grade 12 research project 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

Jump into the past

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 !

Polygence Scholars Are Also Passionate About

Related content:.

History Summer Research Programs for High School Students: The Top 10

Top 20 Best Writing Contests for High School Students

Passion Project Ideas for High School Students in 2024

Research Opportunities for High School Students in 2024: More Than 50 Options Across Multiple Academic Disciplines and Interests

Get Matched with a Mentor

Interested in doing one of these exciting research projects? Click below to get matched with one of our expert mentors!

• Queen's University Library
• Research Guides

Intermediate Senior History

• Lesson Plans
• American History (CHA3U)
• World History to the End of the Fifteenth Century (CHW3M)
• Origins and Citizenship: The History of a Canadian Ethnic Group (CHE3O)
• World History since 1900: Global and Regional Interactions (CHT3O)
• Canada: History, Identity, and Culture (CHI4U)
• World History since the Fifteenth Century (CHY4U/CHY4C)
• Adventures in World History (CHM4E)
• Inquiry & Projects
• Primary Sources
• Resources on Treaties
• Truth and Reconciliation
• Holocaust Resources
• Professional Associations

Grades 11 and 12: Canadian and World Studies, 201 5

Grade 12: Canada: History, Identity, and Culture (CHI4U) World History since the Fifteenth Century (CHY4U / CHY4C) Adventures in World History (CHM4E)

Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools A PDF containing information to help teachers complete report cards. It also contains information for parents, which will help them understand the reporting process. Covers grades 1 to 12. 

• << Previous: World History since 1900: Global and Regional Interactions (CHT3O)
• Next: Canada: History, Identity, and Culture (CHI4U) >>

Quick Links

• Search Omni
• Omni Search Tips
• Education Guide
• All Education Guides
• All Queen's Library Hours
• Browse the Shelves Guide
• Last Updated: Mar 7, 2024 2:48 PM
• Subjects: Education , History
• Tags: classroom resources , education , history , lesson plans , Ontario education , primary sources , student resources , teacher resources , textbooks

Connecting Past and Present: A Local Research Project

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

When students make real-world connections between themselves and their community, they can participate in authentic communication activities based on issues that matter to them personally. In this activity, students research a decade in their school's history, with small groups researching specific topics. Within each group, students take on specific roles, such as archivist, manager, techie, or researcher. Students become active archivists, gathering photos, artifacts, interviews, and stories for a museum exhibit that highlights one decade in their school's history. The final project can be shared and displayed in your classroom, in the school auditorium or in the library. This lesson plan was developed as part of a collaborative professional writing initiative sponsored by the Kennesaw Mountain Writing Project (KMWP) at Kennesaw State University.

Featured Resources

Tips for Interviews : This handout provides general tips for students that are useful in any project requiring an interview. Museum Exhibit Teacher Tips : These tips cover important points for teacher to consider throughout the museum exhibit project. ReadWriteThink Notetaker : This online outlining tool allows students to organize up to five levels of information, choosing bullets, Roman numerals, or letters.

From Theory to Practice

In Writing Our Communities: Local Learning and Public Culture , educators find these poignant questions:

How can students create rather than regurgitate knowledge that matters to them? How can they interact meaningfully with the community around them? How can the classroom become a real community, not a contrived one in which teacher and student are performing for each other? (xi).

These questions inspire this research unit, which works to instill excitement and interest among students who dread the annual research paper. Additionally, such authentic research projects greatly reduce the possibility of plagiarism and bought papers. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, this activity creates a classroom community of learners, based on the belief that "students need to engage in multiple communities that surround them and also that those communities benefit from the energy and enthusiasm that students bring to active citizenship, where citizenship means recovering, critiquing, and actively engaging the world around them" (Winter & Robbins, xi). After completing this research project, students will realize the broader connections they have with their school and community. Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
• 7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
• 8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
• 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

• Digital cameras
• Museum Exhibit Teacher Tips
• Museum Exhibit Planner
• Museum Exhibit Project Checkpoints
• Research Group Roles
• Tips for Interviews
• Connecting Past and Present Rubric
• Connecting Past and Present Student Reflection

Preparation

• Gather enough supplies for each student, including file folders, colored paper, poster board, tri-fold displays, markers, paint, paint brushes, lettering, scissors, cardboard, glue, and tape.
• Prepare a copy of the Museum Exhibit Planner for each student.
• Prepare a copy of the Museum Exhibit Project Checkpoints sheet by writing in due dates for each step. Then reproduce a copy of this sheet for each student in the class.
• Refer to the Museum Exhibit Teacher Tips sheet for suggestions on facilitating a successful project.
• Identify local resources, such as historical societies, a local college or university, the school library, old yearbooks, parent-teacher-student organization, local clubs (i.e., Optimists, Rotary, Civitan, etc.), local citizens/historians, and family members. Become familiar with the availability of resources about different decades in your school’s history. The class will select a decade for their research and should be encouraged to select a decade for which a wide variety of resources are available.
• Gain access to and familiarize yourself with technology needed for this project, including digital cameras, a scanner, and research databases.
• Test the ReadWriteThink Printing Press and Notetaker interactives on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tools and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the Technical Support page .

Student Objectives

Students will

• discover connections between the community and themselves.
• conduct research using yearbooks, newsletters, club scrapbooks, school newspapers, etc.
• interview community members.
• identify applicable artifacts.
• organize collected artifacts.
• create museum displays.

Session One

• Have students respond to the following journal prompt: Going back in time, think about how many decades have passed here in our school, our community, our town, and our county. Pick one decade from the past 150 years (adjust this number to reflect how long the school has been in existence), and write what you would expect to find (people, cultures, buildings, etc.) at that time in history. Place yourself in that decade.
• Which decade did you write about?
• How did you describe the people, culture, and places during that time period?
• How did your response differ from those of classmates who wrote about the same decade?
• How was your response similar to those of classmates who wrote about the same decade?
• Why do you think there are differences among your classmates’ knowledge and perceptions of the same time period?
• Introduce the research project to students and explain that they will research one decade in their school’s history by gathering photos, stories, and other artifacts. As a final project, they will create a museum exhibit.
• Distribute the Museum Exhibit Project Checkpoints Sheet to students. Explain that the sheet outlines the due dates for each step of the project.
• Ask students to keep track of their progress by recording the dates they finish each step on the Checkpoints Sheet .
• Explain that after completing each step, groups will meet in with the teacher to mini-conference about their progress and review their next step.
• As a class, begin discussing which decade the class will research. Even though students should have ownership of this decision,you may need to guide them toward time periods based on your knowledge of the information available for the chosen decade (e.g., the school might have been in existence for 150 years, but that does not mean that one could find enough resources for the first decade as compared to the resources that are available for the 1960s.)
• Select a decade to research.
• In groups, choose a specific topic to research, such as sports, extracurricular activities, school alumni, etc.
• Conduct research using the Internet, archived newsletters, yearbooks, school newspapers, and community resources.
• Interview members of the community and school.
• Identify artifacts that apply to the selected decade and specific topics chosen by each group.
• Organize collected artifacts.
• Create a fun and interesting museum display by bringing the findings together.
• For homework, have students consider which decade they would like to research. Ask students to write their top two choices in their journals, and briefly explain why they think each would be a good choice for a museum display.

