Produces a public product that is seen by those outside the school community
• Covers a complete process, including activities like research, design, production, marketing or public awareness, and enlisting supporters or investors

Outdoor Project-Based Learning Ideas

• Create a new local park, or improve an existing one by adding new features or providing needed maintenance.
• Plant a community garden to provide food for a soup kitchen, food pantry, or other organization.
• Design and create a butterfly, pollinator, or other wildlife garden to support the local ecosystem.
• Build a new walking or biking trail that’s safe for people of all ages to use.
• Devise and implement a way to reduce litter in your community.
• Set up and manage a school or community compost pile, and distribute the resulting soil to those who need it most.
• Find and help the public use a new way to grow food that requires less soil, water, or fertilizers, which are in short supply in some parts of the world.
• Design, build, and install a completely unique piece of playground equipment that serves a specific purpose or need.

School Community Project-Based Learning Ideas

• Start a comprehensive recycling program at school, or substantially improve participation in an existing one.
• Add collaborative artwork like murals or other displays to school hallways, bathrooms, or grounds.
• Determine a location or program at your school that needs improvement, then make a plan, raise the funds, and implement your ideas.
• Come up with ways to celebrate your school’s diversity and improve relationships between all students.
• Start and run a school store , including inventory, financial plans, and marketing.
• Write a school handbook for new students, with tips and tricks for helping them feel at home.
• Figure out how to offer healthier, better-tasting meals and snacks in the school cafeteria.
• Implement a mentoring program for older students to help younger students, with planned activities and appropriate training for older students.
• Design and propose a new style of grading system that ensures equity.
• Find ways to improve the indoor recess experience at your school.
• Set up and run a new school newspaper, magazine, podcast, video channel, etc.

Greater Community Project-Based Learning Ideas

• Coordinate a community art project in a central location to celebrate local culture or artists.
• Set up a program for schoolkids to socialize with senior citizens in nursing homes, hospitals, or retirement communities.
• Create a program to offer free translation services for ESL families in the community.
• Help a local animal shelter improve its facilities, or find new ways to match homeless pets with their forever families.
• Build and maintain Little Free Libraries around your community, especially in underserved areas.
• Help local businesses become more environmentally conscious, increasing sustainability and decreasing waste.
• Create and lead a walking tour of your community, highlighting its culture, history, landmarks, and more.
• Find a way to record and celebrate local voices in your community’s history.
• Come up with ideas for welcoming immigrants and other newcomers to your community.
• Set up a series of events that will encourage the community to mix and experience each others’ foods, cultures, and more.
• Create and implement a new program to inspire a love of books and reading in preschool students.
• Set up and help run a new charitable organization your community needs.

Social Issues Project-Based Learning Ideas

• Start an awareness campaign on a topic that’s important to you, like anti-bullying, healthy living, protecting the environment, civil rights, equality and equity, etc.
• Come up with and implement ways to increase voter turnout in your community, especially among younger voters.
• Write, record, and share with a wider audience your own TED Talk–style video on an issue that hasn’t been covered yet or on which you have a unique perspective.
• Devise and implement ways for unheard voices to be amplified in your school or community.
• Write and publicly perform a play that highlights a social issue that’s important to you.
• Look for areas in your community that present challenges to those with disabilities, and help to improve them to overcome those challenges.
• Research, write, and publicly present and defend a position paper on an issue that’s important to your community.
• Choose a real court case, then research the law and work with legal experts to prepare and present your own case as you would in a courtroom.
• Write, edit, seek, and incorporate real-world feedback, and publish or publicly present your own book, poem, or song on an issue that’s important to you.
• Start a program to teach a specific group (e.g., preschoolers, senior citizens, business owners) to care for and protect the environment.
• Plan and hold a fundraiser to support an issue you care about.
• Choose a law you feel is unjust, and write, research, and publicly present and defend a position paper about your desired change.

