History Day in Connecticut is part of the National History Day program. This annual competition engages students in grades 6-12 in the process of researching and interpreting a historical topic of their choice related to an annual theme. Working individually or in small groups, students are encouraged to find primary and secondary sources on their subject through research in libraries and museums, interviews, and visits to historic sites.

Students use their research to create a project to share with the public at one of five district History Day competitions held across Connecticut in the spring. Local historians, educators, and other professionals judge the students’ entries, and winners are eligible to participate at the state competition held in late April or early May. State winners are invited to attend the National History Day contest at the University of Maryland with over 2,000 other students from across the country.

The History Day program challenges participants to write their own history and fosters their creative talents. Students develop important research, thinking, and presentation skills that they will use throughout their lives.

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1. Download and print the Registration Form or request a form by contacting the History Day Coordinator at (860) 236-5621 ext. 252 or history_day@chs.org.

    

   • Registration Form (PDF format)
   • Dates and Deadlines (PDF format)

    

2. Fill out one form for each individual or group entry and mail it along with the registration fee of $5 per student to the address below. Registration Forms must be postmarked by Friday, February 13, 2009.
    
   History Day in Connecticut
   Connecticut Historical Society
   1 Elizabeth Street
   Hartford, CT 06105  
   
3. When we receive the Registration Forms and fees, we will mail welcome letters, Contest Rule Books, and other district contest information. *Teachers: we ask that you send the Registration Forms and fees for ALL of your students TOGETHER so we can send you ONE packet of materials for your entire class.
4. Before and after the registration process students should be researching and preparing their entries for the district contest. Students must choose a topic based on the 2009 annual theme: The Individual in History: Actions and Legacies.
5. Students present their projects at their District Competition on Saturday, April 4 in Manchester, Mansfield, New Haven, Stamford, or Torrington.

1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners at each district are invited to the state competition on May 9, 2009.

Good luck!

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Each year National History Day chooses a broad theme for the competition. Regardless of the topic chosen, the presentation of the research and conclusions must clearly relate to the annual theme.

The theme for the 2008-2009 academic year is The Individual in History: Actions and Legacies.

• Theme Sheet (PDF format)
• Sample National/World History Topics (PDF format)
• Sample Connecticut History Topics (PDF Format)

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The History Day in Connecticut competition is divided into two divisions:

• Junior division: students in grades 6-8
• Senior division: students in grades 9-12

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Students present their research in one of five formats: research papers, exhibits, performances, documentaries, or Web sites. Students writing papers must work as individuals while those who produce exhibits, performances, documentaries, or Web sites may work alone or in small groups (2-5 students). Individual and group entries in these categories are judged separately (except for the Web site category - see more info below).

Papers (Individuals only)
A paper is the traditional form of presenting historical research. Various types of creative writing, such as poems, fictional diaries, etc., are allowed, but must conform to all general rules outlined in the Contest Rule Book. The text of historical papers must be no less than 1,500 and no more than 2,500 words in length.

Exhibits (Individuals and Groups)
An exhibit is a visual representation of the research and interpretation of the topic’s significance in history. It is much like a small museum exhibit. The analysis and interpretation of the topic must be clear to the viewer. Labels and captions are used creatively with visual images and objects to enhance the message of the exhibit. The overall size of your exhibit must be no larger than 40 inches wide, 30 inches deep, and 6 feet high. Student-composed written materials that are used on an exhibit must contain no more than 500 words. Please refer to the Contest Rule Book for further information.

Performances (Individuals and Groups)
A performance is a dramatic portrayal of the topic’s significance in history. It must be an original production and no longer than ten minutes in length. Students must write their own scripts and create, supply and operate all props and equipment.

Documentaries (Individuals and Groups)
A documentary reflects an ability to use audiovisual equipment to communicate the topic’s significance. A documentary uses either slides, video, or a non-interactive computer program to present the topics significance in history. To produce a documentary, students must have access to equipment and be able to operate it. Documentary entries must be no longer than ten minutes. Students must operate their own equipment. Before beginning, they should announce their names and the title of their project, but should not provide live narration for their documentary.

Web Sites (Individuals and Groups)

A Web site should reflect a student’s ability to use Web site design software and computer technology to communicate the topic’s significance in history, and it should include elements that actively engage the audience in learning about the topic. To produce a Web site, students must have access to equipment and be able to operate it. Web site entries may contain no more than 1,200 visible, student-composed words, may use up to 100MB of file space, and must be submitted on CD-R for advance viewing by judges. In the 2008-2009 competition, individual and group entries will compete together. Please refer to the Contest Rule Book for further information.

