History Day Reflection, 2023

After reviewing your judges' form(s) about your project for National History Day, complete the following reflection in paragraph form on Canvas.  Write it on a Google Doc and then upload.

  
1.  Briefly describe your project, both your topic and the category.   

2.  Do you agree with what the judges said about your project?  Why or why not?

3.  What is the most interesting thing you learned about your topic during your research?  Describe.

4.  How could you improve your project?  Explain.

5.  What are you most proud of when it comes to the whole experience of this project?  Explain.

6.  How does your project meet each letter of our Class Mission Statement?

• We Grow by challenging ourselves and each other.

• We Overcome our limits and failures.

• We Advance our thinking and our expectations.

• We Learn today to improve tomorrow.

Also, If you have any genuine suggestions about how to improve this project or how to make this project more meaningful to future students, please include them at the end.

NHD 2022: Debate and Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, and Consequences

 

 

 

 

More sites to help:

NHD Theme Page (this is referred to in the second video)

https://www.docsteach.org/topics/nhd

 

https://www.nhd.org/students

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/finding.html

https://eudocs.lib.byu.edu/index.php/History_of_the_United_Kingdom:_Primary_Documents

http://www.shsulibraryguides.org/worldprimary

http://guides.library.duke.edu/c.php?g=289297&p=1929346

https://www.archives.gov/research/catalog

National History Day, 2019: Breaking Barriers in History

Here is this year's NHD Theme Webinar to help you explore different topics and dissect this year's theme.  Find a topic that inspires you!

Here is a picture from our own town of Fairfield, provided by the Carnegie Museum.  What can this picture tell you about breaking barriers in our own community?

National History Day, 2019

Sources to help you with your History Day research and topic choice:

https://www.docsteach.org/topics/nhd

https://www.nhd.org/students

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/finding.html

https://eudocs.lib.byu.edu/index.php/History_of_the_United_Kingdom:_Primary_Documents

http://www.shsulibraryguides.org/worldprimary

http://guides.library.duke.edu/c.php?g=289297&p=1929346

https://www.archives.gov/research/catalog

https://www.nhd.org/sites/default/files/2019%20NHD%20Theme%20Book.pdf

https://www.nhd.org/sites/default/files/2019ThemeNarrative.pdf

History Day Reflection

Review the judges' form about your project for National History Day.  
On your blogs, complete the following reflection in paragraph form.  

1.  Briefly describe your project, both your topic and the category.   

2.  Do you agree with what the judges said about your project?  Why or why not?

3.  What is the most interesting thing you learned about your topic during your research?  Describe.

4.  What was the hardest part of this project, and why?

5.  How did you improve as a learner or as a student during the process of this project?  Explain.

6.  How could you improve your project?  Explain.

7.  What are you most proud of when it comes to the whole experience of this project?  Explain.

8.  If you have any genuine suggestions about how to improve this project or how to make this project more meaningful to future students, please include them at the end.

You can include a picture of your project or a link to your website or paper as well.

Please post and then comment on the posts of others in your class.

National History Day, 2018

History Day Resources

The following links can help you with your project for this year's National History Day theme: Conflict and Compromise.

https://www.docsteach.org/topics/nhd

https://www.nhd.org/students

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/finding.html

https://eudocs.lib.byu.edu/index.php/History_of_the_United_Kingdom:_Primary_Documents

http://www.shsulibraryguides.org/worldprimary

http://guides.library.duke.edu/c.php?g=289297&p=1929346

https://www.archives.gov/research/catalog

https://www.nhd.org/conflict-and-compromise-history?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIq93-1oaZ2AIVgbjACh1irgGcEAAYASAAEgLIuvD_BwE

History Day Primary Resources

The following links can help you with your project for this year's National History Day theme: Taking a Stand in History.

https://www.docsteach.org/topics/nhd

https://nhd.org/student-resources

http://www.digitalvaults.org

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/finding.html

https://eudocs.lib.byu.edu/index.php/History_of_the_United_Kingdom:_Primary_Documents

http://www.shsulibraryguides.org/worldprimary

http://guides.library.duke.edu/c.php?g=289297&p=1929346

https://www.archives.gov/research/catalog

History Day Category Examples

Go to this link to see examples of all the possible category entries for History Day.

