NHD 2016

1. Choosing A Topic
Exploration, Encounter, Exchange in History

2. Narrow
your topic
◆ Does the topic interest you?
◆ Does the topic fit the theme?
◆ Is the topic significant?
◆ Is the topic in-depth and narrow?
(It is better to focus on one issue in detail than to
cover many issues superficially.)
◆ Are there primary and secondary sources
available for this topic?
(Local topics are a good choice.)
Keep this in mind:

3. Your
Interests
◆ Circle 5 subjects on your interest area sheet
◆ Read through the descriptions of the
different project types: Historical Paper,
Exhibit (Display), Documentary,
Performance, Website
◆ Complete questions 2 - 4 on your History
Day Packet ONLY.
Step ONE:

4. Topic
Ideas
Step TWO: Where do I find
topic ideas?
◆ NHD Sample Topic List
◆ NHD Theme Book Essays
◆ Pier School Lib Guide
◆ Digital Public Library of America
◆ RI topics from the Library of Congress
◆ Exploration and Settlement of Rhode Island
◆ “Early Encounters of Native Americans and
Europeans”
◆ “Narragansett”
◆ “First Encounters: Native Americans and
Christians”

5. Topic
Ideas
Hot topics for 2016
Ms. Kirby’s picks:
1870 French Impressionist Artist
1936 US Gold Medal Olympic Rowing
Team
1968 First International Special
Olympics
1940 Radiocarbon Discovery by Willard
Libby
1960 Beat Poetry Movement
1964 Beatles Perform in US
1989 Tiananmen Square Protest China
2015 Cuba/US Diplomatic Relations
Restored
Ms. Miller’s picks:
Equal Exchange/Free Trade Products
Investigative reporters Bob Woodward and
Carl Bernstein unearth the Watergate
scandal
The CIA’s discovery of espionage by double
agent, Aldrich Ames
Virginia Hall, “the limping lady” and the
creation of the French resistance in World
War II
Mission to Mars: the exploration of the red
planet
Northern extreme: exploration of the Arctic
Exploration of the sea: our final frontier

6. Topic
Ideas
Hot topics for 2016
Mrs. Mouradjian’s picks:
Actress Hedy Lamarr and the invention of
technology used in WiFi and BluTooth
today
1944
The New England settlers encounter and
exchange with the Narragansett Indians
leading to the Great Swamp massacre
Robert Ballard’s exploration of
underwater archeology resulting in the
discovery of the Titanic (Yorktown, PT
109)
1944 African American sailors encounter
with racism in the United States Navy and
the Port Charles Disaster
Exploring Antarctica: Shackleton's
encounter with nature, human and other
Ms. Holmes’ picks:
Exploring African-American Culture: The
Harlem Renaissance
Exploring their Rights and Encountering
Change: Women of the 1920s •
Disproportionate Exchange: Slaves and the
Triangle Trade
Sit-In Movement – non violent protest
(1959)
Gilded Age Newport in Color:The African
American Summer Experience In Newport,
RI from 1870-1925
The Great Migration: African Americans
Move From the Rural South to Northern
Cities (1910-1970)

7. Topic
Ideas
Step THREE:
◆ Once you’ve looked through the topic
websites, answer questions 5 & 6 on your
NHD packet.

8. Pre-
Search
Step Four:
◆ Out of the 4 topics of interest you listed,
choose 3 you would most like to pre-search
as possible topics for your NHD project
◆ Using the pre-search worksheet, begin your
pre-search using wiki and google sites.

9. Pre-
Search
Step Five:
◆ Check in with your teacher. Which one of the
3 topics you pre-searched would you most
like to choose for your NHD topic?
◆ Fill out questions 7-9 on your NHD packet.
◆ Complete your project proposal to hand in
to your teacher.