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Connecticut is divided into five History Day districts: Manchester, Mansfield, New Haven, Stamford, and Torrington. Please email history_day@chs.org or call the History Day Coordinator at (860) 236-5621 ext. 252 if you are not sure where you should compete.

The District Competitions will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2009 at:

• Manchester High School, Manchester
• Wilbur Cross High School, New Haven
• Academy of Information Technology & Engineering, Stamford
• Mansfield Middle School, Storrs
• UConn Torrington Campus, Torrington

The top three winners in each division and project category from each district contest are invited to participate in the state competition on Saturday, May 9, 2009. Special prizes, sponsored by local community organizations, are also awarded based on various topics. These may include cash or gift prizes.

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• Evaluation Sheets (PDF format)
• History Day in Connecticut Judging Rubric (PDF format)

A team of three judges assesses student projects. All judging at History Day is done on a consensus basis and judges’ decisions are final. Judges are recruited from the local community; they are educators, historians, curators, video producers, writers, lawyers, and business people with a love of history and education.

On the day of the competition, students should bring three copies of their annotated bibliography and process paper. Judges will ask the students questions at the conclusion of the student presentation to confirm that the students explored all avenues of inquiry, followed all the rules in the Contest Rule Book, and did the work themselves.

Judges complete an evaluation sheet that will be given to each student after the contest. There is a specific sheet for every category: paper, exhibit, performance, documentary, and Web site. Evaluation sheets will include project ratings and written comments from the judges.

History Day entries are judged on three basic goals and standards:

Historical Quality counts for 60% of the total.

• Is the entry historically accurate?
• Does the entry include analysis and interpretation?
• Does the entry place the topic in historical context?
• Does the entry demonstrate wide research?
• Does the student use available primary sources in the entry?
• Is the entry research balanced?

Relation to the Theme counts for 20% of the total.

• Does the entry relate the theme: The Individual in History?
• Does the entry demonstrate the significance of the topic in history?
• Does the entry draw conclusions?

Clarity of Presentation counts for 20% of the total.

• How is the entry presented?
• Is it well organized?
• Is it grammatically correct and are words correctly spelled?
• Does the entry show creativity?

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After an introduction to the theme of “The Individual in History: Actions and Legacies,” teachers will have a chance to work with related materials from the CHS library collection and to explore strategies for integrating the History Day in Connecticut program into their classrooms. An overview of History Day in Connecticut, including contest categories and rules, will also be provided for teachers new to the program. Refreshments will be served.

Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Time: 4-7pm (.3 CEUs)
Location: Connecticut Historical Society
Price: $15 per person

Please contact the School Programs Assistant at (860) 236-5621 ext. 232 to register for the workshop.

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In Your Classroom

CHS educators will come to your school to lead a History Day workshop for your students. The cost for each program is $25 with a maximum of three presentations scheduled per day, plus round trip mileage from the CHS to your location at 65¢ per mile. Each workshop lasts 45-60 minutes depending on your class period length. The following workshops are available:

1. Introduction to History Day for Students
   Group Limit: 60 students or 2 classes
2. Using Primary Resources: A Case Study
   Group Limit: 30 students or 1 class
3. Creating an Effective History Day Exhibit
   Group Limit: 30 students or 1 class

Please contact the History Day Coordinator at (860) 236-5621 ext. 252 for more information or to schedule a workshop.

At the Connecticut Historical Society

The CHS offers a variety of museum tours and workshops at our facility in the West End of Hartford that emphasize the historical research and interpretation skills essential to the History Day process. Please call the School Programs Assistant at (860) 236-5621 ext. 232 to request a copy of our 2008-09 School Programs Brochure or visit the school programs page of our website at www.chs.org/education/.

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Contact the History Day Coordinator at (860) 236-5621 ext. 252 or history_day@chs.org to request a free History Day The Individual in History curriculum book.

Videos/DVDs

The CHS has DVDs and National History Day’s “Making History” series workbooks that can be borrowed, free of charge, for up to three weeks. Contact the History Day Coordinator at (860) 236-5621 ext. 252 or history_day@chs.org for more information.

• Introduction to National History Day - DVD (10 minutes)
• Sample Performances and Documentaries - DVDs (10-20 minutes)
• How to Create a Historical Documentary - workbook and DVD (10 minutes)
• How to Create a Historical Performance - workbook and DVD (10 minutes)
• How to Create a Historical Exhibit - workbook
• How to Create a Historical Paper - workbook

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Students and teachers may contact the History Day Coordinator with any questions at 860-236-5621 ext. 252 or history_day@chs.org .

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