Weekly Preview: 2/18-2/22, 2013

I hope all you students enjoyed your day off from school on Friday.  I enjoyed meeting many parents at conferences last week.  If you parents and guardians didn't get a chance to stop in, e-mail me at tena.nelson@fairfieldsfuture.org, and we can set something up.

Here's what is happening this week in room 101:

6th GOAL:  This is our final week of preparation before the Jefferson County Science Fair on Saturday, February, 23.  Display boards are due on Tuesday at the end of class, and we'll spend the rest of the week practicing our presentations and getting ready for judges' interviews.

7th GOAL:  Students will be working hard on National History Day projects this week.  We have websites, performances, documentaries, and exhibits all in the works.  History Day is one month from Tuesday, so the deadline is quickly approaching!

8th GOAL:  Students finished researching last week for Images of Greatness.  This week, they'll be taking all they've learned and writing a historical paper about their Image of Greatness.  Papers are due Friday.

8th Critical Concepts:  After taking a week off from career explorations to complete the Design-An-Ad for the Fairfield Ledger, students will be presenting their posters and career information to the class and then to another group of students in a career fair-type setting.

Also, don't forget to mark your calendars for this year's musical, The Little Mermaid, Jr.  It will be presented on February 28 & March 1 in the FMS Cafetorium at 7:00 pm.  Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for students, and activity passes will be accepted.  Bring the whole family to enjoy this fun show and to support the kids' hard work!

Weekly Preview: 1/27-2/1, 2013

It's January in Iowa, so that means crazy weather.  It's only Tuesday, and we've had an ice storm, dense fog, and a high of 65 degrees.  Tonight we're expecting 2-4 inches of snow.  It feels a little crazy in school too, so it's only fitting.  Here's the scoop for room 101 this week:

6th GOAL:  This week, we're learning how to graph data on Google docs, and we're going to be analyzing the results of our Science Fair experiments.  Experiments should have been done last week, but we have a few stragglers.  Get those experiments done so we can start getting the data ready for our display boards!

7th GOAL:  This week, we're up to our eyeballs in History Day research.  Friday is the last day we have a computer lab reserved for this, so extra work will need to be done at home to find enough resources to make a good History Day project.

8th GOAL:  This week, we're finishing the creation of 4-year plans for high school, and then we'll transition into researching for Images of Greatness.  Topics should be chosen by the end of this week.

8th Critical Concepts:  This week, we'll also be finishing 4-year plans, and then we'll move into an in-depth career exploration.  Students will becoming an expert on a career, and they'll be sharing what they learn in a project.

Weekly Preview: 1/21-1/25, 2013

I hope you were able to watch a little of the Inauguration footage today.  I showed a bit to my classes, and it makes me tear up every time I watch it.  So many people excited to be a part of history.. it makes me so proud.  Between that and remembering Martin Luther King Jr. today, I'm reminded of the very best of America. 

Here's the scoop in room 101 this week:

6th GOAL:  We're working hard on science fair projects this week.  Hypotheses were due today, and students should do their experiments this week.  In class, we're talking about how to professionally contact experts to get more background information, how to make and record good observations, and about how to document all the necessary information for our display boards.

7th GOAL:  We're finalizing History Day topics and working hard to research in the library.  We'll have two weeks of research before organizing our projects.  Titles of projects will have to be finalized by next week so we can get registered for the competition.

8th GOAL & 8th Critical Concepts:  We're working on our 4-year plans for high school, examining possible career choices and looking at how high school classes might lead us to those career goals.

Weekly Preview: 1/14-1/18, 2013

Happy New Year!  After a blogging hiatus, it's back to the trenches.  One of my New Year's resolutions is to keep this blog more accurate and updated.

