National History Day programs are open to all students and teachers without regard to race, sex, religion, physical abilities, economic status, or sexual orientation. National History Day does not discriminate against or limit participation by physically challenged students. National History Day staff and affiliate coordinators strive to accommodate students with special needs.
Click to download this years Official Rule book
Click to download this years Official Rule book
To schedule the state coordinator to come to your school please fill the form out below.
What is National History Day?
National History Day (NHD) is a yearlong, nonprofit education program dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of history in elementary and secondary schools. The program makes history every day by giving young Americans an appreciation of their heritage and teaching them essential skills that will help them succeed in college and the workplace. The program received the Charles Frankel Prize for public programming from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
National History Day makes history come alive for participating students. The NHD student competition is the nation’s oldest and most highly regarded history program for students in grades 6-12. This academic challenge engages more than half a million students annually.
National History Day is one of the rare programs that helps students refine critical thinking and research skills used in all subject areas. For more than 25 years, NHD has promoted systemic educational reform related to teaching and learning in America’s schools.
National History Day provides teachers with leading-edge training and curriculum materials to help educators exceed education standards. The NHD program rewards innovation and interdisciplinary approaches in the classroom. Millions of students have participated in NHD and have gone on to careers in business, law, medicine, teaching and countless other disciplines where they are putting into practice the skills and knowledge gained through NHD.
National History Day joined with the White House and the National Archives to create Our Documents, a history, civics and service education initiative. The initiative revolves around 100 milestone documents in American history, from the Lee Resolution of 1776 to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and it encourages all Americans to participate in our democracy.
Am I eligible to participate in National History Day?
The National History Day contest is open to all students in grades 6-12. All types of students participate in NHD--public, private, parochial and home-school students; urban, suburban and rural students; academically gifted and average students, and students with special needs.
There are two divisions of competition: junior and senior. There are seven categories of entries for each division: individual exhibit, group exhibit, individual documentary, group documentary, individual performance, group performance, and individual paper.
Winning students in district competitions may move on to state competition, and the top two entries in each category and division at state contests are eligible to participate in the national contest.
What am I required to do to participate in NHD?
Students choose a history topic related to NHD's annual contest theme, conduct extensive research over the course of the school year, and create performances, documentaries, papers or exhibits which they may enter in competition at the district, state and national level.
How many students and teachers participate in National History Day?
Nationwide, 700,000 students and 40,000 teachers annually participate in National History Day programs. More than 2,000 students from across the country attend the national contest (from 48 states, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense Schools and American Samoa).
Who supports National History Day?
At the state level, NHD programs are sponsored by historical societies, university departments of history or education, humanities councils and other state agencies. In some cases corporate sponsors provide additional funding to support state History Day programs.
At the national level, NHD is supported by private foundations, state organization fees and by corporate sponsors, including major contributors.
When is National History Day?
Every day is National History Day. NHD is a year-long program that culminates in a national contest in June in College Park, MD
Why call it National History Day?
NHD started as a small contest in Cleveland in 1974. Members of the history department at Case Western Reserve University developed the initial idea for a history contest to make teaching and learning history a fun and exciting experience. Students gathered on campus to devote one day to history. They called it "National History Day." Although the name has remained the same, NHD has grown into a national organization with year-round programs and a week-long national contest.
Is National History Day just a contest?
NHD is more than a contest; it is reforming the way history is taught and learned. The contest provides teachers with an innovative teaching tool and fosters students' enthusiasm for learning. In addition to the contest, NHD offers teacher workshops, summer student academies, summer teacher institutes, curricular materials and other resources for educators.
How long has National History Day been around?
NHD began in Cleveland in 1974 and expanded throughout Ohio and into surrounding Midwestern states before becoming a national organization in 1980. In 1992 NHD moved its headquarters to the Washington, D.C., area.
National History Day (NHD) is a yearlong, nonprofit education program dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of history in elementary and secondary schools. The program makes history every day by giving young Americans an appreciation of their heritage and teaching them essential skills that will help them succeed in college and the workplace. The program received the Charles Frankel Prize for public programming from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
National History Day makes history come alive for participating students. The NHD student competition is the nation’s oldest and most highly regarded history program for students in grades 6-12. This academic challenge engages more than half a million students annually.