Session Two

• Have students share their top two choices for the project. Tally responses on the board or on a sheet of chart paper. If there is no clear favorite, students can debate their choices. This would also be a good time to offer your input regarding available resources for specific decades.
• Have the class come together to brainstorm a list of topics that should be researched and included in the class exhibit. Possible topics include sports, extracurricular activities, school alumni, a world or national event that impacted the school community, etc.
• Once students select a decade, arrange the class into groups of at least five, categorized by interests (i.e., administration, teachers, sports, clubs, and so forth).
• MANAGER—keeps group members on task; communicates with teacher; provides leadership.
• REPORTER—keeps all of the group’s records; manages paper; tracks “who’s doing what.”
• TECHIE—manages the group’s technology needs (e.g., computers, digital cameras, scanners, and other technology); knows how to use the technology or is willing and able to learn new technology as needed for this project.
• ARCHIVISTS (2)—organizes found stories, photos, and artifacts.
• RESEARCHERS—all group members participate in the research process, actively researching their topic throughout the time spent on the project.
• Have students decide on role assignments within their groups and begin sharing preliminary ideas about the research task.
• After roles are decided, each group should confirm their topic of interest for the research project.
• What group members already know about their topic
• What specific information the group wants to learn about the topic
• Five questions the group has about the topic
• The group’s plan for collecting information and artifacts
• A list of preliminary Internet and community research resources. (The teacher should circulate with suggestions, since students may not be familiar with what is available.) Possible community resources include newspaper archives, historical societies, museums, the public library, a college or university history department, etc.
• A plan for collecting, organizing, and displaying artifacts
• What work can be done in class and what work will need to be done outside of class
• Group recorders should provide the teacher with a copy of this sheet for review.
• At this stage, make sure groups have a clear and effective plan for beginning their research. Assist groups as needed and then return the sheets to group recorders for their records.

Session Three

• Have students visit the Smithsonian’s The Promise of Freedom online exhibit to get ideas for types of artifacts they could include in their museum exhibit.
• Allow time for students to become familiar with the ReadWriteThink Notetaker tool and explain that they will use the tool to take notes about their research as they work.
• Call or e-mail contacts; don’t just show up without an appointment if you wish to meet with a specific individual.
• Remember you’re representing your school as you’re conducting community research for this project. Use appropriate behavior guidelines.
• After meeting with an individual for an interview or receiving assistance from someone in the community, be sure to send a thank you note.
• Don’t take photographs or recordings unless it is expressly permitted. If you’re not sure—ask!
• Do be prompt and courteous when meeting with individuals in the community.
• Review each group’s list of possible community and Internet resources and address any concerns you have before they begin that portion of their research.

Session Four

• Before students prepare to conduct interviews, you may wish to teach a minilesson on interviewing techniques. Share the Tips for Interviews handout with the class.
• Have pairs of students role-play interview scenarios in front of the whole class or within their groups. Using the Tips for Interviews sheet, have audience members orally critique each mock interview.
• Conduct community interviews
• Interview alumni
• Conduct research at community historical societies, museums, newspaper archives, libraries, etc.
• Have students discuss any additional community resources they identify with you in advance.

Session Five

• Review students’ homework by completing the Museum Exhibit Project Checkpoints sheet and discussing your comments with each group.
• Suggest any necessary changes to students’ research and offer additional guidance as needed.
• Next, have students begin their Web research. Encourage students to visit Internet sources they have already identified, but to expand their research to additional Websites as needed.
• Remind students that they will have additional opportunities to conduct Internet research in future sessions.

Sessions Six to Eight

• Allow three to four sessions for students to complete their research and assemble their exhibits. During this time, students should have access to computers as they conduct Internet research and record their findings using the ReadWriteThink Notetaker tool. Note that students will need to print their notes each time they use the Notetaker tool, as the tool will not save students’ work. Each group’s techie should also have access to necessary technology (a scanner, digital camera, etc.).
• Be sure to review students’ work at each of the checkpoint due dates you previously recorded on the Project Checkpoints handout. It is especially important to review students’ research at several checkpoints during the project, in order to keep students accountable and identify poor/inadequate research during the process. Each group should also check in as they finish their research so that you can guide them in locating additional sources of information if necessary.
• Digital photographs of relevant location in the school or on school grounds
• Scans of archival photographs or documents
• Printouts from Internet resources
• Primary source documents including maps, posters, postcards, yearbooks, and photographs
• Objects including trophies, scrapbooks, or memorabilia
• Audio recordings of interviews or music
• Explain that exhibits do not need to contain all of these artifacts, but there should be a mix that visitors will find fun and interesting to view. A combination of sights and sounds will keep exhibit-viewers interested and engaged.
• Remind students that while the group archivist will set up the final exhibit, all group members are responsible for the display and should be involved in the design process. Students may want to browse the school museum exhibits Websites included in the Resources section for ideas for their own exhibits.
• Be sure to check in with each group before they begin assembling and organizing their artifacts. Provide feedback using the Museum Exhibit Project Checkpoints sheet.
• During these sessions, provide students with additional assistance as needed by referring to the suggestions on the Museum Exhibit Teacher Tips sheet.
• During this process, group managers should refer to the Museum Exhibit Planner to ensure that their groups are taking their original ideas into account as the project progresses.

Session Nine

• After all research is completed and artifacts are created, the group archivists should be responsible for organizing the exhibit in the location you have selected (auditorium, library, classroom, etc.). Have the archivists from all groups come together in order to create a coherent display of artifacts from all the topics researched during this project.
• When the exhibit is complete, students can create flyers to pass out to other classes in your building using the ReadWriteThink Printing Press interactive. If possible, have students bring a copy home to share with parents and include a copy of the flier in your school newspaper or newsletter.
• Have students conduct similar research on and expand their focus to their local community, or shift focus to an organization in the community such as the public library.
• Create a digital museum to post on your school’s Website. Have group techies organize a photo shoot to create digital pictures of all artifacts in the exhibit. If possible, invite tech-savvy students to participate in the creation of the Web page.
• You may wish to try a related ReadWriteThink lesson titled The Year I Was Born: An Autobiographical Research Project . In this lesson, students research what was going on internationally, nationally, locally, in sports, music, arts, commercial, TV, and publishing during the year that they were born.

Student Assessment / Reflections

• Have students reflect on their participation during this project by completing the Connecting Past and Present Student Reflection sheet. Students should reflect on their group participation, their group role, the content of their completed exhibit, and the creativity of their exhibit.
• For a more formal assessment of this project, use the Connecting Past and Present Rubric to evaluate students’ group role and participation, as well as the content and creativity of their completed exhibits.
• Calendar Activities
• Student Interactives
• Lesson Plans

After viewing some footage from the actual event, students jot down thoughts and feelings of the Little Rock Nine. Students then write a bio-poem that might have been written by one of these students on this historic day.

