High School Research Project

In this year-long classroom research project, high school students collect information, photographs, documents and other primary sources related to the Detroit factories that retooled for war production during World War II.  The students’ original research will help the Society develop a new web-based resource for researchers and the general public. 

Their factories and findings will be showcased on an interactive map on the Society’s website. Through this inquiry-based, authentic learning process, students will develop valuable college and career readiness skills, including research, interpretation, communication, problem-solving, time management, goal setting, self-awareness, persistence, collaborative learning and technology proficiency.

 

How the Program Works

In this year-long research project:

  1. Students will choose a factory from a list, which provides them with the factory name, its address and a short list of items they produced during the war.
  2. They will conduct historical research using the internet, libraries and archives to find answers to questions such as: What did the factory make before, during and after the war?
  3. They will share their findings by creating a tri-fold exhibit board and submitting a final report that includes a short essay and copies of their research. We'll then add their research and findings to our interactive map.

 

Teacher and Student Resources

To help both teachers and students as they navigate the program during the school year, the Society has developed a host of resources about the project. Click on the links below to download helpful PDF resources about the project and information on Detroit during World War II.

Project Guidelines and Information

Historical Information

 Resources