6th GOAL:  We were happy to have two new students in our class today.  Welcome!  This week, we'll be finalizing topics, doing background research, locating experts, and developing hypotheses for our projects for the Jefferson County Science Fair. Upcoming weeks' Science Fair work will include: 1/21: Hypotheses due, do experiment, take pictures, consult experts; 1/28: Take photos record observations, make graphs, summarize results; 2/4: Finish experiments, complete charts, record all data, write conclusions (this week we'll be doing a lot of typing); 2/11: work on display boards; 2/19: display boards due, practice presentations; Saturday, February 23: SCIENCE FAIR!

7th GOAL:  We are just dipping our toes into our History Day projects.  This week, we'll be talking about primary resources, we'll be dissecting and analyzing the History Day rules, we'll be looking at project examples, and we'll be brainstorming possible topics for this year's theme: Turning Points in History.

8th GOAL & 8th Critical Concepts:  We are working with Project HOPE from the University of Iowa this week to explore Healthcare Career opportunities.  Next week, we'll start our 4-year plans for high school.

Weekly Preview: 3/12-3/16, 2012

This week is really going to give us a taste of spring with temperatures in the 70's. I hope it doesn't give us an unmanageable taste of spring fever as well! Here's room 101's week in preview:

6th GOAL: Students will be continuing literature circles. They seem to be enjoying the discussion with their groups. Remember, there is daily homework during literature circles. :)

7th GOAL: Projects are done, process papers and annotated bibliographies are handed in, and History Day is next week! This week, students will give each other mock interviews to prepare for judging, and they'll also show their projects to the class.

8th GOAL: Students are hard at work on their Images of Greatness display boards. These boards are due Friday, and also by Friday, I'd like to see their costumes (or a picture of their costume) so I know if anyone needs help before the big night next Thursday.

7th Language Arts: Students will be typing their epidemics research papers this week and having peer conferences. The final draft will be due next Wednesday. I've never seen some of the students in this class work harder than they have writing this paper. I'm excited to see the results! Spelling for week 26 focuses on Greek Forms "gram," "chron," "phon(e)," and "scope." Pretest corrections and book p. 160 are due Wednesday. The posttest will be Friday.

Week 26 Spelling words:

phonics

telescope

chronology

diagram

microphone

stethoscope

headphones

telegram

chronic

anagram

symphonic

grammatical

synchronize

telephone

periscope

chronicle

megaphone

earphones

microscope

saxophone

Weekly Preview: 3/5-3/9, 2012

The beginning of March has already brought a snowstorm with an early dismissal and 60 degree temperatures. I don't know what else is in store with the weather, but here is what's happening in room 101 this week!

6th GOAL: Students will begin literature circles. Their theme is Moral Dilemma, and we have groups reading the following books: Wish Me Luck by James Heneghan, Nothing But the Truth by Avi, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Holes by Louis Sachar. Students will meet each day for discussion and talk about the section they've read. They will bring their book and completed discussion sheet to class. After discussion, they will decide how many pages they will read for the next day, and then they'll have the rest of the period to read.

7th GOAL: Students are finishing up process papers and annotated bibliographies for History Day. The big day is approaching!

8th GOAL: Students should be done with Images of Greatness essays, timelines, and bio-riddles. This week, they'll start to work on their display boards. It's time for that artist to come out in everyone!

7th Language Arts: Students will be finishing up the epidemics research paper rough drafts this week. They'll finish the body on Wednesday, and write introductions and conclusions at the end of the week. Next week, we'll be ready to type! Spelling for Week 25 focuses on the prefixes -uni, -mono, -duo, and -bi. We'll actually take the pretest on Tuesday, and the corrections & book assignment (p. 154, 1-20) will be due on Wednesday. Posttest will be on Friday.