The interactive Printing Press is designed to assist students in creating newspapers, brochures, and flyers.

Useful for a wide variety of reading and writing activities, this outlining tool allows students to organize up to five levels of information.

Add new comment

• Print this resource

Explore Resources by Grade

• Kindergarten K

HISTORY SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT EXEMPLARS - CAPS GRADE 12 LEARNER'S GUIDE

HISTORY SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT EXEMPLARS - CAPS GRADE 12 LEARNER GUIDE

1. INTRODUCTION  Assessment is a continuous, planned process of identifying, gathering and interpreting information about the  performance of learners, using various forms of assessment. School-Based Assessment (SBA) is a purposive  collection of learners’ work that tells the story of their efforts, progress or achievement in a given area. The quality  of SBA tasks is integral to learners’ preparation for the final examinations.   This booklet serves as a resource of exemplar SBA tasks for learners who study History. SBA marks are formally  recorded for progression and certification purposes. The SBA component is compulsory for all learners. Learners  who cannot comply with the requirements specified according to the policy may not be eligible to enter for the  subject in the final National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination.  This publication comprises of several tasks that address the demands of the Grade 12 History curriculum. It  is expected that this booklet will serve as a valuable resource for Grade 12 History learners. It provides useful  information which will assist you in your preparation for the NSC examinations in History. 

2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT   The aim of this resource booklet is to assist you in your preparation for the Grade 12 examination from 2014  onwards. It contains crucial information on how to work with the prescribed content as contained in the Curriculum  and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS).   The booklet contains information on how to undertake a research assignment, work with sources and write a  coherent essay. A step-by-step approach on how to undertake a research assignment is given. The Research  Assignment forms a significant part of your SBA mark for History. Hence, you are encouraged to use these  guidelines when preparing to submit your assignments for final assessment. In addition, exemplars of source  based questions and essays are also provided. It outlines clearly the format, style and cognitive levels of questions  which learners will be required to answer in their SBA tasks in Grade 12 History.   Our objective is to help learners succeed in Grade 12 History. Therefore, you are encouraged to use this resource  booklet to sharpen your skills in History in order to achieve a good mark.

3. ASSESSMENT TASKS AS OUTLINED IN THE CAPS   The final Grade 12 mark is calculated from the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination that learners will  write (out of 300 marks) plus school-based assessment (out of 100 marks). The curriculum policy document  stipulates SEVEN formal tasks that comprise school-based assessment in History. The table below outlines the  programme of assessment that needs to be completed in your Grade 12 year. 

4. GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT  4.1 RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT: Grade 12   To ensure that there is compliance with the requirements of SBA in History, an example of how to undertake  research is given below.   Introduction  The research assignment in Grade 12 accounts for 20% of the total school-based assessment (SBA). It is, therefore,  essential that this be a significant piece of work. This assignment offers learners the opportunity to demonstrate  their skills, knowledge and understanding of History which they have acquired during the course of the FET phase.  The research assignment can be written on any section of the Grade 12 curriculum. There are, however, two  sections in the curriculum, which are not formally examined in the final Grade 12 examination: 

•   An overview of civil society protests 
•   Remembering the past: Memorials  

It is recommended that one of these topics be investigated as a research project.  Some points to consider when planning a research assignment: 

•   The choice of research topic needs to be made, taking into consideration the context of your school and the  available resources to which learners have access.  
•   This assignment provides learners with an opportunity to embark on a process of historical enquiry.  Conducting original research involves the collection, analysis, organization and evaluation of information,  and the construction of knowledge.  
•   Clear, written instructions with due dates and the assessment criteria must be given to learners at the  beginning of the school year to allow adequate time for the preparation and completion of the assignment.  
•   The progress of learners, with regard to the research assignment, must be monitored on an on-going basis.  
•   It is essential that learners submit original work. To reduce the likelihood of plagiarism, the key question or  research topic should be changed every year. 

Learners are expected to fulfil the following requirements in their research assignment: 

•  Analyse and answer the key question. 
• Identify a variety of relevant source materials to help answer the key question. 
• Select relevant examples from the source material which can be used to substantiate the line of argument.
• Organise relevant information in order to write a coherent and logical answer to the key question. 
• Write an original piece of work, using your own words.
• Correctly contextualize all sources, including Illustrations and maps, which have been included.
• Reflect upon the process of research and consider what has been learnt.  
• Include a bibliography of all the resources which have been consulted in the course of researching and  writing the assignment. 

Some suggestions of what can be done with the research assignments when they are completed: 

• The research assignments should be displayed at your school, community hall or local library. Exhibiting the  learners’ work is very important. It gives learners a sense of purpose and shows them that their ideas and  efforts are of value to their school and community. 
• Learners could give an oral presentation of their research projects to the class, grade, school or local  community. This gives learners the opportunity to speak about their research and share their ‘new-found’  knowledge. 
• Organize a class debate on the key question. 
• Hold a History evening at which learners could be given an opportunity to present their work to friends,  family and members of the community. Further, this will be an ideal platform to showcase the work of the  school’s History department in an endeavour to promote the subject History at the FET level.

ANNEXURE A: EXAMPLE OF A COVER PAGE FOR A RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT: 

STATEMENT OF AUTHENTICITY:  I hereby declare that ALL pieces of writing contained in this research assignment, are my own original  work and that if I made use of any source, I have duly acknowledged it.  

