"History Day was a fun learning experience
and a great social one too!"
- Tanner McMullen is an 8th grade student at Poulsbo Middle School. Along with Theo Edmunson and Kyle Schmitt,
Tanner won regionals, placed second in state, and went to nationals with the group's Web site about the Irish Potato
Famine.
What is History Day?
National History Day is a nationally acclaimed history education program that challenges students to become historians, explorers, investigators and leaders. Recognized for its leadership in history education, National History Day makes history come alive through active student learning and educator professional development.
Students may enter one of five categories of competition-- papers, exhibits, performances, documentaries, and websites--in the junior (grades 6 through 8) or senior (grades 9 through 12) division. They can work as individuals or in groups in every category except papers.
If they choose, students may enter their project in a contest. Some schools hold competitions to see who can advance to the regional level. Seven regional competitions are held around the state in February and March, and top winners advance to the state contest, usually held the last Saturday in April in the Puget Sound area. The top two winners in each category at state may then compete in the national contest held near Washington, DC in mid-June.
History Day in Washington State has grown from 125 participants in the state contest in 1982 to more than 5,000 today.
Why should my students participate in History Day?
History Day fulfills state requirements in the social studies and can be used to complete many Classroom-Based Assessments. The program is flexible and provides an ideal framework to teach research, writing, critical thinking, interpretation and presentation skills. The skills used in developing a History Day project are real-world skills, and students report that doing History Day prepared them for college and work better than any other assignment in their education. School districts across the country have adopted it as part of their curriculum, and it is proven to improve academic performance, reading proficiency and historical literacy. In Washington, nearly 90 percent of participants improved their research skills, 80 percent learned new vocabulary, and two-thirds said it was one of their better learning experiences. Students learn history when they do history, and History Day gets them excited and engaged in learning.
Testimonials of previous participants highlight the effects of participation in History Day.
How can I learn more about implementing History Day in my classroom?
Washington History Day offers several teacher workshops each fall designed for new and returning History Day teachers. The state office offers a three-hour Introduction to History Day workshop for your school or district, subject to availability; contact us for more information. Our
teacher resources page includes a comprehensive downloadable teacher guide for doing History Day as well as a variety of materials designed to help you and and your students. And, History Day teachers are renowned for their generosity and willingness to help. If you’d like to get in touch with a current History Day teacher, email the state office and we’ll be happy to help.
For further History Day information, please contact the
state office at historyday@wshs.wa.gov.