You Become the Historian!You Become the Historian!

National History Day in OhioNational History Day in Ohio

Megan Wood, State Coordinator, National History Day in OhioMegan Wood, State Coordinator, National History Day in Ohio

Part 2 in a two part seriesPart 2 in a two part series

Research Plans: Being preparedResearch Plans: Being prepared

1. What are we looking for?

2. Where to research?

3. Who to talk to?

4. When can we do this?

5. Why use more than the internet?

Thinking like a Historian!Thinking like a Historian!

1. Cause and Effect

2. Change and Continuity

3. Turning Points

4. Using the Past

5. Through Their Eyes!

Keeping track of what you find!Keeping track of what you find!

Information to keep track of:

Author

Title

Type of source

Publisher

Publication/Creation date

Publication location

Page #

Writing A CitationWriting A Citation

Common Book Citation:

Last Name, First Name. Title of Source. Publication Location: Publisher, Date.

PapersPapers

• 1500-2500 word essay about historical topic

• Includes cover page, annotated bibliography

• Images

•Include YOUR conclusion

•Only completed as an

individual

DocumentariesDocumentaries

• Up to 10 minute media presentation

• Like something you’d see on the History Channel

• Includes process paper and annotated bibliography (more later!)

What do you notice about the example?

PerformancesPerformances

• Up to 10 minute original performance

• Sets, props, music, blocking….

• Includes process paper and

annotated bibliography

ExhibitsExhibits

• Much like a Science Fair project

• Up to 6 feet tall

• Text, images, interactives, objects

• 500 student composed words

What did you think about the examples?

WebsitesWebsites

•Web-based project

• Navigate in Explorer

• Images, text, graphics, video, sound

• 1200 visible student composed words

• 100MB of file space

•Created ONLY with NHD web editor

What’s this about a process What’s this about a process paper and annotated paper and annotated bibliography?bibliography?Process Paper

•500 words

•Topic Selection

•Research

•Project Selection

•Theme Relation

Annotated Bibliography

•List of all sources

•Separated into primary and secondary

•A brief explanation of how the source was used

Historical ContextHistorical Context

•The set of facts or circumstances that surround a situation or event; “the historical context”

•Wordnet

•In history, showing the events leading up to, during or after and event to have a better understanding.

““My quote was taken out of My quote was taken out of context!”context!”

“Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency”

“Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in the world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes.”

Benjamin Franklin in Letter to Jean-Baptiste Leroy [Nov. 13, 1789]

““My quote was taken out of My quote was taken out of context!”context!”

January 21, 1909

Hen Party

ContextContext

Context- (dictionary definition) The circumstances in which an event occurs; a setting.

For History Day:

Providing the setting for relevant events going on in the town, state, region, country or world.

What happened?

December 1, 1941 December 8, 1941

What Happened?What Happened?

Thesis StatementsThesis Statements

What is a thesis statement?

A Thesis Statement is one sentence that:

-State’s the writer’s central idea;- Predicts or values to the main points that from the backbone of the project;- Makes a judgment or interpretation; and

Thesis StatementsThesis Statements

What is a thesis statement?

•A specific argument

•Narrow in focus

•Based on evidence (primary and secondary sources)

•Can be expressed in a few sentences

Thesis StatementsThesis Statements

For History Day a thesis statement:

Key Facts Theme Relation Importance in history

Key Facts Theme Relation Importance in history

Thesis StatementsThesis Statements

Options:

1. After three days of fighting in July of 1863 the Union Army won the Battle of Gettysburg. This was an important turning point in the Civil War.

2. The Battle of Gettysburg took place in 1863. The Union Army wounded or killed thousands of soldiers.

3. The Union’s victory at Gettysburg in July of 1863 was a turning point in the Civil War. Lee’s decision to invade the north was a gamble that his army paid dearly in lives and equipment. After Gettysburg the Confederate began a slow retreat that ended with Lee’s surrender in the Spring of 1864

Approaching the Approaching the TopicTopic

•Compare and Contrast

•Case Study

•Multiple Case Study

Approaching the Approaching the TopicTopic

Compare and Contrast

Approaching the Approaching the TopicTopic

Case Study

Approaching the Approaching the TopicTopic

Multiple Case Study

Contact InfoContact Info

Megan Wood

EMAIL: mwood@ohiohistory.org

Web Site: www.ohiohistoryday.org

MySpace: Ohio History Day Expert

Facebook: mwood@ohiohistory.org

Blog: http://historydayexpert.blogspot.com