LEARNER’S SIGNATURE:____________________________________________ 

DATE:_____________________________________________________________

ANNEXURE B: AN EXAMPLE OF A MONITORING LOG 

Teacher’s name:_______________________ 

Teacher’s signature:___________________ 

Learner’s signature:____________________ 

ANNEXURE C: LIST OF SUGGESTED RESOURCES WITH A SYNOPSIS  (IN ITALICS)  BOOKS:  Berger, I ., Threads of solidarity: Women in South African industry, (Indiana University Press, 1991) . This book details women’s changing place in formal and casual work. It explores the relationship between  women across the colour lines as workers and members of trade unions.  Bernstein, H. , For their triumphs and for their tears. Women in Apartheid South Africa. (IDAF, 1985 ).  This booklet gives a great deal of very useful information about how women lived, worked, struggled and  survived in apartheid South Africa.   Bozzoli, B. with Nkotsoe, M., Women of Phokeng (Ravan Press, 1991) .  This book traces the life histories and experiences of 22 black women from the small town of Phokeng.   Cock, J., Colonels and cadres. War and gender in South Africa, (OUP, 1991 ).  This book contains interviews with women who served in both the SADF and MK and analyses their experiences.  Cock, J., Maids and madams . A study in the politics of exploitation , (Ravan Press, 1989). An investigation into experiences of women domestic workers during apartheid.  Du Preez Bezdrob, A.M. Winnie Mandela a life. (Paarl: Paarl Printers. 2003).  Gordon, S., A talent for tomorrow. Life stories of South African servants (Ravan Press, 1985). A book that contains the life stories of 23 people, most of whom are women, who worked as domestic labourers  under aparthei d.   Human, M.; Mutloatse, M. & Masiza, J. The Women’s Freedom March of 1956. (Pan McMillan (Pty Ltd), 2006). Luthuli, A. , Let my people go, The Autobiography of Albert Luthuli. (Paarl Printers, 2006).  Mashinini, E., Strikes have followed me all my life (The Women’s Press, 1989).  The autobiography of Emma Mashinini who was secretary of one of South Africa’s biggest black Trade Unions,  the CCAWUSA (the Shop and Distributive Workers’ Union).  Naidoo, P. , Footprints in Grey Street. (Ocean Jetty Publishing, 2002). Platzky, L. & Walker, C., The surplus people. Forced removal in South Africa (Ravan Press, 1985). The creation of racially separate areas was the cornerstone of apartheid policy. The majority of people who were  forcibly removed in order to create this artificial separation were women and children. This book documents their  experiences and their struggle to survive.  Vahed, G. & Waetjen,T., Gender modernity and Indian delights. The Women’s Cultural Group of Durban 1954- 2010 (HSRC, 2010).  Part social history part biography, this book shows how the women in the Durban Cultural Group creating an  identity for themselves in the context of apartheid.  Walker, C . , Women and gender in Southern Africa to 1945. (New Africa Books, 1990). Gives valuable background information about the experience of women in South Africa. It sets the scene for a  discussion of the 1950s–1970s.  Walker, C ., Women and resistance in South Africa. (Onyx Press, 1991).  This remains the most detailed historical account of women’s resistance during apartheid. Walker has chapters  on the Federation of South African Women, Anti-Pass protests, the Women’s Charter of 1954, among others.  South African History Online, ‘ For freedom and equality’, Celebrating women in South African history (DBE, no  date).   This booklet contains information about women’s involvement in the liberation struggle. There are a number of  biographical profiles of great South African women. I t can be downloaded from the South African History Online  website at: http://www.sahistory.org.za/aids-resources/freedom-and-equality-celebrating-women-south-african history-booklet  Malibongwe Igama Lamakhosikama. Praise be to women. Remembering the role of women in South Africa  through dialogue (Nelson Mandela Foundation, 2007).  The text in this booklet is the edited version of the Malibingwe Dialogue which took place on 30 May 2007 at the  Nelson Mandela Foundation.  It can be downloaded from the following website:  http://www.nelsonmandela.org/uploads/files/Malibongwe_WEB.pdf  

WEBSITES:  www.blacksash.org.za  Full digital texts of the Black Sash publication Sash is available from 1960-1990.  http://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/womens-struggle-1900-1994   South African History Online. This site has a wide range of information about women’s struggles in South Africa  1900-1994.  http://www.anc.org.za/themes.php?t=Women`s%20Struggles   This site, maintained by the ANC, has documents concerning women in the liberation struggle

ORAL INTERVIEWS  There is a saying in Mozambique that ‘our old people are our libraries’. If you are living in an area where it is difficult  to access the Internet, or do not have a local library, then remember that the people living in your community have  a wealth of information in their memories. You may consider conducting interviews with women and men in your  community and recording their stories as evidence to answer your key question.

ANNEXURE D: EXAMPLE OF A TEMPLATE FOR NOTE-TAKING DURING RESEARCH

ANNEXURE E: GUIDELINES ON HOW TO WRITE A BIBLIOGRAPHY 

• For a book: Author (last name, initials). Title of book (Publishers, Date of publication). Example: Dahl, R. The BFG . (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1982).
• For an encyclopaedia:  Encyclopaedia Title , Edition Date. Volume Number, ‘Article Title’, page numbers. Example: Encyclopaedia Britannica . 1997. Volume 7, ‘Gorillas’, pp. 50-51.
• For a magazine:  Author (last name first), ‘Article Title’. Name of magazine . Volume number, (Date): page numbers. Example: Jordan, Jennifer, ‘Filming at the top of the World’. Museum of Science Magazine . Volume 47, No 1,  (Winter 1998): p 11.
• For a newspaper:  Author (last name first), ‘Article Title’. Name of Newspaper. City, state publication. (Date): edition if  available, section, page number(s). Example: Powers, Ann, ‘New Tune for the Material Girl’. The New York Times . New York, NY. (3/1/98): Atlantic  Region, Section 2, p 34.
• For a person:  Full name (last name first). Occupation, date of interview. Example: Smeckleburg, Sweets. Bus Driver. 1 April 1996.
• For a film:  Title , Director, Distributor, Year. Example: Braveheart , Director Mel Gibson, Icon Productions, 1995. 

4.2 SOURCE- BASED QUESTIONS  QUESTION 1  WHY DID SOUTH AFRICA BECOME INVOLVED IN THE ANGOLAN CIVIL WAR IN THE 1980s? SOURCE 1A 

SOURCE 1C  This is part of an interview that was conducted with the former South African Prime Minister, BJ Vorster, by  Clarence Rhodes of UPITN-TV (United Press International Television News) on 13 February 1976.  

The following is a transcript of a news bulletin that was presented by the South African Broadcasting Corporation  (SABC) on 10 August 1982. 

*Barbarian: a negative word used by the apartheid regime to refer to activists from the liberation  movements which operated in exile.  ** Terrorist: a word used by the apartheid regime to refer to freedom fighters. 

SOURCE 2B  The following extract focuses on the assassination of anti-apartheid activist and attorney, Griffiths Mxenge, on 20  November 1981.  

SOURCE 2C  The following statement was issued by the Amnesty Committee of the TRC. It focuses on the reasons for the  granting of amnesty to Dirk Coetzee, Almond Nofemela and David Tshikilange for the murder of Griffiths Mxenge. 

SOURCE 2D  The following report by the South African Press Association (SAPA) outlines the reasons for the Mxenge family’s  opposition to the process of amnesty. 

SOURCE 2E  The following is part of an interview that Shaun de Waal, reporter from the Mail and Guardian, conducted with  Mahmood Mamdani about South Africa’s TRC process. Mamdani is an African academic and current director of  the Makerere Institute of Social Research. 

QUESTION 3  WHAT IMPACT DID GLOBALISATION HAVE ON THE NEW WORLD ORDER? SOURCE 3A  The following extract focuses on the phenomenon of globalisation.  

SOURCE 3D  The following article by Prabhakar Pillai is entitled ‘The Negative Effects of Globalisation’. It focuses on his views  about globalisation. 

