NHD NATIONAL HISTORY DAY

HISTORY In 1974 Dr. David Van Tassel, a history professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, wanted to reinvigorate the teaching and learning of history in elementary and secondary schools. With the help of his colleagues in the department of history, he created a one-day contest for students to showcase their historical research called National History Day. Over the next few years, the contest expanded throughout Ohio and into surrounding Midwestern states. By 1980 NHD had grown into a national organization and in 1992 NHD moved its headquarters from Cleveland to the Washington, D.C., area.

National History Day aims to: Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will help students manage and use information effectively now and in the future Encourage the study of history by guiding students to express themselves creatively through presentations of historical topics in various formats. Encourage students to move beyond the classroom and into the community to investigate history

Provide students with the opportunity to work with and analyze historical documents and other primary source material Develop student research and reading skills and to refine student presentation skills in writing, visual projects and performances Motivate students through the excitement of competition and through recognition for their work

Grade Level Expectations Required of all 7th Grade Pre AP and 8th Grade Pre AP students. Students will visit library or computer lab and be assisted in the classroom periodically throughout the fall semester. Optional for all other interested students. Independent work with minimal classroom instruction (for “optional” students).

Contest Theme Turning Points in History: People, Ideas, Events is the theme for National History Day 2013. The theme this year should be an easier one than in past years to come up with ideas for topics. The theme has been explained to students that a turning point in history can be anything that changed the direction that things were going. This could be a war or a shift in thinking. The best advice when deciding on a topic is to play to your interests. If it is a topic that you are interested in the project will not seem such a daunting task. The topic does not necessarily have to be something that is typically history oriented.

Project Categories Exhibit Performance Paper (individual category only) Website Documentary

Student Contracts Requires student and parent signatures

http://www.nhd.org Where to begin? Sample topics Category Rules Essential Information Creating a project Research Roadmap Category Rules Category Rules Project Examples Judging Evaluation Forms

Parental Involvement Make sure the work is the work of the child Assist as they conduct research but students should take notes, conduct interviews, etc. Provide transportation for research trips to libraries, museums, universities, historical sites, etc. Make sure they are excited and interested in the topic/project Give encouragement, support and guidance

Levels of Competition Campus Level – February Fort Bend Regional – March Texas History Day – May National History Day – June

Information is broken up into manageable pieces or segments Quality Projects RESEARCH Provides thorough understanding of the topic ORIENTATION Must guide the viewer through the storyline of the exhibit SEGMENTATION Information is broken up into manageable pieces or segments EXPLANATION It shows the depth of one’s knowledge, the connections between a complex theme and the topic being discussed, and makes the case for the topic’s significance in history

Questions…. Comments…… Concerns………..