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Research Project Overview - Unit Assignment

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Research Project Overview - Unit Assignment

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This project overview, created by Heather Damario, shows how the History Day framework can be adapted for use as a short Unit project. Note, students will likely need to expand their research to enter a project in the History Day contest, but this overview illustrates how the tools and process can work for short-term projects.

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Research Project Overview Unit Project 2025

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This research project overview provides standards of assessment and a timeline tailored for an advanced placement classroom. Provided by Mrs. Heather Damario, areas that may need to be updated are highlighted for your convenience. (Google Doc)

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Sample History Day Project Criteria Timeline - General Education

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Sample History Day Project Criteria Timeline - General Education

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Created and shared by History Day teacher Heather Damario, this research project overview hand out provides criteria and timeline for a fall semester approach to History Day. Areas that teachers may wish to update are highlighted in yellow (Google Doc)

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Research Project Overview 2025 - General Education

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This lesson plan was created by Tennessee History Day and adapted for Alaska topics. Use this lesson plan, the corresponding slides, and the activities contained to help your students consider the 2025 NHD theme.

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AHD2025 NHD Theme: Establishing Definitions and Topic Exploration Notes FINAL

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These Theme Introduction Slides are part of a lesson plan designed by Tennessee History Day and adapted for Alaska. The lesson plan and handouts are also located under 2025 Theme Resources in this Padlet

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AHD2025 NHD Theme: Establishing Definitions and Topic Exploration Slides FINAL

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2025 NHD Theme Video: Rights and Responsibilities in History

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This book provides information about the annual NHD theme. The 2025 edition includes a topic summary about the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), written by the Alaska Historical Society.

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History and timeline of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)

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Alaska Legal History Annotated Bibliography``

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Alaska Legal History Annotated Bibliography``

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Thinking of tackling a topic relating to Alaska laws? This document includes an annotated bibliography of Alaska Legal History

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Reading Like a Historian Classroom Posters 

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Reading Like a Historian Classroom Posters 

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Reading Like a Historian Classroom Posters | Digital Inquiry Group

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Remind students what questions to ask when reading historical documents with our classroom posters, available in English and Spanish.

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Step by Step instructions with screenshots

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AHD 2024 Student Registration Instructions.pdf

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This PDF provides instructions for how to format/upload images of a physical exhibit for AHD's online contest

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Searching the Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives (UAF)

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Searching the Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives (UAF)

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5 minute video that provides an introduction to searching the archives catalog

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Rachel Cohen, Archivist, at the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library at UAF, shows users how to search the Archive's catalog to locate items of interest and how to reach out to learn more about the collections at the Archives.

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Introduction to Searching the Archive's Catalog

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Rachel Cohen, Archivist, at the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library at UAF, shows users how to search the Archive's catalog to locate items of interest and how to reach out to learn more about the collections at the Archives.

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This short video orients you to how to search and use the Alaska Film Archives.

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Angela Schmidt, Film Archivist at the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library at UAF, speaks about uses of archival films in research and shows users how to access films through the Library's databases, catalogs and websites.

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Accessing the Library's Film Archives for your research

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Angela Schmidt, Film Archivist at the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library at UAF, speaks about uses of archival films in research and shows users how to access films through the Library's databases, catalogs and websites.

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African American History Primary Sources

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African American History Primary Sources

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Digitized primary sources from over 1,000 libraries and archives across the country.

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Important Guidance about use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) from NHD

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Important Guidance about use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) from NHD

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This searchable page has lesson plans and teaching materials for all grade levels, including historical topics.

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Teaching Resources - The Anchorage Museum

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Explore resources by theme, grade and standard.

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This is our 2024 Teacher Toolkit and Contest Guide document, which complements the materials found in this Padlet. It includes resources, tips, advice, and information about the contest. This toolkit has been funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities through the Alaska Humanities Forum.

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Alaska History Day Teacher Toolkit and Contest Guide 2024.pdf

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Alaska Statewide Library Electronic Doorway (SLED) History Resources

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Alaska Statewide Library Electronic Doorway (SLED) History Resources

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This page includes links to Alaska history topics, history databases, and primary sources.

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If you get a page with "SLED Databases" at the top and an ask for username and password, read on!

If you're an Alaska resident with an Alaskan area code, call 1-800-440-2919 for a password. Note that this may not work if caller ID is disabled, as apparently the system can't tell that you're calling from Alaska. Otherwise, Alaska residents can fill out our form to receive a password.

Fill out the form completely so we can verify your Alaska residency. We must do this for our vendors.
Need help with other SLED issues?

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Libraries, Archives, Museums: History: Alaska History Topics

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Libraries, Archives, Museums: History: Alaska History Topics

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Student Research Guide (Minnesota History Day)

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Student Research Guide (Minnesota History Day)

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This helpful guide provides many of the tools and resources needed for students to navigate through creating their history day project. Includes links to downloadable/editable files. Some links are Minnesota specific, but comparable Alaska resources can be found at https://lam.alaska.gov/sled

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Here's a graphic organizer to help students find a topic that is an achievable scope for a History Day project.

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Here's a worksheet to help students choose a  topic for their Alaska History Day project

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World War II in Alaska Resource Guide (NPS)

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World War II in Alaska Resource Guide (NPS)

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This excellent resource guide provides an overview of World War II in Alaska, including a bibliography organized thematically. This is an older publication, so some website links may no longer be current.

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Curriculum and Timeline Resources for Educators (Minnesota Historical Society)

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Curriculum and Timeline Resources for Educators (Minnesota Historical Society)

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This page has tons of resources to help educators and students succeed at History Day - click through the links to find worksheets, timelines, videos, and more!

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History Day curriculum materials include a variety of tools for teachers to use to support classroom instruction. These materials are sorted chronologically, in order of how History Day is usually implemented in the classroom.

Timeline

History Day is designed for teachers to adapt in their classrooms.

Below we have suggested a broad timeline for completing the History Day program, but there is no "right" way to implementing the project in your classroom. You can also look at sample timelines from our Master Teacher Network.

September/October​: Introduce History Day to your students. Begin discussing the theme, and topics students may be interested in. Introduce primary and secondary sources. You may ask students to complete a topic proposal, or to sign an agreement between group members and parents.

November/December: Have students choose a topic, and begin their secondary source research. Once they've narrowed their topic, encourage them to begin researching primary sources.

December/January: Encourage students to attend a Hullabaloo for research and project help. Prepare for the participation survey by getting a sense of how many projects your school has in each category/division. Discuss and combine project totals with other History Day teachers in your school. The participation survey will be emailed in early December and due in early January.

January: Complete the participation and receive your school's allotments for how many projects may advance to Regional competitions. Encourage students to complete their research.

February: Help your students transition from research to project construction. Place emphasis on the quality of research, analysis, and content in a project. Hold a school contest/fair at minimum three weeks prior to your Regional event.

March/April/May/June: History Day contest season. Regionals and off-site Paper judging take place in March, State feedback sessions are in April, and State History Day is held at the end of April or beginning of May. The National Contest takes place at the University of Maryland, College Park in mid-June.

Master Teacher Sample Timelines

Project framework and introduction

These tools can help you introduce students to History Day.

Parent communication

Communicating with parents is an important step in keeping students involved with History Day. These resources can help you determine the best way to keep parents in the loop.

Contracts and working in a group

Help students determine the best way for them to work on History Day - individually or as a group.

Topic selection

These are resources that may help students determine the best topic for their project.

Theme

Resources for this year's theme.

Research tools

Helpful resources as students begin researching their topic.

Research org and notetaking

Materials that students may use to keep track of their research and notes.

Thesis statements

Resources available about learning what thesis statements are and how to write one.

Historical context

Materials to helps students determine the scope of their project.

Project organization

Mapping out a History Day project, the best ways to organize information.

Writing project text

Teaching students how to turn their notes into text.

Annotated bibliographies

History Day students may use MLA or Chicago citation styles. All categories are required to include an annotated bibliography.

Process papers

Process Papers are required for all categories and must contain the same elements.

Category overview and samples

Learn about each category and view sample projects.

Documentary

Materials for students creating History Day Documentaries.

Exhibit

Materials for students creating History Day Exhibit Boards.

Paper

Materials for students writing History Day Papers.

Performance

Materials for students creating History Day Performances.

Website

Materials for students creating History Day Websites.

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History Day curriculum materials include a variety of tools for teachers to use to support classroom instruction. These materials are sorted chronologically, in order of how History Day is usually implemented in the classroom.