1.1.1 Which organisation did the apartheid government support during the Angolan civil war? (1 x 1) (1)  1.1.2 List FOUR Angolan economic installations that were targeted by the South African Defence Force.  (4 x 1) (4)  1.1.3 Using the information in the source, explain THREE reasons why the apartheid government felt  threatened by the MPLA leadership in Angola. (3 x 2) (6)  1.1.4 In the context of the Angolan civil war, explain why the MPLA requested assistance from Cuba  and the USSR. (1 x 3) (3) 

1.2 Study Source 1B. 

1.2.1 What message does the cartoon convey regarding the Soviet Union’s support for the MPLA in  Angola? Explain your answer using the visual clues in the cartoon. (2 x 2) (4)  1.2.2 Explain to what extent this cartoon may be regarded as biased. (2 x 2) (4)

1.3 Consult Source 1C. 

1.3.1 According to Kaunda, which TWO communist countries supported the MPLA? (2 x 1) (2) 1.3.2 Define the term communism in your own words. (1 x 2) (2)  1.3.3 Explain why Prime Minister Vorster did not consider Angola as ‘an independent black African  country’. (2 x 2) (4)  1.3.4 Comment on Prime Minister Vorster’s reference to the word ‘communists’ in the context of the  Angolan civil war. (1 x 2) (2) 

1.4 Use Source 1D. 

1.4.1 Quote TWO negative words that were used to describe the South West Africa People’s Organisation  (SWAPO) on the SABC news bulletin. (2 x 1) (2)  1.4.2 How did the SABC justify the deaths of the 15 SADF airmen and soldiers who were killed in  Angola? (2 x 2) (4)  1.4.3 Explain to what extent the information in Source 1D would be useful for a historian researching  the use of propaganda during South Africa’s participation in the Angolan civil war. Use relevant  examples from the source to support your answer. (2 x 2) (4) 

1.5 Use the information in the relevant sources and your own knowledge, to write a paragraph of about 8 lines  (about 80 words) explaining why South Africa became involved in the Angolan civil war. (8) 

QUESTION 2  HOW SUCCESSFUL WAS THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION (TRC) IN HEALING OUR  PAST?  Study Sources 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D to answer the questions that follow.  2.1 Study Source 2A. 

2.1.1 When and where was South Africa’s first TRC hearing held? (2 x 1) (2) 2.1.2 Define the concept reconciliation in your own words. (1 x 2) (2)  2.1.3 Explain why the TRC chose to use the slogan ‘Healing Our Past’ during its hearings, as shown in  the photograph. (1 x 2) (2)  2.1.4 Comment on why you think the TRC was considered to be a significant event in South Africa’s  history. (1 x 3) (3)  

2.2 Consult Source 2B. 

2.2.1 Name the THREE apartheid operatives who were charged with the murder of Griffiths Mxenge.   (3 x 1) (3)   2.2.2 How, according to Nofemela, was Griffiths Mxenge murdered? (2 x 2) (4)   2.2.3 Why, do you think, were the three apartheid operatives found guilty of the killing of Mxenge but  not sentenced? Support your answer with relevant evidence. (2 x 2) (4) 

2.3 Use Source 2C. 

2.3.1 Explain why the THREE apartheid operatives were granted amnesty. (1 x 2) (2)  2.3.2 ‘It will not be necessary for the trial court to proceed with the question of sentence.’ Why, do you  think, was this statement made? (1 x 2) (2) 

2.4 Refer to Sources 2B and 2C. Explain to what extent an historian would consider the information in Sources  2B and 2C useful when writing about the granting of amnesty to those responsible for the death of Griffith’s  Mxenge. (2 x 2) (4) 2.5 Read Source 2D. 

2.5.1 How did Griffiths Mxenge’s family react to the application for amnesty of the three apartheid  operatives? (1 x 2) (2)  2.5.2 Explain why the Mxenge family responded in this manner to the granting of amnesty to the three  apartheid operatives. (2 x 2) (4) 

2.6 Consult Source 2E. 

2.6.1 How does Mamdani view the manner in which the TRC dealt with the victims of apartheid?   (1 x 2) (2)  2.6.2 Mamdani suggests that the TRC process was flawed. What change did he propose that might  have made the TRC more successful in its attempt to ‘heal’ the past? (1 x 2) (2)  2.6.3 Comment on the meaning of Mamdani’s statement: ‘The TRC was only interested in, ‘Did you give  the orders in this case, that case?’ ‘ (2 x 2) (4)   2.7 Use the information in the relevant sources and your own knowledge, to write a paragraph of about 8 lines  (about 80 words), explaining to what extent the TRC was successful in healing our past. (8) 

QUESTION 3  WHAT IMPACT DID GLOBALISATION HAVE ON THE NEW WORLD ORDER?  Study sources 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D and 3E and answer the questions that follow.  3.1 Use Source 3A. 

3.1.1 Define the term globalisation in your own words. (1 x 2) (2)  3.1.2 Quote the TWO types of integration mentioned in the source in the context of globalisation.  (2 x 1) (2)   3.1.3 According to the information in the source, what might be the negative effects of removing tariffs  on the economies of developing countries situated on the African continent? (2 x 2) (4) 

3.2 Study Source 3B. 

3.2.1 Using the information in the source, identify THREE features of globalisation. (3 x 1) (3)  3.2.2 Explain whether you think these changes (as identified in QUESTION 3.2.1) have had a positive  or a negative impact on the various countries of the world. Support your answer with relevant  evidence. (3 x 2) (6) 

3.3 Refer to Source 3C. 

3.3.1 According to the information in the source, why did an increasing number of people favour  economic globalisation? (1 x 2) (2)  3.3.2 Quote any TWO positive aspects that the global survey revealed about globalisation. (2 x 1) (2)  3.3.3 As a historian, explain the limitations of using this source when researching the effects of  globalisation. (1 x 3) (3) 

3.4 Consult Source 3D. 

3.4.1 Identify FOUR negative effects of globalisation. (4 x 1) (4)  3.4.2 Explain how globalisation contributed to the negative effects (as identified in QUESTION 3.4.1).  Support your answer with a valid reason. (1 x 2) (2) 

3.5 Refer to Sources 3C and 3D. Explain how the information in these sources would be useful to a historian  studying globalisation. (2 x 2) (4)  3.6 Refer to Source 3E. 

3.6.1 What TWO factors, do you think, prompted activists to embark on protest action? (2 x 1) (2)  3.6.2 Comment on the significance of the words, ‘Global Injustice’, as shown on the banner, in the  context of globalisation. (1 x 2) (2)  

3.7 Consult Source 3D and Source 3E and explain how the information in these sources support each other  regarding the negative effects of globalisation. (2 x 2) (4)   3.8 Use the information from the relevant sources and your own knowledge, to write a paragraph of about  8 lines (about 80 words), explaining how globalisation has created a new world order from 1989 to the  present. (8) 

6. ASSESSMENT TASKS: ESSAY QUESTIONS  1. TOPIC 1: CHINA OR VIETNAM  QUESTION 1A: CHINA  Discuss to what extent Mao transformed China from an underdeveloped country to a super power between 1949  and 1976. [50]  QUESTION 1B: VIETNAM  ‘ ... All the military might of a superpower could not defeat a small nation of peasants.’  Critically discuss this statement in the light of United States of America’s involvement in Vietnam between 1965 and  1975. Use relevant examples to support your answer. [50]   2. TOPIC 2: INDEPENDENT AFRICA   QUESTION 2: CONGO AND TANZANIA  Write a comparative essay on the political successes and challenges that post-colonial leaders of both the Congo and  Tanzania faced between the 1960s and the 1980s. [50]  3. TOPIC 4: CIVIL RESISTANCE IN SOUTH AFRICA: 1970S TO 1980S   QUESTION: 4: THE CRISIS OF APARTHEID IN THE 1980S  Explain how internal mass civic resistance and international pressure contributed to the demise (fall) of the  apartheid regime in the 1980s. [50] 

4. TOPIC 5: THE COMING OF DEMOCRACY IN SOUTH AFRICA AND THE COMING  TO TERMS WITH THE PAST   QUESTION: 5: THE NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT AND THE GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY Allister Sparks argues that the process of negotiation ‘was always a crisis-driven process’.  Critically assess Allister Spark’s statement with reference to the process of negotiation in South Africa between  1990 and 1994. [50]

5. BIBLIOGRAPHY  Visual sources and other historical evidence were taken from the following: 

BOOKS:   Angier, K. (et al), Viva History Grade 12 : Learner’s Book. (Johannesburg: Vivlia, 2013).  Frederikse, J. South Africa: A different kind of war. (London: James Currey, 1987).  Hanlon, J . Beggar your neighbours: Apartheid power in Southern Africa. (London: James Currey, 1986). Pillay, G. (et al), New Generation History Grade 12: Learner’s book. (Durban: Interpak Printers, 2013).

