6th Grade Pre-AP History Day Project Packet
Name ________________ HR _______ Research Topic ___________________________
Theme: Exploration, Encounter, and Exchange
Your paper should explain an important exploration in history and prove that the outcome (or
exchange) was either positive or negative.
Due Dates
Date
September 18
Sept 16 – Oct 13
October 13
TBT
November 3
November 16
December 7
January 14
February 17
Research steps:
Parent Form due
Preliminary research on possible topic
Topic cannot be changed after this date
Writing Conference with Teacher
Research Notes
Thesis and Intro Paragraph Flow Chart
Packet: Introduction Paragraph, Paragraph
Pages, & Conclusion Pages
Paper rough draft
Final Project- Research Paper with
Bibliography
Points Possible
None
None
None
None
20 pts.
15 pts.
65 pts.
Checked?
100 pts.
200 pts.
Every History Day Project should include:
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Introduction Thesis: a short declaration of your argument
o The evidence and breakdown should “prove” the thesis. The thesis should be obvious
throughout the entire project.
Main points:
 Evidence
 Analysis
 Why the topic is important to history
 Clearly connects topic to the theme
o Make certain that everything you include relates clearly to your thesis and helps you make
your case.
Conclusion: repeats the main points in the thesis
o A good conclusion will tie up the project and answer the “so what” question
Required written materials
 Title page
 Historical research paper (minimum of 1000 words)
 Bibliography (minimum of 5 sources)
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Project Steps
 Step 1: Do research to find your topic- What are you interested in?
 Step 3: Find sources on your topic and take bullet point notes [make sure you
have cited all your sources as you go!] (Pages 8-15)
o Cite the sources as you go on the Source Pages (Pages 6 & 7)
 Step 4: Review your notes and out the Thesis and Intro Paragraph Flow
Chart (Page 16)
 Step 5: Review your notes and fill out your Paragraph Pages (Pages 18-21)
 Step 6: Write your Thesis and Introduction Paragraph (Page 17)
 Step 7: Write your Conclusion Paragraph (Page 22)
 Step 8: Write your rough draft
 Step 9: Write your bibliography using the sources page in your packet
 Step 10: Edit your draft and finalize your paper
 Step 11: Create your cover page
 Step 12: Turn in your completed History Day Paper!!!
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Topic Options
(If you want to pick a topic not on this list then you have to complete the
History Day Topic Application And wait for approval from Mrs. Anthony)
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James Cook and his explorations in Oceania
The Silk Road and the exchange of culture between Europe and Asia
Charles Darwin and his exploration of the Galapagos Islands
Andrew Carnegie and his exploration of new technology (steel)
Apollo 13 and the exploration of space
Lewis and Clark and their exploration of the Louisiana Purchase
Vasco de Gama and his exploration around the southern tip of Africa
Hernan Cortes explores the Americas
Jacquies Cartier explores North America
Isaac Newton explores physics
Jonas Salk explores vaccines
Francis Watson and James Crick explores DNA
Sigmund Freud explores psychology
Miles Davis explores jazz music
The Beatles explore music
Mansa Musa explores Africa
Athens and Sparta- Exploring military tactics, encounters and exchange
1920s Suffragettes- exploring new methods to protest for the right to vote
Cuban Embargo - when Castro overthrows the American-friendly regime, the encounters,
exchange, and exploration of Cuba greatly change
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Exploring the Antarctic / arctic
Immigration to America - what brought (insert a specific group like Amish, Germans,
Irish, Jews, Japanese, etc.) to America?
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Civil Rights Movement
Christopher Columbus
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Explaining the Theme
-Exploration, Encounter, and ExchangeEveryone knows the famous story of Columbus and his exploration to find Asia. We know today that what
he really found where the islands of the Caribbean. His encounters with the natives of these
islands has become legendary. It lead to an exchange of ideas, foods, and diseases that had
disastrous endings for the natives of the Caribbean.
Another famous example: The Civil Rights Movement in America
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Exploration: Civil rights activists explored a new type of resistance to segregation laws.
Encounter: Civil rights activists deliberately encountered segregation so they could protest it.
Exchange: The exchange between activists and Southern segregationists helped to boost the mission of the
Civil Rights Movement.
Both are great examples of your theme. In your 6 paragraph essay you are going to walk through a
famous exploration in history. You are going to describe the encounters that the explorer(s) had
and what exchanges it lead to. In the end you will explain why this was a negative or positive
thing.
Set up of the paper:
 Paragraph 1: Give us the historical background, the context, the When and where. Quickly tell us
what your paper is about and end with your thesis statement.
 Paragraph 2: Describe the exploration- what was your explorer trying to find? How did they go
about it?