STEM Project-Based Learning Ideas

• Create an app that meets a specific purpose for a specific audience.
• Invent something new that the world needs, and then fund, create, and sell your product in the community.
• Design a game to help students learn important STEM concepts.
• Find a simple way to improve an existing product, especially if it cuts costs or improves environmental sustainability.
• Explore ways to reduce the amount of waste we produce, especially plastic and other landfill-bound items.
• Write a book or graphic novel that’s entertaining but also teaches kids about science or math.
• Devise new ways to provide clean drinking water to communities where water is scarce.
• Build an effective solar oven people can use to cook during extended power outages, or in areas where electricity isn’t available.
• Work with a university or STEM organization to gather, analyze, and present real-world scientific data.
• Design a building to fit a specific purpose or need, including researching the requirements and zoning laws, accurately drafting a plan, determining the costs, and presenting the plan to the proposed client.
• Create an interactive hands-on exhibit to teach people about STEM concepts.
• Determine a type of website you believe is missing, then research, build, and publish the site you envision.

Creative Arts Project-Based Learning Ideas

• Organize an art show for the community, seeking out those who ordinarily might not have a chance to display their work.
• Create and teach an art class in your area of expertise to children, the elderly, or another segment of the population.
• Design a mural for an area in your community that needs beautification, and seek funding or other assistance from community members to install it.
• Write a play about a topic that’s meaningful to you or your community. Work with the community to stage a performance for all to attend.
• Invite local dancers to perform at a school or community Festival of Dance, highlighting a variety of cultures and dance styles.
• Start a regular writer’s workshop where community writers can come together to share and seek feedback. Invite local authors or publishing experts to speak as guests.
• Collect stories, poems, and essays from local authors, and put them together into a book. Sell the book to raise money for a cause that’s important to local writers.
• Gather singers or instrumentalists from your community into a choir or band. Put on a concert to raise money for a special cause, or take your choir on tour to local retirement homes, hospitals, etc.
• Write a song about a person or cause that’s important to you. Produce and record the song, then find a way to share it with others.
• Make a short film about a local hero, community event, or local place. Invite others to do the same, and organize a local film festival.

What are some your favorite project-based learning ideas? Come share your thoughts in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook !

Plus, meaningful service learning projects for kids and teens ..

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Oral History Offers a Model for How Schools Can Introduce Students to Complex Topics

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As historian David McCullough said, history is the study of who we are and why we are the way we are.

That’s why teachers in the Memphis-Shelby County public schools, as racially isolated now as they were when the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed school segregation, have launched a curriculum to introduce their students to the 13 children who helped integrate these Tennessee city schools in 1961.

Memphis-Shelby County teachers, researchers from the University of Memphis, and the local Memphis 13 Foundation worked with seven of the 10 surviving members of the Memphis 13—a group of Black 1st graders who peacefully enrolled in four all-white schools at the height of the civil rights era—to develop teacher training, lesson plans, and oral history activities for elementary students.

“Just going home and talking to grandparents or talking to the elders in their community was never going to be enough,” said Anna Falkner, an assistant professor at the University of Memphis and a co-developer of the curriculum, “because it wouldn’t provide [students] with the context that they needed in order to understand what happened and understand the ongoing effects of, for example, the way segregation looks today.”

The Memphis 13 project offers a model for how schools can introduce complex subjects to students, even in early grades, while also giving them opportunities to investigate social studies in their communities

“Really consider the context,” Falkner said. “What are the specifics that can help students understand their Southern context or the context wherever they are and what that means in relation to the larger experience. It’s not just focusing on that national narrative, not just sharing Brown v. Board , but really thinking about, what did this look like in my backyard? What did it look like for my family members or my community members?”

For example, teachers met with surviving members of the Memphis 13 to identify projects for students in 2nd and 5th grades, when Tennessee social studies standards cover civil rights issues. Sheila Malone, one of the students who first integrated into the district’s Bruce Elementary as a 1st grader, suggested that 5th graders record the experiences of others who had attended the district schools during desegregation.

“[Malone] wanted the students to go back home and share the story and have intergenerational conversations about the history of our schools,” said Gina Tillis, the director of curriculum and instruction for the Memphis 13 Foundation, who co-developed the Memphis curriculum. “One of the things that I’ve noticed with the members of Memphis 13 is, as they’re sharing their stories, they’re unpacking memories that have been silenced. … This is a really powerful space for students to reflect on their education, their parents’ and their elders’ education, and what we’re doing collectively to create a more inclusive and equitable school system.”

Second graders, for example, watch documentaries and review news accounts about the school desegregation decisions in Memphis and other cities, identifying ways children their age participated. In 5th grade , students review collected oral history interviews and collect their own, as well as analyze modern policies related to school integration. Tillis said the project plans to expand the curriculum to 8th and 11th grades in the future.