INTERNET SITES:  http://www.cartoons.ac.uk/search/cartoon_item/angola.    http://www.sahistory.org.za/archive/interview-south-african-prime-minister-mr-b-j-vorster-mr-clarence-rhodes upitn-tv-13-february.   http://qu301southafrica.com/tag/recon.    www.justice.gov.za/trc/report/ .  www.info.gov.za/speeches/1997/08050w13297.html.   www.justice.gov.za/trc/media/1996/9611/s961105h.html.   http://hubpages.com/hub/Definition-of-Globalization.    http://globalisation.pen.io.    www.globescan.com/news_archives/press_inside.htm.   http://www.buzzle.com/articles/negative-effects-of-globalization.html.    http://content.lib.washington.edu/wtoweb/images/wto-protest.jpg.  

Related items

• Mathematics Grade 12 Investigation 2023 Term 1
• HISTORY PAPER 2 GRADE 12 ADDENDUM - NSC PAST PAPERS AND MEMOS JUNE 2022
• TECHNICAL SCIENCES PAPER 2 GRADE 12 QUESTIONS - NSC PAST PAPERS AND MEMOS JUNE 2022
• TECHNICAL SCIENCES PAPER 1 GRADE 12 QUESTIONS - NSC PAST PAPERS AND MEMOS JUNE 2022
• MATHEMATICS LITERACY PAPER 2 GRADE 12 MEMORANDUM - NSC PAST PAPERS AND MEMOS JUNE 2022

All Formats

Resource types, all resource types.

• Rating Count
• Price (Ascending)
• Price (Descending)
• Most Recent

12th grade U.S. History projects

U.S. History 2000's Compare/Contrast Bush & Obama Presidency Essay or Poster

Lewis and Clark Expedition Passage 2 Versions W/ Comprehension Print & Go

Intro to U.S. Geography Unit for 5th-7th Grade (2 weeks) PDF, PPT, Google Apps!

5th Grade Social Studies TEKS Unit 10 | WW1, WW2, Great Depression, and MORE!!

Economics Full Curriculum Bundle - Full Semester - Google Drive Access

Sociology and Psychology Double Bundle (Content for 2 Full Courses!)

AP Literature Exam Review Teacher Toolkit

Credit Card Stations and Research Activity

Civil War Battles Digital Research Project & Presentation|Distance Learning

• Google Apps™

The Sinking of the Lusitania: Solve the WWI Mystery w Primary Source Analysis!

• Easel Activity

Stock Market Simulation Project

History Crime Scene Investigation: Abraham Lincoln Assassination CSI

US History & APUSH End of Year Project: History Yearbook - Digital or Print

• Google Drive™ folder

Project: The Bill of Rights (distance learning option included)

Political Parties | Campaign Simulation Running for President

Historical Podcast Students Create a History Based Mini Podcast

Decades Project- U.S. History

APUSH Period 4 Full Unit Scrapbook Project Based Learning - Digital + Print

• Google Docs™

Project Guidelines: The Bill of Rights

Quilt Codes of the Underground Railroad

Andrew Jackson Fight Card Poster Project

Landmark Supreme Court Cases that ROCKED Our World! Research Project

#Activism Research Project: Perfect for Social Justice/Informational Text Unit

APUSH End of Year Activity Bundle - Fun US History Projects - AP® US History

3 Branches of Government Inquiry Unit with Activities Projects & DBQ

Bill of Rights Activity Student-Created Gallery Walk for US Constitution

The Great Gatsby or Roaring 1920s Research and Multimedia Project (Roarin 20s)

Civil Rights & Social Protest MOVEMENTS Museum Exhibit Project -Print & Digital

Holocaust - Unit (Projects, Source Analysis, Movie Guide, Webquest, etc.)

Pop Art Shoes (Andy Warhol) Art Project & Presentation

Cold War Simulation U.S. History Interactive Group Activity High-level Learning

• Word Document File

Avatar - Movie Guide Questions, Assignments, Key (Colonialism/Environmentalism)

• We're hiring
• Help & FAQ
• Privacy policy
• Student privacy
• Terms of service
• Tell us what you think

• Our Mission

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.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

Gr. 12 History T2 Revision Pack

History Revision resource for Paper 2 content covered in Term 2.

Do you have an educational app, video, ebook, course or eResource?

Contribute to the Western Cape Education Department's ePortal to make a difference.

Home Contact us Terms of Use Privacy Policy Western Cape Government © 2024. All rights reserved.

You are using an outdated browser and it's not supported. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

• LOGIN FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
• PROGRAM SUPPORT

Student Research Plan

Description.

There may be cases when our downloadable resources contain hyperlinks to other websites. These hyperlinks lead to websites published or operated by third parties. UnboundEd and EngageNY are not responsible for the content, availability, or privacy policies of these websites.

• Grade 12 Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 15
• Grade 12 Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 15 - Specific Inquiry Questions Checklist
• Grade 12 Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 15 - Student Research Plan Handout
• Grade 12 Module 3, Unit 1 - Guns Germs And Steel

Related Guides and Multimedia

Our professional learning resources include teaching guides, videos, and podcasts that build educators' knowledge of content related to the standards and their application in the classroom.

There are no related guides or videos. To see all our guides, please visit the Enhance Instruction section here .

Join my VIP teacher email club!

“Research Project” – The term that makes students groan! It doesn’t have to be that way, friends! Research skills have been part of my curriculum standards for as long as I’ve been a teacher, but honestly, for years, I just let the librarian handle that aspect of my students’ education. I didn’t want to mess with the notes, reports, and works cited pages. Thankfully, I changed my attitude and looked into how I could make research projects engaging, interesting, and history-based.

The research project I created is called “Expert Historians.” This project consists of three parts:

Finding Reliable Sources and Taking Notes

• Composing a One-Page Written Report
• Presentation

Let’s get started! The notes that students take will provide all of the information needed to complete the research project. I required students to use three sources for their notes. I taught about reliable sources, how to cite sources, and how to take notes before I asked students to complete their notes. We used books, encyclopedias, and internet sources for students’ notes. I had students do all of their research at school so that I could be there to supervise and provide assistance. Also, I wanted to keep the pages in my room so that they weren’t lost.