National History Day is one of the rare programs that helps students refine critical thinking and research skills used in all subject areas. For more than 25 years, NHD has promoted systemic educational reform related to teaching and learning in America’s schools.
National History Day provides teachers with leading-edge training and curriculum materials to help educators exceed education standards. The NHD program rewards innovation and interdisciplinary approaches in the classroom. Millions of students have participated in NHD and have gone on to careers in business, law, medicine, teaching and countless other disciplines where they are putting into practice the skills and knowledge gained through NHD.
National History Day joined with the White House and the National Archives to create Our Documents, a history, civics and service education initiative. The initiative revolves around 100 milestone documents in American history, from the Lee Resolution of 1776 to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and it encourages all Americans to participate in our democracy.
Am I eligible to participate in National History Day?
The National History Day contest is open to all students in grades 6-12. All types of students participate in NHD--public, private, parochial and home-school students; urban, suburban and rural students; academically gifted and average students, and students with special needs.
There are two divisions of competition: junior and senior. There are seven categories of entries for each division: individual exhibit, group exhibit, individual documentary, group documentary, individual performance, group performance, and individual paper.
Winning students in district competitions may move on to state competition, and the top two entries in each category and division at state contests are eligible to participate in the national contest.
What am I required to do to participate in NHD?
Students choose a history topic related to NHD's annual contest theme, conduct extensive research over the course of the school year, and create performances, documentaries, papers or exhibits which they may enter in competition at the district, state and national level.
How many students and teachers participate in National History Day?
Nationwide, 700,000 students and 40,000 teachers annually participate in National History Day programs. More than 2,000 students from across the country attend the national contest (from 48 states, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense Schools and American Samoa).
Who supports National History Day?
At the state level, NHD programs are sponsored by historical societies, university departments of history or education, humanities councils and other state agencies. In some cases corporate sponsors provide additional funding to support state History Day programs.
At the national level, NHD is supported by private foundations, state organization fees and by corporate sponsors, including major contributors.
When is National History Day?
Every day is National History Day. NHD is a year-long program that culminates in a national contest in June in College Park, MD
Why call it National History Day?
NHD started as a small contest in Cleveland in 1974. Members of the history department at Case Western Reserve University developed the initial idea for a history contest to make teaching and learning history a fun and exciting experience. Students gathered on campus to devote one day to history. They called it "National History Day." Although the name has remained the same, NHD has grown into a national organization with year-round programs and a week-long national contest.
Is National History Day just a contest?
NHD is more than a contest; it is reforming the way history is taught and learned. The contest provides teachers with an innovative teaching tool and fosters students' enthusiasm for learning. In addition to the contest, NHD offers teacher workshops, summer student academies, summer teacher institutes, curricular materials and other resources for educators.
How long has National History Day been around?
NHD began in Cleveland in 1974 and expanded throughout Ohio and into surrounding Midwestern states before becoming a national organization in 1980. In 1992 NHD moved its headquarters to the Washington, D.C., area.
NHD and the Common Core Standards
Click here for detailed ways to link NHD to the CCSS from Wisconsin NHD
History and Language Arts:
Montana, along with nearly all U.S. states, has adopted a set of national standards for English language arts. These are referred to as the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Science, Science, and Technical Subjects. History-Social Science teachers play a critical role in preparing students for college and career readiness in the 21st century - the objective of the new standards.
Teachers, schools, and districts must consider how they might best serve the instructional and educational news of students in today's new context requiring significantly increased levels of knowledge and skills. When approached about NHD program participation, some may ask, "How do we fit this in?" In addition to recent research findings (http://www.nhd.org/NHDworks.htm), which indicate that History Day students outperform their non-History Day peers in ALL subject areas, History Day as an instructional methodology meets the highest levels of the Common Core State Standards. Instead of being squeezed into a packed curriculum, NHD can be the means by which History and English-language arts objectives are met simultaneously.
