National History Day in Nevada

Exploration, Encounter, and Exchange

2016

Unpacking the ThemeO This year’s theme, Exploration, Encounter, and Exchange in

History, is broad. This means you can choose a topic that allows you to explore your own interests, whether it’s science, politics, the arts, education—you name it. Inspiration can come from most any place: local history, your textbooks, or perhaps recent headlines, TV shows or even the latest Twitter feed.

O Human history is a story of exploration. Humans are always looking for new opportunities, new frontiers, and new avenues to get there. Exploration, Encounter, Exchange in History is a National History Day (NHD) theme that fundamentally explores the nature of humans across time, space, and geography. It asks students to consider what it means to take a risk and go somewhere new (exploration), what do they find when they are there (encounter), and how these connections influence the people, societies, cultures, and geographies that are connected (exchange).

Theme continued…O As you can see, all three elements in this year’s theme—

exploration, encounter, exchange—are closely related. Try to find examples of each in your chosen topic, though you should note that some topics will lend themselves to focus mainly on one area. You are not required to address all of these elements in your project. Remember that you are not just reporting the past, but you are investigating, searching, digging deeper into the research to thoroughly understand the historical significance of your topic and support your thesis. You will need to ask questions about time and place, cause and effect, and change over time, as well as impact. To truly grasp your topic, think about not just when and how events happened, but why they happened and what effect they had. Your project should be able to answer the all-important question of “So what?” Why was your topic important, and why should we study or understand its effects today? Answers to these questions will help guide you as you conduct your research and decide how to present your information.

Choosing GroupsO 1st period: Ms. Best, Mrs. Gonsalves and Mrs.

Dickson’s class can partner up (across PERIOD), O 2nd period: Gonsalves - DicksonO 3rd period: Best- Gonsalves- DicksonO 4th period: Best- DicksonO 5th period: Best- Gonsalves- DicksonO 6th period: Best- GonsalvesO You will have the following CHOICES during

this project: group or individual, type of presentation, and your topic

O You will be expected to research and present your project at our school history day competition on February 9/10

Project OptionsO Group or individual options:

O ExhibitO DocumentaryO WebsiteO Performance (must get it approved by teachers)

O Paper (must be alone)

EXHIBITS

PERFORMANCES

WEBSITES

http://58798683.weebly.com/

DOCUMENTARIES

(like a photostory with pictures, music, and your voice recording)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/WeujDIW2mXs

PA

PE

Rhttp://www.nhd.org/wp-content/uploads/Katzive_Junior.pdf

Past winners from Mendive (2012-2013)

O Papers: 3rd place Ashlyn Osendorf, 2nd place Jonah Yoelin

O Individual Documentary: 2nd place Jennae Campos, 1st place Quecholli Nordwall

O Group documentary:3rd place Rebecca Mortimore, Anthony Peaboby, Nathan Shirley, Brandon Velazquez

O Group exhibit: 2nd place Zachary Gerz, Nick Macaluso

O Group website: 2nd place Anna King, Sierra Cox, Darby Grow

$$$ Awards!!!! $$$O Holocaust Education History Award: $1,000 won by Jackie

Arellano, Adriana, Ramirez, Jackie Martinez, Natalie BarajasO Nevada History Award:$50 and a Nevada State Museum family

membership!!!! Won by Anna King, Sierra Cox, Darby GrowO The George Washington Leadership Prize:$150 won by Bennett

WallaceO Western History Award: $350 won by Quecholli NordwallO Reno History Award: Six books about Reno history, plus three

books about Nevada History Day!!! Won by Javi HernandezO Nevada Native/American Indian Research Award:???? Won by

Sarah Hewitt & Jonas Grant III, Stein OtuafiO UNR History Department-Use of Primary Sources Award: TBD

won by Javi HernandezO ABC-CLIO Website Award (2nd place): An Amazon Kindle for 1st

place and an iPod shuffle for 2nd place won by Bennett Wallace

2011-2012 WinnersO Performance, 1st place: Michael SprinkleO Documentary, individual, 1st place: Logan

KennedyO Documentary, group, 1st place: Graeme

Cuizon, Jordan Reynolds, Hannah NewlinO Group Exhibit, 1st place: Taylor Stuard, Chris

Halliwell

O All of the above students earned a trip to Washington DC to compete in National History Day!

*Steps to Success1. Brainstorm events, ideas, or people

that spark your interest.

2. Narrow down your list to one or two topics relating to the theme.

3. Research your topics using the web and books.

4. Choose your final topic.

5. Research your final topic. Make sure to analyze the sources you are using.

6. Choose how you will present your topic.

*Brainstorm events, ideas, or people that spark your interest

*Think, think, and think!

*Choose a time period, person, or event that you are most interested in.

*Maybe it is something that you didn’t get to learn about in class?

*NARROW DOWN YOUR TOPICS TO ONE OR TWO TOPICS RELATING TO THE THEME

*After you have a few ideas that interest you....

•think about if/how this topic relates to the theme.

*Research Your TopicsThe first task of a historian is to find a great

deal of information about the topic.

Do not do all of your research on the web!

Think outside the box:

*Museums

*State Records/ Archives

*Photos

*Libraries

*Books

*Choose Your Final Topic*When choosing your topic, choose the

topic that interests you but also has substantial amounts of resources to help you with your research.

*Try to narrow down your topic but do not narrow it too far where it is difficult to find information on it.

*Research Your Final Topic*Use creditable resources.

*We will go over research tricks at a later time!

Special AwardsO National PrizesO http://www.nhd.org/SpecialPrizeinfo.htmO State Prizes

O Program Partner PrizesO Governor’s Advisory Council for Holocaust

EducationO ACLU?O NV Bar?O George Washington Teaching Ambassador

ProgramO Westerner’s CorralO Nevada MagazineO NV BarO Supreme Court of Nevada

Last 20 minutes of today’s class…

O Meet in cafeteria (library 5th period)O Choose groups (1-5 people)

O Do you want to work individually or with a group?

O What type of PRODUCT seems most appealing (documentary, website, exhibit, or paper)?

O Brainstorm a list of topics your group is interested in

O Each group needs a binder