Written Report

The first time I led my students in completing this research project, I thought the written report would be a monster to get done. It really wasn’t! I created an example using Benedict Arnold. I showed students how to use their notes pages to write the written report. We talked about chronological order and necessary vs. unnecessary details. We also discussed plagiarism and how to avoid it. I required single page written reports so that students could have some practice deciding what information was most important. Also, it’s much less time consuming for me to grade single page reports.

Preparing for Students’ Presentations

Have you seen the Pinterest posts in which students have dressed up as the historical figures they researched? I have always LOVED this idea. However, I face the reality of working in a high-poverty school. Very few of my students would be able to afford costumes and accessories. So, I came up with an alternative for students’ presentations. They brought in three tangible items that help tell the story of their historical figure’s life. These items could be easily obtained at home or school. For example, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, so students who researched his life could use a pen as one of their tangible items. He was a violin player and knew how to write sheet music, so students could use a page of sheet music as one of their tangible items. During the presentations, students tell the story of their historical figure’s life and explain how the three tangible items relate to the historical figure.

This presentation is fabulous for shy kids who would be terrified to present in front of a class. On the flip side, this type of presentation is great for outgoing kids because they will be able to tell about their historical person multiple times. Here’s how it works: Students sit at their assigned tables with their sign taped to the front of the table. They are to arrange their tangible items on the table so that they are fully visible to visitors. Students will tell the story of their historical figure’s life to visitors, using their tangible items.

Presentations

Be sure to send out parent invitations at least 2 weeks in advance.

When deciding where to hold the presentations, remember that students need table space to present their tangible items. You will want to enlist the help of your co-teachers so that you can grade the presentations easily. I recommend walking around with clipboards and grading with the rubrics during the presentation so that you will not have much to do after the presentations are over.

If you are interested, I placed all of the printables for this research project into one file. I also included rubrics, teaching pages, the student example, and detailed teacher notes in this product. Just click on the image below to view this on TPT:

Hi Jenifer……, Where do you teach in Oklahoma?? I always enjoy your updates and all of your items. Thank you very much.

You are so welcome, Robin! I’m right outside of Oklahoma City 🙂

I wish this blog had posted two weeks earlier!! I just finished writing reports and drawing portraits with my first two classes. I will start with the other two classes tomorrow. I am purchasing your packet to help me with citing sources as I am terrible with that! In the past, we would present them in a wax museum. As we do not have time for those this year, I will make copies of them all and bind them into books for those students in each class.

Thank you for sharing, Denise!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

You may also enjoy...

End-of-the-Year Social Studies Activity

5 Tips for Establishing Procedures in the Upper Elementary Classroom

Teaching Current Events in Upper Elementary

My Favorite “Student-Led” Open House Activity

Five Paragraph Essays – How to Teach & Grade

5th Grade Classroom Management Quick Start Guide

What can i help you teach, find it here, let's connect, i'd love to connect with you.

Enter your first name and email address to join my exclusive VIP email club.

Copyright © 2020  | Thrive in Grade Five | All Rights Reserved

Quick Links

Grade 12 Geography

Geography grade 12 research tasks (topics) and memos (sba).

Geography Grade 12 Research Tasks (Topics) and Memos for: term 1, Term 2, Term 3 and Term 4

Assessment is a continuous planned process of identifying, gathering and interpreting information about the performance of learners, using various forms of assessment. It involves four steps: generating and collecting evidence of achievement; evaluating this evidence; recording the findings and using this information to understand and assist with the learners’ development to improve the process of learning and teaching. Assessment should be both informal (assessment for learning) and formal (assessment of learning). In both cases regular feedback should be provided to learners to enhance the learning experience.

School-based assessment (SBA) is a purposive collection of learners’ work that tells the story of learners’ efforts, progress or achievement in given areas. The quality of SBA tasks is integral to learners’ preparation for the final examinations.

This booklet serves as a resource of four exemplar SBA tasks to schools and subject teachers of Geography. SBA marks are formally recorded by the teacher for progression and certification purposes. The SBA component is compulsory for all learners. Learners who cannot comply with the requirements specified according to the policy may not be eligible to enter for the subject in the final examination.

The formal assessment tasks provide the teacher with a systematic way of evaluating how well learners are progressing. This publication includes tests, a project and a case study. Formal assessment tasks form part of a year-long formal programme of assessment. These tasks should not be taken lightly and learners should be encouraged to submit their best possible efforts for final assessment.

The teachers are expected to ensure that assessment tasks are relevant to and suitable for the learners being taught. Teachers should adapt the tasks to suit learners’ level of understanding and should be context-bound; however, they should also take cognisance of the requirements as set out in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document.

• 1 What Skills are Assessed for Research Tasks in Grade 12
• 2.0.1 Guideline: Geography Grade 12 Research Tasks
• 2.1 Geography Research Project Topics for Grade 12 South Africa
• 3 Step 2: Background information about an area of study
• 4 Step 3: Mapping
• 5 Step 4: Methods of data collection
• 6 Step 5: Analysis and synthesis of data
• 7 Step 6: Recommendations and possible solutions
• 8 Step 7: Conclusion – accept or reject the hypothesis
• 9 Step 8: Bibliography
• 10 More Geography Grade 12 Resources
• 11 Mid Latitude Cyclones Notes Grade 12
• 12 Geography Grade 12 2019 Exam Papers and Memos
• 13 Geography Grade 12 2020 Past Papers and Memos
• 14 Geography Grade 12 Research Tasks (Topics) and Memos (SBA)
• 15 Grade 12 Geography Exam Papers and Memos for 2019 September and November
• 16 Geography Mind the Gap study guide: Grade 12 Download

What Skills are Assessed for Research Tasks in Grade 12

The following skills are assessed. Some/All of these skills may be tested in any external examination:

• Gathering data
• Interpreting data
• Analysing data
• Comparing different sets of data
• Representing data in written, graphic or mapped format
• Problem-solving
• Drawing conclusions
• Hypothesis statements

Research framework for assessment (Guideline on administration of research task)

Step 1: Formulating a hypothesis/problem statement.

Guideline: geography grade 12 research tasks.

Step 1: Formulating a hypothesis/problem statement. As Geographers we seek to understand and explain the interactions amongst humans, and between humans and the environment in space and time. This is achieved by asking questions or making informed geographical decisions. This entails the development of a hypothesis or a problem statement to be tested.

• You have to choose a specific area of study where a geographical problem exists.
• During this stage, a geographical question showing a problem is asked.
• Identify the problem from a local area.
• Formulate a hypothesis or a problem statement. (Hypothesis research is used to prove that certain variables are dependent on or independent of each other. Problem statement research is only to highlight that a specific problem exists in a specific community.)
• You should then follow the steps of research to ensure that the geographical question is answered.