Week 25 Spelling Words

monopoly

dual

unique

biennial

monotony

duplication

unite

monocle

unify

duo

binoculars

university

monorail

duplex

unison

monotonous

biannual

monotone

universe

monogram

Weekly Preview: 2/27-3/2, 2012

Here's the scoop this week in room 101:

6th GOAL: Students will be finishing up the Great Ocean Rescue activity this week. We'll discuss the oceanography resources on the other side of the DVD, and then we'll be moving into literature circles. 6th grade literature circles will center around the theme of Moral Dilemma. This will be the only time in GOAL when students will have daily homework. They will participate in daily discussions with their group, and they will have a small sheet of 4 questions to prepare for that discussion.

7th GOAL: Students will be finishing up their projects for National History Day, and we'll be moving on to annotated bibliographies and process papers. The big day is approaching quickly, so we need to move on these written parts of the entries. Students doing website projects have an earlier deadline and must be done with everything by March 6, so time is of the essence.

8th GOAL: Students will be handing in Images of Greatness essays on Monday. The rest of the week will be spent completing timelines, creating bio-riddles, and finding quotations. All of these are due on Friday.

7th Language Arts: Students will continue working on their epidemics research papers this week. Toward the end of the week, we'll discuss introductions and conclusions and how to add them to the body of the paper. It's a maintenance test week for spelling this week, so students will not have a pretest on Monday. They'll be reviewing weeks 19-23, and completing book pages 147 (1-20), 148 (1-20), and 149 (1-10) which will be due on Wednesday. On Friday, we'll take the maintenance test.

Weekly Preview: 2/20-2/23/2012

It's Parent/Teacher Conference week! Don't forget about this fantastic opportunity to touch base with teachers about how things are going in class. Conferences will be held in the Fairfield Middle School Commons on Tuesday and Thursday (February 21 & 23) from 4:00-7:30. There will be an early dismissal on both Tuesday and Thursday for students and no school Friday.

Here's what's happening in room 101 this week:

6th GOAL: Students are still working on the Great Ocean Rescue activity. They finished one mission last week and still have three to go.

7th GOAL: Students are working hard on their History Day projects. Our goal is to have these completed by Wednesday of this week so we can go on to working on process papers and annotated bibliographies. If students need to come in before school to work, they just need to let me know the day before so I'm sure to be here.

8th GOAL: Monday and Tuesday will be the last research days for Images of Greatness. Then, students will work on their essays which are due next Monday, February 27.

7th Language Arts: We extended the deadline, so Design-An-Ad papers will be due at the end of class on Monday. For the rest of the week, we'll be working on sharing Writer's Workshop stories and starting our epidemics research papers. Students have been working in social studies and science classes to get all the facts needed for this paper. Spelling for Week 23 focuses on different suffixes. Pretest corrections and book page 142 are due on Wednesday. The posttest will be on Thursday, since there is no school Friday.

Week 23 Spelling Words

abstract

complicate

persist

attractive

strict

replica

distract

consist

restrict

insistence

duplicate

resist

constrict

detract

resistance

complication

attract

insist

retract

consistent

Weekly Preview: 2/13-2/17, 2012

Happy Valentine's Week, everyone! Hope you have a little love in your heart as you jump into this week. Here's what's happening in room 101:

6th GOAL: Students are starting their Great Ocean Rescue missions. They're learning about oceanography, and they're learning to defend their positions. They're also learning to compare individual observations to make the best group decision.

7th GOAL: Students are working hard on their projects for National History Day. We'd like all projects to be finished by the end of the day on Wednesday, February 22.

8th GOAL: Students are researching their Image of Greatness. It promises to be a great show on March 22, full of authors, scientists, philosophers, athletes, musicians, and more! We'll be in the library researching all this week. Students have detailed project timelines, and they received two copies of this (one for school and one for home).

7th Language Arts: We've wrapped up Writer's Workshop (students can still get pieces in if needed... late is better than not at all!), and we'll be working on the annual Design-An-Ad contest for the Fairfield Ledger. Ads will be due Friday. Spelling this week focuses on frequently misspelled words... always a challenging list! Pretest corrections and p. 136 (1-20) are due on Wednesday.

