Today's Tip for Families

[En español]

04-18-2023

Encourage Your Teen to Read History Like a Mystery

“History is so boring.” Sound familiar? Many teens don’t want to study history because they think it’s all about memorizing boring facts.

Help your student see history in a new light. Encourage your teen to become a detective investigating how people lived, died, fought and played in another time.

Suggest that your teen read a history book as though it were a mystery novel. First, have your teen skim the chapter while asking questions like these:

Next, have your teen reread the chapter more carefully, and look for overlooked "clues" (by looking up unfamiliar words, for example). Then your teen can write “case notes” (a summary).

Finally, ask your teen to give you an "investigation report" (to tell you the main idea and the facts that support it).

When students read in this way, the history comes to life.


Brought to you by:

Gwinnett County Public Schools

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