National History Day (NHD) is a theme-based research program that breathes life into California Content standards and reading/language arts themes. This year's theme is Rights & Responsibilities in History. The intentional selection of the theme for NHD is to provide an opportunity for students to push past the antiquated view of history as mere facts and dates, and drill down into historical content to develop perspective and understanding.
The NHD theme provides a focused way to increase students' historical understanding by developing a lens to read history, an organizational structure that helps students place information in the correct context, and finally, the ability to see connections over time.
History Day can be a part of your core curriculum, both English/Language Arts and History/Social Science. Tulare County Office of Education can assist with resources and technical expertise. A list of which Common Core standards related to the 2025 theme, Rights & Responsibilities in History, will be provided as a downloadable by NHD.
Districts can contact the Tulare County Office of Education for coaching help in the classroom to help teachers get started for next year. The NHD-CA website has many online resources for teachers, students and parents.
- Process Level
Any class, school, or district can participate in the non-competitive, process level of participation. This level allows all students to improve their research skills. In a timeline of approximately 1-3 weeks, teachers can guide students through the research process. Projects augment the core curricular materials and compliment the learning themes in English/Language Arts and History/Social Science. The culmination of the classroom projects at the school or district might become part of your district's multiple-measure assessment program. Qualified presenters from Tulare County Office of Education offer classes to prepare teachers to use this program in the classroom. Teachers who complete these classes will receive certificates for all their students that present projects in their school or classroom. - Competitive Level
Some classes, schools and districts have students that are ready to move to the next step and enter the competitive level of participation. The timeline for these projects is much longer. Students write their thesis statement, build their annotated bibliographies by visiting libraries and interviewing primary sources. Then students document their learning process in a process paper. From their research, they create their exhibit or website to specifications, prepare a 10-minute presentation or documentary, develop and deliver a performance, or write a 2,500 word paper. Fourth- and fifth-graders prepare posters, being careful to keep within the guidelines in the California History Day regulations. These projects must include an annotated bibliography with both primary and secondary resources, and a process paper. Their posters, papers, exhibits, websites, documentaries or performances will stand on their own merit to be judged by experts in history. A panel of judges will interview them to validate their hard work, and recommend the finest projects to move on to California History Day Competition. Finalists from California move to the National History Day event held each year at the University of Maryland.
National History Day - Tulare County Competition categories included:
- Grades 4/5 only
- Group 2D Display
- Individual 2D Display
- Group Podcast
- Individual Podcast
- Junior division: grades 6-8
- Group Documentary
- Individual Documentary
- Group Exhibit
- Individual Exhibit
- Group Podcast
- Individual Podcast
- Group Performance
- Individual Performance
- Group Website Design
- Individual Website Design
- Senior division: grades 9-12
- Group Documentary
- Individual Documentary
- Group Exhibit
- Individual Exhibit
- Group Podcast
- Individual Podcast
- Group Performance
- Individual Performance
- Group Website Design
- Individual Website Design
Historical papers will not compete at county contests. Instead, papers will be directly submitted to the state contest by the teacher. Each school will be allowed to submit up to THREE (3) papers.
For all other categories, students who are selected to advance to the California State History Day competition will attend the Project Feedback portion of the competition in order to participate in a one-on-one critique session with a panel of judges. At this event, competitors receive rigorous and relevant feedback before moving on to the National History Day - California State Finals.
Regional Event Details
Coaches' Meeting
October 3, 2024
Online - Zoom
Email Paula Terrill for link.
School Registration
due October 29, 2024
Project Registration
due January 6, 2025
Digital Project Submission
(Website, Podcast, Documentary)
due January 20, 2025
Student Art Competition
due January 30, 2025
Finals Judging
February 13, 2025
TCOE Conference Center, Visalia
Project Feedback Day
February 20, 2025
TCOE Conference Center, Visalia
Media Release
Code of Ethics Form (English & Spanish)
Event Contacts:
Paula Terrill
Student Event Coordinator
(559) 651-0565