NHD - CCSS Connect:
As a way of teaching and learning, National History Day
directly addresses Common Core State Standards in the
all CCSS areas:
- Reading Informational Text and Literature
- Writing
- Speaking and Listening
- Language
NHD methodology includes extensive primary and
secondary research into a topic of choice related to an
annual theme. Teachers guide students through a
project-based learning experience, which pulls
together Common Core State Standards in a meaningful
and coherent fashion.
CCSS Standard: Reading Informational Text:
NHD Connection: Students, with teacher guidance, engage in wide exploration and analysis of secondary and primary sources related to their NHD topic. Students learn to determine the quality and credibility of sources, to triangulate information to increase the likelihood of accuracy, and consider the best evidence and arguments put forward by source authors.
Examples of Informational Text include textbooks, encyclopedias, (auto) biographies, diaries, newspaper and scholarly articles, court and oral history transcripts, and government documents (legislation, court decisions, treaties, etc.). Additionally, students analyze art and photographs as primary and secondary sources. The purpose is to develop a thesis statement and draw a conclusion about the significance over time of a student’s selected topic.
CCSS Standard: Reading Literature:
NHD Connection: Historical fiction, literature from a specific time period, legends, myths, and fables provide additional perspectives and often help paint an initial picture, which a student may test with factual evidence from informational sources.
CCSS Standard: Writing:
NHD Connection: All NHD projects include student composed argumentative text embellished with selective use of quotations and images/graphics/media. Students develop a well reasoned thesis statement and provide evidence from their research to support the thesis.
The heart of every NHD project is its Annotated Bibliography. Students use either Turabian or MLA style protocols and reflect broad research in terms of multiple perspectives and in types of sources utilized. Additionally, students respond to (possible) opposing positions, again using evidence from research. The writing process includes multiple drafts in a formal academic style with peer and adult review. As a rule, high school NHD students discover that they are well ahead of non-NHD peers when confronted with academic research projects at the university level.
CCSS Standard: Listening and Speaking:
NHD Connection: Collaborative discussions to explore ongoing research and project development
efforts require advance preparation. Careful listening, questioning, and elaboration on initial
responses are both common and a necessity. The process of evaluating NHD projects includes an
interview. Peers prepare each other for this element by carefully reviewing each other’s
projects, generating their own and utilizing prepared questions, and practicing responses for formal interviews. Additionally, as part of their research, students frequently interview experts, scholars, and witnesses related to the topic. Students must prepare with advance research and question generation. During the interview, they must listen, paraphrase, request elaboration, and create new questions in the moment.
Top 10 Things for Teacher's to Help with this Year's NHD Projects:
1. Keep it about HISTORY!!!! In the last few years we’ve been have quite a few projects focusing more on current events. This year, let’s make sure it is more about history since it is call National HISTORY Day. Something recent is a fine place to end, but make sure the bulk of the project deals with historical development to that end.
2. Use the State Historical Society Bibliography.
That includes the bibliography put together by Montana Historical Society Staff on their wiki page and linked off the MTNHD website at http://montanahistorywiki.pbworks.com/w/page/21639848/Subject%20Guides%20and%20Bibliographies
3. Use the student and teacher resources at the MTNHD website.
There are several resources for both teachers and students to help them through their projects and understand and think about this year’s theme. Don’t reinvent the wheel. There is more out there as well. If you need more help, contact the state coordinator or one of the History Team Commandos. They can do some of the leg work for you.
4. Have your students talk with the state coordinator and others that have done History Day to mentor them through the project.
That relieves some of your workload! Encourage them to make use of that resource. They can also help YOU!!
5. Consider using a local topic to examine a more national or world topic.
The beauty of NHD is to have student look locally at a topic that is also discussed at a national level. For example, on our website we have a link to video that examines a civil rights event in Wyoming during the 1960s. The student researched locally, and his topic was local, but it had parallels with larger issues nationwide regarding the civil rights movement. That is a great way to do a project.
6. Contact other teachers and/or the state coordinator.
You are not alone in the process. We have many teachers out there that are doing this across the state and nationwide. There is not one universal way to do NHD in the classroom and we can help find the way that works best for you. The first year is the scariest, but seeking support is crucial to your success.
