Teachers – National History Day
Why Teach NHD?
Inquiry and Project-Based Learning
Teachers — National History Day (NHD) is an interdisciplinary project-based learning curriculum that incorporates inquiry to engage students and help them develop 21st century college and career ready skills necessary to become responsible citizens and compete in a global society.
Inquiry and project-based learning immerses students in learning that is deep and long-lasting, and inspires in them a love of learning and personal connection to their academic experience.
Among the many benefits for students, National History Day:
- Encourages them to develop research, critical thinking, and presentation skills that they will use throughout their lives;
- Fosters pride in personal heritage and an understanding of the history of the nation and the world;
- Offers them a creative outlet for their work, allowing them to use artistic, dramatic, literary, and musical abilities.
For teachers, National History Day:
- Supports the requirements of State and National Social Studies and Common Core standards;
- Integrates the study of history with other disciplines, including language arts, the visual arts, and social sciences;
- Offers professional development by offering workshops and summer institutes that present the latest historical scholarship and new teaching methods and techniques; and
- Promotes family and community engagement in education.
The National History Day key findings tell us that:
- NHD students outperform their non-NHD peers on standardized tests in all topic areas, including reading, science and math, as well as social studies;
- NHD students are better writers, who write with a purpose and real voice, and marshal solid evidence to support their point of view;
- NHD students learn 21st Century college- and career-ready skills, they learn to think critically, collaborate with team members, talk to experts, manage their time and persevere, and express themselves and their work creatively.
