Conduct a genealogy search. Teens may think they know about their family history, and maybe some have records or family trees to refer to, but when they start to dive in more fully and learn how people from their own ancestral line lived, they may get interested further. Do it as a "mystery" or puzzle to solve.
Ask students to talk to their parents or do a taped interview with a grandparent about what life was like when they were children. Tracking the actual ancestral line factually back to a tribal chief, a Celtic warrior, someone who took an early boat to Ellis Island, and so forth, can start to arouse curiosity. Connect the dots for them to understand the "big picture" of what else was going on in the world at the time.
Rent DVDs to show in the classroom or ask students to watch at home. For example, the 2010 film "Clash of the Titans" about Perseus opens all kinds of doors to learn about ancient Greece, mythology, culture and facets of history that can be compared by flashing forward and discussing challenges to today's teens, as well as fears, risk-taking, parenting and much more. Or have them discuss what they think is "true" or "Hollywood-ized" in a particular film, such as "Schindler's List." Ask for research to back their theories. Find materials suitable to the age, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Mixing it up will help give them appreciation for other cultures, too.
Write a short play or skit as a group. Or let students devise dance routines, such as doing Cleopatra's or Joan of Arc's story in a hip-hop context. You can also combine skit and dance. Have the students vote on a period of time, or choose three and divide the class into groups for each. The "story" has to be based on something historical. They can "become" the characters, such as those during the Irish potato famine, but have to do a little research in order to come up with a complete tale. Make it fun. They'll look at books and resources with different eyes because they aren't being asked to memorize a list of facts and dates. They'll probably actually learn something, too.
Hold court. Make it a royal court such as one based on the emperors of China's Qing dynasty or Africa's Khufu (Cheops), or compare an American Indian chief's life to that of an American president from the early days of the country. Ask about factual differences in the lives of the rulers as opposed to those of the poorest peoples. Discuss what makes a person truly "great" or memorable and how the teen's own life compares to someone of his age at that time.