I did high school in Toronto but I didn't have to know the periodic table for my tests. We were generally provided with a periodic table (without the full names of the elements, just the annotated version of it), Plus, there were periodic table posters all over our science class. You should ask your teacher and find out what content will be covered on the test.
Mine did and it's highly likely yours will too you could email your teacher and ask to make sure though and I'm in halton which is part of the gta so ya.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.