History Fair Projects Put Student Historians in the Driver's Seat of their Education:
"How to Find Topic Ideas in Chicago History" is their "Rules of the Road."

Students need to start the research journey off right by finding a topic and developing a solid question that will hold their interest and focus and is historically significant. A successful History Fair experience for students begins with investing time in this initial step. No crystal ball, "Ouija" board, or lottery will help them: instead, they will need to wear their thinking caps and walking shoes for some footwork in libraries or historical societies, and have nimble fingers for computer work.

Help students define the issues that are really important to them: do they have questions about racism, economic justice, social justice, civil liberties-and why and how their world got to be this way? Are they excited about innovations or the cultural arts and the way they are used to change society? Is their family or neighborhood history really important to them? All of these "burning questions" can be found and studied in history. With guidance students can study the past to help understand today and think about the future.

Chicago Metro History Fair's list of 2010 theme-based topic ideas for the adventurous!

Basic Guidelines to Selecting a History Fair Topic
Approaches to Finding a Topic
Topic Essays in Chicago History
Evaluating Topic for History Fair Readiness

This essay on women's history and Chicago is reprinted, with permission, from Women Building Chicago 1790-1990: A Biographical Dictionary, edited by Rima Lunin Schultz and Adele Hast (2001). The introduction by Dr. Schultz pulls together essential themes and topics that emerged from the 423 biographies of Chicago women that appear in this book – History Fair students will find inspiration for research projects and a wealth of information about both known and unknown women who made a difference to our city, and often the nation.