Teacher Resources

• Sign up for the VHD Newsletter. 
• Information Sessions: If you are interested in learning more about VHD, please email Virginia History Coordinator Sam Florer for more information. In-person or virtual information sessions can be arranged.

Upcoming Information Sessions/Workshops: Historical Thinking Skills Teacher Workshops
Join educators from the Virginia Museum of History & Culture and a partner museum to engage with historical thinking skills through the project-based learning program Virginia History Day and the education resources of our partners. Space is limited to the first 20 registrants for each event, so register today!

• Historical Thinking Skills Teacher Workshop w/ the Virginia Museum of History & Culture + Virginia Humanities + Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
  • When - Saturday, September 14 - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
  • Where - American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, Yorktown 
  • Registration page - https://forms.gle/fAoojbHjtVG7FmW76
• Historical Thinking Skills Teacher Workshop w/ the Virginia Museum of History & Culture + Virginia Humanities + the Patawomeck Museum and Cultural Center
  • When - Saturday, September 21 - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
  • Where - Patawomeck Museum and Cultural Center, Fredericksburg
  • Registration page - https://forms.gle/5856WzJzok2MEany7
• Historical Thinking Skills Teacher Workshop w/ the Virginia Museum of History & Culture + Virginia Humanities + Birthplace of Country Music Museum
  • When - Saturday, October 5 - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
  • Where - Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol
  • Registration page - https://forms.gle/g3gu8m4xsA6yPRzx5
• Historical Thinking Skills Teacher Workshop w/ the Virginia Museum of History & Culture + Virginia Humanities + the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History
  • When - Saturday, October 12 - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
  • Where - Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, Danville
  • Registration page - https://forms.gle/YoB6nNNpCq6GZdQPA

Participation in the workshops includes:

• Coffee and light breakfast
• $75 stipend 
• Certificate of participation for CEU points

These workshops are sponsored in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities and Virginia Humanities
 

• For additional teacher resources, please visit the National History Day website.
   

VHD Teacher Manual 

This comprehensive guide for all grade levels provides an overview of the VHD process, sample lesson plans to implement the program in your classroom, and policies followed at all VHD contests. View the complete VHD Teacher Manual, which includes: The Basics, Lesson Plans, and Policies, or browse below to view individual sections.   

• The Basics, a general overview of the History Day process
• View All Suggested Lesson Plans to implement NHD in your classroom, or click below to download them separately. 
  • Lesson Plans, Vol. 1 - Introduction, Theme, and Choosing a Topic
  • Lesson Plans, Vol. 2 - Research and Note Taking
  • Lesson Plans, Vol. 3 - Organizing and Writing an Argument
  • Lesson Plans, Vol. 4 - Project Specific Organization
  • Lesson Plans, Vol. 5 - Process Papers and Annotated Bibliographies 
• VHD Contest Policies

VHD Elementary Teacher Guide

This resource rich primary source guide proves elementary level lesson plans needed to implement every step of the history day process in a 4th or 5th grade classroom. This project is sponsored in part by The Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Eastern Region Program, coordinated by Waynesburg University.

NEW for the 2025 contest season: Elementary Division students may now compete in the Performance category, as either an individual or group. All regular NHD Performance category rules apply, except Elementary Division students do NOT need to annotate their bibliographies. Elementary Division students are also eligible to compete in the Exhibit category, as either an individual or group. All regular NHD Exhibit category rules apply, except Elementary Division students do NOT need to annotate their bibliographies.

• View the VHD Elementary Teacher Guide (Google Version)
• View the VHD Elementary Teacher Guide (Printable PDF)

Student Resources

We’re here to help point you in the right direction for your research!

• Project Examples: View student project examples of each of the 5 NHD project types from past VHD State Contests.
  • For specific project construction advice, visit NHD’s website. 
• Topic Suggestions: View a list of possible topics and research suggestions for VHD projects.
• Online Research Resources: View a list of our go-to online resources, broken down by subject matter and time period. 
• National Partners: View a comprehensive list of national research institutions from National History Day.
• State and Local Partners: Thank you to the following state and local institutions for their support of Virginia History Day. Follow the links to learn more about the research and educational resources each organization has to offer. Having trouble with your research? Local public libraries are great resources where you can ask for help. Find the library nearest to you.
  • American Civil War Museum
  • Encyclopedia Virginia
  • Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
  • Frontier Culture Museum
  • The George C. Marshall International Center
  • George Washington’s Mount Vernon
  • Historic Dumfries Virginia & The Weems-Botts Museum
  • Historic St. John’s Church
  • Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
  • John Marshall Foundation
  • Library of Virginia
  • The MacArthur Memorial Museum
  • New American History
  • Office of Historic Alexandria
  • Patrick Henry’s Red Hill
  • The Poe Museum
  • Robert Russa Moton Museum
  • Rockbridge Historical Society
  • Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello
  • The Valentine
  • Virginia Humanities
  • White House Historical Association
  • Woodrow Wilson’s Presidential Library & Museum
  • Fort Monroe Authority 
  • National Guard Memorial Museum