National History Day in Michigan Teacher Handbook Handbook Michigan ... Evaluation of Student Work ... race, religion, sex, physical ability, economic status, or sexual orientation.

Teacher Handbook

MichiganHistory DayNational History Day in Michigan

TABLE OF CONTENTS Use and Purpose of this Handbook ................................................ 3What is History Day? ........................................................................ 3Why Should We Participate in History Day? ................................... 4How Does History Day Work in Michigan? ...................................... 4District Coordinators ........................................................................ 5State Finals Competition ................................................................. 6National History Day Competition ................................................... 6What are the History Day Categories? ............................................ 6Who Can Participate in History Day? .............................................. 6How Can Students Participate? ...................................................... 6Tips for Teacher Sponsors of History Day ....................................... 7Timeline for Implementing History Day in Your Classroom ........... 8Evaluation of Student Work ............................................................. 9Starting a School History Day Competition ..................................10How Do Students Choose a History Day Category .......................10Should Students Work as an Individual or in a Group? ...............12Getting Started with Students .......................................................13Choosing Their Topic ......................................................................13Special Awards ...............................................................................13National Theme ..............................................................................13

Narrowing Their Topic ....................................................................13Starting the Research ....................................................................14Using Resources in your Community ............................................15Online Research .............................................................................15Developing a Thesis .......................................................................16Designing Their Projects ................................................................ 17Writing a Process Paper and Annotated Bibliography ................. 17Revision, Discussion, and Evaluation ...........................................18The Judge’s Interview ....................................................................19Judging Criteria ...............................................................................20General Rules for All Categories ...................................................22Category Rules for Paper ...............................................................25Category Rules for Exhibit ..............................................................25Category Rules for Performance ...................................................26Category Rules for Documentary ..................................................27Category Rules for Website ...........................................................28How Teachers Should Prepare for the Competition .....................30Arriving at the Competition ............................................................30Competition Day Checklist for Students .......................................31

MISSIONHistory Day is an annual academic competition designed to promote the study of history in schools and to create a high degree of appreciation for its value in the students, educators, and community members who participate. The spirit of History Day is not based on winning and losing, but on the encouragement of achievement, the recognition of excellence, and the positive critical evaluation of every student participant. Judges and program officials value student effort, while encouraging academic achievement and the building of self-esteem. History Day entries, like history itself, are evolutionary in nature. It is the goal of the program to empower students with research skills, critical thinking skills, and outlets for creative expression which will enhance their academic abilities in all areas of study.

Michigan History Day is a program of The Historical Society of Michigan in conjunction with National History Day.

©2012 The Historical Society of Michigan

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USE AND PURPOSE OF THIS HANDBOOKThis handbook has been developed for Michigan teachers and other sponsors interested in participating in History Day. It is designed to provide much of the information and resources needed to be successful in implementing and participating in the History Day program in Michigan. The following pages include suggested examples of strategies for implementing History Day, but these examples should not be considered the only approaches. Teachers are encouraged to apply the information in this handbook to suit their school calendars, teaching styles, and classroom environments.

TEACHERS SHOULD ALSO CHECK THE TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCE SECTIONS OF THE MICHIGAN HISTORY DAY (MHD) WEBSITE www.hsmichigan.org/programs/mhd

Accessibility: National History Day programs are open to all students and teachers without regard to race, religion, sex, physical ability, economic status, or sexual orientation. National History Day does not discriminate against or limit participation by physically challenged students. The competition rules are available on audiotape and in Braille from the National History Day office. National History Day staff and coordinators will make every effort to accommodate students with special needs.

WHAT IS HISTORY DAY?History Day is a year-long curriculum enhancement program that engages students in grades 4-12 in the process of discovery and interpretation of historical topics. Students produce dramatic performances, museum-style exhibits, multimedia documentaries, interpretive websites, and papers based on research related to an annual theme.

These projects are then evaluated at local, district, state, and national competitions.

History Day provides an exciting way for students to study history and learn about issues, ideas, people, and events in which they are interested. Throughout the school year, students will conduct extensive research in primary and secondary sources under the guidance of their teachers. Students will develop skills in research and analysis. Through participation in History Day, students become historians!

WHY SHOULD WE PARTICIPATE IN

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HISTORY DAY?For Teachers

• History Day meets many of the Grade Level and High School Content Expectations for Social Studies and for English Language Arts. For a list of these by grade, please see the Teacher Resource section of the Michigan History Day (MHD) website.

• History Day provides a model teaching tool for the classroom, based on active, project-based learning.

• History Day provides an excellent assessment tool.

• History Day integrates the study of history with other disciplines, including writing, the arts, and other social sciences.

• History Day encourages interaction with academic historians, librarians, activists, and public historians.

• History Day involves families and communities in support of education.

For Students

• Students gain skills that they will use in college and when entering the workforce.

• Students develop improved communication skills.

• Students gain expert knowledge in historical subjects.

• Students meet new people and make new friends.

• Students may receive monetary awards, special prizes, and scholarships.

• Students can receive certificates, medals, and trophies.

HOW DOES HISTORY DAY WORK IN MICHIGAN?There are four levels to History Day in Michigan. Preliminary competitions are held in classrooms and schools. The strongest projects are selected for competition at the district-level contests. District competitions are held in 10 districts across the state. These competitions will typically be held from late February to early April. Students who win at a district-level contest advance to the state-level competition. State competition winners then advance to National History Day in College Park, Maryland. Scheduled competition dates are announced on the MHD website at www.hsmichigan.org/programs/mhd. Check for dates during late fall.

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District Map of Michigan

DISTRICT COORDINATORS

The state of Michigan is currently divided into 10 districts for the purpose of regional competitions. The following district coordinators are available to assist you.

