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Special Feature
National History Day 2004 Prize Essays:*
Introduction
Nancy Quam-Wickham, Editor
The History Teacher
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National History Day is an annual, yearlong program in which students
learn historical research, analysis, and communication skills. Using
both primary and secondary sources, students in grades six through
twelve research topics related to an annual theme. Students attending
public, private, and parochial schools are eligible to compete in
this year's contest, as are those students who are home-schooled.
Working individually or in groups of up to five students, they present
their findings in creative museum-like exhibits, dramatic performances,
or in multimedia documentaries. Entrants in the research paper category
work individually, producing a scholarly paper accompanied by an
annotated bibliography. Students compete in district or regional
contests, with the top winners advancing to the state competitions.
Each year the competition culminates with the National History Day
finals, held in June at the University of Maryland. At each level,
groups of judges evaluate the entries and provide students with
positive feedback. The judges are usually history professionals:
educators, public historians, and archivists. The 2004 contest focused
on the theme: "Exploration, Encounter, Exchange in History.".
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During the 2004-2005 school year,
National History Day invites students to research topics related
to the theme, "Communication in History: The Key to Understanding."
The theme is broad enough in scope to encourage investigation of
topics ranging from local to world history, and across all time
periods. 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 ask not
only when events happened but also why they happened and what impact
they had. What factors contributed to their development? Regardless
of the topic selected, students must not only present a description
of it, but also draw conclusions about how their topic affected
individuals, communities, nations, or the world.
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Students are asked to consider the
relevance of three key terms as they relate to this year's theme:
Communication, History, and Understanding. "Communication,"
notes the NHD instructions, includes the spoken word, as well as
"sign language, body language, or written correspondence and
documents." Or, "communication" can refer in the
Aristotelian definition to "the available means of persuasion."
Likewise, "History" is often a contentious term with many
meanings, as some scholars consider "history" to be "just
the facts," while others consider the practice of "history"
to be one of evidence gathering and interpretation. Finally, "Understanding,"
notes the NHD, is also "up for grabsHow do we know when a message
has been understood? Is understanding manifested in acknowledgement?
In action? In tolerance?" The theme is an expansive one, so
topics should be carefully selected, and developed in ways that
best use students' talents and abilities. Then students may create
documentaries, exhibits, papers, and performances for entry into
National History Day competitions.
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History professionals around the
country provide archival research ideas and assistance to teachers
and students. Local and state historical societies, as well as state
offices of the National History Day organization, are excellent
starting places. Teachers and students should also consult the National
History Day web site for further information about this year's theme
as well as for potential topic ideas. The web site may be found
at <http://www.nationalhistoryday.org>.
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The History Teacher congratulates
all participants in the National History Day contests. One again,
this year we are pleased to publish the prize-winning essays of
the Senior and Junior individual paper categories, chosen as finalists
in the 2004 National History Day competition. We congratulate Ms.
Julie Gantz, winner of the Junior Division Research paper, as well
as Mr. Stephen Frese, winner of the Senior Division Research competition.
As before, these papers are published, unedited, in their prize-winning
format, as submitted to the National History Day organization.
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* Editor's
Note: The History Teacher publishes annually the Senior and
Junior Division prize-winning essays chosen in the National History
Day competition. |
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