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Explore and Organize Topics (University of Richmond)

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Explore and Organize Topics (University of Richmond)

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This page offers a lesson plan for guiding students through choosing their topic using "Bunk History" - a website from the University of Richmond. This plan works for online, blended, or in-person learning.

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Note: These standards connect to the entire National History Day process, not solely what is taught during this lesson. Additionally, as this lesson is intended for all secondary students, the standards included cover a wider range of students. Depending on the grade level of the students, there will be different expectations for meeting each benchmark.
Common Core:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.1: Citing Textual Evidence

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.2: Determining the Central Idea

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.3: Steps in Author's Description

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.4: Vocabulary

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.5: Text Structure

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6: Perspective and Point of View

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.7: Diversity of Source Material

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.8: Interrogating a Source

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9: Corroboration

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.10: Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

C3 Framework:

D1.1-4: Constructing Compelling Questions

D1.5: Determining Helpful Sources

D2.His.1: Chronology

D2.His.2: Change and Continuity over Time

D2.His.3: Agency and Context

D2.His.4: Influencing Perspectives

D2.His.5: Context and Perspective

D2.His.6: Historiography

D2.His.7.9-12: Explain how the perspectives of people in the present shape interpretations of the past.

D2.His.8.9-12: Analyze how current interpretations of the past are limited by the extent to which available historical sources represent perspectives of people at the time.

D2.His.9: Primary and Secondary Sources

D2.His.10: Strengths and Limitations of Sources

D2.His.11: Sourcing

D2.His.12: Finding Related Sources

D2.His.13: Use of Primary Sources in Secondary Sources

D2.His.14: Cause and Effect

D2.His.15: Long-Term Causes

D2.His.16: Integrating Multiple Perspectives

D2.His.17: Critiquing Secondary Works

D3.1: Corroborating Sources

D3.2: Fact vs. Opinion

D3.3: Developing Claims

D3.4: Strengths of Claims

D4.1: Constructing Argument

D4.2: Structure of Argument

D4.3: Presentation of Argument

D4.4: Critiquing Claims and Evidence

D4.5: Critiquing Explanations

D4.6: Understanding Problems

D4.7: Action to Address Problems

D4.8: Taking Community Action

National Council for Social Studies:

Theme 2: Continuity and Change

Advanced Placement United States History

Skill 1: Developments and Processes

Skill 2: Sourcing and Situation

Source 3: Claims and Evidence in Sources

Skill 4: Contextualization

Skill 5 Making Connection

Skill 6: Argumentation

EAD Framework

Theme: Contemporary Debates & Possibilities

Design Challenge: Balancing the Concrete & Abstract

Teacher Tip: Think about what students should be able to KNOW, UNDERSTAND and DO at the conclusion of this learning experience. A brief exit pass or other formative assessment may be used to assess student understandings. Setting specific learning targets for the appropriate grade level and content area will increase student success.

Suggested Grade Levels: 6-12 (Middle and High School)

Suggested Timeframe: 1-2 days, 30-45 minute classes

Suggested Materials: Internet access via laptop, tablet, or mobile device

Aggregates - tocollect or gather data from a variety of sources

Eras - long and distinct periods of history with a particular feature or characteristic

Lenses - a way of understanding and interpreting the past

Phenomena - something (such as an interesting fact or event) that can be observed and studied and that typically is unusual or difficult to understand or explain fully.

Subfields - a smaller, more specialized area of study

New American History Learning Resources may be adapted to a variety of educational settings, including remote learning environments, face-to-face instruction, and blended learning.

If you are teaching remotely, consider using videoconferencing to provide opportunities for students to work in partners or small groups. Digital tools such as Padlet or Jamboard may also be used for collaboration. Rewordify helps make a complex text more accessible for those reading at a lower Lexile level while still providing a greater depth of knowledge.

These Learning Resources use materials from Bunk History and the National History Day (NHD) program. Bunk History primarily hosts excerpts, videos, audio content, curated collections and exhibits, and a mapping feature, all designed to connect the present to multiple people, places, and events in American History. At the same time, National History Day allows for topics from all over the world. If a teacher is allowing students to pick any topic, not just topics from U.S. History, they may still use Bunk to find topics that connect to other historical events and people across the globe. In that case, the teacher may need to work with the student to narrow their search to terms such as "global," "world stage," etc.

According to NHD, "NHD's core program is its competition in which students in grades 6-12 choose a topic and dive deeply into the past by conducting extensive research in libraries, archives, and museums. They then present their conclusions and evidence through papers, exhibits, performances, documentaries, or websites, moving through a series of contest levels where they are evaluated by professional historians and educators." Of note, this lesson does not prepare all students to participate in a contest. Instead, it supports them in selecting a topic for their project, some of whom may be interested in competing.

Teachers are empowered to limit selections that fit their classroom based on their subject and time constraints. For example, a teacher could require all topics to be U.S. History topics if the class is a U.S. History course. That being said, try to give students as much freedom within their final topic selection based on the parameters set up. Emphasize to students the choice and freedom they have within the topics and projects they choose to create.

Following the use of these learning resources, work with your students to refine topic ideas further. One important task is to narrow the size and scope of the topic down, possibly through this activity from Minnesota National History Day.

The lesson also features a Google Slide Deck that the teacher presents to the class. Students do not need to make a copy of it if presented as a whole class discussion. For virtual learning, you may choose to share it. It also features a number of graphic organizers provided and linked throughout as Google Docs to support and structure student learning. A video from the National Endowment of the Humanities is also included to provide context.

These Learning Resources follow a variation of the 5Es instructional model, and each section may be taught as a separate learning experience, or as part of a sequence of learning experiences. We provide each of our Learning Resources in multiple formats, including web-based and as an editable Google Doc for educators to teach and adapt selected learning experiences as they best suit the needs of your students and local curriculum. You may also wish to embed or remix them into a playlist for students working remotely or independently.

What is National History Day (NHD)?

In this lesson, you will learn the qualities of a good historical research topic and how to use " Bunk History" to find new ways to think about topics you may want to explore through National History Day.

To begin, we need to answer an important question: What is National History Day (NHD)? According to their website, NHD asks students in grades 6-12 to choose a topic and dive deeply into the past by conducting extensive research in libraries, archives, and museums. They then present their conclusions and evidence through papers, exhibits, performances, documentaries, or websites. Students also have an opportunity to move through a series of contest levels where they are evaluated by professional historians and educators if they so choose.

View this video from the National Endowment of the Humanities that explains the history of the competition and other key details.

Either during or after you watch the video, complete the 321 Chart to capture your thoughts, ideas, and questions about National History Day. In it, you should record three important facts about the contest and the projects you can create, two ideas for a project or topic you might explore, and then one question you have that was not answered in the video. Additionally, consider the following as you watch the video:

What topics and projects could you imagine doing yourself?

What would you need to do to create one of these projects?

Do you see yourself working independently or in a group?

After you have watched the video, your teacher will ask what facts about National History Day you recorded, what ideas you have after watching the video, and what questions you have that remain unanswered.
Your teacher may ask you to record your answers on an exit ticket.
How do you determine what and how to research a topic?

The most important decision you will make for your National History Day project is your topic. According to National History Day, your topic should:

Be narrow enough to dive deeply into research materials, analyze findings, and develop a strong historical argument.

Hold your interest for weeks or months.

Connect to the annual theme.

Have allowed enough time to pass to become ready for historical research.

Before considering specific people, places, events, and phenomena, it is worthwhile to consider what aspects of history interest you to better refine what exactly you might be interested in exploring.

Make a copy of the NHD Topic Exploration Menu. This menu is meant to help you identify different subfields of history along with historical eras that might be interesting to you.

Next, your teacher will present the NHD Topic Exploration Slides to the class, perhaps sharing them with those learning in a virtual setting. Double-click the image of the menu to open up the Google Drawing feature. As your teacher moves through each slide, follow along as they introduce and explain different lenses, subfields, and eras that may be of interest to you.

If something is interesting, use the "Shape" tool to circle it.

Be sure not to circle everything; try to think about what excites you and topics you have a connection to or ones that spark your curiosity. On the other hand, do not be discouraged if none of these are interesting to you. There are many subfields, lenses, and eras that are not listed on the menu and you are just as encouraged to explore those (for example: popular culture, disability history, sports history, etc.). Have a conversation with your teacher and be open about your interests.
Your teacher may ask you to record your answers on an exit ticket.
How can I use Bunk History to find a topic for National History Day?