1. Jane Nordberg 57361 Second St. Calumet, MI 49913 (906) 337-4272 [email protected]. Michele Mackie Eastern UP ISD 315 Armory Place Sault Sainte Marie, MI 49783 (906) 632-3373, ext. 104 [email protected]. Brandi Reynolds Traverse City Central High School 1150 Milliken Drive Traverse City, Michigan 49686 (231) 933-3500 [email protected]. Sean O’Neill Department of History Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI 49401 (616) 331-3325 [email protected]. Corrine Bloomfield Bay County Historical Society 321 Washington Ave. Bay City, MI 48708 (989) 893-5733 [email protected]. Tom Dietz Kalamazoo Valley Museum PO Box 4070 Kalamazoo, MI 49003 (269) 373-7984 [email protected]. Hugh Gurney 2270 Hickory Circle Howell, MI 48855 (517) 545-2979 [email protected]. Alexis Braun Marks Eastern Michigan University Halle Library Building, Room 310 Ypsilanti, MI 48197 [email protected]

9. Sara Schultz Historical Society of Michigan 5815 Executive Drive Lansing, MI 48911 (517) 324-1828 [email protected] 10. Tobi Voigt Detroit Historical Society 5401 Woodward Ave. Detroit, MI 48202 (313) 833-0481 [email protected] State Coordinator – Tamara Barnes Historical Society of Michigan 5815 Executive Drive Lansing, MI 48911 (517) 324-1828 [email protected]

David HalesWayne RESA33500 Van Born Rd.Wayne, MI [email protected]

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STATE FINALS COMPETITION The state competition for Michigan History Day is held in various locations throughout the state. The location of the following year’s state competition is announced in the fall.

Be sure to check the Michigan History Day website (www.hsmichigan.org/programs/mhd) for information on the location and event schedule. Registration materials for the state finals are distributed at the district competitions.

NATIONAL HISTORY DAY COMPETITION Two projects in each category will advance from the state competition to the Kenneth E. Behring National History Day Competition in College Park, Maryland. Registration materials for the national competition are given out at the state finals.

WHAT ARE THE HISTORY DAY CATEGORIES?1) Research Paper*

2) Website

3) Documentary

4) Performance

5) Exhibit

* Only individuals may enter the research paper category. All other categories may have individual or group (2-5 members) entries.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN HISTORY DAY?Michigan History Day is open to students in grades 4-12. Students in grades 4-5 can advance to the state competition but do not compete at nationals. Students in grades 6-8 participate in the Junior Division, and students in grades 9-12 participate in the Senior Division. All students in Michigan public, private, or home schools may participate in Michigan History Day.

HOW CAN STUDENTS PARTICIPATE?Students must have an adult sponsor to participate in Michigan History Day. A student’s sponsor does not have to be his or her classroom teacher.

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TIPS FOR TEACHER SPONSORS OF HISTORY DAYAdopting the National History Day program into your classroom can be challenging for teachers who have limited time and resources and high demand placed on their classroom efforts. Whether you are a first-time sponsor or a veteran of the program, you will find several avenues for assistance. These include:

Your Strength: You do not have to be a history teacher or a historian to help students with a History Day entry. An English teacher could assist a student writing a research paper, and a drama teacher could help students in the performance category. Likewise, technology teachers are great for website and documentary students, and art teachers are great for exhibit competitors.

Team Teaching: The strength of a History Day project generally increases when teachers of various subjects work together to help the student.

Workshops: District and state coordinators are available to present workshops for teachers interested in History Day. To request a workshop, e-mail [email protected].

State and District Coordinators: Coordinators are dedicated to the History Day program and to seeing it become a successful component of your classroom. Call on your coordinators to answer questions, offer suggestions, or to put you in touch with another teacher in your area or classroom situation.

National History Day: The NHD staff is available to answer questions and offer a free summer teacher institute. NHD also offers a curriculum guide each year based on the annual theme and other curriculum materials. To learn more, visit the website at www.nationalhistoryday.org.

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TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTING HISTORY DAY IN YOUR CLASSROOM

September:• Familiarize yourself with the NHD theme sheet and sample topics available for your grade level.

This information can be found in the Teacher Resource section of the MHD website. • Look at your curriculum for the year and determine a list of possible topics for students. • Set a calendar of assignments and due dates for every step of the History Day process.

October:• Introduce and define the theme. Explain to students how it fits into your class curriculum.• Explain the differences and uses of primary and secondary sources. • Students should begin preliminary research. • Guide students toward choosing individual or group projects and which category they want to

work in. • Work with students to identify and narrow their research topic. Help them ask questions about

their topic. • Guide students toward quality primary and secondary sources.

November and December:• Teach students how to analyze sources. Students should continue researching.• Work with students on writing thesis statements. Practice formulating and presenting historical

interpretations. • Students should create an outline for and begin constructing projects in their chosen category.

January:• Assist students with problem solving. • Confirm contest dates to ensure you are on target for project completion. • Students should complete construction of projects. Teachers should review and give feedback to

students. • Students should edit and put finishing touches on projects, write process papers, and polish up

annotated bibliographies.

February:• Host school or classroom competitions. Choose students to advance to district competition. • Register students by downloading registration forms for your district from the Michigan History

Day website. • Students should edit projects based on judge feedback provided at school competitions.

Competition Time! February-June:• Confirm details for your district competition. District competitions are typically held February

through March, although the District 2 competition takes place in January. • Have students who win at districts edit their projects again for state finals which takes place in late

April. • Students who win at state should edit projects for National History Day, which is held in mid-June.

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EVALUATION OF STUDENT WORKThe amount of work that goes into a History Day project is worthy of significant classroom credit for students. Teachers may wish to provide one grade for the History Day project or assign grades to individual components that correspond with the worksheets provided in this handbook. The sample evaluation form below has been created to correspond with the judging rubric created by National History Day as well as the Michigan Department of Education Standards for Social Studies: Chronological Thinking, Comprehending the Past, and Analyzing and Interpreting the Past.

