Nathan Hale, Revolutionary War Hero

EdGate Links: National History Day

Students  Teachers

Taking a Stand in History: People, Ideas, Events

National History Day is a year-long educational program for students in grades 6-12, including home-schooled students. The highlight of the program comes in June, when students submit projects to a national contest.

The theme for this year's contest is Taking a Stand in History. If you were to begin a project for the contest, you could look at the role of individuals or groups of people at important historical crossroads. Or you could examine how ideas and movements have influenced history. Or you could investigate how not taking a stand on an issue can affect history.

Do you have what it takes to submit a project? Or are you simply interested in what it means to take a stand in history? Explore the links below for more information.   

Students

National History Day

Find out what National History Day is all about. Learn how to conduct historical research. Check out the rule for the contest in June. You'll find lots of useful information here.

California History Online

This online guide to over 300 years of California history is offered by the California Historical Society. You'll find images, a timeline, and more at this interactive site.

Internet Modern History Sourcebook

Find textbooks, primary documents, and other valuable tools related to recent history. You'll be able to access information on a huge variety of people and groups who took a stand in history.

Library of Congress: Activists and Reformers

Read about the men and women who have brought about changes in American history. This Library of Congress Web site looks at a variety of individuals, such as Cesar Chavez, Jane Addams, and Frederick Douglas, to show how individuals can take a stand and make a difference.

Make a Difference

Be part of history today by taking a stand and perhaps making history yourself. Visit the Web site of this group devoted to showing how individual actions can truly make a difference to many lives.

National Archives

Visit the National Archives to find photographs, documents, and other resources to make you feel a part of history. You can even sign the Declaration of Independence!

National History Day: Student Projects on John Muir

Take a look a National History Day projects created by kids about California's well-known explorer and writer, John Muir.

PBS: Liberty!

Colonial Americans took a stand on freedom. This Web site from PBS will give you useful background on the American Revolution.

Teachers

Discovery School: Contemporary Studies Remind students that history happens everyday, especially in regard to new and emerging issues like cloning, biotechnology, and global poverty. These lesson plans from Discovery will help you focus their attention on today's important events and topics.   The History Channel: Classroom The teachers' section of the History Channel has some valuable research and lesson-planning resources.   History Day in California California teachers will find a PowerPoint presentation they can use to introduce National History Day to their students, as well as a myriad of resources to use, including rules for California-specific contest entries.   Make a Difference: Educational Programs Find out how to link classroom activities to actions that will make a difference in students' lives.   McREL: History Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning offers history lesson plans and resources linked to state standards.   NCSS: Teachable Moments Don't let history pass you by without creating a teachable moment. The National Council for the Social Studies updates this resource frequently with ideas for how to take advantage of current events.

Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. Photo courtesy of the National Archive.

PBS Teacher Source: History Resources

Browse the hundreds of K-12 history resources at PBS's comprehensive Web site.

SCORE History/Social Science

Find over 5000 Web sites correlated to California State History Standards.

The Truman Library: National History Day Workshop
For teachers in the greater Kansas City area, the Truman Library is offering a workshop on guiding students through creating a National History Day project. The workshop date is October 29, 2005. Registration details are included on the Web site.