Now that you have identified different historical lenses, subfields, and eras of interest to you, it is time to look for potential topics. One effective resource for this would be Bunk History, a website available through the University of Richmond that aggregates and connects interesting articles, opinion pieces, videos, maps, visualizations, and other digital material. Thus, Bunk can help you to find people, events, places, and phenomena that connect to your interests. Furthermore, it can help you find unique interpretations and opinions on different topics, which will help you to put your own twist on your National History Day project.

On the Bunk History homepage, you will see seven to eight different articles, videos, maps, or other content related to current events and topics. These change daily as new content is constantly added to Bunk. In the top left corner, you will see a toolbar with "Excerpts," "Exhibits," "Collections," and "Originals."

Select the "Excerpts" tab. Here you will find excerpts from newspapers, magazines, opinion pieces, book reviews, video and audio content, maps, and journal articles sharing multiple perspectives as published across the Internet. They can be sorted by how recently they were uploaded to Bunk or the date they were published (Sort By). The column on the left also allows you to refine the articles you are looking at by selecting Categories (Belief, Beyond, Culture, etc.), Content Type (Biography, Map, Social Media, etc.), or by creating a Time range where you only see excerpts from the earliest to latest years you select.

When you open an Except, you will see either some or all of the original source. You can access the original source (though not always the entire source) by clicking "View on..." at the end of the Excerpt.

On the right side of the Excerpt, you will see possible " Connections " between this Excerpt and others. This can help you to find other interesting interpretations and ideas related to similar topics.

Connections organize all of the content of Bunk into different categories so that related content can be more easily accessed. Those different Connection Types are listed below.

When you select a Connection and click "View Connections," you are able to view multiple articles that are connected to the original Excerpt. By clicking the arrows underneath the connected Excerpt, you can view other Excerpts and access them by clicking on them. Additionally, you can see "Tags," which are common search terms that again connect the Excerpts. If you click the Tag, such as "Greenwood" in the visual below, it will take you to a list of Excerpts that share that Tag. For more information about Connections and Bunk, you may explore How Bunk Works, and the About page, linked along the bottom left side of the Bunk homepage.

For more information about Connections and Bunk, you may explore How Bunk Works, and the About page, linked along the bottom left side of the Bunk homepage.

Finally, you may be interested in exploring "Exhibits" and "Collections." Going slightly out of order, "Collections" contains Excerpts from Bunk that have been grouped together by editors and users, such as "Shaping Data, Shaping History" by Bunk Archivist and author Kathryn Ostrofsky as seen below.

How can I make my National History Day topic unique?

At this point, it is time to explore Bunk History and find excerpts that can give you topic ideas for your National History Day Project.

While you can start at the "Excerpts," "Collections," or "Exhibits" pages, it is recommended to do a search of the entire website. You can do that by clicking the search button shown below.

On the search screen, you can input keywords to find Excerpts and Collections that relate to what you are searching for. Start by using some of the historical lenses, subfields, and eras from your NHD Topic Exploration Menu (one keyword at a time). You can also start searching for people, events, places, and phenomena that you have started to think might be interesting.

In the example below, you can see a list of Excerpts that connect to the keyword "Food History." To refine the search further, you can click on one of the "Tags" for a more specific search. When you find an interesting Excerpt, click to open it up.

When you find an Excerpt that gives you an idea for a National History Day topic, select the "Save to Collection" button in the left corner. Annotate the source with the topic idea. For example, in the visual below, the article "The History Behind One of America's Most Beloved Desserts" is annotated with the topic "Praline Candy and Enslaved Women." Click "Save Note."

Continue to comb through Bunk History and find as many Excerpts as you can to give you a wide variety of different topic ideas. To view all of your currently saved Excerpts, click "View/Edit" at the bottom right corner of the Bunk homepage window. Note: you must save/finalize your collection before you close the tab, or your Collection will not be saved.
Your teacher may ask you to record your answers on an exit ticket.
Is my topic clearly defined and ready to research?

After you have finished putting together your collection of Bunk excerpts, it is time to begin considering topic ideas for your project. Make a digital copy of the NHD - Bunk Topic Ideas graphic organizer or use the one provided by your teacher.

Review the excerpts from your collection and identify three to four different ideas for topics. Remember that these should be specific topics, not subfields of history or areas of interest. For each topic, clearly state the idea, why it is appealing to you, its connection to the annual theme, and links to Bunk History Excerpts, Collections, and Exhibits that connect to the topic.

Next, you and your teacher will use this graphic organizer along with your Bunk History collection to make a final decision on your National History Day topic.
Your teacher may ask you to record your answers on an exit ticket.

Citations:

Andrew Bedell and Erin Sullivan, "NHD Topic Exploration Menu," https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NlgMQDbk8O5xb7_hfTQqFf_ILjauXU-s/view?usp=drive_link.

Kathryn Ostrofsky, "Shaping Data, Shaping History," Bunk History, last modified January 23, 2023, https://www.bunkhistory.org/collections/q7fffk.

Brentin Mock and Victor Luckerson, "What Really Caused the Destruction of Tulsa's 'Black Wall Street,'" Bunk History, last modified May 30, 2023, https://www.bunkhistory.org/resources/bloomberg-are-you-a-robot-15.

National History Day, National History Day Contest Rulebook, June 22, 2020 ed., https://nhd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/NHDR.

National History Day, "About National History Day," https://nhd.org/en/about/.

Myles Poydras, "The History Behind One of America's Most Beloved Desserts," Bunk History, last modified January 5, 2020.

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Using Bunk to Explore and Organize Topics for National History Day * New American History

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At New American History, we're committed to helping students see how current events take their shape from history. Our tools and resources are free and freely available to all educators, intended to uncover new ways to teach the past in light of the present.

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What Makes a Primary Source a Primary Source? (Library of Congress)

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What Makes a Primary Source a Primary Source? (Library of Congress)

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“Primary sources” are the raw materials of history — original documents and objects which were created at the time under study.
This blog post gives some great tips on helping learners understand primary v. secondary sources.

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"Columbus taking possession of the new country," 1893

This guest post comes to us from Cheryl Lederle of the Library of Congress.
Is a newspaper a primary source? A political cartoon? A map? A lithograph? Is an excerpt in a textbook a primary source? How about a digitized facsimile? All of these questions came up during the Library of Congress' 2011 Summer Teacher Institutes.

"Primary sources" are the raw materials of history - original documents and objects which were created at the time under study. They are different from secondary sources, accounts or interpretations of events created by someone without firsthand experience. Students will most often work with primary sources that have been digitized.

The definition seems clear enough until we begin to label particular items as primary or secondary.

This image depicts Columbus landing on an island he named San Salvador, also known as Watling Island. Is it a primary source? That question provoked lively conversation among the teachers at the institutes.

The phrase "created at the time under study" provided a focus for their discussion and decision. The page about the item identifies this as a chromolithograph published in 1893, and Columbus is thought to have visited San Salvador in October of 1492. With those dates in mind, would this be a primary source for studying Columbus' first encounter with land in the New World? It was created 400 years after the event, definitely not "at the time under study."

How would the answer change if the picture were being used to study late nineteenth-century attitudes about the event? Most of the institute participants agreed that this picture would be a primary source in that context. They added that it would also be a primary source for the study of nineteenth century painting. At one point, I overheard a teacher remark "This is exactly the type of conversation you want in your classroom!"

Instead of asking whether a particular object is a primary source, it might be more useful to ask when that artifact would be a primary source.

When would this image be a primary source? When would it be a secondary source? Why is it important to know the difference? What could your students learn from studying this image?

Additional Library of Congress resources:

How would your students benefit from better understanding when a source is primary and when it is secondary? How have you introduced these concepts to your students?

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What Makes a Primary Source a Primary Source? | Teaching with the Library

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Is a newspaper a primary source? A political cartoon? A map? A lithograph? Is an excerpt in a textbook a primary source? How about a digitized facsimile? All of these questions came up during the Library of Congress Summer Teacher Institutes.

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NHD Curriculum and Timeline Resources (Minnesota Historical Society)

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NHD Curriculum and Timeline Resources (Minnesota Historical Society)

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History Day curriculum materials include a variety of tools for teachers to use to support classroom instruction. These materials are sorted chronologically, in order of how History Day is usually implemented in the classroom.

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History Day curriculum materials include a variety of tools for teachers to use to support classroom instruction. These materials are sorted chronologically, in order of how History Day is usually implemented in the classroom.

Timeline

History Day is designed for teachers to adapt in their classrooms.

Below we have suggested a broad timeline for completing the History Day program, but there is no "right" way to implementing the project in your classroom. You can also look at sample timelines from our Master Teacher Network.

