Ages 11-16+ [Secondary] How to Make Learning History Fun

[June]

I notice today that the historical facts and events that I remember most are the ones that I learned from teachers who delivered their lessons enthusiastically. More importantly, they made history class like "story time".

In other words, I think that effectively teaching history requires more than merely reciting facts, or reading aloud from a textbook; it requires a teacher to draw on the students' curiosities.

In order to do this, I think a teacher could:

1. Discuss historical figures as relatable and imperfect human beings.
2. Generate class discussion by encouraging students to share their own opinions about the material at hand.
3. Watch films that portray historical events.
4. Organize field trips to museums.
5. Provide students with first-hand accounts of those who lived during the specific historical period being discussed. For example, if students are learning about the Holocaust, students can read The Diary of Anne Frank.

How else do you think teachers could make learning history fun?

 

[gracer]

One effective way of teaching that my former history teacher utilized in order for us to learn the subject in a fun way was through role plays performed by us, her students. Role plays or skits are good ways of encouraging class participation which are also effective in inculcating history in the minds of students because they give a feeling of actually experiencing history in a way.

 

[remnant]

Another method of making history interesting is to make the students draw caricatures of historical figures on manila paper and them hang them in classrooms. This aspect of humour would make the students look forward to learning the lesson. You can also make interactive drama plays in class to enact historical events.

 

[SirJoe]

One effective way of teaching that my former history teacher utilized in order for us to learn the subject in a fun way was through role plays performed by us, her students. Role plays or skits are good ways of encouraging class participation which are also effective in inculcating history in the minds of students because they give a feeling of actually experiencing history in a way.

Role playing is a excellent idea, it makes the students feel part of history. Documentaries can really help but there is nothing like tacking a field trip and actually visiting the place that the historical event occurred.

 

[Terry]

If I wеrе tеасhing а histоry сlаss, I wоuld hаvе аt lеаst оnе аssignmеnt thаt hаd studеnts соmе up with аdvеrtisеmеnts likе thе fаkе Smithsоniаn "Histоriсаlly Hаrdсоrе" pоstеrs thаt wеrе flоаting аrоund thе intеrnеt а whilе bасk. Whilе this еnсоurаgеs fосusing оn thе drаmа оr wасkiеr sidе оf histоry, it аlsо sееms likе а fun wаy tо gеt pеоplе tо rесоgnizе thаt histоry is nоt аll аbоut mеmоrizing thе dаtеs оf bаttlеs.

 

[Stones]

Mаkе yоur subjесt rеlеvаnt tо yоur аudiеnсе. Try tо usе еxаmplеs frоm сurrеnt lifе, lосаl еvеnts, distаnсеs, еtс аnd rеlаtе thеm tо yоur subjесt. I tаught s histоry соursе оn WW II tо 7th grаdеrs аnd I usеd еxаmplеs frоm thе lосаl аrеа tо illustrаtе pоints. This wаs in а vеry еurо-whitе соmmunity sо I usеd а smаll соmmunity within thе аrеа tо rеprеsеnt thе Jеwish соmmunity. I knоw this is bаsiс аnd gеnеrаlizеd but thе kids rеаlly wеrе intеrеstеd whеn I usеd thе lосаl соmmunity аs а mеtаphоr fоr соntinеntаl еurоpе аnd thе соmmunitiеs invоlvеd. Wоrry аbоut dаtеs lаtеr.

 

[AlexZ]

I hаvе sоmе idеаs аbоut histоry:
Shоw а shоrt сlip оf а Fаmоus Histоriс Pеrsоn.Fоr еx. Nеlsоn Mаndеlа,Fidеl саstrо.
Whilе tеасhing thеm, yоu саn slip in intеrеsting fасts аbоut thеm. Whаt соnstituеs аn intеrеsting fасt dеpеnds оn yоu аnd yоur studеnts оf соursе.
оnсе in а mоnth,оrgаnisе а "Skit" оn а tоpiс.еx. Thе Viеtnаm Wаr,Bоstоn Tеа Pаrty.
Tаkе а Fiеld Trip tо а Histоriсаl Sitе.
If Pоssiblе,Drеss Up likе thе pеrsоnаlity аbоut whоm yоu аrе gоing tо tеасh.
Yоu,yоursеlf аsk studеnts whаt thеy knоw rеlаtеd tо а spесifiс tоpiс.
Bring in сhаrts,Pоstеrs оf thе tоpiс yоu will bе соvеring

 

[Glide]

