NHD 2023: Teaching Resources & Strategies

Educators, check out these resources and strategies to help you as you guide students through the development of their National History Day (NHD) projects.

Overview

• Explore NHD’s origins.
• Discover the benefits of implementing NHD.
• Learn about Teacher of the Year Awards.
• Find your state affiliate.
• Sign up for the NHD newsletter.

Understanding NHD Projects

• Read the Contest Rule Book English | Spanish
• Watch the NHD Contest Rules video.
• Explore the categories. Click the orange buttons to learn more about each category.
  • Documentary
    • rules video
    • project checklist
    • evaluation form
    • Ask an NEH Expert videos 2017 | 2018
  • Exhibit
    • rules video
    • project checklist
    • evaluation form
    • virtual exhibit guidelines
    • Ask an NEH Expert videos 2017 | 2018
  • Paper
    • rules video
    • project checklist
    • evaluation form
    • Ask an NEH Expert videos 2017 | 2018
  • Performance
    • rules video
    • project checklist
    • evaluation form
    • virtual performance submissions
    • Ask an NEH Expert videos 2017 | 2018
  • Website
    • rules video
    • evaluation form
    • Ask an NEH Expert videos 2017 | 2018
    • NHDWebCentral® website builder
    • NHDWebCental FAQs
    • NHDWebCental instructions & videos
• Scroll though the Contest FAQ.
• Watch the Evaluation Forms video.
• Access the NHD in the Classroom resource page, then be sure to click through to the following sections:
  • Content Resources and Lesson Plans
  • “Help, I’m a New NHD Teacher” Videos
  • Past webinar recordings and other videos
    NHD Quick Tips
• Show students national award-winning projects from previous contests.
• Share examples of high-quality student projects from previous years.

Exploring the theme

Each year NHD chooses a particular theme that must be the focus of student projects. Before doing anything else, make sure you understand the theme.

• Read the 2023 Theme Book – Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas.
• Watch the 2023 Theme Introduction Video on YouTube or Vimeo.
• Consider how the theme of Frontiers in History relates to people, places, events, technologies, and issues students learned about earlier this year and in previous years.
• Think about what the theme means to you personally and how it might relate to your students.
• Instruct students to complete the NHD 2023 Theme Graphic Organizer. fillable PDF
• Direct students to the NHD 2023: Topic Selection, Research, Sources & More post for tips and resources (coming soon) as they work on their projects. Sections include:
  • Investigating & narrowing topic choices
  • Getting started on your project
  • Researching your topic
  • Selecting & using sources
  • Citing sources
  • Putting it all together