September/October​: Introduce History Day to your students. Begin discussing the theme, and topics students may be interested in. Introduce primary and secondary sources. You may ask students to complete a topic proposal, or to sign an agreement between group members and parents.

November/December: Have students choose a topic, and begin their secondary source research. Once they've narrowed their topic, encourage them to begin researching primary sources.

December/January: Encourage students to attend a Hullabaloo for research and project help. Prepare for the participation survey by getting a sense of how many projects your school has in each category/division. Discuss and combine project totals with other History Day teachers in your school. The participation survey will be emailed in early December and due in early January.

January: Complete the participation and receive your school's allotments for how many projects may advance to Regional competitions. Encourage students to complete their research.

February: Help your students transition from research to project construction. Place emphasis on the quality of research, analysis, and content in a project. Hold a school contest/fair at minimum three weeks prior to your Regional event.

March/April/May/June: History Day contest season. Regionals and off-site Paper judging take place in March, State feedback sessions are in April, and State History Day is held at the end of April or beginning of May. The National Contest takes place at the University of Maryland, College Park in mid-June.

Master Teacher Sample Timelines

Project framework and introduction

These tools can help you introduce students to History Day.

Parent communication

Communicating with parents is an important step in keeping students involved with History Day. These resources can help you determine the best way to keep parents in the loop.

Contracts and working in a group

Help students determine the best way for them to work on History Day - individually or as a group.

Topic selection

These are resources that may help students determine the best topic for their project.

Theme

Resources for this year's theme.

Research tools

Helpful resources as students begin researching their topic.

Research org and notetaking

Materials that students may use to keep track of their research and notes.

Thesis statements

Resources available about learning what thesis statements are and how to write one.

Historical context

Materials to helps students determine the scope of their project.

Project organization

Mapping out a History Day project, the best ways to organize information.

Writing project text

Teaching students how to turn their notes into text.

Annotated bibliographies

History Day students may use MLA or Chicago citation styles. All categories are required to include an annotated bibliography.

Process papers

Process Papers are required for all categories and must contain the same elements.

Category overview and samples

Learn about each category and view sample projects.

Documentary

Materials for students creating History Day Documentaries.

Exhibit

Materials for students creating History Day Exhibit Boards.

Paper

Materials for students writing History Day Papers.

Performance

Materials for students creating History Day Performances.

Website

Materials for students creating History Day Websites.

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History Day curriculum materials include a variety of tools for teachers to use to support classroom instruction. These materials are sorted chronologically, in order of how History Day is usually implemented in the classroom.

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NHD Quick Tip: Annotated Bibliography (annotations focus)

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NHD Quick Tip: Annotated Bibliography (annotations focus)

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Part 3 of NHD's Annotated Bibliography quick tip series focuses on annotations

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What is an Annotated Bibliography? (Annotations)

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National History Day, in collaboration with the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium, created this open-access teacher guide filled with hints, tips, and activities to encourage student inquiry and historical research. Starting on Page 77 is an activity to help students learn to identify whether sources are primary or secondary.

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NHD Quick Tip : Annotated Bibliography (citations focus)

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NHD Quick Tip : Annotated Bibliography (citations focus)

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This video is part 2 of the NHD quick tip on annotated bibliographies and focuses on citations.

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What is an Annotated Bibliography? (Citations)

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What is an Annotated Bibliography? (Overview)

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This guide addresses the annotated bibliography portion of NHD projects, but has lots of good information about citing sources.

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Introduction to Chicago Style Citations (Purdue University)

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Introduction to Chicago Style Citations (Purdue University)

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This citation style is one of the accepted formats for NHD competition projects.

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Chicago Manual of Style 17th Edition - Purdue OWL® - Purdue University

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Performance Project Example 1: Caroline Chisholm - National History Day

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Project example for the performance category.

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Performance Project Example 2: Debate over the Bill of Rights - National History Day

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National History Day improves the teaching and learning of history.

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NHD Performance Quick Tip - Researching Clothing (YouTube)

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NHD Performance Quick Tip - Researching Clothing (YouTube)

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NHD Quick Tip: Researching Clothing (Performing Perspectives Series)

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NHD Performance Quick Tip - Harmful Stereotypes (YouTube)

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NHD Performance Quick Tip - Harmful Stereotypes (YouTube)

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NHD, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture discuss harmful stereotypes and how to avoid them when crafting historical performances.

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NHD Quick Tip: Harmful Stereotypes (Performing Perspectives Series)

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NHD Performance Quick Tip - What NOT to Do (YouTube)

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NHD Performance Quick Tip - What NOT to Do (YouTube)

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NHD, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture discuss what NOT to do in an NHD performance.

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NHD Quick Tip: What NOT to do in your NHD performance (Performing Perspectives Series)

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NHD Performance Quick Tip - Cultural Appropriation (YouTube)

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NHD Performance Quick Tip - Cultural Appropriation (YouTube)

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NHD, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture discuss cultural appropriation and how to avoid it when crafting historical performances.

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NHD Quick Tip: Cultural Appropriation (Performing Perspectives Series)

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Artificial Intelligence and your NHD Project 

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Artificial Intelligence and your NHD Project 

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Guidance on how AI may and may not be used in producing a NHD project. Please check the link as NHD will update guidance as AI tech develops

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Your NHD Project - National History Day

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Guidance on how to use (and not use) AI tools when creating an NHD project.

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Documentary Project Example 2: AIMing for a Diplomatic Future - National History Day

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Documentary Project Example 1: Baseball Diplomacy - National History Day

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Resources for building your website

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Websites must be created in NHDWebCentral ® ( NHD Contest Rule Book, 6.5, E2). Any websites built on other platforms will need to be rebuilt at NHDWebCentral ®.

Absolutely! We encourage teachers to create websites to practice, learn, and grow with their students.

No, each group member must have their own account. Watch this video on registering as a group website. Using the same account as your group members can corrupt, overwrite, or delete your website.

If a group member is no longer part of your website, use the Contact Us form to request removal. Include your NHD teacher/mentor's name and email address. We'll talk to your teacher to confirm this group member's removal.

When working together, group members should edit different website pages. Editing the same page simultaneously will overwrite each other's work. After saving, group members can refresh to see the changes.

Images, videos, and documents often have large file sizes. Before uploading, check the file size and consider compressing, cropping, or reducing resolution. You can do this using free or paid software. If you've already uploaded large images, delete them from your file library and replace them with smaller versions on your page(s). Tip: To reduce file size without losing quality, take a screenshot of high-resolution images on your computer. Screenshots maintain quality while being much smaller in size.

Did you clear your file library to free up space? Uploaded images must stay in the library for the image block to display them; it can't show the image without it in the library.

This is where you can use columns to help align elements differently. Find various column options in NHDWebCentral® under "Easy Layout" in the Toolbox. Watch this video to help you with aligning elements.

No, embedded YouTube videos violate the NHD rules. Because the videos are being hosted on YouTube, they are not being counted towards the NHDWebCentral ® size limit. However, you can download videos using free tools and then upload them to your website using the Embed Multimedia block.

NHDWebCentral® only supports HTML/CSS, not JavaScript. If you use JavaScript in the editor, it won't work and will be removed.

In NHDWebCentral ®, saving is the same as publishing. When you save work on your website, it is pushed to the published site.

Enter your URL or site key in the registration form when prompted. Contact your affiliate coordinator for local website submission deadlines.

To allow others (like teachers or parents) to view your website, share the URL directly. The URL typically looks like this: https://site.nhd.org/15262633, and the site key is something like: 15262633.

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NHDWebCentral® Instructions - National History Day

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Start your NHD website project using NHDWebCentral®! We have step-by-step instructions and videos to help you every step of the way.

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A list of databases available to Alaskans. Log in may be required to access.

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Libraries, Archives, Museums: SLED Databases: SLED Databases

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Libraries, Archives, Museums: SLED Databases: SLED Databases

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Exhibit Project Example 2: The Radium Girls - National History Day

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Project example for the exhibit category.

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Exhibit Project Example 1: Black Studies Now - National History Day

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Conducting Oral History Interviews (NHD)

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Conducting Oral History Interviews (NHD)

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An oral history interview is a conversation, conducted either virtually or in person, between a researcher and a person they have selected for their knowledge of a topic. The interviewee might have first-hand knowledge of a topic because they lived through, witnessed, or reported on an event. For example, a researcher interested in food rationing that occurred in World War II might interview someone whose family purchased food with rationing coupons at that time. This is a primary source interview, often called an "oral history" or "first-person narrative."