 Paragraph 3: Describe the encounter- once the exploration was underway what did they
encounter? Did they have obstacles? Did they meet people or make discoveries?
 Paragraph 4: Explain the exchange- what was changed? Was something traded?
 Paragraph 5: Argue- Was this good or bad? Describe the good that cane out of this and the bad.
Finally pick a side and explain why you are right.
 Paragraph 6: Sum it up! Summarize your paper and reword and restate your thesis. This should be
your final argument that helps you prove your thesis.
Let’s take a look at the definitions of the theme words:
 Exploration is when someone goes out seeking something, and usually not by accident.
 Encounter is a coming together of two or more things, ideas, or people. Something happens because of an
encounter.
 Exchange is to give and receive. An exchange could include intangible items, such as ideas, or physical items
such as people, money, or objects.
Synonyms that may help:
Explore:
 Investigate
 Experiment
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Encounter:
 Meet
 Find
Exchange:
 Trade
 Change
TIPS AND REQUIREMENTS
Source Requirements:
You must have 4 sources:
 3 web sources
 1 database
Requirements for Paper:
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Must have title page
Font : 12 pt. Times New Roman or Calibri
Margins: 1”
Spacing: double
Tips on Note Taking: Most of your notes will be summaries. If you come across something that you
really like quote it!
Quotations must be identical to the original source. They must match the source word for word and
HAVE to give the original author credit.
 You must copy the quote word for word and put “quotation” marks around it.
 Only use quotes for respectable sources
 Document your source
Summary involves putting the main idea(s) of a source into your own words, including only the main
point(s).
 Identify the main points or big ideas from your source and leave out the extra details
 Condense the main points without losing the essence of the material
 Avoid plagiarism. You must document your source.
Title
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Page:
Title of your project
Your name
Category: Historical Paper
Word counts: word count can be found in
the bottom left screen in your Word
document
Works Cited/Bibliography: Your
works cited must be:
 MLA style
 Font : 12 pt. Times New
Roman or Calibri
 Margins: 1”
 Spacing: double
 hanging indent
 Alphabetical order by the
first important word (not A
or The, etc.)
 Example works cited:
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Title page
example:
Title
Name
Historical Paper
Paper Length: 1,252 words
Sources Page:
Cite your sources as you go. Anything that you take notes on you need to cite!
You will use the information in your sources page to create your works cited page.
*If you are having trouble citing your sources correctly use easybib.com!
Book - The basic form for a book citation is:
Last name, First name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of
Publication.
Author(s).
Title of Book.
City:
Publisher,
Year.
Medium of
Publication
Source Letter
Print
A
Print
B
Web site - Citing an Entire Web Site:
Editor, author, or compiler name (if available). Name of Site. Name of institution/organization affiliated with the
site (sponsor or publisher), date of resource creation (if available). Medium of publication. Date of access.
Editor,
author,
Name of Site.
Name of institution
/organization,
Date of
creation/copyright
Med. of
Pub.
Date of
access.
Source
Letter
Web
C
Web
D
Magazine Online Database – To cite articles from a periodical in an online database begin the entry by
following the recommendations for citing works in print periodicals. If no page numbers are available,
use n. pag. End the entry with the database title (italicized), medium of publication (Web.) and date of
access (day, month, and year).
Author(s).
“Article title.”
Original Source
of Article.
(date):
Pages.
Database
Title.
Medium of
Publication.
Web
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Date of
access.
Source
Letter
E
Sources Page:
Extra space- just in case!
Book - The basic form for a book citation is:
Last name, First name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of
Publication.
Author(s).
Title of Book.
City:
Publisher,
Year.
Medium of
Publication
Source Letter
Print
F
Print
G
Web site - Citing an Entire Web Site:
Editor, author, or compiler name (if available). Name of Site. Name of institution/organization affiliated with the
site (sponsor or publisher), date of resource creation (if available). Medium of publication. Date of access.
Editor,
author,
Name of Site.
Name of institution
/organization,
Date of
creation/copyright
Med. of
Pub.
Date of
access.
Source
Letter
Web
H
Web
I
Magazine Online Database – To cite articles from a periodical in an online database begin the entry by
following the recommendations for citing works in print periodicals. If no page numbers are available,
use n. pag. End the entry with the database title (italicized), medium of publication (Web.) and date of
access (day, month, and year).
Author(s).
“Article title.”
Original Source
of Article.
(date):
Pages.
Database
Title.
Medium of
Publication.
Web
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Date of
access.
Source
Letter
J
Research Notes
As you take notes label you facts as notes about the background, exploration,
encounter, or the exchange.