Historical Quality

Each component worth 10 points

_____ Thesis statement clearly stated

_____ Entry, as presented, supports thesis statement

_____ Shows wide reading among secondary sources to gain literal meaning

_____ Shows wide use and understanding of primary sources

_____ Recognizes author bias and distinguishes between fact and opinion

_____ Entry is historically accurate

_____ Identifies relevant factual material

_____ Shows analysis and interpretation of data, rather than simple statement of fact

_____ Places topic in historical context

_____ Research is balanced

Relation to Theme and Quality of Presentation


_____ Project is organized and neat

_____ Displays clear relation to the theme

_____ Demonstrates significance of topic in history and draws conclusions

_____ Shows creativity

_____ Uses wide variety of primary source material in construction to support argument

Rules Compliance/Classroom Participation


_____ Process Paper answers required questions

_____ Includes properly organized and annotated bibliography

_____ Entry meets all required category rules

_____ Project is completed on time

_____ Student displays use of communication skills with teacher and classmates

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STARTING A SCHOOL HISTORY DAY COMPETITIONStarting a school History Day competition is a great way to help the program grow in your city and/or county and encourage enthusiasm for history education among administrators, fellow teachers, students, and parents. A school competition also gives the students an opportunity to experience the History Day program at a local level, before advancing to district, state, and national competitions.

The following suggestions are intended to serve as a guideline for teachers implementing a school History Day competition.

1) Contact your district or state coordinator. Your district and/or state coordinator will provide you with copies of the judging criteria, judging evaluation sheets, the number of students who should advance to district competition, and many other useful ideas and advice.

2) Set your competition date early. When selecting a date for your school competition, consider the date of your district competition. You will want to give your students enough time to improve their projects based on judge’s comments.

3) Contact potential judges early. Consider soliciting judges from outside your school or, at the very least, outside your social studies department. Local museum, archive, or library personnel would be great judges. Your district or state coordinator can also provide you with some advice on potential judges in your area.

4) Prepare judging and other related materials for the competition well in advance. Be prepared for the judging process to take most of the school day, depending on the number of students participating.

HOW DO STUDENTS CHOOSE A HISTORY DAY CATEGORY?

One of the best things students can do before and after they select a category is to look at examples of past projects. Samples of these works can be found on both the Michigan History Day website and the National History Day website. Many performances and documentaries from students across the country can also be found on youtube.com.

Do your students have special interests or talents that lend themselves to a specific category? How would their topic best be expressed? Answering the following questions may help them decide.

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HISTORICAL PAPER

1) Do I enjoy writing?

2) Am I more comfortable expressing myself on paper than in front of an audience?

3) Am I trying to convey a complex idea that requires a lot of explanation?

PERFORMANCE

1) Do I enjoy being in front of an audience?

2) Do I like to act?

3) Can I write a good 10-minute skit?

4) Will I have access to appropriate costumes and props?

EXHIBIT

1) Do I enjoy creating things with my hands?

2) Do I have a way to transport my project to a competition?

3) Can I tell my story primarily through pictures and artifacts instead of words?

DOCUMENTARY

1) Do I have access to, and enjoy working with, media and editing equipment and software?

2) Do I have a computer that I can take to a competition if necessary?

3) Does my topic have a lot of visual images or video footage that I could use to present a documentary?

WEBSITES

1) Do I enjoy working with computers?

2) Do I have regular access to a computer? Will I have time to complete a website entry?

3) Can I present my topic adequately in a website?

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SHOULD STUDENTS WORK AS AN INDIVIDUAL OR IN A GROUP?Some teachers make this decision for their students. Assuming the teacher has left this up to their students, the final decision a student should make when deciding on a competition category is whether to work alone or on a team. Both choices have great benefits. Below are some questions students should consider when making this decision.

1) Do I generally prefer working alone or with teammates?

2) What roles do I usually play in a group? (Some examples include peacemaker, organizer, technology specialist, writer, etc.)

3) What qualities make someone a good group member?

4) Would I be able to meet with potential team members after school? Do we live close to each other, or would we be able to stay after school to work?

Some advantages to working as a group:

• You will improve your collaborative skills and participate on a team.

• You can share project costs.

• You can draw on one another’s strengths and talents.

Some disadvantages to working as a group:

• You may have scheduling difficulties.

• You may have different work ethics.

• You will have increased communication demands.

• Opinions may differ.

Some advantages to working as an individual:

• You are the sole decision maker.

• You will increase your independence.

• Work is completed when and where you want.

Some disadvantages to working as an individual:

• You will be responsible for all costs.

• You won’t have a partner to help with the workload.

• You won’t have a partner to motivate you when work slows down.

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GETTING STARTED WITH STUDENTS

CHOOSING THEIR TOPIC

Some teachers, wishing to fulfill specific GLCE’s for their classroom, may choose to narrow their student’s choices to a time period or geographic region. As students look into possible topics, encourage them to find ways to connect their own interests. If students would like to see a list of possible topics that relate to the theme, the Michigan History Day website has theme sheets with suggested topics for each grade level. However, these lists are just suggestions. By allowing students to search for a topic, rather than choose one from a pre-determined list, students are more likely to take ownership of their topic and have a more fulfilling experience.

SPECIAL AWARDS

Each year, organizations throughout the state sponsor special awards in a variety of categories. These special awards come with monetary prizes and special recognition at the state final awards ceremony. A list of the Special Award categories is available on the Michigan History Day website. Your students may want to consider choosing a topic based on the special award categories.

NATIONAL THEME

Every year National History Day frames students’ research within a historical theme. The theme is chosen for the broad application to world, national or state history and its relevance to ancient history or to the more recent past. The theme provides an opportunity for students to push past the antiquated view of history as mere facts and dates and drill down into historical content to develop perspective and understanding. It provides a focused way to increase student’s historical understanding by developing a lens to read history, an organizational structure that helps students place information in the correct context and finally, the ability to see connections over time.

2013 National History Day ThemeTurning Points in History: People, Ideas, Events

2014 National History Day ThemeRights & Responsibilities in History

2015 National History Day ThemeExploration, Encounter, Exchange in History

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NARROWING THEIR TOPIC

Explain to students the importance of narrowing down their topics so that it can be fully researched and so that they can present a cohesive thesis.

