Armand Doucet

Riverview High School, Riverview (New Brunswick)

Armand Doucet’s students undertake a semester-long Passion Project that encourages them to make connections between their personal interests and the study of history. The students research a historical topic, using the Historical Thinking Concepts to frame their investigation. They are encouraged to reach out to museums and subject matter experts, thereby developing professional communication and networking skills. To share their findings, students do an oral presentation and showcase their creative component, which is the link to their personal passion. Students have incorporated many different passions — from math to coding to yoga — into their history projects. Their creative components have ranged from 3D-printed monuments to children’s books. This highly personalized project encourages students to develop the skills of historians while making meaningful connections between the past and the present. Mr. Doucet has leveraged the Passion Projects to diversify student engagement and assessment while inciting a passion for history.