History's Mysteries

3rd Quarter Research Project

Overview

Choose one mystery of history (or another topic that you're passionate about and can be transformed into both informative and persuasive writing)


This semester we'll be practicing research skills, writing several papers and genres on a single topic, and writing in academic styles.

Final Products

Write

  • 2 informative papers
  • 1 persuasive/argument paper


Create

  • Weebly website of research; writers with the same topic (i.e. Stonehenge) may collaborate and create a website together.

Just a few possible topics...

Objectives of this Project:

  • Integrate multiple resources (5+) into your writing; going beyond just one or two sources
  • Finding and using appropriate technology tools to help you in research
  • Organizing large amounts of research over a period of time
  • Integrating direct quotes into writing
  • More advanced MLA formatting techniques (formatting long quotations, using headings)
  • Researching more academic sources using Google Scholar web engine
  • Reading and analyzing academic journal articles
  • Maintaining an objective voice in informative writing (especially when writing about a persuasive topic)
  • Structuring an argument/persuasive paper using logical reasoning and reliable evidence

Possible Topics

  • Did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone?
  • Who was Jack the Ripper?
  • Who kidnapped the Lindbergh baby?
  • Is there an Alaskan Bermuda Triangle?
  • Who was DB Cooper?
  • Who is to blame for the Titanic sinking?
  • Is Lizzie Borden guilty of murdering her parents?
  • Did Billy the Kid survive?
  • Was George Patton murdered?
  • Is there still gold in Fort Knox?
  • What happened to the Roanoke colony?
  • Who killed the Black Dahlia?
  • What happened to the ship, the Mary Celeste?
  • What happened to the princes in the tower?
  • Who built Stonehenge?
  • What is in Area 51?
  • Was there a real Robin Hood?
  • Did King Arthur exist?
  • How did Marilyn Monroe die?
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