Try using the following examples to show how a topic is narrowed: Theme: TURNING POINTS IN HISTORY: People, Ideas, Events

Interest: 1960s Culture

Broad Topic: President Kennedy

Narrow Topic: Peace Corps

Theme: TURNING POINTS IN HISTORY: People, Ideas, Events

Interest: Food

Broad Topic: Organic Farming

Narrow Topic: DDT


Interest: Native Americans

Broad Topic: Cherokee Tribe

Narrow Topic: Sequoyah

STARTING THE RESEARCH If your school has a library or if you are able to visit a library or archives, this would be an ideal resource for reviewing primary and secondary sources. Librarians and archivists may be willing to discuss primary source research and suggest to students where to search for primary and secondary sources in their own community.

Primary source research is a key part of a History Day project. Judges will be looking specifically for entries that effectively use primary sources. Primary sources are also an exciting part of the research process as they allow students to see history though someone else’s eyes.

Review the difference between primary and secondary sources. For lower grade levels, focus the discussion on identifying and understanding the concept of primary and secondary sources. A “Primary and Secondary Source” worksheet is available on the Michigan History Day website. It can be used to review the definitions of the terms and let the students test out their understanding. For upper grade levels, focus the discussion on what different types of primary sources they could integrate into their entry: newspapers, oral histories, etc.

Give students time to start looking for sources either online or in a library or archives. Students should start with secondary sources that will provide them with a knowledge base for finding and interpreting primary sources. Some secondary sources may even contain primary sources such as photos, letters, and speeches. Students can find a list of general websites with primary sources on the Michigan History Day website.

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USING RESOURCES IN YOUR COMMUNITY The Historical Society of Michigan has been working to introduce the History Day program to smaller archival repositories and museums across the state so they can better accommodate students attempting to access primary resource collections in their communities. A directory of Michigan historical agencies is available on the Historical Society of Michigan’s website. The Society has also formed partnerships with many organizations and universities to further assist you with History Day in your classroom. We have an army of volunteers able to mentor student projects or make classroom visits on a number of topics. For more information, e-mail Tamara Barnes at [email protected].

ONLINE RESEARCHWith the prominence of the internet in research today, it is especially important that students understand how to tell a reliable source from a not-so-reliable source. While books, journals, and the like have filters such as editors and publishers, websites do not. Judges will be paying special attention to the reliability of website sources, so it is especially important that students understand how to evaluate a source.

Stress that History Day sources must come from many different places. Although the internet provides an amazing variety of primary and secondary source materials, students must also get sources from libraries, archives, and museums in order to be considered a strong entry during competition.

Review the “Researching Online” section in the Student Handbook. Use the “Online Research Activity Worksheet” from the Michigan History Day website.

Ask students to consider secondary and primary sources they find online. Discuss as a class or in groups:

• What do you think makes each of your secondary sources reliable (or unreliable)?

• From whose perspective is your primary source? Why is it important for a researcher to consider that perceptive?

• What possible bias could there be in your primary sources? How could this affect your research?

• How can you make sure your research in balanced?

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DEVELOPING A THESIS Review how to write a thesis using the “What is a Thesis” section in the Student Handbook. At this point, students should be well on their way with research and analyzing their findings. This is a good time to develop a formal thesis. With their notes available, give students time to write out a one-to two-sentence thesis. Even if students are competing in the performance or documentary category (where actual writing is not part of the entry itself), they will need a thesis to guide their work. If possible, meet with each student to review their thesis while other students work on their entries. Below is an example of how a thesis is developed.


Interest: 1960s Culture

Broad Topic: President Kennedy

Narrow Topic: Peace Corps

Thesis: President Kennedy’s establishment of the Peace Corps was a turning point in the 1960s peace movement because it led to humanitarian efforts in underdeveloped nations.


Interest: Food

Broad Topic: Organic Farming

Narrow Topic: DDT

Thesis: The introduction of DDT in American agriculture was a turning point in the country’s environmental history because it brought the issue of pesticides into the public’s awareness.


Interest: Native Americans

Broad Topic: Cherokee Tribe

Narrow Topic: Sequoyah

Thesis: Sequoyah’s book, “Talking Leaves,” was a turning point in Cherokee history because within 6 months of its publishing, 50 percent of Cherokees could read English.

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DESIGNING THEIR PROJECTS With research almost complete, provide time for students to conceptualize and fabricate their entries. Students with documentary and performance entries can use the storyboard worksheets found in the Student Resource section of the Michigan History Day website. Students preparing exhibit and website entries can work on drawing and diagramming their project and those writing papers can create an outline.

Be sure to encourage your students to look at professional samples as well as past student samples from their categories. For example, encourage students to see a community stage performance, visit a museum exhibit, or watch a documentary on the History Channel.

There are many helpful tools for each of the categories—including some short tutorial videos—in the Student Resource section of the Michigan History Day website.

Writing a Process Paper and Annotated Bibliography All entries require a process paper with a title page and an annotated bibliography. The only exception are paper entries which do not require a process paper. When students attend their district competition, they will need to bring four copies of these for the judges to review. The aim of the process paper is to provide judges and any other audience members with an overview of how students created their entry.

• Review the “How to Write a Process Paper” section in the Student Handbook and answer any student questions. The process paper is a great way to show off all the work put into a project.

• Review the “How to Cite” section in the Student Handbook. The Student Handbook uses MLA style, (the Contest Rule Book put out by National History Day says that either MLA or Turabian style is acceptable).

• Review the “How to Write an Annotated Bibliography” section in the Student Handbook. Judges will look to the annotated bibliography to see what type of sources were used, where those sources where found, and how students utilized primary sources.

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Revision, Discussion, and EvaluationUse the student handbook to discuss the sections “How Will My Entry Be Judged?” and “What to Expect at a Competition” so that students have some idea of what the district competition will be like. Practicing interview questions in the classroom will prepare students and hopefully lessen any nervousness.