Sometimes the interviewee is someone with significant knowledge about a topic but who did not experience it first-hand, such as a historian of World War II with expertise about food rationing. This would be a secondary source interview.

Historians do NOT conduct secondary source interviews. When researching for and creating your NHD project, you are a historian. Therefore, you should conduct any secondary interviews.

The central piece of a National History Day® project is your analysis. While scholars (or other secondary source authors) provide essential information, what they would tell you in an interview would almost certainly be available in their written work-both factual and interpretative. Further, your goal is not to analyze scholars' perspectives. Your goal is to analyze the experiences and perspectives of those who experienced the event first-hand. It is those perspectives and stories that interviews are intended to provide.

We've already established that you should conduct secondary source interviews. Interviews are required for an NHD project nor will they necessarily strengthen it! In fact, including interviews (especially secondary source ones) that provide information that you could access elsewhere can a project's quality by making it look like you did not read widely enough to find the information in existing scholarship.
For more information on primary versus secondary source interviews, watch this video:
When carefully chosen and well incorporated, primary source interviews can improve a project's analysis, and thus, its quality. To decide whether or not to conduct a primary source interview, please take the following steps:

1. Complete your background research using secondary books, articles, and reputable online sources so that you have a comprehensive understanding of the historical context and the details of the actual event. For more information on each of these, go to the NHD Tips page.

2. Determine what primary sources are accessible to you. A few examples are newspaper articles, video clips, and diary entries. Another are interviews/first-person narratives/oral histories. Until recently, these were extremely difficult to find online. However, thousands have been digitized over the last few years. A few examples are linked at the bottom of this page.

Tip: Search using the terms "oral history" and "first-person narrative" in addition to "interview" to yield more results.

3. After you have completed steps 1 and 2, ask yourself what information or viewpoints are still missing from your research. If you couldn't find primary source interviews online and you believe that one could provide a unique perspective or fill in a gap that couldn't be filled in another way, you can now begin identifying potential interviewees.

If you decide that a primary source interview would strengthen your project in a meaningful way (in other words, it would provide information that you cannot get anywhere else), the next step is identifying potential interviewees.

Sometimes, it is clear whom you should contact. For instance, if you're researching how someone in your city participated in a major court case in the 1990s and that person is reachable, they may be someone you want to talk to. However, the answer is often less evident. For example, if you are researching a mass movement involving many unstudied individuals. In this type of situation, you could consider contacting an organization (such as a museum or community center) that has connections to participants.

Most often, your initial outreach will be via email. After locating the correct contact information, you can begin to carefully craft your initial note.

Tip: Sometimes, even if you are contacting the interviewee themselves, the email address or phone number will be for a representative of that person-often, a secretary or another administrator.
The following are important practices to adhere to when reaching out to either an organization or an individual (regardless of the context):
1. Begin with a formal address and proper title. For example, "Dear Ms. Jones."

2. Make sure to use proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

3. Remember to explain what NHD is, the yearly theme (if necessary), and the nature of your project.

4. Demonstrate that you have a thorough knowledge of your topic. You can do this by describing why you want to interview them. What perspective/unique insights can they provide? How will these contributions strengthen your project as a whole?

5. If you are reaching out to an interviewee directly, ask for dates that are at least one week in the future and provide an estimated length for the interview (suggestion: 20-30 minutes). Determine in advance whether a difference in time zone exists between you and your interviewee and provide a time zone.

Example: "I live in Seattle, and I see that you're in St. Louis. Are you available between 3:30 and 5:30 pm Central time on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday of next week (February 8 th, 9 th, or 10 th)?"

6. Proofread your email. Ask your teacher or another adult to check it as well.

7. Stay safe. Copy your teacher or parent/guardian and let the interviewee know that an adult will accompany you to the interview (if in-person) or sit in online.

8. If you receive a response, write back right away. If the answer is "no," thank the person for their time and consideration of your question. If it's "yes," then confirm a time, date, and location.

After scheduling and confirming your upcoming interview, it's time to prepare.
Here are key steps to take and principles to adhere to as you prepare for and conduct your interview:
1. Write your questions out in advance. Think about why you wanted to interview this person and consider what questions would provide responses that would be most helpful.

Tip: Usually, these are open-ended questions rather than "yes" or "no" ones. For example, if you're interviewing someone who was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War, you might ask them to talk about their specific motives for objecting and how those compared with those of their compatriots. This type of question encourages personal and in-depth stories that can substantially strengthen your analysis.

2. Make sure to consider the time allotted for the interview when writing down and organizing your questions-you don't want to run out of time in the interview leaving your most important questions unanswered.

3. If your interviewee requests a copy of your questions in advance of the interview, please supply them.

4. Ask for permission to record in advance-you do not want any surprises at the interview or to ask the interviewer to repeat themselves as you try to write out their quotes. Doing any of these is disrespectful and will make you appear unprepared.

5. Choose a space that is conducive to conducting an interview and that has minimal distractions. If conducting an interview remotely during school hours, try to locate a quiet space so that you can hear your interviewee and they can hear you.

6. Send a polite reminder confirmation a day or two before your scheduled interview.

7. If you are meeting in person, research the directions and allow extra time for traffic, parking, security, etc.. Also plan to bring a trusted adult, such as a parent or teacher, with you, and let your interviewee know that you will be doing so.

8. Practice your questions beforehand so that you are ready to interact with and engage your interviewee with any follow-up questions. It's perfectly acceptable to bring a list of your questions along with you, but try to not simply read off the page as you would read a grocery list. Your interviewee has made this time available for you, so make the most of it!

9. Call or arrive promptly at the scheduled time, and end when you said you would or earlier.

10. At the end of the call or visit, thank your interviewee verbally. Offer to share your finished project after the contest.

11. Write and send a thank-you note within 24 hours.

12. If the interviewee expressed interest in seeing your finished project, send it after the contest. If you are creating an exhibit, offer to send images of it.

13. Finally, Remember: you are representing both your school and NHD. Do your very best!
History Matters Oral Histories and Interviews at the Center for Legislative Archives Oral History Association (Provides links to over 50 digital collections) American West Center Oral Histories Museum of African American History and Culture Oral History Initiative UCLA Center for Oral History Research World War II Museum Oral History Guidelines Library of Congress American Folklife Center Guide to Recorded Interviews

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Guidelines for Conducting Oral History Interviews - National History Day

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Guidance on when to use an interview and how to prepare and conduct an interview for your NHD project

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Paper Project Example 2: Soil Conservation Service - National History Day

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Paper Project Example 1: Women Strike for Peace - National History Day

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Making the American Experience Visible: How Amy Tan's Frontier Allowed Chinese-Americans ​​​​​​​Positive Representation in Western Media

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Primary Source Materials Collections (Alaska Historical Society)

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Primary Source Materials Collections (Alaska Historical Society)

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This page provides a list of the larger collections of Alaska history primary source materials available online

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Alaska Historical Society - Dedicated to the promotion of Alaska history by the exchange of ideas and information.

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Below are some of the larger on-line collections of archival materials that may be useful for educators in development of curriculum and classroom projects about Alaska history. See For Researchers section for additional institutions and websites with primary source material.

Alaska's Digital Archives:
Alaska's Digital Archives presents a wealth of historical photographs, albums, oral histories, moving images, maps, documents, physical objects, and other materials from libraries, museums and archives throughout Alaska. Alaska's Digital Archives purpose is to provide a single easy to use location for institutions across this state to share their historical resources. The goal is to support the instructional and research needs of Alaskans and others interested in Alaska history and culture.

Oral History Collection, University of Alaska Fairbanks:
The Oral History Program was established in 1981 to collect, preserve, and provide access to audio and video recordings that provide insight into Alaska's history and the people who have contributed to its heritage. The UAF Oral History Collection consists of over 11,000 recordings, most of which were donated by organizations and individual interviewers who collected them over the years.

Project Jukebox:
Project Jukebox is the digital branch of the Oral History Program and provides synchronized and interactive access to audio and video recordings, transcripts, maps, historic photographs and films from across Alaska. Visitors to the website can listen to hundreds of interviews with those who have lived Alaska's rich history.

Alaska Film Archive, University of Alaska Fairbanks:
Through three decades of collecting, the University of Alaska Fairbanks has built the largest collection of archival films in and about Alaska, with particular strength for the pre-statehood era. The current collection of films and videos combines hundreds of individual donations to UAF with films collected earlier by the Alaska State Library.

