MAINE NATIONAL HISTORY DAY 2010

Promoting the Study of History in the Schools

What is Maine National History Day?

An annual educational competition for all Maine students in grades 6 through 12. Each year students prepare papers, projects, or presentations that explore a broad historical theme. The program adds a new dimension to teaching and learning history, and rewards student initiative, creativity, and scholarship. It operates in cooperation with National History Day.

Location, Date, Registration

The statewide competition will take place at the University of Maine at Augusta on March 24, 2010. Registration deadline is March 1. Historical research paper entries and Web sites are due with the registration form. Contest and registration materials are available from the State Coordinator and at our web site: www.maine.gov/sos/arc/historyday/histhome.htm

Theme for 2010: Innovation in History: Impact and Change

Benefits to Students

To foster creativity and imagination, students select from a variety of formats to present their entries: papers, exhibits, documentaries, and performances. Required research develops analytic abilities, as well as reading and comprehension skills. An interdisciplinary approach is encouraged, integrating arts, economics, sciences, and other disciplines. Problem solving skills and teamwork are stressed. Teams of educators and historians judge entries on historical quality, presentation, and adherence to theme. The experience of History Day enriches students' academic knowledge and practical skills.

Benefit to Schools and Teachers

The competition provides teachers with a means to encourage students to expand their efforts beyond the classroom experience. MNHD provides an excellent assessment tool; integrates the study of history with other disciplines, including writing, the arts, and other social sciences; supplies curricular aids (lesson plans, bibliographic guides); supports professional development through workshops and summer institutes; encourages interaction with academic historians, librarians, archivists, and public historians; involves families and communities in support of education. Winning schools, students and teams will be recognized for their achievements.

Relationship to National History Day

Maine History Day is part of a nationwide program involving all fifty states and the District of Columbia . 500,000 students and over 50,000 teachers and media specialists participate. Maine State winners may take part in the national competition at the University of Maryland June 13-17, 2010.

Maine National History Day is an important opportunity for Maine schools, teachers, and students.

The most important purpose of the program is to change the way history is taught and learned by challenging students to conduct meaningful historical inquiry, and by providing an opportunity in which students’ work is evaluated outside the classroom. The goals:

provide a model for meeting educational standards that require performance-based assessment;
interest students in learning about history by integrating the materials and methods of social studies, art, literature, language, and music into their entries;
develop research and reading skills; refine presentation skills in writing, visual projects, and performances;
improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will help students manage and use information effectively now and in the future.

MAINE SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS AND PERFORMANCE INDICATOR INTEGRATED

WITH THE NATIONAL HISTORY DAY STANDARDS

A. Applications of Social Studies Processes, Knowledge, and Skills

1. Researching and Developing Positions on Current Social Studies Issues

• Historical Comprehension

Identify the author or source of the historical document or narrative and assess its credibility

Reconstruct the literal meaning of a historical passage

Identify the central question(s) the historical narrative addresses

Differentiate between historical facts and historical interpretations

Read historical narratives imaginatively

Appreciate historical perspectives

Draw upon data in historical maps

Utilize visual, mathematical, and qualitative data

2. Making Decisions Using Social Studies Knowledge and Skills

• Historical Research Capabilities

Formulate historical questions

Obtain historical data from a variety of sources

Interrogate historical data

Identify the gaps in the available records, marshal contextual knowledge and perspectives of the time and place

Employ quantitative analysis

Support interpretations with historical evidence

• Historical Issues-Analysis and Decision-Making

Identify issues and problems in the past

Marshal evidence of antecedent circumstances

Identify relevant historical antecedents

Evaluate alternative courses of action

Formulate a position or course of action on an issue

Evaluate the implementation of a decision

3. Taking Action Using Social Studies Knowledge and Skills

• Historical Analysis and Interpretation

Compare and contrast differing sets of ideas

Consider multiple perspectives

Analyze cause-and-effect relationships and multiple causation, including the importance of the individual, the influence of ideas

Draw comparisons across eras and regions in order to define enduring issues

Distinguish between unsupported expressions of opinion and informed hypotheses grounded in historical evidence

Compare competing historical narratives

Challenge arguments of historical inevitability

Hold interpretations of history as tentative

Evaluate major debates among historians

Hypothesize the influence of the past

We hope you and your students can get involved. Let us know if you need additional information or support.

Maine National History Day Website
www.maine.gov/sos/arc/historyday/histhome.htm

National History Day Website
www.nationalhistoryday.org