CYOA Assignments

Choose Your Own Assignment

Listed below are links to assignment instructions, their skill type, and a short description of each. If you are absent on CYOA days, you can find the CYOA choices for that day under This Week in Class or History Unit Guides and then print the instructions below as needed.

	Detective Skill Type Assignments with this symbol require students to investigate historical facts and present their findings clearly and logically.
	Artist Skill Type Assignments with this symbol require students to use their artistic skills and creativity to present history to others in unique ways.
	Psychologist Skill Type Assignments with this symbol require students to imagine themselves in historical situations and write about how they would have reacted.
	Special Assignments These assignments rquire students to use all three of the above skills to create complex projects that appeal to many people.

20-30 Minute (Half-Period) Assignments

Name	Type	Description
Acrostic Poem		A word from the unit is written vertically and then each letter is used to start each line of a descriptive poem. Usable in any unit.
Annotated Illustration		Draw a picture of a historical object and annotate it with captions.
Be The Thing		Write a short explanation of life experiences as if you were a particular object from history (for example: Da Vinci's paintbrush).
Bio-poem		Complete a poem with a pre-made layout about a specific person (or group) in history. Requires detailed information about the figure.
Bumper Sticker		Create a bumper sticker about a specific topic. Usable in any unit. Requires high creativity.
Cause and Effect Chain		Describe two causes and two effects of a historical event. Requires any event with obvious causes and effects.
Day Planner		Write out the daily schedule for a person living in a historical civilization.
Epitaph/ Gravestone		Design the epitaph and gravestone for a famous figure. Requires some knowledge and/or research about the figure.
Historical Ad		Create a print advertisement for an invention from the time period.
History Report Card		Give grades to a historical figure based on certain subjects assigned by your teacher. Highly recommended.
In N' Out		Complete a graphic organizer highlighting the influences and contributions of a given society or person.
Picture Analysis		Answer a series of thought-provoking questions about a single photograph or piece of art.
Picture Frame		Create a graphic organizer in the shape of a picture frame about a historical figure.
Postcard		Make a postcard as if you were visiting an ancient civilization.
TXT MSG SumRE		Write a summary of a historical event in the form of a text message.
Venn Diagram		Complete a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast two historical figures, events or civilizations.
Wanted Poster		Create a wanted (or hero) poster for a figure in history.
You Are There Letter		Write a letter to a historical figure giving them advice on a problem they are facing.

50-60 Minute (Full Period) Assignments

Name	Type	Description
Brain Chain		List 10 imporant people, events, concepts, etc. and then create conceptual links between them. This assignment is a simplified form of the Mind Map assignment and is a good way to introduce linking concepts.
Circle Summary		Complete a graphic organizer as a unit summary. Requires the unit to be broken into 5 parts to work as shown here.
Creative Line Art		Using a picture with random shapes and scribbles, create a scene depicting something we studied in the unit. Highly recommended.
Flash Cards		Create flashcards for four key terms from a unit.
History IMs		Create an instant message conversation between two historical figures about a historic event.
Illustrated Map		Draw a map and add captions or small pictures to bring the map to life.
Illustrated Timeline		Draw a timeline and add captions or small pictures to bring it to life.
Introduction Speech		Write and recite an introductory speech for a historical figure. May require some extra research about the figure.
Invitation		Create an invitation (the who, what, when, where, what to bring, etc.) to a historical event we studied during the unit.
Legal Brief		Write a legal defense for a historical figure.
Point-Counterpoint Poems		Complete two bio-poems side to side to highlight the similarities and differences between two historical figures or groups.
Recipe for a Civilization		Write a recipe with a list of ingredients it would take to create a given civilization or culture. This requires abstract or metaphorical thinking. If you don't know what "abstract" or "metaphorical" means, then do not attempt this assignment.
Song Rewrite		Rewrite the lyrics to a song to make them about a historical period.
Worlds Collide		Draw pictures contrasting key points of two civilizations. One of the shorter full day assignments.
You Are There Diary		Write a series of diary entries as if you were a certain historical figure going through an assigned event.

2 Hour (Two Period) Assignments

Name	Type	Description
Create a Crossword		Make your own crossword puzzle. Usable in any unit.
Historical Myspace		Create a Myspace page for a historical figure. Highly Recommended.
Historical Picture Book		Create a children's book about a given topic.
Historical Play		Write and perform a short play about a historical event. Completed in pairs or small groups.
HiStory		Write a creative fictional story using key terms and figures from the unit.
HiStoryboard		Create a storyboard layout for a movie based on a historical event.
History Board Game		Use a basic file folder to create a board game about a period in history. You must have an "A" or teacher permission to attempt this.
History Web Page		Create a web page about a specific topic from a unit.
Movie Madness		Use art and writing to recreate a given unit as a movie. Design a movie poster and write a movie review.
One-pager		Design a one page magazine-style cover for a section of the textbook.
Paper Bag Puppet		Create a puppet of a historical figure along with a list of statements that person would or did say.
Travel Brochure		Create a six-panel foldout brochure that highlights the history, hot spots, and accomodations of a society we have studied.

Special Assignments

Name	Type	Description
A-Z History Book		Working with a partner create a picture book for 24-26 key terms from a unit, each starting with a different letter of the Alphabet. You must have an "A" or teacher permission to attempt this.
History Model		Write a report on and build a model of a technological achievement from history. You must have an "A" or teacher permission to attempt this.
History Newscast		Working with a group of 3 or 4 other students film a short newscast presentation on a historical event. You and your partners must have an "A" or teacher permission to attempt this.
History Newspaper		Working with a group of 3 or 4 other students create a newspaper with multiple articles and elements on a period in history. You must have an "A" or teacher permission to attempt this.
Mind Map		Create a large word cluster using terms from a given unit. They write sentences explaining why you made certain connections. The Brain Chain assignment is a simplifed form of this one.
Slideshow Presentation		Create a Powerpoint presentation on a historical topic.

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