Statewide Library Electronic Doorway (SLED):
SLED provides provides easy and equitable access to electronic information resources for, about, and by Alaskans. It was developed by the Alaska State Library and the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska Fairbanks. An advisory group of citizens and librarians choose sites of interest to Alaskans to include in the project. Funding was provided by the federal government, the Institute of Museums and Library Services, the State of Alaska, and the Rasmuson Foundation.

Alaska Resources Library and Information Services (ARLIS):
ARLIS provides universal access to natural and cultural resources information about Alaska. Its collections include: books and reports; journals; federal, state, and agency documents; maps; conference proceedings; theses and dissertations; videos; CD's, photographs, and educational material. ARLIS partners with the following federal and state agencies and libraries to provide access to their materials: National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, University of Alaska Anchorage, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and Alaska State Library.

Eyewitness Booklet Series:
Chris Allan has compiled five booklets of what he calls the "Eyewitness Series." Chris's intent with the first four booklets is to showcase voices of the past: "I wanted to get away from the traditional historian's narrative form where primary sources play a secondary or tertiary role behind the historian's voice and analysis. I like the idea of people hearing history from the eyewitnesses. In each case, I was so impressed with what was available in digitized newspapers that I wanted to share it." Each booklet includes advertisements, early maps, paintings, drawings and photographs previously unpublished or never collected in the same place.

Library of Congress-Digital Collections:
The Library of Congress has made digitized versions of collection materials available online since 1994, concentrating on its most rare collections and those unavailable anywhere else. The library offers a gateway to a growing treasury of digitized photographs, newspapers, manuscripts, maps, sound recordings, motion pictures, and books, as well as "born digital" materials such as Web sites.

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Primary Source Material - Alaska Historical Society

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Below are some of the larger on-line collections of archival materials that may be useful for educators in development of curriculum and classroom projects about Alaska history. See For Researchers section for additional institutions and websites with primary source material.

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Alaska History Resources for Teachers and Students (Alaska Historical Society)

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Alaska History Resources for Teachers and Students (Alaska Historical Society)

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This page provides links to both general Alaska history sites and subject specific pages on topics such as the 1989 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, the 1964 Earthquake, the Alaska Staathood and Constitutional Convention (1955-56), World War II, Gold Rush, and Russian American History.

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Alaska Historical Society - Dedicated to the promotion of Alaska history by the exchange of ideas and information.

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Alaskool This website provides materials about Alaska Native history, education, languages and cultures for teachers, students and anyone interested in Alaska's first people. It was developed from 1998-2004 by the Alaska Native Curriculum and Teacher Development Project (ANCTD) at the Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage. The project brought together teams of teachers, elders, and community members in various parts of Alaska with university-based specialists to develop curricula on Alaska Native studies and language that would be available to all schools through the internet or on CD.
The Alaska Native Knowledge Network (ANKN): This website serves as a resource for compiling and exchanging information related to Alaska Native knowledge systems and ways of knowing. It has been established to assist Native people, government agencies, educators and the general public in gaining access to the knowledge base that Alaska Natives have acquired through cumulative experience over millennia.
SUBJECT SPECIFIC ALASKA HISTORY WEBSITES
The National Park Service, Alaska Regional Office, History and Culture: This website includes historical and cultural information about Alaska's national parks. It includes information for teachers and kids, and ways to explore history. It also has material about archeology, ethnography, collections, and publications.

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Collection at the Alaska Resources Library and Information Services (ARLIS):
FAQs, Links, and Unique Resources at ARLIS is a guide to the collection of materials on the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (EVOS) that the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council (EVOSTC) has entrusted to ARLIS, as well as materials representing diverse perspectives from state and federal agencies, universities, the private sector, the media, and the general public. Topics include the grounding of the tanker, oil spill response, cleanup, damage assessment, impacts to the environment and people, research, and restoration. The collection contains books, reports, maps, photos, documentary films, video footage, and data, in print and digital formats. ARLIS even has works of poetry, novels, children's books, a theatrical play, and a made-for-TV movie, all pertaining to EVOS. This guide provides links to numerous full-text publications and many more are available full-text through the ARLIS catalog.

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: Resources for Teachers and Students is a bibliography of books, videos, websites, and articles pertaining to the Exxon Valdez oil spill and related topics of interest to teachers, students of all ages, and the general public that are available at ARLIS.

Books:
The Spill: Personal Stories from the Exxon Valdez Disaster by Stan Jones and Sharon Bushell (Kenmore, WA: Epicenter Press, 2009). Published for the twentieth anniversary of the oil spill, this book features interviews with over 60 people who experienced the spill first-hand, including Alaska citizens; government agency personnel involved with the spill and cleanup; elected officials who dealt with the spill; and oil industry personnel involved in the spill and cleanup.

Red Light to Starboard: Recalling the Exxon Valdez Disaster by Angela Day (Pullman, WA: Washington State University Press, 2014) Published for the twentieth-fifth anniversary of the oil spill, this book details the genesis of the disaster and examines the lingering effects, including incomplete cleanup of oil, declines in marine populations, and the adequacy of reparations to those effected.

Great Alaska Earthquake of 1964
Great Alaska Earthquake of 1964, Historical Research Portal, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage:
With the website, UAA's library provides a single location for researchers looking for primary source material about the earthquake, including photographs, books, documents, and oral histories. It represents a variety of libraries, archives, museums and other organizations around Alaska that have earthquake material in their holdings.
The Great Alaska Earthquake of 1964, Alaska Earthquake Information Center (AEIC):
This is part of larger website of the Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks. It contains general information and description of events related to the 1964 Earthquake and the tsunami that followed.

50th Anniversary of the 1964 Earthquake, State of Alaska, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management: This website provides historical information, photos and videos about the 1964 Earthquake and anniversary events. It also provides useful links to other resources.

Alaska Constitutional Convention Teacher's Guide:
A teachers guide to using the recordings of the Alaska Alaska Constitutional Convention held at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks from Nov. 8th, 1955 until Feb. 6th, 1956. The material is organized thematically and includes audio excerpts and topics for discussion in a classroom setting. Also includes links to, downloads of, and a bibliography of other resources related to the Alaska constitution.

49th Star Video:
This film was produced by KUAC TV Fairbanks as part of the University of Alaska's Creating Alaska project. This is the Teacher's Guide in the Alaska History and Cultural Studies online curriculum developed specifically to complement the video. Also includes a way to play parts of the video. The video can also be ordered directly from KUAC.

Gold Rush History
Alaska's Gold, Alaska Department of Education and Early Development:
This website was developed by the Alaska Rich Mining Project Committee to make archival, library and museum materials related to the history of the gold rush in Alaska more accessible to users throughout the state and to assist teachers in using primary source materials in classrooms.

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For Teachers and Students - Alaska Historical Society

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GENERAL ALASKA HISTORY AND CULTURE WEBSITES Alaska History and Cultural Studies: This website is designed to teach Alaskan high school students about their state, its rich history and its people. The curriculum is designed to meet Alaska's Alaska History graduation requirement and related performance standards.

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Alaska Newspaper Research Guide (Alaska Historical Society)

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Alaska Newspaper Research Guide (Alaska Historical Society)

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This page provides tips and guidance for research using online newspaper databases for historical research, with a focus on Alaska History. By Chris Allan.

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Alaska Historical Society - Dedicated to the promotion of Alaska history by the exchange of ideas and information.

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Newspaper Research Guide - Alaska Historical Society

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THE NEWSPAPER BONANZA How to Discover Alaska’s Past in Newspaper Databases By Chris Allan, March 2021 In the past decade, a revolution has been taking place that makes historical newspapers widely available and easy to use. Whereas before, researchers spent long days in libraries poring over miles o…

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Resources for Teaching ANCSA at 50 (Alaska Historical Society)

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Resources for Teaching ANCSA at 50 (Alaska Historical Society)

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Volume 3 of the 3-volume Guide to Sources for the Study of the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act  presents basic resource material covering ANCSA history, introduces discussion topics with associated reference material that a teacher can utilize with their students, highlights particular courses that have already been developed, and provides links Native organization websites where they describe their histories and connections to ANCSA. By Michael Hatfield.

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Alaska Historical Society - Dedicated to the promotion of Alaska history by the exchange of ideas and information.

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The first-ever comprehensive guide to historical sources about the landmark Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), that marked its 50 th anniversary last year, is now available from the Alaska Historical Society.

The three-volume, nearly 1,200-page guide identifies the vast majority of documents in existence about the historic claims act legislation located in libraries, archives and personal collections from Alaska to Washington, D.C., presents published, unpublished and and on-line secondary sources, and offers resources for teaching about ANCSA. It serves as the premier information gateway for researchers, historians and those interested in the fascinating history of how the largest land claims settlement in U.S. history became law.