Give students time to trade process papers and critique each other. Remind students to look not just at grammar, but for clarity of the main points of a process paper.

Students will get the chance to practice for their interview with the judges. For this activity, split students into their groups (an individual competitor is their own “group”) or simply pair up one student with another. Provide each student with a “Sample Judging Questions” sheet. Ask students to act the parts of Interviewer and Interviewee, eventually switching roles. The questions provided on the following page are typical questions that judges might ask at the History Day competition.

After the first round of questions, ask students to switch partners and ask the same questions, but this time focus on evaluating their nonverbal communication skills.

• Do they provide steady (but not glaring!) eye contact?

• What sort of motions do they make with their hands?

• Do they make any motions that give away nervousness?

• Does their body language say that they are confident or timid? Interested or bored?

An alternative to students interviewing students would be to ask each group/individual with an entry to give a 10-minute class presentation (for websites, exhibits, papers) or a preview (documentaries, performances) followed by a question and answer session.

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The Judge’s Interview

A team of two to three judges will judge students. Special Award judges may also be present.

Students in all categories, with the exception of papers, should have at least four copies of their process paper and annotated bibliography with them. Each member of the judging team should receive a copy of the process paper and annotated bibliography. It is not required to give special award judges these materials, but it is okay to do so if the student prefers.

Students may introduce themselves to the judges and should sit where indicated. Students should ONLY provide their names and project titles when introducing themselves to the judge team. The judges will indicate to students when a performance or documentary should begin.

Exhibit, website, and paper students will respond to judge’s questions when asked. Students are not allowed to “present” their projects. They may only answer questions asked by the judges.

Judges will record comments on their judging sheets. The judging sheets will be returned to students following the competition. Students are strongly encouraged to work further on their projects using the judges’ feedback if advancing to higher-level competition.

During the interviews, judges may ask some of the following questions. This list is not complete, however, and the judges will ask questions specific to each student’s project.

• Why did you choose this topic?

• How does your project relate to this year’s theme?

• What was your most useful primary source and why?

• What did you learn about your topic that you didn’t know before?

• Did you find conflicting information in your sources? If so, how did you deal with this?

• How did your thesis evolve from the time you started your research to the point when you started assembling your project?

• What improvements could you still make to your project?

• How do you think your topic influenced or impacted history?

• Why is this topic important and historically significant?

• Students may thank the judges when their interview is complete.

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JUDGING CRITERIAHOW WILL THEIR ENTRY BE JUDGED?

The judging criteria at the district, state, and national levels of the competition are the same and are based on criteria set by the National History Day organization. The language of the criteria may be difficult to understand for younger students, so we have created “Judging Rubric” worksheets that are available in the Student Resource section of the Michigan History Day website.

THE DECISIONS OF THE JUDGES ARE FINAL

Students, parents, and teachers should realize that inadvertent inequities may occur in judging and that contest officials should be informed of any problems. The decisions of the judges are final.

Evaluation Criteria

Historical Quality (60%)

The most important aspect of a History Day entry is its historical quality. Students should ask themselves the following questions to help focus on historical analysis:

• Is my entry historically accurate?

• Does my entry provide analysis and interpretation of historical data rather than just a description?

• Does my entry demonstrate an understanding of historical context?

• Does my annotated bibliography demonstrate wide research?

• Does my entry demonstrate a balanced presentation of my materials?

• Does my entry demonstrate use of available primary sources?

Relationship to Theme (20%)

An entry must clearly explain the relation of the topic to the annual National History Day theme. Students should ask themselves the following questions to help focus the topic on the theme and its significance:

• How does my topic relate to the theme?

• Why is my topic important?

• How is my topic significant in history and in relation to the National History Day theme?

• How did my topic influence history?

• How did the events and atmosphere (social, economic, political, and cultural aspects) of my topic’s time period influence my topic in history?

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Clarity of Presentation (20%)

Although historical quality is most important, each entry must be presented in an effective manner. Students should ask themselves the following questions to help focus on the presentation:

• Is my entry original, creative, and imaginative in subject and presentation?

• Is my written material clear, grammatically correct, and accurately spelled?

• Is my entry well organized?

• Do I display stage presence in a performance?

• Is the visual material I present clear?

• Do I understand and properly use all of my equipment?

Rule Compliance

Judges will take into consideration any rule infractions in their final rankings. Failure to comply with the rules will count against an entry and can result in disqualification. Rule infractions must be corrected before a winning entry competes in the next level of competition.

Sample Judges Evaluation

Teachers or fellow students can use NHD project evaluation forms to help evaluate projects as they work to improve their entry. Blank forms can be found on the NHD website at www.nhd.org.

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GENERAL RULES FOR ALL CATEGORIES:Rule 1: Annual Theme. Your entry must be clearly related to the annual theme and explain your topic’s significance in history.

Rule 2: Contestant Participation. You may participate in the research, preparation, and presentation of only one entry each year.

NOTE: Do not share research with other students unless you are members of the same group and creating one entry together. It is not acceptable to have a common pool of research from which several entries are created.

Rule 3: Individual or Group Entries. A paper, individual exhibit, individual performance, individual website, or individual documentary must be the work of only one student. A group exhibit, group performance, group website, or group documentary must be the work of two to five students. All students in a group entry must be involved in the research and interpretation of the group’s topic.

Rule 4: Development Requirements. Entries submitted for competition must be researched and developed during the current contest year. Revising or reusing an entry from a previous year—whether your own or another student’s—is not allowed and will result in disqualification.

Rule 5: Construction of Entry. You are responsible for the research, design, and creation of your entry. You may receive help and advice from teachers and parents on the mechanical aspects of creating your entry:

1) You may have help typing your paper and other written materials.

2) You may seek guidance from your teachers as you research and analyze your material, but your conclusions must be your own.

3) You may have photographs and slides commercially developed.

4) You may have reasonable help cutting out your exhibit backboard or performance props (e.g., a parent uses a cutting tool to cut the board that you designed).

