Students
Welcome
NHD Students
Explore what excites you the most!
Dive into a slice of history that inspires you. All students in grades 6-12 are welcome to participate in National History Day, regardless of the type of school they attend.
Download Student GuidebookStarting A Project?
Excited? Reluctant? Enthusiastic? Overwhelmed? If any of those words describe how you’re feeling about starting your National History Day project, you are in good company. Approximately 10,000 Wisconsin students will start a project this year. Look over the materials below to learn more about topic selection, research, and the NHD theme.
Topic & Project Selection
Begin by deciding what history you want to learn more about.
We recommend picking topics or events that:
- You are interested in learning more about!
- Aren't biographies - a topic that is broader than one person.
- Happened over 20 years ago so you can study its impact.
To present what you learn about your topic, you will choose between one of the five NHD project categories: documentary, exhibit, paper, performance, or website.
Competition
Entering an NHD contest is completely optional.
Here is what you can expect if you choose to compete:
- You are interviewed by 2-3 history enthusiasts about your research and how you developed your project.
- These judges will evaluate your project and give you feedback.
- Regional Contests are held across Wisconsin, with an opportunity to advance to the State Contest in Madison and the National Contest in Washington D.C.
Be sure to read up on this year’s contest theme and the NHD contest rules if you intend to compete!
Student Resources
Student Cheat Sheet
Highlights version of the Student Guide
Wisconsin Topic Guide
Find inspiration for your project with this collection of historical topics from around Wisconsin.
Want to learn more about a specific project category, how to make an annotated bibliography, or what a process paper is? Find more resources and the answers to your questions on the NHD site.
Research Resources
Theme Resources
A new theme is selected each year and every project that competes in the contest portion of NHD must fit within the theme. Designed to help focus NHD projects, while allowing exploration of local, state, national or world history topics, the annual theme will guide student research.
Learn more
We're Here to Help
The Wisconsin National History Day office is available to answer any questions you have!
Email UsRegional Coordinators
More National History Day
National History Day is more than a day: It’s a process, a creative outlet, and a confidence-building experience. It's an opportunity to think beyond the textbook in your classroom and develop a memorable project. Students who participate can research any kind of history and present their conclusions and evidence through papers, exhibits, performances, documentaries, or websites.
Learn More about NHD