Week 22 Spelling Words

laboratory

auxiliary

mischievous

salary

temperature

accidentally

remembrance

veterinarian

disastrous

athletic

separately

laundry

temperament

principally

miniature

partially

hindrance

incidentally

privilege

maintenance

Weekly Preview: 2/6-2/10, 2012

Where has this year gone? We're at the 3-week reporting period for the 3rd quarter already! Check that portal, and make sure you (or your child) is caught up. Here's what is happening in room 101 this week:

6th GOAL: Students are finishing up with Independent Research Project presentations. We've had many amazing projects so far! When we're done, we'll begin the 6th grade oceanography unit extension activity called The Great Ocean Rescue. Teams of students will be solving mysteries based on video and written information. They'll get to debate their findings, and the class will try to find the correct answer while trying to spend the least amount of imaginary money possible for each mission.

7th GOAL: Students are moving out of the research phase of National History Day competition and into the project phase. We have exhibits, documentaries, websites, and performances, so every project will be branching off into its own territory. We'll have a little over 2 weeks to complete these projects, so some students will need to work at home to finish by the deadline.

8th GOAL: Students are finishing their Independent Research Project presentations this week and moving into the unit called Images of Greatness. Students will choose a person who exemplifies the concept of greatness to them. We'll be researching in the library for two weeks, and we'll be using that new knowledge in many ways in the next 6 weeks. Stay tuned for more details.

7th Language Arts: This is our last week of Writer's Workshop. All final drafts are due on Friday, February 10. To make the deadline, some students will need to be typing and/or conferencing at home with their writing. Spelling Week 21 words are all words that come from names or places. Pretest corrections and book p. 130 (1-20) are due on Wednesday.

Week 21 Spelling Words

tangerine

suede

gardenia

calico

frankfurter

tuxedo

angora

cardigan

damask

cheddar

magnolia

denim

hamburger

cantaloupe

satin

currant

leotard

cashmere

hyacinth

camellia

Weekly Preview: 1/30-2/3, 2012

58 degrees today? Where is our winter? Get out there and enjoy it, and when you come back in, check out what is happening in room 101 this week:

6th & 8th Grade GOAL: This week, students are presenting their independent research projects. I can't wait to see the fruits of their labors!

7th Grade GOAL: This week is our last for library research for National History Day. Students are encouraged to work outside of school on this project!

7th Grade Language Arts: Students are continuing work with Writer's Workshop this week. Pen pal letters are due for teacher edit this Friday, February 3, and all pieces are due in final draft form on February 10. Spelling for week 20 focuses on the assimilated prefix -ad. Pretest corrections and page 124 (1-20) are due on Wednesday. The posttest will be on Friday.

Week 20 Spelling Words

application

asset

affirm

according

attain

applaud

assurance

account

assortment

affix

appetite

attempt

accustomed

approval

attire

assemble

appliance

afford

assert

attentive

Weekly Preview: 1/23-1/27, 2012

Sickly slacker teacher apologizes for the lateness of this weekly preview. I blame the pneumonia! Sorry for the delay. Here's what's happening in room 101 this week:

6th & 8th GOAL: Students are working on their projects that will show all the fantastic knowledge they've gained about their independent research topics. We hope to start presenting on Monday, January 30.

7th GOAL: Students are beginning their History Day research. We have the library for 2 weeks, so we have to use every second we have to get that research done. Students, of course, can work outside of class. I know that their families will be supportive and helpful on our learning adventure.

7th Language Arts: Students are working hard on Writer's Workshop pieces. Because of computer lab issues, I'm extending the deadlines a bit. Pieces will now be due for teacher edit on 1/27. Pen pal letters are due on 2/3. All final drafts of every piece will be due on 2/10. Hopefully these accommodations will help the students meet the deadlines with a little less panic. Spelling words for week 19 focus on plural nouns, and book page 118 will be due Wednesday along with pretest corrections.

Week 19 Spelling Words

activities

potatoes

mix-ups

copies

shelves

spoonfuls

mothers-in-law

echoes

knives

opportunities

tomatoes

cupfuls

fathers-in-law

thieves

boundaries

volcanoes

passersby

teaspoonfuls

companies

mosquitoes