Interview a large number of people about what they think the Bermuda Triangle is and what causes its mysterious power. Then research the scientific theories of people who have studied the area. What psychological need do you think accounts for the difference?

The website for the parody newspaper The Onion lists made-up newspaper front pages from history. Find one from around the time of the Titanic sinking and write a short story based on it.

Watch the 1997 blockbuster movie Titanic, and the 1958 film A Night to Remember, which is also about the night that the ship went down. Write a comparison of the two films, explaining which story you found most compelling.

Find the specifications of a contemporary luxury liner, and explain to your class why—in theory, at least—it will not sink.

Research Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony...