national history day project - kyrene school district€¦ · assignment. you will be working ......

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National History Day Project

Directions Packet

Name__________________________

Period______

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Hello Students,

This year, we will be participating in National History Day. If you are not familiar with History

Day, it is a national level competition open to all students in grades 6-12. Each year, National History

Day has a pre-determined theme; the theme for this year’s competition is: “Rights and Responsibility in

History”. You will select a topic of your choice which ties into this theme to successfully complete this

assignment.

You will be working on this project both in and out of class while simultaneously completing

other units. After Mr. Furman introduces the project, you will be responsible to set time aside on your

own to finish it.

After the projects have been turned in and graded, Mr. Furman will be selecting certain projects

to advance to the National History Day competition. If you are selected, you will have the opportunity to

compete in the East Valley Regional History Day Competition for grades 6-8. If your project places high

enough at Regionals, you can compete in the Arizona State History Day competition, and then even

possibly the National level competition in Washington DC.

You will have the opportunity to choose from five types of projects to show your research. In

addition to the project, you will also have to complete a bibliography, and write a short process paper on

how you created your project. You may work individually or in a group of 2-3 people while completing

your NHD project.

Let’s Get Started! 1) Keep a positive attitude and have fun with this project. Think of it as a mystery that you are trying to

solve. The facts and data you collect will help you to support your conclusions.

2) Make yourself the expert on this topic. Don’t just restate or tell what others have said about your

topic. Tell what you think, and then support and prove those ideas with the research that you have done.

3) Pick a topic and project category that you are interested in and can find enough information on.

Remember to keep your topic narrow. You can pick a topic from any time period in history including

your own family history.

4) Don’t wait to the last minute to work on the project. Set time aside each week to work on the project.

Watch the due dates.

5) Ask for help. If you don’t understand something or can’t find information, ask your teacher for

assistance.

Project categories: ***Examples will be shown later***

*** Choose one of the following

Research Paper (Individual Only)

Exhibit (Individual or Group)

Historical (Drama) Performance (Individual or Group)

Documentary (Individual or Group)

Historical Website (Individual or Group)

Individual or Groups: Students may work individually or in groups (except research papers which are

individual only). Groups may include 2 to 3 students. If you choose to work in a group, I would prefer

that it be with students from your period. With that being said, I will allow you to work with other

students from other class periods if that is what will help you produce your best work. If you choose to

work with other students, be careful whom you pick to work with on this project. Make sure you

pick someone whom you can count on to do his or her share of the work.

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Parts of the Project All projects will consist of the following parts.

1) The Main Project (exhibit board, documentary, research paper, website or

historical drama performance).

- This is where you display your thesis statement, research and analysis of the topic. The main

part of your project must be divided into the following sections:

- Thesis Statement- Clear state what your research will show or prove.

- Cause and Effect- What made your topic happen, and how did it change things

after it occurred.

- Historical graph or chart- Display important historical data about your topic.

- Timeline- Give dates of events that directly apply to your topic or important

historical events that occurred when your topic took place.

- Your Point of View on the topic/ other people’s point of view on the

topic- Tell what you think about your topic, and what other people think.

- Your Conclusions- Analyze and tell how your topic ties into the theme of a

“Turning Point in History”.

2) Annotated Bibliography- This is where you list out all of the primary and

secondary sources you used to make your project. See pages 12-14 in the NHD Directions

Packet

3) 500 Word Process Paper- All entries, except research papers, must have a

process paper. A process paper is a written statement explaining to the judges at the competition

how you picked your topic, and how it ties into the theme of Rights and Responsibility in

History, and the steps you took to research and make your project. See pages 8-11 in the

NHD Directions Packet

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Historical Documentary Directions

What is a Historical Documentary?

NHD documentaries present information about an event, person, place or idea from the past through a ten

minute presentation that showcases documents, images, photographs, and actual footage of the topic you

are researching. Your documentary needs to have both primary and secondary research but also be an

original production.

