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Distinguished Achievement Plan

All identified gifted and talented students in Aldine are automatically placed on the Distinguished Achievement Plan at the beginning of 9th grade.

Students have four years to acquire these four measures.

Additional information on the Distinguished Achievement Plan is found in the Middle School Planning/Course Description Book and the High School Planning Book. The campus G/T coordinator can provide additional assistance.

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Why National History Day? TEKS Requirements Career and College Readiness Standards Research Skills Increased vocabulary and reading skills Critical History Students who participate in NHD score

higher on standardized test than their peer who do not participate in NHD

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Requirements for a Project

Process Paper Annotated Bibliography Project:

Historical Paper

Documentary

Performance

Exhibit

Web Site

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Turning Points in History: People, Ideas, Events

The NHD theme provides a focused way to increase student's historical understanding by developing a lens to read history, an organizational structure that helps students place information in the correct context and finally, the ability to see connections over time.

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Criteria for a Quality History Project

Historical Quality (60%) Historically Accurate Shows analysis and interpretation Places the topic in its historical context Shows wide research Uses available primary sources Research is balanced in relation to various points of view

Relation to the Theme (20%) Clearly relates topic to the History Day theme Demonstrates significance of the topic in history and

draws conclusions

Clarity of Presentation (20%) Project written material is original, clear, appropriate,

articulate Project is organized,

Performers show good stage presence; props, costumes are historically accurate

Documentary category is appropriate to topic Historical Paper-Text is clear, grammatical, and spelled

correctly; entry is neatly prepared Exhibit has visual impact, correctly uses maps, photos, etc.

Rules Compliance (Yes/No) Maintains size requirement, time requirement, or length requirement

(word limit) Includes an annotated bibliography Media device maintains time limit (3 mins.) (Exhibits) Maintains word limit (500 words) (Exhibits and Web Sites) Other:

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Step 1: Group Dynamics Do you work best individually or with others?

What are the work habits of other group members you are considering? If you cannot do ordinary homework

together, do not undertake major assignments with them. Do not work with someone just because you are best friends.

Consider schedules and extracurricular activities. You must be able to schedule time to work together

Consider travel arrangements. You may need to check parents' schedules for transportation.

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Step 2: Selecting A Topic Topic should be of interest to you.

Topic should clearly fit the theme: “Turning Points in History: People, Ideas, Events.”

Topic should be in-depth and narrow in scope.

Topic should reflect the availability of primary and secondary resources.

Be able to answer one of the questions…– “This topic relates to the theme because…”– “This is important because…”

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Personal topics work well. Do you have family members/ancestors

you could research?

Local topics work well. Try to narrow a national/global topic to the local point-of-view.

Local > State > National > International

Establish the historical significance of your topic. Avoid current events.

Avoid topics that will be researched by many.

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Step 3: Research Use both primary and secondary sources and

ANALYZE the information. Make sure that your research is reflected in

the final project on the exhibit, in the performance, in the documentary, or in your historical paper.

Gather lots of information – use only that which helps prove your conclusion.

Relate everything to your topic. Keep track of all sources.

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Primary Sources Primary Sources – Information

created by the event or the process of an event Archival DocumentsManuscripts and/or DiariesPhotographsNewspaper, Magazine, Journals IF they

are written at the time of an eventPersonal interview IF the person

participated or was an eyewitness

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Secondary Sources Secondary Sources – A source that

seeks to explain or interpret an eventBooksArticlesInterviews that explain or interpret – the

person is talking about an event and was not a participant

Media Productions

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Showing Results of the Research

Use Primary Research and show that these sources have been used.

–Use Quotes, Pictures, HeadlinesMake sure materials used are part of

the “STORY” and help prove the conclusion.

Create a STRONG, INTERESTING and PERSUASIVE project.

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Don’t just “Yahoo” Students, teachers, staff, and parents

have access to a multitude of electronic databases.

Search the following electronic databases via the Aldine ISD webpage.

Go to “Students” -- then click on “Internet Resources”.

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Search These Databases AP Photo Archives--over 50 million print

images from the Associated Press, great resource for primary source photographs.

Discovery Ed. Streaming--provides over 40,000 full length videos, key concept video clips, and still images to enhance the curriculum. We have copyright privileges to insert these clips into presentations.

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EBSCO host--combines user-friendly interfaces with quality full text content from magazines, journals, newspapers, newswires, transcripts, pamphlets, reports, primary source documents, biographies, almanacs, dictionaries, encyclopedias, photos, maps, flags, and other reference sources. Excellent source of periodical primary source material as well as background material. Check out “History Reference Center” as well as other databases.

ABC-CLIO--Comprehensive, current, authoritative, accessible, and aligned, this masterful collection of social studies resources develops students' historical understanding, information literacy, and critical thinking skills.

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Maps 101--provides users with a collection of over 4,000 online resources and maps that are optimized for printing and immediate classroom use.

netTrekker--provides fast and easy access to more than 180,000 high quality, prescreened, and educationally relevant K-12 websites.

HIP (Horizon Information Portal)--allows you to search for library books at your school or any school in Aldine. You may request books from any school in Aldine for your project. Ask your librarian for help.

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Ongoing Research

You will continue researching throughout your entire project. You will never finish this aspect of your project. At every level you are expected to conduct more research!