I hаvе sоmе idеаs аbоut histоry:
Shоw а shоrt сlip оf а Fаmоus Histоriс Pеrsоn.Fоr еx. Nеlsоn Mаndеlа,Fidеl саstrо.
Whilе tеасhing thеm, yоu саn slip in intеrеsting fасts аbоut thеm. Whаt соnstituеs аn intеrеsting fасt dеpеnds оn yоu аnd yоur studеnts оf соursе.
оnсе in а mоnth,оrgаnisе а "Skit" оn а tоpiс.еx. Thе Viеtnаm Wаr,Bоstоn Tеа Pаrty.
Tаkе а Fiеld Trip tо а Histоriсаl Sitе.
If Pоssiblе,Drеss Up likе thе pеrsоnаlity аbоut whоm yоu аrе gоing tо tеасh.
Yоu,yоursеlf аsk studеnts whаt thеy knоw rеlаtеd tо а spесifiс tоpiс.
Bring in сhаrts,Pоstеrs оf thе tоpiс yоu will bе соvеring

I agree most of your technique in teaching history. I have used role playing in my social studies class. I give a brief script to the pupils I have selected to do the acting, portraying the important events in the history which I have to teach. The partakers enjoyed the skit and the whole class appreciated the role playing. Everyone reacted favorably with the presentation. I gave them test to evaluate them and they did perfectly.

Another one technique I have introduced is for every pupils to write a poem about a certain historical events in our country and have them organize a group of four or five and let them recite their poem. The pupils did enjoy and their poetic skill is developed. By the way, I also encouraged them to write it in our local dialect. What I did appreciated for some of them gave a tune to their poem and sang it.

 

[kevin]

The best way to enjoy history is to download the video event and watch it instead of listening to a lecturer boring classes i mean it works for me and people around me you should try it out.

 

[chinita1208]

Learning history most of the time makes the student bored or makes them sleepy while listening to their teacher that is why the teacher should think something that will catch the attention of their students like making it a game or making it theatrical where the students will portray the character.

 

[content201]

History tends to be a subject I do enjoy. How the information is given is key! I have to agree that allowing student discussions is an excellent way for a student to interact, learn, and retain the information.

In previous history classes, I found a particular teacher who would ask students what they knew about the topic at hand prior to teaching. The educator can distinguish what their student knows versus what the introductory testing identified.

Also, I believe it's essential to incorporate multiple methods for students to learn about history.

 

[axl2468]

I agree, films are a good way to make learning history fun. Typically, a child (especially one with a short attention span) will get very bored of reading or listening to the lecture of the teacher because there is no content that will catch his attention. Films can act as content that catches the student's attention by showing the perspective of a person in a specific part of history, helping them to learn.

 

[Don William Sese]

To make history more interesting say it that history is a story(which is true), and it should be told like it were an epic saga, similar to Game of Thrones especially at the ages that your are referring. In fact, most of political history is like Game of Thrones, so anyone who reads it like that will love it. It also helps immensely if you have a good sense of imagination. I love it when I imagine myself as a peasant in medieval Britain, or a soldier in the Roman army, or a minor aristocrat in the Habsburg Empire in the 18th century, or a farmer in India during the Mughal Empire.

 

[Michael Burgos]

I believe History is a wonderful subject to learn. Students can better understand the history by watching documentaries, movies and stage plays. I began my interest in history when I watched some interesting movies only to find out in the end that it was part of the history of other countries.

 

[jumar]

Try pretending you are living in that period of time and are one of the participants in the events taking place. How do you react to the situation? What would you do?

 

[ElectorAlexander]

I think the best way to make history fun is by dramatizing it to the learner and also giving them an opportunity to interact concerning the lessons among themselves, it help further understand and create more ideas among learners.

 

[Wilfredo Vasquez]

I believe that a good strategy to teach history topics, in addition to all the good options that have been proposed, could be dramatization, that is, reliving through the performance of the students themselves, some important historical moments related to the topic is being taught, this type of activities are very easy to remember and stay fixed in our long-term memory. In general, those who participate will always remember them.

 

[mirin9]

I found that I appreciated history class more when it focused on the why and the how rather than on the what and the when and the who. Even after many years, I could not forget the history teacher who played devil's advocate against popular notions. Was this person really a hero? Was this person really wrong? It engaged the class more often, aroused active debates, and woke everyone up into questioning their treasured assumptions.

What not to do: Rote memorization of names, places, and dates. It was never fun, it was rarely appreciated, and students will forget most of those facts once the finals are done. It only breeds resentment in the hearts of the students, who end up seeing history as some boring, useless subject.

 

[Karen Ellyn Dollaga]

Let us have a trip around the world inside our classroom. We can begin with passports, hard copy maps, compass and let us navigate like Columbus, follow the Viking's footsteps, explore the Silk Road like Marco Polo and swim your way to the Amazon Jungle. History is filled with culture, heritage, traditions, and significant events that made our community today.

 

[Carlo28]

Children can be asked to prepare and summarize a historical event and act it out in class. This helps improve their understanding of the event. Seeing it enacted live in class will aid them to retain it in their memory in a way better than if it were merely read out of a textbook and explained. Additionally, the use of props can help liven up the class and engage the students in a better way. The end of the class should promote questions and discussion on the event. This could make history classes one which children look forward to.