Geography Research Project Topics for Grade 12 South Africa

• The value of property along north-facing slopes is higher than the value of property along south-facing slopes in Meyersdal, Gauteng (choose local area).
• The cause of rural-urban migration in Ndwedwe, KwaZulu-Natal (choose local area), is the lack of service delivery in the health sector.
• Climate change will impact negatively on grape farming and related industries in the Western Cape.
• The closing down of many primary schools in Lusikisiki (Eastern Cape) (choose a local area) is due to a decline of the population in the age group 7 to 15 years.
• The poor condition of roads (specify the names of the roads) leading to/in Harrismith, Free State (choose local area), is due to the lack of proper planning by the local municipality.
• The impact of building a dam along the Jukskei River in Gauteng (choose local area) upstream of Alexandra will reduce flooding and the subsequent loss of life in Alexandra.
• The e-toll system will impact negatively on the economic position of people using private transport in Gauteng.
• The e-toll system will impact positively on traffic flow to the major urban centres in Gauteng.
• Informal settlements in the Vhembe district of Limpopo have low levels of development due to the lack of provision of basic needs (choose ONE informal settlement in your local area.)
• Overcrowding of informal settlements is due to the lack of proper planning by the local government (choose local area).

Step 2: Background information about an area of study

• You must explain where in South Africa the study area is located. (This can be indicated on the map.)
• Describe the study area in terms of its exact position (degrees, minutes and seconds).
• Provide relevant information about the area, for example population of the area or climate of the area.

Step 3: Mapping

• You must provide a map of the area in question.
• During this stage you must create a buffer zone around the area where the geographical problem exists.
• The map should have a clear legend/key and must be drawn to scale. The scale must be indicated on the map.
• If the map used covers a wider area, buffer zones around the area of study should be created.
• The map used should be the most recent map of the study area

Step 4: Methods of data collection

(a) PRIMARY DATA SOURCES

• The use of questionnaires
• Observations
• Field trips

(b) SECONDARY DATA SOURCES

• Newspaper articles
• Government department statistics

Step 5: Analysis and synthesis of data

• Learners must use collected data now to formulate a discussion around the existing geographical problem. • At this stage learners should represent some of the information graphically where necessary, for example graphs and sketches. • Learners must analyse graphic information during this stage.

Step 6: Recommendations and possible solutions

• Learners should now make recommendations to solve the geographical problem in question. • Learners should present their original and realistic opinions as far as they possibly can.

Step 7: Conclusion – accept or reject the hypothesis

• Learners should now take a decision to either ACCEPT or REJECT the hypothesis.
• Learners must give reasons for either ACCEPTING or REJECTING the hypothesis

Step 8: Bibliography

• Learners must include a comprehensive bibliography.
• Learners must list websites in full.
• Learners must include annexures of questionnaires and interviews conducted

More Geography Grade 12 Resources

• Geography 2020 Past Papers
• Geography 2019 Past Papers

Grade 12 Geography Exam Papers and Memos for 2019 September and November

• Geography Grade 12 Research Tasks (Topics) and Memos

Mid Latitude Cyclones Notes Grade 12

• March 24, 2021

Geography Grade 12 2019 Exam Papers and Memos

• February 28, 2021

Geography Grade 12 2020 Past Papers and Memos

• February 22, 2021

• September 29, 2020

Geography Mind the Gap study guide: Grade 12 Download

• August 17, 2020

Read All Posts

Geography Grade 12 2020 Past Papers and Memos for study revision

You may like

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Download Geography Grade 12 September 2020 Past Papers and Memos

Geography Grade 12 September 2020 Past Papers and Memos paper 1 and paper 2 pdf download

List of Geography Grade 12 September 2020 Past Papers and Memos

Geography grade 10, main reasons why is south africa regarded as a developing country.

Reasons why is South Africa regarded as a developing country: South Africa has a great economic infrastructure and natural resources that characterize its economy. In South Africa, there is outstanding progress in the field of industry and manufacturing. South Africa, however, is still characterised as a developing country and not a developed country.

• 0.1 6 Characteristics of a Developed Country
• 0.2 5 Reasons why is South Africa regarded as a developing country

6 Characteristics of a Developed Country

1. Has a high income per capita.  Developed countries have high per capita incomes each year. By having a high income per capita, the country’s economic value will be boosted. Therefore, the amount of poverty can be overcome.

2. Security Is Guaranteed.  The level of security of developed countries is more secure compared to developing countries. This is also a side effect of sophisticated technology in developed countries. With the sophisticated technology, security facilities and weapons technology also develop for the better.

3. Guaranteed Health.  In addition to ensuring security, health in a developed country is also guaranteed. This is characterized by a variety of adequate health facilities, such as hospitals and medical staff who are trained and reliable.

4. Low unemployment rate.  In developed countries, the unemployment rate is relatively small because every citizen can get a job and work.

5. Mastering Science and Technology.  The inhabitants of developed countries tend to have mastered science and technology from which new useful products such as the industrial pendant lights were introduced to the market. Therefore, in their daily lives, they have also used sophisticated technology and modern tools to facilitate their daily lives.

6. The level of exports is higher than imports.  The level of exports in developed countries is higher than the level of imports because of the superior human resources and technology possessed.

5 Reasons why is South Africa regarded as a developing country

1. South Africa has a low Income per year.  Annual income in developing countries is not as high as in developed countries due to the high unemployment rate.

2. In South Africa, security is not guaranteed.  Unlike in developed countries, security in developing countries is still very minimal and inappropriate. Therefore, crime rates in developed countries such as South Africa tend to be relatively high.

3. South Africa has a fast-growing population . According to the World Population Review , South Africa’s population will continue to grow until 2082, reaching just over 80 million people before plateauing and slightly declining the rest of the century. South Africa’s population growth rate is currently 1.28% per year. Developing countries have a very large average population compared to developed countries because of uncontrolled population development. This is also a result of the lack of education and health facilities.

4. The unemployment rate in South Africa is high.  South Africa has an unemployment rate of 34.4% in the second quarter  of 2021. In developing countries, the unemployment rate is still relatively high because the available job vacancies are not evenly distributed. In addition, the level of uneven education is also one of the factors causing the large unemployment rate.

5. Imports are higher than exports.  Due to the low management of natural resources and human resources in developing countries, developing countries more often buy goods from abroad. To eliminate the barriers of being a developed country, South Africa must reduce imports and must refine and develop its agricultural sector.

Characteristics of Developed and Developing Countries

Why_is_South_Africa_Still_a_Developing_Country

Geography Grade 12 November 2020 Question Papers and for study revision

Geography Grade 12 November 2020 Question Papers and Memos pdf download

List of Geography Grade 12 November 2020 Question Papers and Memos

Describe how Ubuntu fight social challenges

Physical Science Grade 12 Notes pdf for study revision

Diane tsa Setswana le ditlhaloso: downloadable pdf

Grade 8 ems Exam Questions and Answers

91 Unique English Speech Topics for Grade 11 | Class 11: Education Resource

Popular Sesotho Idioms: Maele a Sesotho le Ditlhaloso – English Translations

My Name Poem by Magoleng wa Selepe: Questions and Answers

Life Sciences Practical Tasks Grade 11 SBA for all Terms: Education Resource