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Greetings from the State Coordinator
Welcome back to school! We hope you had a fun and relaxing summer, and that we all ease into autumn and the new school year with excitement and anticipation of another great History Day year.
Now is the time to get started on your 2007-2008 History Day adventure! If you haven't received your free curriculum packet from our office, send us an email and we'll get one out to you today: nyshistoryday@nysha.org
As you get yourself organized, let us know what we can do to make implementing this program easier for you. Check out our Teacher's Toolkits, Student Survival Guide, and After School History Day Club Toolkits in the Classroom Resources section of our online Teacher Support Center: www.nyshistoryday.org/teachers.htm
As always, drop me an email or give me a call if you have questions or need a little help. I am known to be quite the History Day motivator, so if you need a little convincing that this program is right for you and your students, I am your cheerleader! I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Tobi Voigt |
Announcing Teacher Workshops
This year, the New York State History Day office has teamed up with many of our regional offices to present fun, helpful and FREE teacher workshops.
Our workshops will examine how local districts use this program in their schools, and address how teachers can begin or increase their involvement. History Day staff will provide free curriculum guides and program resources, while representatives from our regional offices will show participants some of the exciting student and teacher resources available in their institutions.
Upcoming Workshops:
- Capital Region: Saturday, September 15 at the New York State Museum, 10am - 3pm. Lunch provided. RSVP to Patricia Jordan: 518-474-4458 or pjordan@mail.nysed.gov.
- Western Southern Tier Region: Saturday, September 22 at the Robert H. Jackson Center, 8:30am - 3pm. Continental breakfast and lunch provided. RSVP to John Ames: 716-679-7947 or jdames@netsync.net.
- Southern Tier Region: Saturday, September 29 at the Chemung Valley History Museum, 9am - 2pm. Lunch is provided. RSVP to Amy Wilson: 607-734-4167 or Educator@chemungvalleymuseum.org.
- Lower Hudson Region: Friday, October 12 at Rockland BOCES, 8:30am - 2pm. Lunch provided. RSVP to Siobain Enright: 845-627-4855 or senright@rboces.lhric.org.
- Genesee Valley and Finger Lakes Regions: Wednesday, October 24 during Archive Month Teacher's Workshop (History Day is one of several presentations) at the Rochester Public Library. For more information, contact Preston Pierce, DHP Regional Archivist for the Rochester Regional Library Council, at ppierce@rrlc.org.
Additional workshops may be added as the autumn progresses. Check your region homepage for the latest on events in your area. | |
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Student Reference: A Short Guide to Writing about History
By Tobi Voigt
When I entered my Historical Research 101 class as an undergraduate student, I was introduced to a little book that dramatically improved my historical research, analysis, and writing. A Short Guide to Writing about History, by Richard A Marius and Melvin E. Page, impacted the quality of my scholarship so much that that I wrote Dr. Page to thank him for publishing the book.
Since becoming New York State History Day Coordinator, I have often recommended the book to parents and teachers as a way to help their students reach a more advanced level of critical thinking. According to the authors, "History is a story of events. A Short Guide to Writing About History helps students move beyond merely compiling dates and facts and teaches them how to express their ideas about history into their own story."
Although written for college undergraduates, I am positive that it can be helpful for History Day students. The writing style if clear and relaxed, making it an interesting (as opposed to highly academic) read. You may find this book in your local college or university bookstore, or for $28 on amazon.com. |
| October Conference for Teachers
The New York State Historical Association is proud to present two History Day workshops at our 49th annual October Conference for Teachers.
The New York State Historical Association's annual October Conference for Teachers is a two-day professional development opportunity focused on current issues, topics, concerns, and practices in K-12 social studies education.
Each year the conference attracts several hundred educators to the campuses of Fenimore Art Museum and The Farmers' Museum during the picturesque autumn of the Leatherstocking Region.
The History Day sessions offered at this year's conference are:
- National History Day: Research at the Middle School Level: This session provides an introduction to the program and instruction on how its criteria can engage middle school students in productive research. Peter Thomas and Shaunna Reinisch, teachers in the Capital Region, will share lessons and best practices developed by colleagues, NYS History Day staff, and themselves.
- Learner Centered Research through National History Day: National History Day motivates students to grow their research skills through participation in competitions at the local, state and national level. Teachers Martha Lawson and Micah Shippee will share their experiences and provide their ideas for including National History Day in a school year already jam-packed with required curriculum.
For more information on the conference, or to download a registration form, visit: www.nysha.org/nysha/for_teachers/october_conference |
That History Day Guy!
By John Buchinger
As teachers, we are always looking for the most bang for our instructional buck. Many teachers who are brave enough to take on History Day struggle with helping their students find topics. There are always posted lists on our NYSHD site, but we also need a reliable place (that is not Wikipedia) for kids to explore topic ideas.
One kid-friendly little place where I like to find overviews is Fact Monster. (www.factmonster.com) It is put together by the infoplease people. The information they provide is accurate, and the graphics and menus lend themselve to the 11-14 year old age group.
Another way to arrive at topics, especially if you are working from a specific historical curriculum, is to look at major topics you will hit and create a topic web. Have kids sit in groups and give them a large sheet of flip chart or butcher block paper. Give each group a topic from your curriculum, such as Civil War, Erie Canal, Revolutionary War, abolition, New Amsterdam, etc. Students should write the topic in the center of the paper and draw a circle around it.
Now they should draw spokes out from the central circle and draw smaller circles at the ends. In the sub circles, have them write person, place, thing, action, legislation, invention, conflict, compromise, changes, or any key words you or they can come up with.
Now they insert topic details in the subcircles that relate to the featured word. For example, if they were doing abolition they may come up with John Jay or Fredrick Douglass for a person. For action they may put manummition, and for events the Draft Riots. When they are done, they should have many smaller pieces of a larger historic topic. Kids can take a subtopic and repeat the exercise with the subtopic at the center. For example students could take the draft riots and break it down. It may even require further express research, but if they select it as an area of interest, it is a great way to start your topic search.
Students could do this in groups or individually. Any way you look at it, it is a quick way to explore historic topics they already have a connection with.
Students are more likely to stick with topics they choose and make some personal connection with. It's just one of the quick and dirty tricks you can use in the classroom!
Have a great month of history!
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