Project Requirements

Length: 10 minutes- The closer you can get to 10 minutes without going over the better.

- If you are doing a PowerPoint project, it must be set to run automatically, and it must also

have voice narration. There is no set number of slides in the PowerPoint presentation, but, as with a

video, it can’t be over 10 minutes in length when running automatically.

Timeline: You need to have some kind of timeline or some other way to show your topics development

chronologically in the documentary. It must be original, not cut and pasted out of a source.

Graphs, Tables, Charts: You must have at least one (1) of these in your documentary.

You may do more if you like. It must be original, not cut and pasted out of a source.

Thesis statement: Must clearly be stated in the documentary.

Title: Your project must have a title (title slide if doing PowerPoint) with the name of your project and

your name(s).

Sections: All sections need to be addressed in the documentary. Thesis Statement, Timeline, Graph/

Chart, Cause and Effect, Points of View, and Conclusion (see general directions).

Bibliography and Process Paper: Must be turned in on paper separately.

Turning in your Project: You can turn in either a disk or a videocassette of your documentary. If you

are turning in a CD or diskette please be sure to indicate what software was used and the version.

Helpful Hints:

- Adding background music to your documentary is a great way to add another dimension to your

research. Remember, music from the time period that your topic takes place is considered a source.

-Because of the heavy technical requirements of this category, think about the equipment that you will

need to complete this project.

-Write out a script first that has what you are going to say about your topic, then find pictures that go

along with the script.

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Exhibit Board Directions

What is a Historical Exhibit? Historical exhibition presents information about an event, person, place,

or idea from the past by physically displaying documents, images, or objects. We often see such exhibits

at museums, but they are also presented at many other places such as archives, historic sites, park visitor

centers, classrooms, and even airports and train stations. For your National History Day project, you will

tell the story of your research through historic photographs, maps, drawings and other interesting objects.


Board Size: Your exhibit can be no bigger than the following dimensions:

Square Shaped Board- 6 feet high, 40 inches wide, 30 inches deep.

Cylinder shaped board- 6 feet high, 30 inches in diameter.

Word limit- Your exhibit board can have no more than 500 words that are your own. If you are using a

newspaper, document, letter, diary, chart, table or graph these words do not count against the 500-word

limit.

- All written work needs to be completed in blue or black ink or typed.

Timeline: You need to have some kind of timeline on your board or some other way to show your

topic’s development chronologically. It must be original, not cut and pasted out of a source.

Graphs, Tables, Charts: You must have at least one (1) of these on your exhibit board.


Number of pictures, models or artifacts: Altogether you must have at least 20 visual components to

your exhibit board. Each should have a caption that corresponds to it. Remember, this is a visual project

- the more the better.

Audio/Visual Components (optional): (T.V./VCR, CD Player, Computer, Lights) If you are going to

use any of these, it must be able to run continuously or be able to be looped. It can be no longer than 3

minutes.

Title: Give your board a title (and subtitle, if applicable).

Sections: All these sections need to be present and displayed on the board. Thesis Statement, Timeline,

Graph/ Chart, Cause and Effect, Points of View, and Conclusion (see general directions). These sections

can be displayed both visually and in written form. You may add additional sections of your own if you

like.

Bibliography and Process Paper: Do not put this on the board. Staple or attach it to the back of the

board when you turn it in.

Helpful hints: - Use pictures, models, artifacts, graphs, tables, timelines, and audio/visual components to make your

project more visually interesting.

- Section off and organize your board with subheadings. Don’t just haphazardly arrange items on the

board. It should have a logical flow to it when a person is looking at it.

- Don’t put too much information on the board. If it is too cluttered, then it can be confusing to look at.

- Keep captions under visual items short and to the point. Let the picture or information you are showing

tell the story behind the topic.

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Research Paper Directions

What is a Historical Paper?

History papers present information and analyze an event, person, place or idea from the past in writing.

Although you might attach a map, chart or photograph that you refer to in your paper, you will rely

mainly on words. Writing a paper is a chance to tell what you know and what you think about a part of

the past. This is an individual project only.


Paper size and written requirements: - 1,500-2,500 words

- Double spaced

- 1-inch margins

- 10-12 font

- If you are hand writing your paper it must be completed in blue or black ink.

Footnotes, Endnotes, Parenthetical Citations: Refer to your class notes from the historical research

unit to help you with this.

- You must make use of these within your paper.

- I would prefer that you use parenthetical citations, because I feel they will be easier for you to use.

(Author’s last name, copyright date) example- (Smith, 1999)

Timeline: You need to have some kind of timeline or some other way to show your topic’s development

chronologically. You can either place the timeline in your paper or have at the end of the paper in an

appendix. It must be original, not cut and pasted out of a source.

Graphs, Tables, Charts: You must have at least one (1) of these in your paper.

You can either place the graphs or charts in your paper, or have it at the end of the paper in an appendix.

You may do more than one if you like. It must be original, not cut and pasted out of a source.

Subheadings: You may use subheadings throughout your paper if you feel it is necessary.

Sections: All sections need to be addressed in the paper. Thesis Statement, Timeline, Graph/ Chart,

Cause and Effect, Points of View, and Conclusion (see general directions).

Bibliography and Process Paper: Attach this to the end of your paper.

Cover sheet: Your paper must have a cover sheet. It should include:

- Title, Your name, Class period, Date

Covers and jackets: Please do not put your research paper in any kind of jacket or plastic cover. All

you need is a cover sheet with a single staple in the upper left hand corner of the paper to hold it together.

Thesis Statement: Usually the thesis statement is the first or last sentence of your introductory

paragraph.

- Start your paper of with your thesis statement it will help to keep you focused as you write.

Proofread your paper before turning it in: Don’t count on spell check to find all your mistakes.

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Historical (Drama) Performance Directions

What is a Historical Performance?

A performance is a live, dramatic presentation of your topic's significance in history. You may perform individually

or as part of a group. A performance should be a scripted portrayal based on research of your chosen topic. Your

script should be structured on a thesis statement, supporting statements, and a conclusion. Your performance should

have dramatic appeal, but not at the expense of historical information.


Length: 10 minutes- The closer you can get to 10 minutes without going over the better.

Script: Must be original and written by the students.

Costumes, Props and Sets: All costumes, sets and props must be student-made or actual historical

artifacts. Models and replicas can be used in place of actual artifacts. All of these need to be as

historically accurate as possible.

Media devices: Such as lights, slides, tape recorders/CD players, or other devices may be used as long as

they are student operated.

Title/ Introduction: Before the start of the performance, the students must introduce themselves and title

of their performance.

Thesis statement: Must be creatively incorporated into the drama performance.

- It is OK to just directly state your thesis, but I would prefer that you incorporate it into the dialogue of

your drama performance.

Timeline: You may use a written timeline as a prop within your performance, but I feel it would be

better if you gave this chronological information about your topic through the dialogue. It must be

original, not cut and pasted out of a source.

Graphs, Tables, Charts: You must have at least one (1) of these in your performance.

Again, like in the timeline, you could show it as a prop, but I feel it would be better to give this statistical

information through your dialogue. It must be original, not cut and pasted out of a source.

Sections: All sections need to be addressed in the drama performance. Thesis Statement, Timeline,

Graph/ Chart, Cause and Effect, Points of View, and Conclusion (see general directions).


Turning your project in: You may video tape your project to turn in for class, however if you enter the

contest you must be prepared to perform your project live in front of the judges.

Helpful Hints:

- If you know of someone who has an artifact that would work with your performance, ask if

you can borrow it.

- You may use pictures, newspapers, magazines, and documents as props within your

performance.

- Incorporate music into your drama performance. It is a great way to convey what your topic is

about and when it took place.

