Social Studies Project Ideas for Kids

Children learn best when they are really engaged in the material, and one way to engage a child in a social studies topic is to give him a chance to complete a project related to it. Of course, you can assign projects to children, but letting them pick projects off a list of ideas can get them thinking.

1 Performances

A creative project is one way to get children excited about what they are learning. For instance, a puppet show or play can help children learn about a topic. The performance can be just for the class, or it can be a special event that gives parents and the entire school a chance to see the children's efforts. Creative projects also present an opportunity for children to gain a sense of pride in what they've learned as they present their projects to parents and peers.

2 Presentations

A social studies project in which a child builds a replica of a famous place and then presents a history of the structure and why it is important is another way to help a child learn history. For example, a student could assemble a replica of the White House and then present it to the class, along with historical facts about the White House. Or a child could complete a model of Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Electra 10E and tell the story of this famous aviatrix and why her contributions are so important.

3 Research Projects

Another idea for a social studies project is to allow a child to present a research paper on how a particular person, period or event in history is important to the student and why. For example, a child might choose to write a paper on how the creation of the U.S. space program lead a parent or other relative to be a scientist or even an astronaut. Another student could discuss the importance of the civil rights movement, not only from a historical point of view but also in personal terms. Perhaps the student could even ask a grandparent or another important person in her life to come to the class and recount first-hand stories of experiences related to the civil rights movement.

Daniel Ketchum holds a Bachelor of Arts from East Carolina University where he also attended graduate school. Later, he taught history and humanities. Ketchum is experienced in 2D and 3D graphic programs, including Photoshop, Poser and Hexagon and primarily writes on these topics. He is a contributor to sites like Renderosity and Animotions.

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