Step 4: Selecting a Category

PerformanceHistorical PaperDocumentaryExhibitWeb Site

Consider the cost and your resources

Though papers are economical, NO category really has to cost a lot. Be organized. Cut corners, recycling whenever possible.

 Use school equipment when you can such as mat cutters, cameras, etc.

Performances do NOT require elaborate backdrops. Minimal costumes and props can be very effective.

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For exhibits, invest in the common For exhibits, invest in the common 6' x 40" x 30" board and reuse 6' x 40" x 30" board and reuse

over the years--over the years--you can repaint or you can repaint or recover. recover.

Recycle mat boards and letters. Recycle mat boards and letters. Use standard sized pictures when Use standard sized pictures when you cut you cut mats‑‑they can be mats‑‑they can be

repainted any repainted any color for reuse. Ask color for reuse. Ask construction construction companies for companies for

scrap materials.scrap materials.

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Does your topic fit your chosen category?

Documentaries and exhibits need topics that can be presented visually.

Performances need topics with drama or emotion.

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Consider all your strengths and weaknesses

– Are you artistic?– Do you work well with your

hands?– Do you write well?– Are you organized?– Are you a “leader”?

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Consider your strengthsDo you like to work with your hands?

Consider exhibit.

Do you have dramatic ability? Try performances.

Is writing your strength? Write a paper.

Do you like to work with machines? With photography? With a video

camera? Produce a media presentation.

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Step 5: Process Paper Section 1: All process papers should explain

how you chose your topic.

Section 2: Explain how you conducted your research.

Section 3: Explain how you selected your presentation category and created your project.

Section 4: Explain how your project relates to the NHD theme.

Thesis statement

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Process Paper Be sure you have a thesis statement.

Highlight any special sources, information, or interviews used in your project.

The maximum length of paper is 500 words and two pages.

Paper should be stapled in the top left corner and not enclosed in any cover or binder.

Annotated bibliography should be attached to paper. You must have at least three copies.

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Step 6: Annotated Bibliography

All sources must be annotated. Have an adequate number of sources. List only the sources you used. Use a variety of sources. Primary and secondary sources should

be separated. MLA style should be used.

Coe, Michael. Email Interview. March 6, 2005.

Michael Coe, author of Breaking the Maya Code, is a well-known archeologist who has conducted many successful expeditions to study Mayan Hieroglyphics. In the interview, he commented that Diego de Landa’s manuscript is “ the key to the glyphs.” Therefore, once all the glyphs are “unlocked,” they will communicate the entire Mayan history.

“War and Conflict,” British Broadcasting Corporation. 9 Sept. 2004. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history>

To get us started in researching the background to the Northern Irish conflict, we went through the BBC’s archive of the major events throughout

the history of the Ulster province. The site showed us how the penal codes, beginning after the Williamite Wars, eventually led to the hunger strikes of the 1970s and 80s. The archive also gave information about the current peace process in Ireland and the impact world leaders have had on the negotiation of the Good Friday Accords.

Halberstam, David. The Making of a Quagmire. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 1988.

David Halberstam observed the Vietnam during the Kennedy era. His book described the viewpoints of many who played a role in Vietnam’s history. The Buddhists grew stronger as the Diem Regime grew weaker. This book helped by describing in detail the situation in Vietnam and also by providing different points of view.

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Exhibits Title Thesis Captions for all pictures. There is a 500 word

maximum. Quotes do not count as part of your 500 words.

Timelines Your board should illustrate this year’s theme,

“Turning Points in History: People, Ideas, Events” Your board should reflect your research. Boards should be organized and tell a story. Use subheadings, segmentation. Interpret information. Your board must meet the size limitations.

(6' high x 40" wide x 30" deep) Only students may set up the backboard.

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PerformanceStress how the topic fits this year’s theme.

Performance must be creative and dramatic but must also show signs of research and

historical content.

Performance must demonstrate your research.

Length of performance is about 10 minutes. Students should not go over the 10 minute time frame. Students should try to use as much of the 10 minutes as they can.

Be prepared to answer judges questions.

Only students may carry props in and out of the room.

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DocumentaryThe maximum time is 10 minutes.

Material should be entertaining but focus on the topic and this year’s theme.

Documentary must demonstrate your research.

Narration and music should be pre-recorded. Students are only allowed to introduce themselves and answer questions.

Be prepared to answer judges’ questions at every level.

Only students may set-up and work equipment.

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Historical Paper1,500 - 2,500 words, excluding title page and bibliography

Organization shows clear focus and progression.

Title page, Bibliography, CitationsPapers are turned in earlier than other

projects.

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Be sure to read updated version of rules. See the 2010-2011 Rule Book.

No more than 1,200 visible, student-composed words.

The entire site, including all multimedia, may use up to 100MB of file space.

Navigation- one page must serve as the “home page.”

All pages must be interconnected with hypertext links.

Citations-footnotes, endnotes, or internal documentation are required

You must submit to on-line web site-through National History Day weebly link

Web Site

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“Revising or reusing an entry from a previous year -- whether your own or another student’s -- is unacceptable and will result in disqualification.”

From the NHD Contest Rule Book

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Dates to Remember

District History Day-January 25th Regional History Day-February 22nd Texas History Day-May 3rd-4th National History Day- June 8th-13th

Nationals 2010

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www.nhd.org