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Historical Website Directions

What is a Historical Web Site?

A historical web site is a collection of web pages, interconnected with hyperlinks, that presents

primary and secondary sources, interactive multimedia, and historical analysis. Your web site should

be an accumulation of research and argument that incorporates textual and non-textual (photographs,

maps, music, etc.) description, interpretation, and multimedia sources to engage and inform viewers

about your chosen historical topic. This project can be completed individually or in a group.


Size: Size Limit: The overall file size of your web site can be no more than 100MB of file space,

including all multimedia.

Word Limit: Word Limit: The web site may contain no more than 1,200 visible, student-

composed words. This means that all words that you write that are visible to the viewer count

towards your word limit. If you didn't write it, it doesn't count towards the limit. You can use

quotations from other sources, and it won't count against your 1,200 words. Words that are not

visible to the viewer – citations, code used to build the site, and alternate text tags on images –

do not count against the limit, either. Site content should not "lift" just quotes.

Pictures: Minimum of 15 pictures or visuals. Each visual must have a caption or written component

with it.

Hyperlinks: All student created pages must be hyperlinked back to the index/ home page. Automatic

redirects are not permitted.

- You can hyperlink to other historically relevant pages on the Internet that the viewer may find

interesting. They do count against your word limit.

Timeline: You need to have some kind of timeline or some other way to show your topics development

chronologically. It must be original, not cut and pasted out of a source.

Graphs, Tables, Charts: You must have at least one (1) of these in your website.


Thesis statement: Must clearly be stated in the website.

Title: Your project must have a title page with the name of your project and your name(s).

Sections: All these sections need to be addressed in the website. Thesis Statement, Timeline, Graph/

Chart, Cause and Effect, Points of View, and Conclusion (see general directions).

Music and Videos: You can add or download videos clips and music that goes along with your topic.

These video and music clips can be no longer than 45 seconds in length.

Narration: Must be original and student composed.

Building and Viewing Website- Create your website with the NHD Site Editor. Go to

http://nhd.org/websitereg.htm to begin the registration process.


http://nhd.org/websitereg.htm

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Process Paper

A process paper is a description of no more than 500 words explaining how you conducted your research

and created and developed your entry. You must conclude your description with an explanation of the

relationship of your topic to the contest theme.

A title page is required as the first page of written material in every category. Your title page must include

only the title of your entry, your name(s) and the contest division and category in which you are entered.

Do not include your age, grade or school name.

The first section should explain how you chose your topic.

The second section should explain how you conducted your research.

The third section should explain how you selected your presentation category and created your project.

The fourth section should explain how your project relates to the NHD theme.

See the example on the next few pages.

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Annotated Bibliography

Building Historical Context and Conducting Research

I have my topic and I know how it is connected to the NHD theme. What do I do next? Build historical

context by reading different types of sources...

Nothing in history happens in a vacuum. To understand the connections between your topic and the time

period, begin reading about the time period and as you read ask yourself questions: why did my topic

happen at this particular time and in this particular place? What were the events or the influences that

came before my topic? How was my topic influenced by and how did it influence the economic, social,

political, and cultural climate of the time period? All of these questions will help you to build the story of

your topic and grasp the historical significance.

While you are researching a topic for an NHD project, you will read different types of sources: tertiary

sources, secondary sources, and primary sources.

Primary Sources

A primary source is a piece of information about a historical event or period in which the creator of the

source was an actual participant in or a contemporary of a historical moment. The purpose of primary

sources is to capture the words, the thoughts and the intentions of the past. Primary sources help you to

interpret what happened and why it happened.

Examples of primary sources include documents, artifacts, historic sites, songs, or other written

and tangible items created during the historical period you are studying.

Secondary Sources

A secondary source is a source that was not created first-hand by someone who participated in the

historical era. Secondary sources are usually created by historians, but based on the historian's reading of

primary sources. Secondary sources are usually written decades, if not centuries, after the event occurred

by people who did not live through or participate in the event or issue. The purpose of a secondary source

is to help build the story of your research from multiple perspectives and to give your research historical

context.

