| Project Classifications |
Learn how we classify projects.
Projects at the West Virginia State Social Studies Fair are grouped using three classifications: division (grade level), category (subject) and type (individual or group). Each project competes against others in the same division and category.
- Division I (Grades 3-5)
- Division II (Grade 6-8)
- Division III (Grade 9-12)
- Special Topic: America 250 - On July 4, 2026, our nation will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The journey toward this historic milestone is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond.
Students are invited to engage in research and present on the founding of America or the lasting contributions of West Virginia as the new nation was being formed. Projects within this category may include elements of other categories but must emphasize the creation of our country 250 years ago.
This category will be available for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years.
Sample Themes:- The Declaration of Independence: Voices of Freedom
- West Virginia's Role in America's Founding: A Historical Journey
- The Founding Fathers: Crafting a Nation from the Ground Up
- Life in the 13 Colonies: Everyday Heroes of Independence
- The Road to 1776: Key Events Leading to American Independence
- West Virginia's Early Settlers: Contributions to a New Nation
- Symbols of Liberty: The American Flag and Its Evolution
- The Revolutionary War: Turning Points in the Fight for Freedom
- Building a New Government: The Constitutional Convention and Its Legacy
- America at 250: How the Ideals of the Founding Fathers Shape Our Future
- Anthropology is the study of how culture is developed by people living, thinking, and working together. This category examines issues related to how a particular group of people view the world; how they do things and the mind sets they use to understand the world.
Sample Themes:- Many Factors Determine the Differences between the Pueblo and the Cherokee
- The Influence of Technology on the Amish Culture
- Religious Influences on the Aztec Culture
- Aztecs, Egyptians and Mound Builders Share Cultural Similarities
- The Impact of Globalization on Folk Culture
- Economics is the study of how people labor to satisfy human wants and needs. This category examines issues related to the production and distribution of goods and services. People use a variety of economic systems to attempt to satisfy their unlimited needs and wants with limited resources.
Sample Themes:- Sports Cards Have Value
- The Effect of Low-Fat Diets on the Snack Industry
- Your Choices Determine Your Future
- Making Entrepreneurship a Successful Venture
- The Effects of a Global Economy on Your Personal Finance
- Geography is the study of how the earth and its features interact with the effects of human activity. This category focuses on the relationship between people and their environment. Our environment influences our lifestyle and culture, provides opportunities and imposes limitations. In addition, people influence the environment. Geography studies the physical and cultural elements of the environment, as well as the interaction between the elements.
Sample Themes:- Global Warming Affects You and Me
- West Virginia Has Been Popular Among German Immigrants
- Rain Forest Destruction Imposes Consequences for Everyone
- The Nile River is a Lifeline for the People of Egypt
- The Role of Physical Geography in the Destruction of the Ninth Ward
- Political Science is the study of how groups develop and use different structures to govern their lives. This category deals with the study of the processes, principles and structures of government, political institutions, and the study of law making and law enforcement.
Sample Themes:- The Media Influences Election Races
- Checks and Balances Among the Three Branches of Government
- Rights and Responsibilities of Student Citizens in America
- The Constitution of the United States is a Living Document
- The Power that Lies in the Electoral College
- Psychology is the study of mental processes and behaviors. This category investigates human behavior as it is influenced by an individual or a group. It examines both inherited and socially influenced behaviors.
Sample Themes:- Phobias Can Rule a Person’s Life
- Roadside Memorials Can Give Comfort to the Grieving
- The Healing Power of Laughter
- Advertisements Can Be the Deciding Factor
- Sleep Impacts Our Physical and Mental Well-Being
- Sociology is the study of human social behavior. This category investigates both the behavior of groups and the behavior of individuals as members of groups.
Sample Themes:- Stereotyping Causes Many Assumptions
- The Refuge Impact on a Society
- Illegal Immigration Consequences Are Far-Reaching
- There Are Advantages and Disadvantages to Immigration
- Agrarian School Year May Be Obsolete In Today’s Society
- State and Local Studies is the study of the life and development of an individual, a people, a state, a county, an event or an institution. This category records and explains past and present events of a local area or of West Virginia in general. It investigates the interrelationship between cause and effect, continuity and change, and other factors that historians use as they try to understand the past and the present.
Sample Themes:- West Virginia State Parks Bring Recreation to Tourists and Locals Alike
- Women Writers of West Virginia Have Contributed Much to Our Libraries
- West Virginia Labor History Shapes Both Sides of the Bargaining Table
- West Virginia Rail Trails Are Built Along The Old Railroad Routes
- Our Community Began With One Family
- US History is the study of the life and development of an individual, a people, an event or an institution within the United States. This category records and explains various aspects of the history of the United States. It investigates the interrelationship between cause and effect, continuity and change, and other factors that historians use as they try to understand the past and the present.
Sample Themes:- The Civilian Conservation Corps Aided in the Employment of Citizens During the Depression
- The Leaders on Both Sides of the Battle of the Alamo Determined the Fate of Texas
- The Seven Years’ War In Europe Gave England All Land East of the Mississippi
- Media Coverage of the Viet Nam War May Have Been A Determining Factor of the Reactions of American Citizens
- American Men and Women Experienced Discrimination and Segregation During World War II, but They Met the Challenge and Persevered
- World History is the study of the life and development of an individual, a people, a country, an event or an institution. This category records and explains various aspects of the history of areas outside of the United States. It investigates the interrelationship between cause and effect, continuity and change, and other factors that historians use as they try to understand the past and present. Students must consider a variety of perspectives in addition to their own and those of their counterparts, then determine how to communicate those perspectives through an oral presentation with the help of a physical display.
Sample Themes:- Gen. Douglas MacArthur Crafted the Foundation of the Japan We Know Today
- The Industrial Revolution in Great Britain Brought Change to the Lives and the Work of People Around the World
- Alternative Energy Sources Change Lifestyles Worldwide
- The Holocaust Is Repeated In Acts of Genocide Across the Globe and Throughout History
- Women Have Contributed Heavily to the Medical Profession Throughout History
- Individual - One student worked on the project.
- Group - Two to five students worked on the project.