NOTE: Objects created by others specifically for use in your entry violate this rule. For example, a parent takes photographs or an artist draws the backdrop for your exhibit or performance. You may receive reasonable help in carrying and placing props and exhibits.

Rule 6: Contest Day Set-Up. You are responsible for setting up your own exhibits, equipment, or props at the contest. You may have reasonable help carrying them, but set-up must be completed by you (and your group members, if applicable) alone.

Rule 7: Supplying Equipment. You are responsible for supplying all props and equipment at each level of competition. All entries should be constructed keeping transportation, set-up time, size, and weight in mind (e.g., foam core vs. solid oak for an exhibit or folding table vs. antique desk for a performance). Projection screens for documentaries and performances may be provided if requested. Check with your contest coordinator about availability of equipment. DVD players are available at most contest levels for the documentary category. Students must provide their own computers and software. Pianos and Internet access are not provided.

NOTE: Be prepared. Bring extension cords if needed and check with your contest coordinators about the availability of equipment at all contest levels.

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Rule 8: Discussion with Judges. You should be prepared to answer the judges’ questions about the content and development of your entry, but you may not give a formal, prepared introduction, narration, or conclusion. Let the judges’ questions guide the interview.

Ultimately, your entry should be able to stand on its own without any additional comments from you.

NOTE: You should be prepared to explain the design, research, and creation of your entry if questioned by the judges. Judges need to know that your entry is the result of your own work.

Rule 9: Costumes. You are NOT permitted to wear costumes that are related to the focus of your entry during judging, except in the performance category.

Rule 10: Prohibited Materials. Items potentially dangerous in any way—weapons, firearms, animals, organisms, plants, etc.—are strictly prohibited. Such items will be confiscated by security personnel or contest officials. Replicas of such items that are obviously not real are permissible. Please contact your teacher and contest coordinator to confirm guidelines before bringing the replica to a contest.

Rule 11: Title. Each entry must have a title that is clearly visible on all written materials.

REQUIRED WRITTEN MATERIALS FOR ALL ENTRIES

Rule 12: Written Material. Entries in all categories except historical papers must include four copies of the following written material in the following order:

1) A title page as described in Rule 13.

2) A process paper as described in Rule 14 (process papers are not part of research paper entries).

3) An annotated bibliography as described in Rule 15. These materials must be typed or neatly printed on plain white paper and stapled together in the top left corner. Do not enclose them in a cover or binder.

Rule 13: Title Page. A title page is required as the first page of written material in every category. Your title page must include only the title of your entry, your name(s), and the contest division and category in which you are entered.

NOTE: The title page must not include any other information (pictures, graphics, borders, school name, or grade) except for that described in this rule.

Rule 14: Process Paper. A process paper is a description of no more than 500 words explaining how you conducted your research and created and developed your entry. All categories except research papers must include a process paper with their entry. The process paper should include the following four sections:

1) Explain how you chose your topic

2) Explain how you conducted your research

3) Explain how you selected your presentation category and created your project

4) Explain how your project relates to the NHD theme

Go to www.nhd.org, select the Contest section in the toolbar, and select Creating an Entry to view sample process papers.

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Rule 15: Annotated Bibliography. An annotated bibliography is required for all categories. It should contain all sources that provided usable information or new perspectives in preparing your entry. You will look at many more sources than you actually use. You should list only those sources that contributed to the development of your entry. Sources of visual materials and oral interviews must be included. The annotations for each source must explain how you used the source and how it helped you understand your topic. Annotations of websites should include a description of who sponsors the site.

For example:

Bates, Daisy. The Long Shadow of Little Rock. New York: David McKay Co. Inc., 1962.

Daisy Bates was the president of the Arkansas NAACP and the one who met and listened to the students each day. This first-hand account was very important to my paper because it made me more aware of the feelings of the people involved.

NOTE: Oral history transcripts, correspondence between you and experts, questionnaires, and other primary or secondary materials used as sources for your entry should be cited in your bibliography but not included as attachments to your bibliography.

Rule 16: The Separation of Primary and Secondary Sources. You are required to separate your bibliography into primary and secondary sources.

NOTE: Some sources may be considered as either primary or secondary. Use your annotations to explain your reasoning for classifying any sources that are not clearly primary or secondary. Listing a source under both primary and secondary is not allowed.

Rule 17: Style Guides. Style for citations and bibliographic references must follow the principles in one of the following style guides:

(1) Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.

(2) Joseph Gibaldi, MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 5th Edition.

Regardless of which manual you use, the style must be consistent throughout your paper.

Rule 18: Plagiarism. You must acknowledge in your annotated bibliography all sources used in your entry. Failure to credit sources is plagiarism and will result in disqualification.

CONTEST PARTICIPATION

Rule 19: Entry Procedure. At each contest level, you must register and meet specific deadlines and procedures established by your contest coordinator.

Rule 20: Entries to National Competition. Each state is limited to no more than two entries per contest category in the national contest. Ties at state contests will be resolved at the state level.

Rule 21: National Competition Attendance. Individual students and groups must be present for an entry to be judged at the national contest.

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CATEGORY RULES FOR PAPER

A paper is the traditional form of presenting historical research. Various types of creative writing (e.g., fictional diaries, poems, etc.) are permitted, but must conform to all general and category rules. Your paper should be grammatically correct and well written.

Rule 1: Length Requirements

The text of historical papers must be no less than 1,500 and no more than 2,500 words in length. Each word or number in the text of the paper counts as one word. The paper category 2,500 word limit does not apply to notes, the annotated bibliography, illustration captions, or supplemental/appendix material. Appendix material must be directly referred to in the text of the paper. Extensive supplemental materials are inappropriate. Use of appendices should be very limited and may include photographs, maps, charts, and graphs, but we strongly suggest against using any other supplemental materials.

NOTE: Oral history transcripts, correspondence between you and experts, questionnaires, and other primary or secondary materials used as sources for your entry should be cited in your bibliography but not included as attachments to your bibliography.