Building school integration history projects

Emerging technology has made it easier for educators to engage their students in active historical research, according to the Center for Public History and Digital Humanities at Cleveland State University in Ohio. The center, for example, has developed apps to help students record interviews and archive historical documents.

Efforts like those of the Memphis 13 helped integrate public schools in the decades following the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education . However, these trends began to reverse in the 1990s and have worsened to this day, even as the overall public school population has grown more diverse. Studies find schools serving high populations of students of color continue to have on average fewer educational opportunities —including challenging courses, experienced teachers, and other resources—compared with schools serving mostly white students.

While the Memphis 13 are well known, Tillis stressed that schools can use community history to engage students regardless of where they are. “Everyone has a school desegregation story. Every district, every person ... and every district story is unique,” she said. “It’s, I think, one of the most powerful stories to share because it offers you this platform to really deconstruct what’s going on in our schools.”

Researchers recommended that schools interested in developing similar projects:

• Work with local historians and groups to identify social studies topics and events that had strong effects on the local community. This can include school district librarians or archivists, for example.
• Provide teachers with training in both the historical context and strategies and tools for documenting community history.
• Focus on topics that encourage students to make connections between history and current issues in their community.

“One of the lessons that we’re hoping to share with other school districts is just the power of listening to your community members who are historians, even if they don’t work for the local archive: the neighbor down the street who kept all the newspapers, the person who knew everybody in the neighborhood,” Falkner said. “Finding those community members and making a meaningful way for them to participate in the curriculum development is the most important piece.”

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US has long history of college protests: Here's what happened in the past

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators have taken over parts of college campuses across the U.S., the latest in a decades-long string of protests ignited by political activism — some of which have spiraled into violence amid police crackdowns .

In the past, free speech sit-ins quickly escalated into massive rallies, Vietnam War college demonstrations turned deadly and U.S. civil rights protests ended in mass arrests.

The circumstances of each protest were different, but the story is familiar: Young people demanded changes on their campuses or in the world — and their impassioned demonstrations often escalated amid clashes with authorities.

Columbia , the university at the center of the current wave of protests, has even seen similar protests before, including during the Vietnam War in 1968. Demonstrations led the university to end classified war research and stop military recruitment, among other changes, wrote Rosalind Rosenberg, a professor of history at Barnard College, for Barnard Magazine .

Today's demonstrators also have specific changes in mind, often involving divestment from Israel , citing the deaths of more than 34,000 Palestinian people who died in Gaza amid Israel's bombardment and ground assault. That military campaign was triggered by Hamas' incursion into southern Israel on Oct. 7, when about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and more than 240 people were taken hostage.

But as campus authorities react swiftly, citing safety concerns and calling in police to break up encampents, it's unclear if or how the current protests will influence the Israel-Hamas war.

USA TODAY revisited four monumental campus protests to explain how college protests have become a staple of American life and often influence the outcomes of political strife. Here's a look at how previous campus protests unfolded — and whether they were successful in their causes.

University of California, Berkeley: Free Speech in 1960s

At the University of California Berkeley starting in 1964, students protested the university's limits on political activities and free speech during the civil rights movement and Vietnam-war era.

"In the wake of  McCarthyism’s  anti-Communist sentiments during the 1950s, public universities in California had enacted numerous regulations limiting  students’ political activities ," wrote Karen Aichinger for the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee University. "At the University of California, Berkeley, student groups taking part in any on- or off-campus political activities were banned from campus."

What transpired were "small sit-ins and demonstrations" that "escalated into a series of large-scale rallies and protests demanding full constitutional rights on campus," reads the UC Berkeley website.

Nearly 800 students were arrested by local police as a result.

The students' protest ultimately worked in their favor. The university eventually overturned policies that would restrict the content of speech or advocacy, according to the college.

"Today, the Movement stands as a symbol of the importance of protecting and preserving free speech and academic freedom," reads the UC Berkeley website.

Kent State University in Ohio: Vietnam War in 1970

The most prolific university protest of the Vietnam War happened at Kent State University in Ohio in May 1970. Students started protesting the Vietnam War and the U.S. invasion of Cambodia on their campus on May 2. Two days later, the National Guard opened fire into a sea of antiwar protesters and passerbys. The soldiers killed four young people – Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Knox Schroeder – and injured several others with their violence.