An example of a secondary source is Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era by James M. McPherson,

published in 1988. They are a great starting point in helping you see the big picture. Understanding the

context of your topic will help you make sense of the primary sources that you find.

The primary and secondary sources McPherson used are listed in the bibliography. Another researcher

might consult these same primary sources and reach a different conclusion.

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Classification of primary or secondary source. You should use the annotation to explain why you

categorized a particular source as primary or secondary, If that is likely to be at all controversial.

Historians do sometimes disagree and there's not always one right answer, so justify your choice to the

judges.

Secondary sources which include primary materials. You also may use the annotation to explain that a

book or other secondary source included several primary sources used for the paper. Examples: "This

book included three letters between person X on the frontier and person Y back in New England, which

provided insight into the struggles and experiences of the settlers." "This book provided four photos of

settlers on the Great Plains and their homes, which were used on the exhibit." Please note that the

materials included in secondary sources, like your text book, are not primary in this instance because they

have been taken out if their original context. For example, an image of a painting may have been cropped,

or a letter may be missing sentences.

Fuller explanation of credits for documentaries. You are supposed to give credit in the documentary

itself for photos or other primary sources, but you can do this in a general way, such as by writing,

"Photos from: National Archives, Ohio Historical Society, A Photographic History of the Civil War"

rather than listing each photo individually in the documentary credits, which would take up too much of

your allotted 10 minutes. You then must use the annotation in the bibliography to provide more detailed

information.

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Annotated Bibliography Directions

All entries must have a bibliography. Your bibliography must contain only those sources where you

found information that you actually used, not just any source that you looked at.

Requirements

Number of Sources: The basic rule on this is to have as many sources as possible. There is no set

number of sources required for the contest. However, if you want to be competitive at the regional and

state competitions the more sources you use to construct your bibliography the better. At a minimum I

require at least 10 sources. If you are in a group then each person must contribute at least 10

sources. Ex- 3 people in your group = 30 sources.

Type of sources. You are encouraged to use a variety of sources when making this project. By doing

this, it will encourage you to find information about your topic from a wider and more varied perspective.

However, it is understood that students may not have access or the ability to visit all the libraries and

archives available to them for research. Therefore, it is acceptable for you to use the Internet, and school

library to research your topic and compile your information.

Primary sources: First-hand account of information. A source that comes directly from the historical

topic that you are researching. These can be difficult to find, but are considered a more believable source.

Examples: Artifacts, Interview with a person actually involved with the historical event. Autobiography,

diary, personal letters, actual photographs, magazines (sometimes), newspapers (sometimes).

Secondary Sources: Second-hand information. A source that is interpreted by someone else. These

sources are easier to find, but are not considered as valuable as primary sources.

Examples: textbook, encyclopedia, biography, Internet, paintings, newspapers, magazines, general

reference books.

Format: Use the MLA style guide given to you in your Historical Research Unit packet.

- It may either be typed or written in blue or black ink.

- Remember it needs to be arraigned alphabetically.

- Font size needs to be 10-12, if you are typing.

- 1-inch margins, if you are typing.

Separate Bibliographies for Primary and Secondary Sources.

- Make two separate bibliographies for your project. On one sheet of paper you will write your

primary sources that you used, and on another sheet of paper you will write your secondary sources.

They both use exactly the same format. By doing it this way you will show me that you understand the

difference between the two types of sources, and how you used them in making your project.

Annotated Bibliography- According to the NHD rules, you must complete an annotated bibliography

for the competition. This type of bibliography is exactly the same as a regular bibliography or works

cited page, except now you must added 1-2 sentences under each source stating what the most important

piece of information was that you found from that source.

***All project categories must have an annotated bibliography

Example annotated source entry.

Crowded, Joan. Too Many People. New York: The Viking Press, 1998.

