For Teachers

The National History Day program provides teachers with an innovative teaching tool that instills important skills in a fun and engaging format.

History Day requires students to do the job of a historical detective. Participants must delve into primary sources, develop original historical conclusions, and present their work in a creative form. In short, National History Day is designed to revolutionize the teaching and learning of history. It also aligns with Common Core Standards.

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The Impact of History DayBar graph comparing NHD students to non-NHD students in different areas of competency.

History Day is not a contest, it’s a year-long learning experience that helps students discover skills of research, time management, group collaboration, historical analysis, and many other skills. National History Day published a report that details some findings on areas where students improve through participation in a History Day project. 

Resources

Teacher Google Drive
Maryland History Day produces a packet of teacher resources that you can use in your classroom! From overview to lesson plans, it’s all available through the Google Drive button below.
Class Visits and Professional Development
Want to bring in our outreach professionals to your classroom? Looking for continuing education credits? Visit the Class Visit and Professional Development Page for more information.
Youth Division *NEW*
Youth Division is a scaled-down version of MHD and is designed to introduce students in the 4th and 5th grades to skills-driven history and civics education that students will continue to develop in middle and high school. Projects are completed based on the NHD annual theme and consist of virtual or physical posters, similar to the exhibit category of the Junior/Senior levels of NHD.
NHD Resources
National History Day produces a large number of Professional Development classes, webinars, and workshops for both teachers and students. We regularly post these on our social media and teacher e-news, but for a recent list, visit their website.

Teacher FAQs

Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page to see the answers to teacher questions such as “Is there a sample timeline?” “How do I use this in a virtual setting?” and more.

Resource Padlet

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Video Resources

  • What is History Day?

    This video is a great introduction to History Day if you are a new teacher, or a great refresher for those with History Day experience!

     

  • NHD Project Formats

    Learn more about the five project formats of National History Day by watching the video below.

     

  • Teacher Webinars
    Maryland History Day outreach staff produce pre-recorded webinars on our YouTube channel. See below for a link to the Maryland History Day teacher playlist!

     

  • Student Webinars

    Maryland History Day outreach staff produce pre-recorded webinars on our YouTube channel. See below for a link to the Maryland History Day student playlist!

     

Teacher Testimonials

  • “History Day inspired me to become deeply invested in historical topics which I never thought I’d enjoy. It is an amazing experience that has the ability to make learning fun for everyone, no matter what you’re interested in.”

    Addie Skillman, National History Day Gold Winner

  • “It provided an opportunity for my child to learn through experiential opportunities. He had interviews and tours that were relevant to his topic that helped the history come alive and create unforgettable memories.”

    Maryland History Day 2015 Parent

  • “I think the continual process of improving her research and presentation through the various levels of competition has been incredibly valuable. It has caused her to dig deeper in her research and build upon and refine her work and presentation.”

    ​Maryland History Day parent

  • “My students became more competent researchers, and took ownership of their work. They had total free reign to choose their topic, direct their research, and create their final project.”

    ​Maryland History Day 2015 Teacher

  • “The part of History Day that had the most impact on me was seeing all the other entries and entry categories. It was really inspiring to see so many different people of history honored for their leadership and legacy as that was this years theme. You forget that the whole world has a history and there are so many different people and leaders who make up that history. The fact that this day brings together all of us students, our imaginations, our creativity, research skills, and history really reminds you how much of us would be lost if we didn’t remember those who made an impact.”

    ​Maryland History Day student participant

  • “MHD illustrated the applicability of the study of history to contemporary issues and current events. It was very motivating to converse with the students about their historical topic and observe how they applied it to current events and their own life circumstances.”

    ​Maryland History Day parent

  • “The students are now far more prepared for the high level of scholarship and achievement that will be expected of them in future years. MHD also elevated many other skills too. These include public speaking, the use of technology, learning to collaborate.”

    ​Maryland History Day teacher

  • “Maryland History Day challenged my daughter to go deeper, deeper in research analysis and presentation. It took her to a whole new level academically.”

    ​Maryland History Day parent

  • “The researching and communicating skills have made me a more confident person in all academic endeavors. These are skills that will last me a lifetime.”

    ​Maryland History Day student participant

  • I’ve loved judging! It’s exciting to see the passion the middle schoolers have put in their projects. I hope that my critiques have helped strive for excellence throughout their lives.

    Dee Krasnansky, Maryland History Day Judge

  • “My students went deeper with primary and secondary sources than ever before. They used critical thinking skills and applied the transfer goals and essential questions on a deeper level than they could have in class. It challenged them to think deeper and defend their findings.”

    Maryland History Day 2019 Teacher

  • “I had never done anything like this before so it was a totally new experience to write a paper, be interviewed, and defend my positions. I now really know how to do research and it has improved my writing skills.”

    ​Maryland History Day 2015 Student

  • “The thing that had the most impact were the skills that I got from this project. I developed better hunting skills in terms of looking for reliable sources and I also learned to work hard and not procrastinate to achieve something great.”

    Maryland History Day student participant

  • “By using a variety of sources, I was able to get angles on my topic that I wasn’t able to before. Also, I learned so much about a topic near and dear to my heart that will enrich my learning later in life.”

    Maryland History Day 2015 Student

  • “[The students] learned a variety of ways to present their material and they could focus on what they wanted to learn about. The students had a choice in their learning. It was about their learning NOT what someone else felt they need to learn.”

    ​Maryland History Day teacher
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