Northport K-8 School sixth graders in Georgia Stone’s World History class are preparing to delve into yearly History Fair projects with an excellent lesson in the school’s media center. Students logged on to the National History Day website at www.nhd.org/gettingstarted.htm and utilized the “Conducting Research” bar. Students read all about primary and secondary sources and learned how to be a responsible researcher then answered two focus questions. Students also rotated to a center in the media center that offered scenarios and students, under the direction of Mrs. Stone, interpreted primary or secondary sources.
The History Fair topic this year is “Rights and Responsibilities. ” This is a broad topic that allows students to choose their own interests and explore the topic using a variety of primary and secondary resources. Chosen topics should place the project into historical perpective, examine its significance in history and show development over time. Students must use primary and secondary sources, analyze evidence and provide a clear explanation of the relationship of the topic to the theme.
Some examples of student expressions of interest at Northport K-8 School have been Womens Suffrage, A City Divided: The Berlin Wall, The Birth of the Declaration of Independence, Trail of Tears, Salem Witch Trials and The Power of the Press. Georgia Stone’s Historian Center in the school’s media center provided an excellent opportunity to target skills developing Informational Text and Research. Pictured are Mrs. Stone and from far side, Cheyenne Jones and Cassandra Andrade.
