Ways to use this list
- Class projects with no repeats: switch on Remove the winner and draw a question for each pupil so every project is different.
- Science fair planning: draw a Science question, then design a small experiment or model that shows the answer.
- Library lesson: draw a question and practise finding the answer in three different sources, noting which one seems most reliable.
- From question to title: pupils rewrite the question as a report heading, such as "How Coral Reefs Grow", before they start.
- Homeschool week: draw one question on Monday, research a little each day and present a poster or short talk on Friday.
Press Draw a card, tap the game or press the Space bar. Change the list in the box as you
like: add your own, delete what doesn't suit you, or write *2 after an entry to give it double the
chance. The game buttons switch the same list to a wheel, duck race, hat and more.
The full list (50 entries)
- How do octopuses change colour?
- Why do some animals hibernate?
- How do plants know which way is up?
- What makes some materials magnetic?
- How do bats find their way in the dark?
- Why does ice float on water?
- How do bees communicate with each other?
- What causes the seasons on Earth?
- How do fossils form?
- How do spiders make silk?
- How did people tell the time before clocks?
- What was daily life like for children in ancient Rome?
- How were the pyramids of Giza built?
- Why did people build castles, and how were they defended?
- How did the printing press change the world?
- What did sailors eat on long sea voyages 300 years ago?
- How have toys changed over the last 100 years?
- Who were the Vikings and where did they travel?
- How did the first postal services work?
- What was school like 100 years ago?
- Why are rainforests so important?
- How are mountains formed?
- Why do some deserts get very cold at night?
- How do rivers shape the land?
- Why is seawater salty?
- How do coral reefs grow?
- What causes earthquakes?
- How do animals adapt to life in the Arctic?
- Why do some places get monsoons?
- How are islands formed?
- How does a 3D printer work?
- How do solar panels turn sunlight into electricity?
- How has the bicycle changed since it was invented?
- How does a touchscreen know where you tap?
- How do planes stay in the air?
- How are robots used on farms?
- How does the internet send a message around the world?
- How do electric cars work?
- How did the telephone change everyday life?
- How do satellites stay in orbit?
- How are crayons made?
- Where did the game of chess come from?
- How do different countries celebrate the new year?
- How is paper made from trees?
- How did the alphabet we use today develop?
- Why do some countries drive on the left?
- What makes a song catchy?
- How are animated films made?
- How do musical instruments make sound?
- How did pizza become popular around the world?
Questions people ask
What makes a good research question?
It is clear, specific and cannot be answered in one word. "How do fossils form?" is better than "Fossils" because it tells you exactly what to find out, and it is narrow enough for a school project.
Are these research topics suitable for primary school?
Yes: they are aimed at pupils from about 8 to 14 and use subjects with plenty of child-friendly books and websites. For older students, ask them to narrow a question further, for example to one country or one century.
Can I get a research topic for one subject only?
Press a subject button above the tool, such as History or Technology, and only those ten questions go into the deck. Press All 50 questions to mix them again.
Is there a list of history topics?
Yes, the history topic generator goes deeper into the past, and science experiment ideas pairs well with the science questions here.