Five steps to History day Guidelines for making your presentation a success A Presentation by Conner Museum & Texas A&M University - Kingsville, sponsors of Coastal Bend Regional History Day in conjunction with Texas State Historical Association and the National History Day Programs

Step 1: Know the Theme Choose a topic at least 25 years old so that the impact of the actions can be included in the presentation.

Step 2: CHOOSE A Possible Topic Review National Sample List of Topics Review Texas Sample List of Topics Generate List from Classroom Discussions Find Sample Topics at: http://www.tamuk.edu/artsci/museum/Coastal%20Bend%20History%20Day/contest_materials.html

Step 3: IDENTIFY SOURCES OF goOD RESEARCH MATERIAL College libraries School libraries Public libraries People who experienced the event, took part in creating the change or were affected by the event People in your community Professors & other professionals knowledgeable about your topic Internet Museums & Archives

Types of Research Materials Books Encyclopedias Newspapers & Magazines – print or online Internet Databases Photographs & Visual Images Newscasts, PBS, etc. Oral Interviews Email Exchanges

Questions Your Research & Product Need to Include “To understand the historical importance of their topics, students must ask questions of time and place, cause and effect, change over time, and impact and significance. They must not only when did events happened, but why they happen? What factors contributed to their development? What was the lasting influence in history? How did this topic change the course of events? What effect did the event have on the community, society, nation and world?” NHD 2008 Theme Sheet “While working with a theme, students must move beyond the biographies and descriptions of specific people or events and demonstrate how that person’s actions had an impact on history…… capture the specific moment ….which change occurred and the role played by the individual…..the key to good historical study is an examination of cause & effect and change over time.” NHD 2009 Theme Sheet

STEP 4: AFTER RESEARCHING YOUR SOURCE materials & forming conclusions, develop your product Choose the Medium that Works Best for Your Topic: Research Paper Documentary Website Public Performance

Step 5: Take steps to ensure excellence in your presentation Review rules & guidelines for your category https://www.nhd.org/ Review rules for grammar and punctuation http://www.tamuk.edu/artsci/museum Remember- you DON’T have to use the exact phrasing of the theme in your title BUT you DO have to relate your entire presentation to the theme Tell the entire story—the before (background), the during, and the after (results, effects, consequences) Draw your own unique conclusion

We hope this presentation has been helpful We hope this presentation has been helpful. For more information on Coastal Bend Regional History Day, contact the Conner Museum at 361-593-2849 or connermuseum@tamuk.edu