What is Vermont History Day?
Every April, hundreds of Vermont students share their learning at the annual Vermont History Day state contest. Vermont students in grades 5 through 12, and homeschool students ages 10 to 18, can compete in Vermont History Day. With the guidance of teachers, students learn history by "doing history". National History Day defines a teacher as an adult who mentors and supports a student(s) participating in History Day. Teachers include public, private, and home school teachers, as well as, after school instructors, librarians, and local historians. At the state contest, students present their claims to local historians, educators, and other professionals who participate as judges. Students who place in the top two of their project category at the state contest qualify for National History Day in June held at University of Maryland College Park.
National History Day is a performance-based academic endeavor that aligns to NCSS' College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards and English-Language Arts standards. Students hone transferrable skills through the study of history. History Day provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities to apply learned information through authentic assessment in student-outcome products. The program can easily be integrated into classroom curriculums, after school programs, or public library programs.
National History Day’s inquiry-based, student-centered program champions project-based learning. History Day provides an avenue for personalized learning. Critical thinking skills are fostered through historical inquiry and authentic research. Students conduct research online and in libraries, museums, and historical societies.
At its core, History Day is about student "choice and voice." Each year, National History Day selects the annual theme, but students choose their research topic, drive their research, and choose their project format. Working individually, or in small groups (up to 5), students can explore a topic related to Vermont history, US history or world history. Students can present their research as an exhibit, website, documentary, performance or paper.
An affiliate of National History Day, Vermont History day actively engages students in grades 5-12 in the historical process. Build student investment in project-based learning by guiding students in choosing a topic related to the overarching theme.
Vermont History Day is a powerful conduit for rich exploration through archival research, as students engage with both primary and secondary sources. Essential questions will drive critical inquiry while bolstering transferable skills like analyzation, interpretation, and presentation. Harness your students' creative abilities to showcase their learning through original papers, exhibits, performances, websites, or documentaries. What will your students teach us about their world from their unique perspective?
All entries, regardless of category, include a written component known as the "process paper" which discusses the reasoning behind the project, the research process and the significance of the topic to the theme. Students must also prepare and submit an annotated bibliography.
Participation in History Day encourages students to study the past in an active and dynamic way, developing skills that can be applied in all facets of their lives. Not only do they learn the value of deep, critical reading, but they learn how to analyze evidence, interpret data, draw conclusions, and communicate their claim.
