Why Teach History Day?

Minnesota's chapter of History Day is over thirty years old. Every year, new teachers discover the power of History Day while returning teachers affirm its value. 

National History Day is a highly-adaptable, highly-impactful program that can be implemented in many different ways to fit the classroom or learning setting in which you are working. Students use inquiry-based learning to develop their critical thinking, reading, research, and communication skills, while also learning about personal responsibility and agency in creating their own success. As an educator, there are many unique benefits that can be gained from implementing History Day in your classroom. Among those benefits are:

  • The program is an authentic assessment, and allows students to achieve success on their own terms.
  • The program model is highly flexible. Teachers shape the project to meet their classroom needs.
  • Students take ownership of their work through topic selection, independent research, and project selection. History Day empowers students to make their own choices.
  • History Day meets state Social Studies and ELA standards.
  • Students learn historical thinking skills, and dive deep into historical content.
  • The program fosters cooperative learning across disciplines.
  • With over 400 teachers doing History Day across the state, there are many opportunities to network with your peers. 

In addition to these benefits, evaluation findings show that History Day has a positive impact on students:

  • 88 percent of students at the Regional competition were more interested in History Day compared to other classroom assignments.
  • 91 percent of students at the Regional competition level say they worked harder on History Day compared to other classroom assignments.
  • 92 percent of students at the State competition felt that History Day increased their connections to history that is personally relevant to them.

Ready to get started? Enroll as an educator today!

If you have questions about how History Day can benefit you and your students, contact Sammi Jo Papas at 651-259-3439.