7. Do what works best for you. NHD is a very “anti-federalist” program.
It can be done in any number of different ways that best suits you and your teaching style. It can be done as a year long project, a unit project, an after school club, an extra credit project, an “honors contract” project, etc…. Contact the state coordinator at mtnhdcoordinator@gmail.com to talk about ways to incorporate it into your program in a way that works for you.
8. For this year’s theme, think about "Breaking Barriers in History".
Here is some resources on the NHD website http://www.nhd.org/TeacherResources.htm that is designed to help you as a teacher think about "Breaking Barriers in History". Also, here is other useful resources:
http://education.mnhs.org/historyday/teacher-framework
http://education.mnhs.org/historyday/sites/default/files/2017%20Reading%20Content%20Levels.pdf
9. For this year’s theme, think about WHY someone is considered a "Breaking Barriers in History" and who were the major players in making an even a "Breaking Barriers in History."
Context is important, but sometimes certain people drive events more (astute students will recognize that both are important). When your students look at their chosen event, their thesis could be as simple as deciding whether context or certain people were more important in driving events.
10. Have fun!
While it is daunting, especially the first year, watching your students take ownership of their projects and presentations is extremely rewarding. Remember, there is support out there for you.
1. Keep it about HISTORY!!!! In the last few years we’ve been have quite a few projects focusing more on current events. This year, let’s make sure it is more about history since it is call National HISTORY Day. Something recent is a fine place to end, but make sure the bulk of the project deals with historical development to that end.
2. Use the State Historical Society Bibliography.
That includes the bibliography put together by Montana Historical Society Staff on their wiki page and linked off the MTNHD website at http://montanahistorywiki.pbworks.com/w/page/21639848/Subject%20Guides%20and%20Bibliographies
3. Use the student and teacher resources at the MTNHD website.
There are several resources for both teachers and students to help them through their projects and understand and think about this year’s theme. Don’t reinvent the wheel. There is more out there as well. If you need more help, contact the state coordinator or one of the History Team Commandos. They can do some of the leg work for you.
4. Have your students talk with the state coordinator and others that have done History Day to mentor them through the project.
That relieves some of your workload! Encourage them to make use of that resource. They can also help YOU!!
5. Consider using a local topic to examine a more national or world topic.
The beauty of NHD is to have student look locally at a topic that is also discussed at a national level. For example, on our website we have a link to video that examines a civil rights event in Wyoming during the 1960s. The student researched locally, and his topic was local, but it had parallels with larger issues nationwide regarding the civil rights movement. That is a great way to do a project.
6. Contact other teachers and/or the state coordinator.
You are not alone in the process. We have many teachers out there that are doing this across the state and nationwide. There is not one universal way to do NHD in the classroom and we can help find the way that works best for you. The first year is the scariest, but seeking support is crucial to your success.
7. Do what works best for you. NHD is a very “anti-federalist” program.
It can be done in any number of different ways that best suits you and your teaching style. It can be done as a year long project, a unit project, an after school club, an extra credit project, an “honors contract” project, etc…. Contact the state coordinator at mtnhdcoordinator@gmail.com to talk about ways to incorporate it into your program in a way that works for you.
8. For this year’s theme, think about "Breaking Barriers in History".
Here is some resources on the NHD website http://www.nhd.org/TeacherResources.htm that is designed to help you as a teacher think about "Breaking Barriers in History". Also, here is other useful resources:
http://education.mnhs.org/historyday/teacher-framework
http://education.mnhs.org/historyday/sites/default/files/2017%20Reading%20Content%20Levels.pdf
9. For this year’s theme, think about WHY someone is considered a "Breaking Barriers in History" and who were the major players in making an even a "Breaking Barriers in History."
Context is important, but sometimes certain people drive events more (astute students will recognize that both are important). When your students look at their chosen event, their thesis could be as simple as deciding whether context or certain people were more important in driving events.
10. Have fun!
While it is daunting, especially the first year, watching your students take ownership of their projects and presentations is extremely rewarding. Remember, there is support out there for you.
