Getting teens excited about any subject can be hard. However, not impossible! Check out Great Ways to Get Teens Excited About History

Great Ways to Get Teens Excited about History

 Teens and adults alike assume that learning history is a boring task. However, there are some innovative methods to teaching that can engage even the most uninterested students. So if you want to know more about that, keep on reading!      

1. Research

  Teens today are overwhelmed with information coming from various sources. Thus, it is very important that they understand how to become critical thinkers by analyzing and synthesizing the data to produce something meaningful. One way to do this is by guiding students through a research process, where they will be able to choose a topic of their interest.  Asking teens why it matters if they learn certain facts about history can also help them see value in what they are doing and become more active participants in the learning process. For example, there are 30 million Irish-Americans in the US. Now, some teens can even be Irish without knowing it, because simply they didn’t care to learn more about their family and the culture. Research prevents this and, at the same time, it makes learning fun.      

2. Museums

  Since the most effective way to understand and remember information is by making strong connections, field trips are probably one of the best ways to do it. There are numerous museums in every city that can provide a lot of beneficial information. Not only will teens explore the exhibits and artifacts, but also they will learn interesting details about history while having fun at the same time.  In some cases, visiting museums together with friends from other classes enables even more creativity and curiosity. Teens get excited when they hear how real people lived in a certain era or discover similar stories happening currently. Additionally, they might want to know what kind of jobs existed back then and if their future profession is going to be among them.      

3. Theater

  The theater is another way to not only learn, but also have fun. It is a combination of acting and communication skills that provides numerous benefits for teens. One example is an interactive theater game where students are grouped into pairs and assigned roles of two kids who just arrived at Ellis Island in the early 1900s. They will be able to learn much about US immigrant history through conversations with museum visitors, receiving various tasks to make their experience as real as possible. Watching plays based on historical events or characters can help students better understand the context and become more engaged learners.  Another great thing about theater games is that all students, not just the ones who love history, have a chance to participate and enjoy.      

4. Movies

  Movies are a perfect way for students to learn about different historical events without having to read through countless pages of boring textbooks or listen to teachers droning on about past happenings. Asking teens to watch historical movies, such as Gettysburg or Anne Frank, provides them with an opportunity to put themselves in the place of the characters and live through some moments that had a great impact on history. Furthermore, movies can be particularly inspiring for kids who are very visual learners, since they allow seeing events unfold before their own eyes.  Watching documentaries is another way teens can get to know more about various periods in history. Although it might seem boring at first glance, there are many interesting videos available online presenting information in a fun and engaging way.      

5. Blogs

  If students are more interested in learning about history via blogging, there is no shortage of resources on the Internet. History blogs are written by enthusiastic historians who can inspire students with their passion for the past.  Moreover, using Google search helps teens find bloggers that will be of special interest to them depending on their geographical location or heritage. Another way teens can learn about history is by listening to podcasts. There are numerous educational podcasts available online these days, produced in many languages and covering various historical topics like ancient civilizations or important figures of the 20th century.      

 

6. Traveling

  Teens might also want to visit historic sites in their own country or abroad. Traveling is a great way for teens to learn about the history of other countries, especially if it is the one that has always been taught in schools. Whether they are visiting ancient civilizations or famous cities all around the globe, teens will appreciate this opportunity since it allows them to learn more about themselves and others. Moreover, traveling can help students improve their communicative skills while having fun with different people from different backgrounds. It also helps teens gain more knowledge about their own country’s heritage by visiting national landmarks.  

Once students start exploring different ways they can learn about history, it will be easier for them to develop their own unique approach. It means that it is essential to find activities that are most interesting and engaging because teens tend to stop listening once they get bored or overwhelmed with too much information. The key here is making them listen, which you will be able to do with just one of our tips. Making these some Great Ways to Get Teens Excited About History!