Transcript Slide 1

What is Kentucky History Day?
What is Kentucky History Day?
• History Day is a projectbased education program
that engages students in the
process of discovery and
interpretation of historical
topics.
• Students learn skills that help
them in all subjects; not just
history/social studies.
Competition Categories
• Junior (6-8 graders) and Senior
(9-12 graders) Divisions
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Exhibit
Documentary
Paper (individual only)
Performance
Website
The History Day Process
1. Question & Research
2. Analyze & Interpret
3. Present
Annual Theme
• Themes are broad and change
from year to year.
• This year the theme is
“Leadership and Legacy
in History.”
Requirements
• Each category has rules associated with it.
• All PROJECTS must have an annotated
bibliography with separated secondary and
primary sources.
• All PROJECTS (except Paper) must have a
Process Paper.
Student Interview
• Students are briefly
interviewed by judges at the
contests.
• Judges ask students
questions like:
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Why did you pick this topic?
How did you do your research?
Why is your topic significant?
What was your best primary
source?
Your Students’ History Day Project
• It is not a book report. Your students
will have to critically think about their
topic, ask questions, find answers in
their sources, and develop their own
conclusions.
• They get to choose their own topic and
project category allowing them to work
in a way that best suits their learning
style.
Helping students select A Topic
• Students should choose a topic that…
– INTERESTS them
– Relates to the THEME
– Has a NARROWED FOCUS
• Topics can be…
– Local, State, U.S. History, or World History
– Encourage students to pick a topic that is at least 25
years old.
Topic Brainstorm
What topics can you think of related to
“Rights and Responsibilities?”
Healthcare?
Science?
Transportation?
Communications?
Military history?
Politics or government?
Sports?
Religion?
Education?
Exploration?
Is Their Topic Too New?
It is suggested that students avoid current event
topics, but look for historically related topics.
A project on some aspect of the Egyptian
Revolution is probably too current.
The Iranian Revolution happened long
enough ago for there to be good sources.
Is Their Topic Too Broad?
Civil Rights Movement = too broad
Martin Luther King’s 1964 March
on Frankfort = better
Doing the Research
• Direct students to:
– Libraries
– Historical societies and/or
museums
– Contact college professors
– Archival Collections at
organizations (i.e. corporations,
YMCA, etc.)
– Reputable internet sources (LOC,
NARA, Gilder Lehrman, etc.)
Primary & Secondary Sources
• Primary sources are
materials directly related to a
topic by time or participation.
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Letters
Speeches
Diaries
Newspaper or magazine articles
from the time
Oral History Interviews
Manuscripts/Paper collections
Songs and Hymns
Photographs and artifacts
Court Proceedings and Records
Government records, including
census data
Secondary sources are not
created first-hand.
History Textbook
Encyclopedias
Books or articles written by
scholars about a topic
Going Beyond the Book Report
• NHD projects have a thesis statement.
• Have students ask questions like:
– Why is my topic significant?
– Has my topic influenced anything else of
historical importance?
– What changed as a result of my topic?
– What causes led up to my topic?
Be sure that students make it clear
why their topic is historically
important!
Skills Learned
9th-12th Grade
• Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary
sources, paying attention to the date and origin of the information.
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Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary
sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding
of the text as a whole.
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Analyze the central ideas in primary and secondary sources and understand
how your topic fits within the historical context.
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Integrate information from multiple sources into a coherent understanding of
the topic, using the sources to support your argument.
Participation BenefitsYou!!!
• NHD students learn 21st century
college and career-ready skills.
– NHD students are critical thinkers who
can digest, analyze and synthesize
information.
– They learn to collaborate with team
members, approach a topic critically and
make an argument that supports their
opinion, talk to experts, manage their
time.
• Let’s them be creative.
• Encourages students to use their
community’s resources.