National History Day
Since 1974, National History Day has provided learning opportunities to primary and secondary students in the field of history. Thousands of students participate in local, regional, and state competitions January-May, with the support of hundreds of history teachers. By participating in this competition, students learn how to conduct historical research while increasing their communication, comprehension, and thinking skills.
NHD projects are based on an annual theme. For 2010 the theme is, “Innovation in History: Impact and Change.” Contact your state coordinator for regional competition locations and dates.
Teaching American History Grant
The Teaching American History (TAH) grant program is funded through the Department of Education. Spread over a three-year period, Elementary and Secondary teachers can participate in local educational agency Children viewing the Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo statue, 1960, courtesy of the National Park Service.sponsored programs to improve their knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of American history. In return, the knowledge and experiences gained will be used to enrich history discussions in the classroom.
How can NCPH help your TAH project?
The National Council on Public History is an international professional association of public historians that seeks to bring a greater understanding and appreciation of history to a broader public and demonstrate the importance and relevance of history in contemporary society. NCPH unites a broad range of individuals who work in museums, historical societies, government agencies, historical consulting firms, national parks and historic sites with experience in providing professional development. By partnering with NCPH, you draw on the expertise of our members.
NCPH can strengthen your TAH project by:
1. Assisting you in creating workshops, seminars, and tours that will enable teachers to use the primary documents, material culture, and landscapes of American history more adeptly in their own development of curriculum. NCPH can:
- help identify and incorporate historic sites, museums, monuments and memorials, and other historic places that teachers can use to bring history alive in the classroom.
- provide historians experienced in using museum collections and local, state, and national historic sites in the interpretation and presentation of history.
- act as a liaison between your project and historical institutions or sites in your area, or in other states, to establish site visits and behind the scene tours that involve expert education staff.
2. Offering annual meeting registrations. The NCPH Annual Meeting each spring is an ideal professional development opportunity for teachers. Our conference is a small, dynamic, and highly accessible event that brings together history practitioners and educators from K-12 to the university and from museums to private businesses to national park sites. Sessions, tours, and other conference events provide a chance for teachers to exchange ideas about education and historical content with historians employed in places where the mission is to reach a public audience in exciting and engaging ways.
For more information, please call (317) 274-2718 or email John Dichtl, NCPH Executive Director.
NCPH has participated in two TAH programs.
2004-2006 – “ABC’s of History,” Indiana
2007-2009 – “Link to Liberty,” Pennsylvania
Web Resources for Educators
American Historical Association – Resources for teachers at all levels
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History – For teachers and students
Historica – Support for Canadian history educators
History Teachers’ Association of Australia – Professional organization for Australian history educators
National Council for History Education – Promotes the importance of history in schools and society
National Council for the Social Studies – Professional organization for social studies educators
National History Education Clearinghouse – U.S. Depart of education site with access to resources and materials to improve U.S. history education
Organization of American Historians – Resources for teachers at all levels
The History Teacher/Society for History Education – Journal devoted to the teaching of history in the secondary and higher education classroom
The National Centre for History Education – Supported by the Australian government, Department of Education, Science and Training