How can NHD make you a better student?

NHD is more than another boring project. This is a year-long adventure that will help you more
than you realize! NHD is a year long project that will help develop research skills, improve
critical thinking, writing, and perform better on standardized test. Which as 8 th Graders you’ll
have 4 this year. You’re going to be an overall better student which is not only a foundation for
high school, but for the real world. Over the next year you’ll learn to write with purpose, using
your voice and personality to turn research into solid evidence to support your ideas. Im
challenging you to work hard for the next few months and accomplish more than you thought
you could. This is going to be a lot of work so you have to be dedicated to see it through, but we
can have some fun along the way with state competition being held in Austin, Texas @UT. And
Nationals all the way in Washington D.C. But there is good news, you have me helping you
every step of the way. Now were going to break down how to complete an NHD project in 5
easy steps.

Transition to pictures or video clip

*Title Slide* Step 1: All research begins with an underlying question, so that’s our first step:
Formulate a question.

The theme tells you what you need to think about, but questions remind us what it is were
trying to discover. They tell us where to go, and how to get there. Some possible questions you
may ask to get started on this journey include but aren’t limited to: What were certain peoples
experiences during some event. How did blank impact blank. Explore different relationships
between citizens and their governments.

*Title Slide* Step 2: Looking for information or otherwise Research.

After you’ve thought about step 1, it’s time to move on to step 2. Getting settled on a research
question, and refining your research question. Looking up research questions help guide you to
the more useful sources and at the same time, reminds you what you’re looking for. Questions
make our research more efficient. Start by researching what type of primary sources could be
used, then consult books and scholarly articles. Librarians and archivist are also great resources.

*Title Slide* Step 3: Analyze or make sense of evidence

Once we have all our information all layed out. Its time to make sense of it all. “facts don’t
speak for themselves, we speak for them.” Start this step by organizing information you
gathered into the order it was produced. Arranging chronologically is helpful. This step allows
us to get a sense of causal relationships. Where our stories begin and where it all ended, and
how the in betweens connect.
*Title Slide* Step 4: Adding it up or drawing conclusions

Once investigation and analysis are complete, its now time to start drawing conclusions. The
best projects lead students to place to information into historical context. Contextualize
evidence and draw independent conclusions. This is where all of your information or research is
taken into account. Drawing conclusions can be hard work, especially when those conclusion
contradict our previously held beliefs. Intellectual honesty demands nothing less. We cant
withhold facts that make us uncomfortable. In this session we look at *Title slides for each*
 Main Ideas + Supporting evidence
 Multiple perspectives (point / counterpoint)
 Connecting ideas across test
 Causes and effects

*Title Slide* Step 5: Packaging the Product

This is where you get to have all the fun. When people think of NHD this is what you think of,
Not how the project itself was put together. Here you explain your reasoning NOT your
research. Five potential categories you or you and a group could choose from. *Title slides for
each*
 Individual Paper
 Website – Individual or Group
 Documentary or Digital Story - Individual or Group
 Exhibit- Individual or Group
 Performance - Individual or Group

This is where you decide what’s the best way for you to explain your information. You can
personalize this as much as you see fit. The audience understands how you want to express
information. Judges like to see individuality + creativity.

*Roll Credits*