Rule 2: Citations

Citations—footnotes, endnotes, or internal documentation—are required. Citations are used to credit the sources of specific ideas as well as direct quotations. Refer to Rule 17 in General Rules for All Categories for citation styles. Please note that an extensively annotated footnote should not be used to get around the word limit.

Rule 3: Preparation Requirements

Papers must be typed, computer printed, or legibly handwritten in ink on plain, white, 8.5 x 11 inch paper with 1-inch margins on all sides. Pages must be numbered consecutively and double-spaced with writing on only one side and with no more than 12 characters per inch or no less than 10-point type. Papers must be stapled in the top left corner and should not be enclosed in any cover or binder. The title page should have no illustrations.

Rule 4: Number of Copies

Four copies of the paper must be submitted, prior to the contest, with the appropriate entry form by the deadline established for the contest. Winning papers are sometimes published by contest officials; you must be prepared to give permission for such publication.

NOTE: Be sure to keep a copy of your paper for yourself and bring it with you to the contest.

CATEGORY RULES FOR EXHIBIT

An exhibit is a visual representation of your research and interpretation of your topic’s significance in history, much like a small museum exhibit. The analysis and interpretation of your topic must be clear and evident to the viewer. Labels and captions should be used creatively with visual images and objects to enhance the message of your exhibit.

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Rule 1: Size Requirements

The overall size of your exhibit when displayed for judging must be no larger than 40 inches wide, 30 inches deep, and 6 feet high. Measurement of the exhibit does not include the table upon which it rests; however, it would include any stand that you create and any table drapes. Circular or rotating exhibits, or those meant to be viewed from all sides, must be no more than 30 inches in diameter.

Rule 2: Media Devices

Media devices (e.g., audio players, projectors, video monitors, computers) used in an exhibit must not run for more than a total of three minutes and are subject to the 500-word limit (see Rule 3). Viewers and judges must be able to control media devices. Any media devices used must fit within the size limits of the exhibit. Any media devices used should be integral to the exhibit and not used to bypass the prohibition against live student involvement.

NOTE: For example, a brief excerpt from a taped student-conducted oral interview or a dramatic reading might be appropriate, but taped commentary or analysis is inappropriate.

Rule 3: Word Limit

There is a 500-word limit that applies to all text created by the student that appears on or as part of an exhibit entry. This includes the text written for titles, subtitles, captions, graphs, timelines, media devices (e.g., video, slides, computer files), or supplemental materials (e.g., photo albums, scrapbooks, etc.) where you use your own words. Brief citations crediting sources of illustrations or quotations included on the exhibit do not count toward the 500-word limit.

NOTE: A date counts as one word, while each word in a name is individually counted, For example, January 1, 2006 counts as one word, but John Quincy Adams counts as three. Words such as “a,” “the,” and “of” are counted as one word each.

NOTE: Be careful that your message is clear and contained on the exhibit itself; judges have little time to review supplemental material. Extensive supplemental material is inappropriate. For example, oral history transcripts, correspondence between you and experts, questionnaires, and other primary or secondary materials used as sources for your entry should be cited in your bibliography but not included as attachments to your bibliography or exhibit.

CATEGORY RULES FOR PERFORMANCE

A performance is a dramatic portrayal of your topic’s significance in history and must be original in production.

Rule 1: Time Requirements

Performances may not exceed 10 minutes in length. Timing starts at the beginning of the performance following the announcement of the title and student name(s). Any other introductory remarks will be considered part of the performance and will be counted as part of the overall time. You will be

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allowed an additional five minutes to set up and five minutes to remove any props needed for your performance.

NOTE: You should allow several empty seconds in your performance to account for unplanned pauses (e.g., applause, forgotten lines, etc).

Rule 2: Performance Introduction

The title of your entry and the names of the participants must be the first and only announcements prior to the start of the performance.

Rule 3: Media Devices

Use of slides, audio players, computers, or other media within your performance is permitted. You must run all equipment and carry out any special lighting or sound effects.

Rule 4: Script

The script for the performance should not be included with the written material presented to the judges.

Rule 5: Costumes

You may have a costume produced for you, but the design, choice of fabrics, etc. must be your own. You may also rent a costume. Remember, simple is best.

CATEGORY RULES FOR DOCUMENTARY

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

Rule 1: Time Requirements

Documentaries may not exceed 10 minutes in length. You will be allowed an additional five minutes to set up and five minutes to remove equipment. Timing will begin when the first visual image of the presentation appears and/or the first sound is heard. Color bars and other visual leads into a video will be counted in the time limit. Timing will end when the last visual image or sound of the presentation concludes (this includes credits).

NOTE: Use your set-up time to focus projectors, adjust volume, etc.

Rule 2: Introduction

You must announce only the title of your presentation and names of participants. Live narration or comments prior to or during the presentation are prohibited.

Rule 3: Student Involvement

You are responsible for running all equipment.

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Rule 4: Student Production

All entries must be student-produced. You must operate all equipment. You must provide the narration, voice-over, and dramatization within the documentary. Only students listed as entrants may participate in the production or appear on camera.

NOTE: This does not include interviews of participants in a historical event or of experts.

Rule 5: Entry Production

Your entry must be an original production. You may use professional photographs, film, graphics, recorded music, etc. within your presentation. However, you must integrate such items into your presentation as well as in your annotated bibliography. You must operate all editing equipment used in the production of your presentation.

NOTE: Using material created by others specifically for use in your entry violates this rule. However, using material that already exists is acceptable.

Rule 6: Credits

At the conclusion of the documentary, you should provide a general list of acknowledgements and credits for all sources. These credits should be a brief list and not full bibliographic citations. All sources (music, images, film/media clips, interviews, books, websites) used in the making of the documentary should be properly cited in the annotated bibliography.

Rule 7: Displays

Stand alone displays are prohibited.