"The impact of the shootings was dramatic," wrote Jerry Lewis and Thomas Hensley in an article for Kent State University. "The event triggered a nationwide student strike that forced hundreds of colleges and universities to close."

The shootings also influenced national politics, Lewis and Hensley wrote.

"In The Ends of Power, (H.R.) Haldeman, (a top aide to President Richard Nixon), states that the shootings at Kent State began the slide into Watergate, eventually destroying the Nixon administration," the article reads.

Today, the protest and shootings "certainly come to symbolize the deep political and social divisions that so sharply divided the country during the Vietnam War era," Lewis and Hensley wrote.

Jackson State College in Mississippi: Racial Injustice in 1970

Days after the shootings at Kent State, police opened gunfire at a college dormitory Jackson State College in Mississippi, a school with a predominantly Black student population.

Black students there were protesting racial injustice, including how they were treated by white drivers speeding on campus, according to the university .

Police received a call that Black young people were throwing rocks at white drivers near the campus. Police arrived at the scene and shot hundreds of bullets into Alexander Hall, according to an FBI report, NPR reported . Police killed two students – Phillip Lafayette Gibbs and James Earl Green – and injured 12 others. The college also canceled its graduation due to the killings and unrest.

At a 2021 commencement ceremony, the university honored 74 of the students who were unable to walk the stage in 1970, NBC reported . At the commencement ceremony, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said police “unjustly gunned down two innocent young Black men, terrorized and traumatized a community of Black students and committed one of the gravest sins in our city’s history," NBC reported .

The killings at Jackson State College and Kent State University national sparked outrage. College students across the nation protested on their campuses, according to the Zinn Education Project , a collaboration of historical content from the groups  Rethinking Schools  and  Teaching for Change .

"The spring of 1970 saw the first general student strike in the history of the United States, students from over four hundred colleges and universities calling off classes to protest the invasion of Cambodia, the Kent State affair, the killing of two black students at Jackson State College in Mississippi, and the continuation of the war," wrote Howard Zinn in the book "You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train ."

Angus Johnston, an adjunct assistant professor at Hostos Community College of the City University of New York and a historian of student activism, said after both events: "There was a period of about 30 years or so where it tended to be fairly unlikely that campuses would respond with mass arrests even in the case of admin building occupations."

Nationwide: South Africa anti-Apartheid protests in 1985

Another form of popular college campus protest occurred in the 1980's. Students across the country wanted their colleges to cut ties with groups that supported from the South African apartheid.

"Under apartheid, race restricted every aspect of life for South Africans who were Black, Indian and colored — a multiracial classification created by the government," The New York Times reported . "There were strict limits on where they could live, attend school, work and travel.

Columbia University was at the center of the movement. Students led by the Coalition for a Free South Africa at Columbia University "blockaded Hamilton Hall, the university’s administrative building, leading to the first successful divestiture campaign at the university," reads a summary of the events from the Zinn Education Project .

There was less pushback for protesters during this time, due to a “certain embarrassment among elites in the United States that there was complicity with South Africa’s white government,” said Daniel Farber, a history professor at the University of Kansas who has studied American activism, reports Vox Media .

Columbia University was one of the first colleges to divest from doing business with South Africa and 155 universities followed suit. U.S. Congress also passed the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act in 1986, which aimed to prevent new trade and investment between the nation and South Africa.

What is the future of college protests in America?

Free speech experts told USA TODAY that students should continue to peacefully protest in open campus spaces to avoid conflict.

Alex Morey, the director of campus rights advocacy for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, encourages universities to remain neutral in times of unrest and not to call in authorities unless a demonstration turns violent. The national nonprofit defends Americans rights to free speech and thought.

"Peaceful protest is a hallmark of a healthy speech climate on American college campuses and it has been for decades – whether it's the Berkeley free speech movement, or students protesting the Vietnam War era or civil rights," Morey said. "Generations of students have felt passionately about certain issues and the open air places on campuses are great places to support their views."

Contact Kayla Jimenez at [email protected] .  Follow her on X at @kaylajjimenez.

Proposal to teach Palestinian history in schools faces backlash

Nakba noticeably absent from teaching, proponents say; jewish group says inclusion would 'delegitimize israel'.

