Designed Especially for Students

Educational program in which students become historians: Become A Historian! More than half a million students, encouraged by thousands of teachers nationwide, participate yearly.   Educational program in which students become historians: Analyze and interpret their findings Draw conclusions about the significance of their topics in history Create final projects to present their work.  

NHD Overview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuMv4iEgADI&feature=em-share_video_user

History Day in a Nutshell Select a topic that relates to the annual theme. Research the topic using primary and secondary sources to develop a bibliography. Write a thesis that they support with their research. Develop presentation from one of five possible categories: Exhibit, Documentary, Performance, Historical Paper, or Web Site. Choose to work alone or in a group.

Competition Projects are entered into competitions at the county, state, and national levels where they are evaluated by professional historians and educators. ● Individual Historical Paper ● Individual & Group Documentary ● Individual & Group Exhibit ● Individual & Group Performance ● Individual & Group Website  

Level Date Location School TBD by School Individual Schools County Important Dates Level Date Location School TBD by School Individual Schools County March 5– 8, 2018   Excel Academy *PLEASE change this in your notebooks! Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Historical Papers & Websites Documentaries Exhibits Performances Region Saturday, March 24, 2018 **Full registration with submission of links for websites and historical papers is due the week following our contest. Clayton State College Morrow, Georgia State Saturday, April 21, 2018 Mercer University Macon, Georgia National June 10 – 14, 2018 University of Maryland College Park, Maryland

Revolution, Reaction & Reform Rights & Responsibilities Theme Triumph & Tragedy Revolution, Reaction & Reform Rights & Responsibilities Turning Points Communication Leadership & Legacy Taking a Stand Trade & Industry Migration Choose a historical topic related to the annual theme and conduct extensive primary and secondary research by using libraries, archives, museums, and oral history interviews. 

2018 Theme

Topic Selection Select a topic related to the annual theme. Brainstorm ideas and look through the historical books to begin thinking about potential topics. For ideas on theme connection and topic selection, please see the NHD annual theme book.

Topic Selection Topic can be world, U.S., state, or local history topics. Do preliminary research to determine amount of sources available. Topics must relate to the theme!

Conflict & Compromise… in History Compromise can sometimes prevent a conflict, but what happens when it does not? If a conflict occurs, how can compromise help to end the conflict? What happens if a failed compromise leads to an even larger conflict? Conflict & Compromise What happens when an attempt at compromise brings about a conflict? How has compromise been used to end conflict throughout history? Examine the significance of your topic in history AND show development over time. In History

The “So What” Factor Consider: ● Time and Place ● Cause and Effect ● Change over Time ● Impact and Significance Do more than just describe what happened. Draw conclusions about how the topic affected: ● Individuals ● Communities ● Nations ● The World

The Historical Method But Different… It’s Sort of Like the Scientific Method But Different… Preliminary Research Form a Research Question or a Hypothesis Design an experiment to test the Question or Hypothesis Conclusion: Was the Research Question Answered? Was the Hypothesis Proven? Preliminary Research Begin with Tertiary Sources (i.e. encyclopedias, etc.) Then, start looking at Secondary Sources Design and Complete a Research Plan Form Questions about your Topic Look for Answers in both Secondary and Primary Sources Form a Final Thesis Statement Conclusion: Was the thesis proven?

Primary vs. Secondary Sources Primary Source Secondary Source Created after the historical time period being studied by people that did not live through the time period being studied. Include histories, text books, biographies, journal articles, photographs, newspaper articles, interviews, etc. Created during the historical time period that is being studied or created by people that lived during the time period being studied. Include letters, autobiographies, government forms and reports, photographs newspaper articles, interviews, etc.

NARA Sample Suggested Topics

NARA Online Primary Sources National Archives Online Public Access http://www.archives.gov/research/search/ Docsteach.org http://docsteach.org/

Gathering & Recording Information To be responsible researchers, you must credit sources from which you gathered information. To begin the process, however, it is important for that you collect the critical information from each source as you read: Author's Name Title Publisher Date of Publication Page Number for Quotes

Analyzing & Interpreting Sources Historians do more than describe events; they analyze and interpret information gathered from their sources to draw conclusions about a topic's significance in history. Asking yourself questions about your topic and research: Identify elements of change and continuity Examine historical context: economic, political, social and cultural atmosphere of the time period Interrogate their sources: Who created the source? When was the source created? What was the intent or purpose of the source?

Developing a Thesis Thesis = usually one sentence that presents an argument about the topic. A strong thesis statement: ● Addresses the topic ● Relates to the theme ● Expresses the impact of the topic The body of the paper or website, the script of the performance or documentary, the headings and captions in an exhibit then are used to support the thesis using evidence from the research.

National History Day: What's your point? - YouTube Thesis Topic + Theme + Impact National History Day: What's your point? - YouTube

Matching the Theme to the Thesis Statement Title of Thesis Statement Theme Jacqueline Cochran – Flying Towards the Future Leadership & Legacy in History To Learn or to Earn? The National Child Labor Committee Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History The Nuremberg Trials Turning Points in History On the Brink of Disunion: The Election of 1860 Rights & Responsibilities Title IX: Empowerment though Education (**One Theme is used twice.)

