The 12 best expository essay topics for high school students

High school is a time to begin honing your writing skills and there are many different types of essays you will write to do this. The expository essay is an essay where you describe a certain thing or problem. We have come up with 12 great topics for high school students to write about.

  1. Write about a problem in the world today. There are so many sources to pull from for your paper such as newspapers, cable news, academic articles and opinions of the people around you- almost everyone has a defined perspective on topics like childhood obesity, global warming, etc.
  2. Describe the high school experience. You know better than most what the education system experience is like, because you are living through it every day!
  3. Write about a landmark or building. Many buildings and landmarks have long, rich histories about how they were constructed and how they have been used over time.
  4. Describe an event in history. Like buildings and landmarks, major events like wars and crisis’ have a lot of documentation and background to research.
  5. Write about a work of art. Paintings, portraits, and photographs convey images that have made lasting impressions in history. Write about the artwork’s history and describe the physical work itself.
  6. Write about a sport. Explain the rules of one of the hundreds of different sports in the world, and then describe how it plays a role in the culture or cultures that play it.
  7. Write about an animal or plant. The natural world is full of many wonders. Find something in it that interests you and research everything you can about it: diet, environment, lifespan, etc.
  8. Write about the way something operates. Be it a rotary phone or a drinking fountain; describe the operations of that thing and how it is made.
  9. Describe a different country. With over 200 countries in the world, pick one to explore and write about. You can write about their culture, customs, food, and environment.
  10. Describe an industry. We deal with different types of businesses every day. Write about the day-to-day operations of a particular job or research how different industries make money.
  11. Write about an interest of yours. Pick an interesting hobby and write about it. Some examples are: playing a musical instrument, woodworking, or scrapbooking.
  12. Describe a discipline. There are many different subjects to study in college. Pick one and research what types of topics are covered in their basic curriculum.
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