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A group of teachers has successfully campaigned for the B.C. Teachers' Federation to lobby the government to include the history of Palestinians in the provincial curriculum.

The proposal has drawn backlash from members of the Jewish community, who say the move is problematic and "one sided." 

The resolution, passed at the BCTF's annual general meeting in March, aims for the union to "continuously lobby" the Ministry of Education and Child Care to include the Nakba — or "catastrophe," the Arabic term used to describe the displacement of Palestinians between 1947 and 1949 — along with the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and the military occupation of Gaza and the West Bank in the list of sample topics for schools.

Teachers 4 Palestine, a group born in the wake of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas that includes teachers of different faiths and backgrounds, was behind the motion.

Tara Ehrcke, a Jewish high school teacher in Victoria who is involved with Teachers 4 Palestine, said the topic was "noticeably absent" from the curriculum.

"It does impact the kind of background learning that teachers themselves do and are exposed to," said Ehrcke, who was a delegate at the AGM. 

"If something is in the curriculum, that means teachers would receive education about this topic and be better equipped in order to have that discussion with students."

But the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) has contacted the BCTF to express their concerns that the inclusion of the topic will increase antisemitism and intimidation against Jewish students and educators in the classroom. 

"Characterizing the return of the Jewish people to their ancestral homeland after more than 2,000 years of exile as a 'catastrophe' ... is deeply offensive," said Nico Slobinsky, vice-president of CIJA for the Pacific region.

"Teaching about the Nakba will delegitimize Israel. The delegitimization of the Jewish state leads to the demonization not only of Israelis, but of Jewish Canadians who overwhelmingly support Israel."

'Big ideas' curriculum

B.C.'s curriculum is unique in the sense that social studies and history are taught around "big ideas".

Teachers are free to choose the content they use to teach those ideas, but are provided a list of key questions and sample topics to guide them.

"There is no mandatory textbook or resources in the B.C. curriculum," said Lindsay Gibson, assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy in the Faculty of Education at UBC. "It really is up to teachers to have to identify their own research and resources that they're going to bring into the classroom for students."

B.C. teachers launch campaign to include education on Palestinian history

The idea behind the proposal is to include the history of Palestinians in the list of sample topics, which also include subjects like the Armenian genocide, apartheid in South Africa, the genocide in Rwanda and the internment of Japanese people in Canada during the Second World War.

According to the UN, the Nakba refers to the "mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war."

As a result of the war, more than half of the Palestinian population — more than 700,000 people according to UN figures — were displaced. Many sought refuge in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, while others settled in neighbouring countries.

Israel insists the Palestinians were not driven out, but instead that most of them left the territory voluntarily for various reasons, among them to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

'It can be scary talking about Palestine and Israel'

While being in the list of sample topics would not make teaching the Nakba mandatory in B.C. schools, it would go a long way toward filling a gap in knowledge, according to Khaled Shawwash, an elementary school teacher also involved with Teachers 4 Palestine.

He and others believe the curriculum doesn't currently include enough about Palestine and Israel. By making those changes, they feel they would have more tools to approach the topic.  

"As a Palestinian educator, it's been challenging," Shawwash said. 

• Photos Protests over Israel's war in Gaza roil some U.S. campuses

"There's a lot of uncertainty around what parts I can discuss or how I can discuss it. And I think it's really been the driving force behind this campaign.

"It can be scary talking about Palestine and Israel. By having it in the curriculum, teachers and educators will have more confidence in approaching the topic."

Their efforts have received support from various groups through a petition online. As of April 24, 6,397 people had signed it the petition.

Strong opposition from members of Jewish community

But some members of the Jewish community have countered the proposal with a petition of their own. 

The petition, started by Vancouver mother Maria Kleiner, calls on the B.C. government to reject the proposal, which it says "has the potential to increase targeted hatred of specific children thus creating an unsafe learning environment."

As of April 24, her petition had received more than 5,915 signatures.

"It brings politics into the classroom, which is to create division and polarization. It comes at a very difficult time already," said Kleiner, adding that the proposal was "one sided."

"It's a very complex topic, and by simplifying, it becomes purely political propaganda in the classroom, which doesn't belong there," said Kleiner, who, after the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas in Israel, started a website in which she shares her thoughts and documents about antisemitism in Canada.

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B.C. and Ontario expanding Holocaust teaching in schools

But another Jewish mother from Vancouver disagrees. 

Tamara Herman, whose grandparents survived the Holocaust, grew up hearing stories about the genocide of Jews during the Second World War and its impact, and says it shaped her world view. That's why, she says, she strongly believes in the need to tell the full history of the region. 

"One of the most important things in breaking cycles of devastation is to understand how we got to a certain point and why," says Herman, who is involved with Independent Jewish Voices, an organization advocating for the rights of Palestinians.

"And I don't feel my children can be equipped to be able to find a different trajectory moving forward as they pick up the pieces after this horrific devastation without understanding the history of Palestine and Israel.

"That history includes the Nakba, and my child is entitled to learn about it just as much as my child is entitled to learn about the Holocaust and other factors that contributed to where we are."

'Difficult histories'

The history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is considered to be one the most challenging to teach for educators, according to experts.

"In history education, we call these 'difficult histories'" said Gibson, who teaches future educators at UBC.

He says teachers are often left wondering how to teach topics such as this one at a time of increased polarization.

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But he's quick to relativize the significance of the proposal and the backlash it's facing.

"I'm not convinced that just including this [in the suggested curriculum] is going to marginalize any population," he says, adding that it's likely the Nakba is taught in some B.C. schools already. 

"I don't know how you could teach about the history of Palestine and Israel, about the refugee issue over time and the root of that without the Nakba," he added.

"It's a pivotal moment, it's a historical root issue of what we're seeing today."

Teachers 'fully equipped' to teach complex topics: minister

Asked recently about the issue, Education Minister Rachna Singh closed the door to discussions about changing the school curriculum.

"I'm leaving it to the teachers," she said. "I feel that they are fully equipped and they have the professional judgment on how to assess their student population and how to impart these lessons. This is what my expectation is, that every child is feeling safe in their schools."

In a statement provided to CBC/Radio-Canada, the BCTF said it would connect with the Ministry of Education and Child Care "to discuss this and other important issues B.C. teachers are facing." 

BCTF president Clint Johnston will also communicate with his members about the resolution, the statement said. 

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Who, What, Why: Ariana Jimenez and the High School Voter Project

As part of a student-run, nonpartisan, netter center initiative, jimenez focuses on youth voter registration, civic engagement, and education in west philadelphia..

Never underestimate the power of free food. In the case of Ariana Jimenez of Plainfield, Illinois, it was the lure of pizza that first brought her to a voter registration drive, to sign up to vote in the state primary. “17-year-old me was very into free pizza,” Jimenez says. She also learned how to register high school peers and speak with them about voter education, becoming an election ambassador for her county.

Now a fourth-year student in the Wharton School studying business economics and public policy, with a second concentration in management, Jimenez continues to speak with high school students about civic engagement—this time in West Philadelphia.

While looking for a work-study job in her first year of college, Jimenez saw a posting for the High School Voter Project. Founded in 2020, the summer before Jimenez started, the High School Voter Project is a student-run, nonpartisan initiative supported by Penn’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships that focuses on youth voter registration, civic engagement, and education. The program also promotes forms of advocacy beyond voting, especially to engage students under 18, including opportunities to speak with local legislators and to run campaigns at their school.

On Thursdays, Jimenez goes to Sayre High School, where the High School Voter program focuses on pre-professionalism, teaching them interviewing and email writing skills in addition to civic engagement. During these sessions, Jimenez and other volunteers mentor use a problem-solving approach to tackle issues the students identify: gun violence, the affordability crisis, and improving public schools.

Jimenez says the mentoring focuses on current events and community issues the students care about, which helps the Sayre students understand how voting impacts their lives. She points to an example when the high school students offered their thoughts about public transit citing concerns about safety, timeliness, and cleanliness. The team, says Jimenez, turned it around to address how voting impacts public policy.  

Asking the students, “Who’s in charge of making those decisions?” helped them realized that the SEPTA board is partially appointed by the Philadelphia mayor and city council, Jimenez says, drawing “connections to how who they vote for actually directly impacts their lives.”

She is passionate about the work. “Voting is fundamental to have a say in everything that goes on in this country,” Jimenez says. “That’s why it’s essential that all communities have voter access.”

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