Rule 8: Computer Entries

You must be able to run the program within the 10-minute limit. Interactive computer programs and web pages in which the audience or judges are asked to participate are not acceptable; judges are not permitted to operate any equipment. Students must provide and be able to run their own computers and software. Internet access will not be available.

CATEGORY RULES FOR WEBSITE

Rule 1: Entry Production

All entries must be original productions constructed using the NHD website editor beginning at the school level. You may use professional photographs, graphics, video, recorded music, etc., within the site. Such items must be integrated into the website, and proper credit must be given within the site as well as in the annotated bibliography. You must operate all software and equipment in the development of the website.

NOTE: Using objects created by others specifically for use in your entry violates this rule. However, using graphics, multimedia clips, etc. that already exist is acceptable.

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Rule 2: Size Requirements

Website entries may contain no more than 1,200 visible, student-composed words. Code used to build the site and alternate text tags on images does not count toward the word limit. The following text is also excluded from the world limit: words found in materials used for identifying illustrations or used to briefly credit the sources of illustrations and quotations; recurring menus, titles, and navigation instructions; words within primary documents and artifacts; and the annotated bibliography and process paper that must be integrated into the site. The entire site, including all multimedia, may use no more than 100MB of file space.

Rule 3: Navigation

One page of the website must serve as the “home page.” The home page must include the names of participants, entry title, division, and the main menu that directs viewers to the various sections of the site. All pages must be interconnected with hypertext links. Automatic redirects are not permitted.

Rule 4: Multimedia

Each multimedia clip may last no more than 45 seconds. You may record quotes and primary source materials for dramatic effect, but you may not narrate your own compositions or other explanatory material. All multimedia must be stored within the site; you may not use embedded material hosted elsewhere (e.g., YouTube, Google Video). There is no limit to the number of multimedia clips you may use but you must respect the file size limit. If you use any form of multimedia that requires a specific software to view (e.g., Flash, QuickTime, Real Player), you must provide on the same page a link to an internet site where the software is available as a free, secure, and legal download. Judges will make every effort to view all multimedia content, but files that cannot be viewed cannot be evaluated as part of the entry.

Rule 5: Bibliographic Sources

The annotated bibliography and process paper must be included as an integrated part of the website. They should be included in the navigational structure. They do NOT count toward the 1,200-word limit.

Rule 6: Stable Content

The content and appearance of a page cannot change when the page is refreshed in the browser. Random text or image generators are not allowed.

Rule 7: Viewing Files

The pages that comprise the site must be viewable in a recent version of a standard web browser (e.g., Microsoft Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari). You are responsible for ensuring that your entry is viewable in multiple web browsers. Entries may not link to live or external sites, except to direct viewers to software plug-ins.

Rule 8: Submitting Entry for Judging

You must submit the URL for the site in advance by the established deadline, after which you will be blocked from editing your site to allow for judging. Because all required written materials are integrated into the site, NO printed copies are required. For access to the NHD website editor and up-to-date submission procedures, please visit www.nhd.org.

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IT’S COMPETITION TIME!! HOW TEACHERS SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE DAY OF COMPETITION

1) Review the packet of information that was sent to you by the competition officials. This will contain competition information, maps, instructions, parking information, passes, etc. As this material can answer most questions, this packet will be crucial for you to have when you arrive.

2) When you travel to the competition, be sure to take the packet of information that was sent to you by the competition officials.

3) Make sure students have extra copies of research papers or process papers and annotated bibliographies. In the exhibit, documentary, and performance categories, students should have at least four copies of process papers and annotated bibliographies.

4) If students are competing in the documentary category, it doesn’t hurt to have a backup method available. An example of this would be taking a personal laptop for showing their documentary in the event that their disk is not compatible with the equipment located at the contest facility.

5) Distribute the checklist on the next page to students so that they are prepared for the competition as well.

ARRIVING AT THE COMPETITION

1) Once you arrive, go to the registration desk and check in. Here you will be provided the competition program, judging times, judging locations, and any other instructions competition officials may have for you. If students are meeting you at the competition, direct them to check in at registration.

2) Help students find their assigned room. Students may be spread among different buildings at the competition location.

3) Encourage students to arrive at their scheduled room at least 15 minutes before their scheduled interview time.

4) Make sure the students are prepared to answer questions about their research! See information on judging criteria in the previous pages.

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COMPETITION DAY CHECKLIST FOR STUDENTS

Use this checklist to help you prepare for the day of competition. You will need these items during the event.

o Do you have extra copies of your project if needed? Be sure to bring an extra copy of your documentary, performance script, website, or research paper in case of a problem.

o If you are in the exhibit, performance, or documentary categories, do you have the required four copies of your process paper and annotated bibliographies? Do you have extras in case you lose one? If you are part of a group, are you sure that your team member is bringing copies of these items?

o If you are in the research paper and website categories, do you have extra copies of your materials for you to consult during your interview?

o Do you have all your props and the extra tools (extension cords, tape, performance props, etc.) you need to successfully set up your project?

o If you are competing in the documentary category, it doesn’t hurt to have a backup method, such as a personal laptop. This will allow you to show your documentary in the event that your disk is not compatible with the equipment located at the contest facility.

o Do you have cash on hand for lunch?

MICHIGAN HISTORY DAY KEY INFORMATION

The Historical Society of Michigan(Sponsoring organization of Michigan History Day)Address: 5815 Executive Drive, Lansing, MI 48911-5352E-mail: [email protected] site: www.hsmichigan.orgTelephone: (517) 324-1828

Michigan History Day Websitewww.hsmichigan.orgVisit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/michiganhistorydayAnnual Theme, Curriculum Book, Contest Rulebook, Entry Forms, contest dates, and more.

National History Day, Inc.www.nhd.orgFind in-depth information on the yearly theme, contest rule book, project examples, and tips for creating an entry.

The RichaRd & helen deVos FoundaTion

National History Day in Michigan Teacher Handbook Handbook Michigan ... Evaluation of Student Work ... race, religion, sex, physical ability, economic status, or sexual orientation.

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