These notes came from this source: ________________________________________________
My Notes:
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Research Notes
As you take notes label you facts as notes about the background, exploration,
encounter, or the exchange.
These notes came from this source: ________________________________________________
My Notes:
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Research Notes
As you take notes label you facts as notes about the background, exploration,
encounter, or the exchange.
These notes came from this source: ________________________________________________
My Notes:
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Research Notes
As you take notes label you facts as notes about the background, exploration,
encounter, or the exchange.
These notes came from this source: ________________________________________________
My Notes:
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Research Notes
As you take notes label you facts as notes about the background, exploration,
encounter, or the exchange.
These notes came from this source: ________________________________________________
My Notes:
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Research Notes
As you take notes label you facts as notes about the background, exploration,
encounter, or the exchange.
These notes came from this source: ________________________________________________
My Notes:
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Research Notes
As you take notes label you facts as notes about the background, exploration,
encounter, or the exchange.
These notes came from this source: ________________________________________________
My Notes:
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Research Notes
As you take notes label you facts as notes about the background, exploration,
encounter, or the exchange.
These notes came from this source: ________________________________________________
My Notes:
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The explorer- a short bio
Facts that prove exchange
was neg/pos for paragraph 5
Facts that prove exchange
was neg/pos for paragraph 5
was neg/pos for paragraph 5
1st paragraph
sentence in the
Facts that prove exchange
______________ , and __________________.
exchange overall had a positive/negative impact because it ________________ ,
encounters with _________________ and an exchange of ___________________ . This
be your last
statement should
Your thesis
The exploration- why important?
When _________________ (explorer’s name) explored _________________. It lead to
History- when/where?
Thesis Statement and Intro Paragraph Flow Chart
PARAGRAGH 1
Parts of a first paragraph:
 Your Topic with a little bit of historical background
 Precise Argument- what are you proving in your paper
 Thesis and Reasoning Blueprint: main idea 1, main idea 2, main idea 3
o All these go to help prove your thesis- they provide evidence from your sources
Background
information
Thesis
Statement
Paragraph
structure
and
organization
Writing
Quality
Introduction Paragraph and Thesis Statement
8
6
Background information covers
Some historical background
all information needed to
information is included, but a
understand topic of essay.
little more needs to be added
Rubric
4
Reader is left confused about
time, place and relevance of
topic due to lack of historical
background information.
0
Not there
Thesis statement is obvious and
well written. A strong position is
made and supporting points are
listed. Thesis appears in correct
place in paragraph.
Thesis statement is obvious but
not needs to be edited so that
all supporting details are clear
and it appears on the correct
place in the paragraph.
Thesis statement is not clear
or is confusing.
Not there
4.5
All required aspects of
paragraph are present and in
the correct order; historical
information leading up to thesis
statement.
Paragraph is well written with
little to no errors. Thoughts
flow and sentences are well
organized. Editing and effort
are evident in writing/
3
All required aspects of
paragraph are present but needs
to be reorganized so that
historical information leads up
to thesis statement.
Paragraph has a few writing
errors. Writing quality needs to
be improved and edited but
reader is not left confused.
1
Paragraph missing either
historical information or
thesis.
0
Not there
Paragraph is confusing.
Multiple writing errors
present and sentences skip
from topic to topic with little
connection.
Not there
Paragraph 1: Thesis statement/introduction
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Paragraph 2 – The Exploration
Order
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Supporting Details: one fact per space
Source
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Paragraph 3 – The Encounter
Order
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Supporting Details: one fact per space
Source
letter
Paragraph 4 – The Exchange
Order
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Supporting Details: one fact per space
Source
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Paragraph 5 – The Exchange- Good and Bad
(you will show both sides and then pick if it was overall good or bad and prove it)
Order
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Supporting Details: one fact per space
Facts that help you prove your main point #3
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Source
letter
The Exchange: Mostly Good or Mostly Bad?
A historian must always tell the good and bad of history. Below list all the positive and negative
outcomes of your exchange. You will need to include both in your paragraph 5. Once you have
listed all your positives and negatives it should be pretty obvious if this exchange was mostly
good or mostly bad.
Positives
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Negatives
Paragraph 6: Conclusion
A good conclusion will:
 repeats the main points in the thesis
 tie up the project and answer the “so what” question
 show how the topic fits the theme
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Points Break Down for History Day Draft- 100 Points Possible
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Theme, Legacy and leadership, is obvious: 20 pts
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Writing Quality: 15 pts
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First paragraph gives needed background information for the paper: 15 pts
Clear thesis statement in first paragraph: 20 pts
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Supporting details and facts are given in following paragraphs that support and prove thesis: 20
pts
Conclusion paragraph sums up the paper and restates the thesis: 10 pts
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