PARTNERS FOR
SUCCESS:
YOU AND
NATIONAL HISTORY
DAY
A Presentation by Conner Museum & Texas A&M-Kingsville,
sponsors of the Coastal Bend Regional History Fair
in conjunction with Texas State Historical Association and
the National History Day Program
Step 1: Know the Theme
Choose a topic at least 25 years old
so that the impact of the actions can
be included in the presentation.
Step 2: What’s A Possible
Topic?
Review National Sample List of Topics
Review Texas Sample List of Topics
Generate List from
Classroom Discussions
View Sample Lists at
www.tshaonline.org
www.nhd.org
or by contacting the Conner Museum-TAMUK
Step 3: Where can I get
Research Material?
*College Libraries*
*School Libraries*
*Public Libraries*
*People who experienced the event, took part in creating the
change or were effected by the event.*
*People in your Community*
*Professors & other Professionals knowledgeable about your
topic*
*Internet*
*Museums & Archival Record Centers*
Types of Material for
Research Assistance:
-Books
-Encyclopedias
- Archives
-Newspapers & Magazines
-Online Databases
(newspapers,magazines,
images, etc.)
-News Casts, PBS, etc.
-Internet
-Oral Interviews
-Email Exchanges
Questions Your Research
& Product Needs to Include:
“To understand the historical importance of their topics, students
must ask questions of time and place, cause and effect, change
over time, and impact and significance. They must not only when
did events happened, but why they happen? What factors
contributed to their development? What was the lasting influence in
history? How did this topic change the course of events? What
effect did the event have on the community, society, nation and
world?”
NHD 2008 Theme Sheet
“While working with a theme, students must move beyond the
biographies and descriptions of specific people or events and
demonstrate how that person’s actions had an
impact on history……capture the specific moment
….which change occurred and the role played by
the individual…..the key to good historical study
is an examination of cause & effect and change
over time.”
NHD 2009 Theme Sheet
Step 4: After organizing your
research materials and
developing conclusions, choose
a product for presentation.
For Groups:
Exhibit Boards
Documentary
Performance
Website
For Individuals:
Exhibit Boards
Documentary
Performance
Website
Research Paper
Step 5: FYIs For Creating Your
Presentation:
Review rules & guidelines
for category (http://www.nhd.org)
Tell the entire story:
the before, the during &
the after
For additional
information contact
Conner Museum-TAMUK
361-593-2810