A1 Level – Elementary
1. Do you like learning about the past?
2. What is an old book?
3. Do you like hearing stories?
4. What is a famous war?
5. Do you think history is important?
6. What is a long time ago?
7. Do you worry about forgetting the past?
8. What is a good monument?
9. Do you think the past helps the future?
10. What is a strong leader?
11. Do you like visiting museums?
12. What is a big discovery?
13. Do you like simple facts?
14. What are three things you remember from school history?
15. Do you think history repeats itself?
A2 Level – Pre-Intermediate
1. What is the difference between history and a legend?
2. Why are some historical dates important to remember?
3. What are the good things and bad things about famous historical figures?
4. How can a person learn history outside of school?
5. Should all schools teach local history?
6. Why is it important to learn from past mistakes?
7. Do you think some history should not be taught?
8. What is the purpose of historical research?
9. How does technology change how we see the past?
10. What is the difference between a primary and a secondary source?
11. Do you think history is mainly about politics and war?
12. What are the problems when history is written by only one side?
13. When is the best time to visit a historical site?
14. What are two things that a country should be proud of?
15. How does a lack of knowledge affect national identity?
Check out this lesson plan for B1 learners – “Myths About the Middle Ages”
B1 Level – Intermediate
1. What are the simple ways to politely discuss a sensitive historical topic?
2. How does the economy affect the preservation of historical buildings?
3. Should the government provide resources for historical memory projects?
4. What is the difference between personal memory and shared history?
5. Do you believe that all nations should apologize for past wrongs?
6. What are the challenges of finding accurate historical information?
7. How does focusing on famous people affect the story of regular people?
8. What is the idea of “oral history”?
9. Is it fair when some countries have a much richer history than others?
10. How does a lack of documentation affect historical truth?
11. What are the basic steps for checking the truth of a historical claim?
12. What is the value of finding inspiration in historical figures?
13. Should the news talk more about the lessons from history?
14. What are the simple reasons why some people find history boring?
15. How does the history of one country affect another today?
B2 Level – Upper-Intermediate
1. What are the simple social problems caused by historical revisionism?
2. What are the ethical issues when history is used for political gain?
3. How does constant social media showing of the past affect present views?
4. Should museums be legally required to present a balanced view of history?
5. How does the feeling of connection affect a person’s study of their own past?
6. Who is responsible for correcting historical misinformation?
7. What is your simple view on the practice of tearing down old monuments?
8. What is the role of archaeology in uncovering hidden history?
9. How does the problem of bias affect historical writing?
10. What are the clear problems with allowing people to hide historical documents?
11. What are the legal differences between a historical fact and a national myth?
12. Do you think the main purpose of history is to prevent future conflict?
13. What steps can individual citizens take to preserve local history?
14. How does the lack of clear records affect understanding of ancient life?
15. What are the simple psychological effects of learning a difficult truth about the past?
C1 Level – Advanced
1. Is it fair that the history of marginalized groups is often overlooked?
2. What is the moral duty of a society to remember painful past events?
3. How do global power dynamics affect which historical narratives are taught?
4. When should the government consider mandatory curriculum changes to address bias?
5. What are the simple ethical problems of romanticizing difficult historical periods?
6. How does focusing on national pride affect the need for honest self-reflection?
7. Discuss the effects of long-term historical trauma on communities.
8. How should leaders use knowledge about the past to build a better future?
9. What is the idea of “historical consciousness”?
10. What are the long-term social effects when a whole generation rejects the past?
11. What are the clear difficulties when courts try to decide who owns historical artifacts?
12. How does the desire for comfort affect the need for confronting uncomfortable truths?
13. Do you think the most important thing is the preservation of historical accuracy?
14. What are the simple moral rules a person should follow when discussing the history of another country?
15. Should the government set a clear standard for the protection of all historical sites?
C2 Level – Proficiency
1. What is the true difference between a fact of the past and a political interpretation?
2. Should we eliminate the system that allows for biased historical narratives?
3. How does the idea of truth change when history is constantly being rewritten?
4. What laws are needed to prevent major corporate disregard for historical preservation?
5. How do historical views of progress and decline affect modern hope?
6. How can a society ensure that empathy is shown to the victims of historical events?
7. Do you think total access to all historical documents would fix all disagreements?
8. What simple rules should guide people when they encounter controversial history?
9. How can we stop people from using personal choice as an excuse for historical ignorance?
10. What did old thinkers say about memory, virtue, and the lessons of time?
11. What will happen to the need for human historians if AI can perfectly reconstruct the past?
12. How do people use the idea of “it’s too old to matter” to avoid responsibility?
13. How does the experience of a major historical discovery change a person’s worldview?
14. What is the power of a group to demand a fair and inclusive history curriculum?
15. If scientists could create a perfect, interactive historical simulation, what would happen?