The legislation, which passed Congress and was signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1971, resolved long-standing issues surrounding aboriginal land claims in Alaska and stimulated long-lasting economic development through allocation of 44 million acres of land and nearly $1 billion to Alaska Native organizations. ANCSA transformed the social, political and economic landscape of Alaska. However, it extinguished Aboriginal title to the land and Aboriginal hunting and fishing r ights, severely restricting the extent of Native control over the land ceded to them.

The fully searchable and navigable electronic PDF document "Guide to Sources for the Study of the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlem ent Act" is presented in three-volumes:

Volume 1: History and Archival Collections edited by Karen Brewster

Introduction to the Guide by William Schneider, Karen Brewster, Joan Antonson

Brief Interpretive History of ANCSA by William Schneider

Description of Collections By Location and Detailed Inventories of Collections edited by Karen Brewster

ANCSA Timeline by Joan Antonson

List of Key Participants in ANCSA by Sue Sherif and Ron Inouye

Volume 2: Annotated Bibliography by Sue Sherif and Joan Antonson

Volume 3: Resources For Teaching ANCSA at 50 by Michael Hawfield (PDF's of items mentioned in this list of resources is available at the PDF Resources for Teaching ANCSA at 50 webpage in the Discover Alaska's History section of the Alaska Historical Society website)

All three volumes can also be accessed at Scholarworks, a digital repository for University of Alaska research.

This project was supported by a grant from the Rasmuson Foundation, and contributions from the following Native corporations: Doyon Limited, Sealaska, Bering Straits, Calista, and Koniag. Additional support was provided by the Atwood Foundation through a grant to the UAA/APU Consortium Library.

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Guide to Sources for the Study of the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act - Alaska Historical Society

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The first-ever comprehensive guide to historical sources about the landmark Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), that marked its 50th anniversary last year, is now available from the Alaska Historical Society.

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DocsTeach Page for NHD (National Archives)

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DocsTeach Page for NHD (National Archives)

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Use this special DocsTeach page from the National Archives to help your students prepare for National History Day. Includes primary source examples and teaching activities.

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National History Day 2024. Choose teaching activities to get them thinking about different turning points in history. Share primary sources for possible NHD topics. Search for additional primary sources for a variety of historical topics. Find even more resources for National History Day from the National Archives on www.archives.gov.

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National History Day Online Research Tools (National Archives)

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National History Day Online Research Tools (National Archives)

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Learn about National History Day resources from the National Archives! Explore DocsTeach in support of your NHD project for this year's theme- Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas.

Search these Resources for History Topics Across Historical Eras

Check these Resources for Topics and Time Periods

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National History Day Online Research Tools

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Learn about National History Day resources from the National Archives! Explore DocsTeach in support of your NHD project for this year's theme- Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas.

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Teachers Resources from the National History Education Clearinghouse.

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Teachinghistory.org is designed to help K-12 history teachers access resources and materials to improve U.S. history education in the classroom. With funding from the U.S. Department of Education, the Center for History and New Media (CHNM) has created Teachinghistory.org with the goal of making history content, teaching strategies, resources, and research accessible.

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History Lessons and Activities, searchable by age, resource type, historical era and Cross-Curricular Connections

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Each topic includes links to a selection of primary sources, and may include additional resources such as titles of relevant secondary sources

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Citing Primary Sources (Library of Congress)

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Citing Primary Sources (Library of Congress)

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How to Cite Digitized Primary Sources

Citing primary sources correctly is an important part of studying primary sources, for a number of reasons.

It is important--and ethically necessary--to provide full credit to the creators and publishers of documents, and to allow future scholars to find the source quickly and correctly. Citing a primary source is also crucial to critical thinking and analysis because it requires that the student think carefully about where the source came from, who made it, and in what context the student first discovered it.

Today, most students have access to primary sources through electronic means. The examples in this section serve as a guide to the most common formats and types available on the Library of Congress Web site.

Citation Examples for Library of Congress Digitized Primary Sources

Great variation exists among accepted styles, and different disciplines rely on different style guidelines. It is not possible to give a single example of documentation for the digitized materials available on the Library of Congress Web site. The examples in this section use style guidelines that are commonly used in history (Chicago) and language arts(MLA) disciplines.

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Citing Primary Sources | Getting Started with Primary Sources | Teachers | Programs | Library of Congress

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How to Cite Digitized Primary Sources Citing primary sources correctly is an important part of studying primary sources, for a number of reasons.

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Civics for All of US Civics for All of US is the new education initiative from the National Archives that promotes civic literacy and engagement. DocsTeach Teach with documents using our online tool. Explore primary sources. Discover fun and engaging teaching activities. Create your own online or print activities for your students!

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Docs Teach - Tools for Teaching with Documents (National Archives)

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Docs Teach - Tools for Teaching with Documents (National Archives)

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Borrow from an ever-expanding collection of document-based activities created by the National Archives, and teachers around the world. Copy and modify activities for your students.

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Library of Congress - Materials for Teachers

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Library of Congress - Materials for Teachers

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The Library of Congress offers classroom materials and professional development to help teachers effectively use primary sources from the Library's vast digital collections in their teaching.

Getting Started with Primary Sources

Explore short videos on using resources and teaching strategies for using primary sources in the classroom.

Teaching with the Library of Congress Blog

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About This Program | Teachers | Programs | Library of Congress

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The Library of Congress offers classroom materials and professional development to help teachers effectively use primary sources from the Library's vast digital collections in their teaching.

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A living cultural center located in Anchorage, Alaska, that promotes active observance of Alaska Native culture and traditions

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Cultural Center and Museum in Anchorage, Alaska

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National Archives at Seattle: Alaska Digitization Project

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National Archives at Seattle: Alaska Digitization Project

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Digitized Records from the former Alaska region of the National Archives

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In order to make NARA’s holdings from the former Alaska Region more broadly available to the public, we are digitizing the most in-demand records. The National Archives began this process by requesting input from stakeholders, including the public, on which records should be prioritized for digitiza…

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Alaska State Archives Digitized Collections

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Alaska State Archives Digitized Collections

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A consortium of 87 libraries in Alaska. You may be able to request books from other libraries across the state for your research

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The Alaska Library Catalog is a consortium of 87 public, academic, special, and K-12 libraries who serve 92% of the population of Alaska. The shared catalog has 3.2 million titles. To search the catalog, visit the website of a member library.

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The Alaska Library Catalog is a consortium of 87 public, academic, special, and K-12 libraries who serve 92% of the population of Alaska. The shared catalog has 3.2 million titles. To search the catalog, visit the website of a member library.

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Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers (Library of Congress)

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Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers (Library of Congress)

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Searchable database of historical newspapers. Can select to search by state

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Online Research Tools (Alaska Historical Society)

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Online Research Tools (Alaska Historical Society)

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Alaska Historical Society - Dedicated to the promotion of Alaska history by the exchange of ideas and information.

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On-line Research Tools - Alaska Historical Society

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Alaska’s Digital Archives (VILDA): Alaska’s Digital Archives presents a wealth of historical photographs, albums, oral histories, moving images, maps, documents, physical objects, and other materials from libraries, museums and archives throughout our state. Oral History Collection, University of Al…

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Major Alaskan Archives (Alaska Historical Society)

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Major Alaskan Archives (Alaska Historical Society)

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This is a list of Alaska’s larger archival research facilities that house collections of original documents, maps, photographs, and films. They offer finding aids, on-line research tools, and staff who can help you find what you seek.

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Alaska Historical Society - Dedicated to the promotion of Alaska history by the exchange of ideas and information.

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Alaska's larger archival research facilities that house collections of original documents, maps, photographs, and films. They offer finding aids, on-line research tools, and staff who can help you find what you seek.

