Creating a History Day exhibit can be an extremely rewarding experience. You have the opportunity to play the role of an historian, curator, and designer. A historian studies the past using documents and may be an expert in topics such as World War II or Texas history. He or she works with a curator to plan the exhibit content, write the text and gather artifacts and images. A designer creates and assembles the display.
A History Day exhibit is similar to a museum exhibit. It is a well-conceived, creative and organized display of images, texts, artifacts and graphics that visually explain a topic and its significance in history. An exhibit should have a solid historical foundation through the use of primary and secondary sources. Make sure the topic you choose has a sufficient number of primary and secondary sources.
An effective History Day exhibit describes, interprets and analyzes an event or development and places it into historical context. Ask yourself the following questions suggested by NHD. They will help you accomplish a great History Day entry.
*** How important is my topic?
*** How does my topic relate to the History Day theme?
*** How did my topic develop over time?
*** How did my topic influence history?
*** How did the events and atmosphere (social, economic, political and cultural) of the time influence my topic in history?
Your exhibit should consist of an introduction that conveys the thesis that you will be discussing, a main body and a conclusion. The main body focuses on the thesis statement by providing detail by using dialogue, quotations, or an excerpt from a speech, but be sure to incorporate your own ideas, interpretations and analysis. The conclusion reinforces and clarifies how your ideas work together, gives the exhibit a sense of completeness, and leaves a final impression on the viewer.
Whether you work in a group or individually, research preparation is very important. It will help you organize your project, manage your time and if you are working in a group, it will ensure that all members do their fair share of the work. Once you have gathered an adequate amount of research material, you can write your thesis statement; create your base or frame, labels, and captions: sketch