Project Categories Description & Examples

Exhibit Word Limit Like a Museum Exhibit 500 Student-composed Words Maximum Size 6 ft. x 40 in. x 30 in. Word Limit 500 Student-composed Words The Challenge: To Blend Graphic Design with Written Script The 5-paragraph essay becomes the 6-part exhibit (Introduction, Background, Beginning, Middle, End, and Conclusion)

Compare Exhibit (6 Parts) 5 Paragraph Essay Introduction Introduction Background Historical Context Body of Argument Beginning Middle End Conclusion 5 Paragraph Essay Introduction Body of Argument Beginning Middle End Conclusion

Introductory paragraph with thesis statement Exhibit = 6 Parts Background Beginning of Argument Introductory paragraph with thesis statement Middle of Argument End of Argument Conclusion

Documentary Like watching the History Channel 10 Minutes or less Video, Power Point, Imovie, Movie Maker, Slide presentation, etc. Can mix programs Photo Story 3 with Movie Maker The Challenge: Blending historic images (still and moving) with narrations and background music) YouTube - National History Day Documentary Finalist 2009 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiWDy59IcDs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6Ids_RK6XM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6UTpEXvneE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoogKx2JGGs

Performance A Dramatic Portrayal 10 Minutes or Less Students Write Script Find Props/Costuming The Challenge: Fill up the 10 minutes with solid history and good theatrical presence YouTube - The Walker Sisters vs. The Great Smoky Mountains The Turning Point That Made America Free Forever – YouTube 101st Airborne - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niIpUiFF780 The Golden Age of Radio: Turning Points in American Culture – YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajUfTgB4r14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a06ets0I9ac&list=PLWUZoQlFYsioOrh5cmhtaoFGJVWRkHXeS&index=10

Historical Paper 1,500 to 2,500 Words 6 to 10 Pages Double-Spaced Traditional or Creative Writing The Challenge: Writing to Prove a Point Organization Verb Tense National History Day Contest | Student Project Examples

Web Site The Challenge: Present Historic Content in a Blending of Category Mediums Student will use aspects of the Historical Paper, the Exhibit, and Documentary Categories "The Emancipation Proclamation for the Disabled" – Title The Voting Rights Act of 1965: One Vote,One Voice. - Title Original productions constructed using the NHD web site editor Maximum of 1,200 Visible Words Entire site may use no more than 100MB of file space. No Outside Links: Students may not use embedded material hosted elsewhere site must be viewable in a recent version of a standard web browser

A Guide to Research & Creating the Knockout Bibliography Impressing the Judges A Guide to Research & Creating the Knockout Bibliography

Requirements Annotated Bibliography Process Paper MLA or Turabian format Divide into Primary and Secondary Sources Annotation describes how the student used the source With web sites, tell who put out the site in the annotation Have students develop bibliography as they work on their project Process Paper 500 words or less All categories except Historical Papers Not a historical essay Students answer four simple questions Why they chose their topic? How they did their research? How they developed their entry? How their topic relates to the theme?

Bibliographies Every scholarly work needs a bibliography (a list of sources used during the research process). Which bibliography style will I use? (Historians use Turabian; English teachers use MLA.) NHD bibliographies are annotated (Either tells how the source was used in the final product or how it was used to bring a complete understanding of the topic). Review requirements and examples of annotated bibliographies: https://nhd.org/annotated-bibliography

How will my project be judged?

60% Historical Quality Is historically accurate Judged in the project but the accuracy is built around secondary source research Shows analysis and interpretation Meaning: NHD projects are NOT Reports Have a thesis, stay focused on it, and use the data in the sources to support the thesis Judged in the project Places topic in historical context Understands the time and place (the setting) of the topic Judged in the project but built off secondary (and primary sources) 60%

Historical Quality Continued Shows wide research Judged by reading the Bibliography (and Process Paper) Meaning: Students used a variety of sources and not just the internet, visited more than just the school media center, and looked at different “types” of sources (letters, newspapers, interviews, etc.) Uses available primary sources Students are not expected to travel to exotic research facilities around the world but should visit appropriate local facilities. It is fine to use the internet for primary source research Research is balanced Judged by reading the bibliography Students looked at a variety of historical interpretations (secondary) Students looked at multiple sides of the event (primary) 60%

20% Relation to Theme Clearly relates topic to theme Judged from the project Have the theme central to the thesis and prove thesis Demonstrates significance of topic in history and draws conclusions The “So What” Factor 20%

20% Clarity of Presentation Presentation, written material is original, clear, appropriate, organized, articulate (Category specific) More than bells and whistles High quality Substance over Style 20%

Resources Student Clayton State University Summer Academy – http://www.lagrange.edu/academics/history/nhd/teacher.html http://www.lagrange.edu/academics/history/nhd/students.html http://www.nationalhistoryday.org/ http://www.georgiahumanities.org/curriculum-and-schools/national-history-day Clayton State University Summer Academy – charleselfer@clayton.edu OR joel.walker@nara.gov

Access the Theme Book http://nhd.org/sites/default/files/2018themebook.pdf