206-336-5115 National Archives and Records Administration
6125 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, Washington 98115-7999
Phone:
Fax: 206-336-5112
Email: seattle.archives@nara.gov

Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives
Elmer E. Rasmuson Library
University of Alaska Fairbanks
310 Tanana Loop
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-6808
Phone: 907-474-2791
Email: UAF-APR-reference-Service@alaska.edu

Consortium Library-Archives & Special Collections
University of Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University
3211 Providence Drive
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Phone: 907-786-1849
Email: archives@uaa.alaska.edu

State of Alaska, Office of History and Archaeology
Alaska Department of Natural Resources
Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation
550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1260
Anchorage Alaska 99501-3557
Phone: 907-269-8721
Fax: 907-269-8908
Email: dnr.oha@alaska.gov

395 Whittier Street Alaska State Archives

Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: 907.465.2270
Fax: 907.465.2465
Email: archives@alaska.gov

Joint Archives of the Alaska Court System and Alaska Bar Association
Alaska State Court Law Library
Anchorage Law Library
303 K Street
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Phone: 907-264-0585 (Reference)
Fax: 907-264-0733
Email: library@courts.state.ak.us

Yukon Archives
400 College Drive
P.O. Box 2703 (L-6)
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada Y1A 2C6
Phone: 867-667-5321
Email: yukon.archives@gov.yk.ca

Alaska Native Heritage Center
8800 Heritage Center Drive
Anchorage, Alaska 99506
Phone: 907-330-8000

Inupiat Heritage Center
PO Box 69
Utqiagvik, Alaska 99723
Phone: 907-852-0422

Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center, Library, and Museum
PO Box 368/420 Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway
Bethel, Alaska 99559
Phone: 907-543-4500 or 800-478-5822

Sealaska Heritage Institute
1 Sealaska Plaza, #301
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Phone: 907-463-4844

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Major Alaska Archives - Alaska Historical Society

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Alaska's larger archival research facilities that house collections of original documents, maps, photographs, and films. They offer finding aids, on-line research tools, and staff who can help you find what you seek. Alaska State Library-Alaska Historical Collections Mailing Address: PO Box 110571, Juneau, AK 99811-0571. Physical Address: 395 Whittier St.

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A collaborative public history project that collects, preserves, and shares the stories of cannery workers from the NN Cannery in South Naknek.

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EDSITEment - National Endowment for the Humanities Education Page. 

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EDSITEment - National Endowment for the Humanities Education Page. 

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Lesson Plans, Teachers' Guides, Student Activities and more on humanities topics. From the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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Be sure to follow us on Facebook for contest updates, topic ideas, and other resources

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Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

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Here is the Contest website. This is where you will register and upload projects. Registration opens March 2024

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These documentaries were teacher produced, as part of teacher training with See Stories (an Alaskan non-profit that builds community through film and story-telling).

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Join the web's most supportive community of creators and get high-quality tools for hosting, sharing, and streaming videos in gorgeous HD with no ads.

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What is a Secondary Source? (Vermont History Day)

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What is a Secondary Source? (Vermont History Day)

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Vermont History Day: What is a secondary source — Vermont Historical Society

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What is a secondary source: The National History Day Contest Rule Book states that “secondary sources are created after and about a historical event.” For researchers, secondary sources can provide context for the

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Each year, students around the world discover history through National History Day ® (NHD) by creating historical research projects. Through the process, students develop skills in communication, project management, and historical thinking.

NHD projects begin at your school, whether public, private, parochial, charter, or homeschool. From there, your project might be selected to advance to either a regional or affiliate (state, territory, or country) contest.

At an NHD contest, students present their work to judges, who give all students feedback on their work and select projects to advance to the next level of the competition. Between contest levels, students are encouraged to revise their project based on what they have learned and the judges' feedback. Students can make any revisions that they want, in accordance with the Contest Rule Book.

The top two entries in each category at the affiliate contests are invited to attend the NHD National Contest. About 3,000 students from across the United States and overseas compete each June at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Ready to Learn How to Create a Project?

First, check out the Contest Rule Book and then let's look at the theme.
National History Day (NHD) programs are open to all students and teachers without regard to race, sex, religion, physical abilities, economic status, or sexual orientation. NHD does not discriminate against, or limit participation by, physically challenged students. NHD staff and affiliate coordinators strive to accommodate students with special needs. National History Day does not censor National Contest entries based upon content. This means that the views and opinions expressed in student entries are those of the students and/or the sources cited in their projects. They may not represent the views or opinions of National History Day, Inc. or its donors, sponsors, supporters, partners, or affiliates.
National History Day is proud to have the following sponsors

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The National History Day contest equips students with skills in historical research, communication, project management, and critical thinking.

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NHD offers five creative categories in each division (Junior: grades 6-8, or Senior: grades 9-12). The documentary, exhibit, performance, and website categories offer both individual and group participation options. The paper category allows individual participation only. Groups may include two to five students.

A documentary is a ten-minute film that uses media (images, video, and sound) to communicate your historical argument, research evidence, and interpretation of your topic's significance in history.

A documentary should reflect your ability to use audiovisual equipment to communicate your topic's significance. The documentary category will help you develop skills in using photographs, film, video, audio, computers, and graphic presentations. Your presentation should include primary source materials and also must be an original production. To produce a documentary, you must have access to equipment and be able to operate it.

An exhibit is a three-dimensional physical and visual representation of your historical argument, research evidence, and interpretation of your topic's significance in history.

Exhibits use color, images, documents, objects, graphics, and design, as well as words, to tell your story. Exhibits can be interactive experiences by asking viewers to play music, look at a video, or open a door or window to see more documents or photos.

A paper is a written format for presenting your historical argument, research evidence, and interpretation of your topic's significance in history.

A paper is a highly personal and individual effort, and if you prefer to work alone this may be the category for you. Papers depend almost entirely on words to tell the story, and you can usually include more information in a paper than in some of the other categories. Various types of creative writing (for example, fictional diaries, poems, etc.) are permitted but must conform to all general and category rules.

A performance is a dramatic portrayal of your historical argument, research evidence, and interpretation of your topic's significance in history.

The performance category is the only one that is presented live. Developing a strong narrative that allows your subject to unfold in a dramatic and visually interesting way is important. Memorizing, rehearsing, and refining your script is essential, so you should schedule time for this in addition to research, writing, costuming, and prop gathering.

A website is a collection of interconnected web pages that uses multimedia to communicate your historical argument, research evidence, and interpretation of your topic's significance in history.

A website should reflect your ability to use website design software and computer technology to communicate your topic's significance in history. To create an NHD website project, you must use NHDWebCentral®.

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Get Started on Your Project - National History Day

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Guidance and resources as you create a successful National History Day contest historical research project

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Lesson plans relating to the founding ideals of the revolutionary era, created by teachers. All supporting materials (graphic organizers, rubrics, etc.) and primary source documents are available for free download on National History Day’s website (nhd.org/RevIdeals)

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Revolutionary Ideals Full Lesson Plan Book - National History Day

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In the summer of 2022, NHD kicked off its programming to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with a live teacher institute in Providence, Rhode Island. Partnering …

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National History Day, in collaboration with the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium, created this open-access teacher guide filled with hints, tips, and activities to encourage student inquiry and historical research. Starting on Page 77 is an activity to help students learn to identify whether sources are primary or secondary.

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Important! This website that may contain historical materials not appropriate for all grade levels and ages. Educators, please review materials before introducing it to your students.

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Primary Sources Teachers' Guide (Library of Congress)

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Primary Sources Teachers' Guide (Library of Congress)

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Teacher’s Guides and Analysis Tool | Getting Started with Primary Sources | Teachers | Programs | Library of Congress

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jQuery(function($){ var $container = $(‘.search-results’); $container.isotope({ layoutMode: ‘fitRows’, itemSelector: ‘.item’ }); imagesLoaded( $(‘#results’), function( instance ) { var $container = $(‘.search-results’); $container.isotope({ layoutMode: ‘fitRows’, itemSelector: ‘.item’ }); }); }); Primary Source Analysis Tool for Students Students can use this simple tool to examine and analyze any kind of primary source and record their responses.

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What is a Primary Source? (Vermont History Day)

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What is a Primary Source? (Vermont History Day)

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The National History Day Contest Rule Book states that "primary sources are created during the time period you are investigating."

A primary source might be written by someone with first-hand knowledge of an event in history, like a description of a Civil Rights march written by a protester who was there. A primary source can also be from the time period, like a newspaper article about the protest, even if the reporter was not there.

But remember, the author of a primary source might be biased or have incorrect information. Historians use multiple primary sources to interpret events in the past.

Examples of primary sources include, but are not limited to:

What should you do after you have found a primary source? Analyze it! You will want to understand what the primary source means. You will also need to decide if or how the information will help provide evidence to support your claim or thesis.

These tools may help with your research:

And don't forget to cite your research! Take notes when you locate sources because it can be difficult to find the information again. You will need to include an annotated bibliography with your project. See these examples for the required documentation for different types of primary sources.

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Vermont History Day: What is a primary source - Vermont Historical Society

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What is a primary source: The National History Day Contest Rule Book states that "primary sources are created during the time period you are investigating." A primary source might be written by someone w

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2024 NHD Theme Video: Turning Points in History