January 2016

National History Day

National History ThemeExploration

To study or look intoTo test out something new

To travel over new areaTo examine

EncounterTo meet as an enemyTo be in conflict with

To come upon face-to-faceTo come up unexpectedlyExchange

Give one thing for another: TradeThe act or process of substituting one thing for anotherSomething offered, given, or received in an exchange

Exploration

Encounter

Exchange

Examples

Website

Exhibits

Paper

› Research the topic first. › Select items to put on the exhibit.   As you think about what to put

on the exhibit, ask yourself the following questions:– Does the item fit in with the NHD theme and the theme of your exhibit?– Does the item advance the story you are trying to tell?– Is the document you are thinking of displaying too long or too wordy?  Is it

easy to read and understand? Will it take up too much space on your exhibit?– Is the item visually interesting?– What images best tell your story?– Do you want to include artifacts in your exhibit?– Will your exhibit contain audiovisual materials?

› Prepare the text. Writing your titles, text, and labels is key. Like all good writing, your exhibit needs to be grammatically correct, use good sentence structure, make wise word choices, and contain no spelling errors.  You should expect to write at least one drafts.  Exhibit labels are brief, so they need to be clear and concise.

Exhibit Steps

› All categories, except historical paper, must include a process paper with the entry.

› It must describe in 500 or fewer words how you conducted your research and created your entry.

› The process paper must include four sections that explain:

1. How you chose your topic2. How you conducted your research 3. How you selected your presentation category and created your project 4. How your project relates to the NHD theme

Process Paper

› An annotated bibliography is required for all categories.

› This tells where the source is from and what it was about. It uses other papers you have already completed

› Sources of visual materials and oral interviews, if used, must also be included.

Annotated Bibliography