This secondary source was very helpful in giving statistics over the past 50 years on how rapidly the world’s

population has grown, and what this could mean in terms of managing the Earth’s limited natural resources.

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MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th edition.

Before you get started:

1) MLA requires a hanging indent for its citations.

2) PLEASE BE SURE TO DOUBLE SPACE CITATIONS. (For space saving reasons, the citations below are

single spaced.)

3) Entitle your reference sheet "Annotated Bibliography"

4) Alphabetize the bibliography.

Note: The 7th edition of MLA does not require writers to list a URL when citing online materials unless required by

an instructor (see example below Article from a Journal on the Web (With Optional URL).) But the new edition

does require authors to list the medium or format of materials (e.g. Print, Web, CD, Radio, Television). It still

requires the writer to include the title of databases (if applicable) and the date that Web materials were accessed.

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Due Dates

Dates are subject to change

Due Dates

1) Topic and Project Type Selected ________

2) Thesis Statement ________

3) Research Check #1 ________

(Should have a minimum of 5 sources w/notes)

4) Research Check #2 ________ (Should have a minimum of 10 sources total at this point w/notes)

5) Final Project ________

- Main Project

- Annotated Bibliography

- Process Paper

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Grading the Project

To reach mastery, you must receive a 3 or higher on all four learning goals.

Learning Goal 1: Student was able to construct and interpret, charts, graphs, and timelines by

using the historical data he/she researched.

4 3 2 1 0

In addition to level 3,

student was able to make

personal/historical

connections while

constructing charts, graphs, and timelines using the historical data researched. .

Student was able to construct and interpret, charts, graphs, and timelines by using the historical data researched.

Student was able to construct, charts, graphs, and timelines by using the historical data researched.

With support

student was able to construct, charts, graphs, and timelines by using the historical data researched.

Even with

support student

was unable to construct, charts, graphs, and timelines using the historical data researched.

Learning Goal 2: Student was able to formulate a question relating to the project theme (thesis statement), and then answer it using his/ her research. 4 3 2 1 0


student was able to use personal/historical

connections to answer

that question.

Student was able to formulate a question relating to the project theme (thesis statement), and then answer it using his/ her research.

Student was able to formulate a question relating to the project theme (thesis statement).

With support

student was able to formulate a question relating to the project theme (thesis statement).

Even with

support student

was unable to formulate a question relating to the project theme (thesis statement).

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Learning Goal 3: Student was able to identify, and use credible primary/ secondary sources to research his/ her topic.

Use of annotations in the bibliography to explain how the sources were used to create the project.

4 3 2 1 0

In addition to level

3, student exceed

in finding and

using credible

primary and

secondary sources

to research his/ her

topic.

Student was able to identify, and use credible primary/ secondary sources to research his/ her topic.

Student was able to identify credible primary/ secondary sources to research his/ her topic.

With support

student was able to identify credible primary/ secondary sources to research his/ her topic.

Even with support

student was unable to identify credible primary/ secondary sources to research his/ her topic.

Learning Goal 4: Student was able to demonstrate critical thing by analyzing his/ her topic’s causes and effects, and analyzing other points of view as well as his/ her own. 4 3 2 1 0


student was able to use personal/historical

connections while

identifying and analyzing his/ her topic’s causes and effects, and analyzing other points of view as well as his/ her own.

Student was able to demonstrate critical thing by identifying and analyzing his/ her topic’s causes and effects, while analyzing other points of view as well as his/ her own.

Student was able to demonstrate critical thing by identifying his/ her topic’s causes and effects, while providing other points of view as well as his/ her own.

With support

student was able to demonstrate critical thing by identifying his/ her topic’s causes and effects, while providing other points of view as well as his/ her own.

Even with

support student

was unable to demonstrate critical thing by identifying his/ her topic’s causes and effects, or provide any other points of view as well as his/ her own.

national history day project - kyrene school district€¦ · assignment. you will be working ......

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