Judge the National History Challenge! Great Professional Learning! Receive a Certificate for your VIT Folio!

For more information on becoming a judge download this information flyer.

2010 Theme:

"Celebrations, memories & history"

Contact the Victorian Coordinators
Colin Pearce: 03 9899 6367
Jo Clyne: 0408 311 584
or email them: nhc@htav.asn.au

National History Challenge website: www.historychallenge.com.au

Introduction
The NHC is a research-based competition for students from Years 5 to 12. Students can write an essay related to the theme on some aspect of Australian history – an essay must be a piece of work by a single individual. They can also create a Museum Display, a website, a DVD, a performance (live or on video), either individually or working as a group of up to 4 people. In addition to the general competition, which is divided into 4 year levels – 5/6, 7/8, 9/10 and 11/12 – there are a number of special categories sponsored by groups including the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the National Archives, the National Museum, Women’s History Month, the History Channel (Foxtel) and so on. The principal sponsor, to whom we are particularly grateful, is the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science & Training.

What this means is that the choice of subject matter is extremely broad – the only real limitations are that it must be Australian and that it must be related to the theme. For example, in 2006, the Young Historian of the Year was a Year 10 Tasmanian boy from Taroona High School who wrote an essay on the history of a movie theatre in North Hobart. Other entries which did well included a Museum Display on the Hills Hoist, a DVD on the Kokoda Track in 1942, the Anzac Legend, the introduction of one-day cricket, the Tampa incident and a history of a Melbourne fashion house, Le Louvre.

Some entries are individual ones; others are done as a co-curricular or extra-curricular activity by the entering school; and in some cases the competition itself is made a part of the curriculum, so that all students get an opportunity to take part. This can be particularly valuable, as the work done for the Challenge can be used to address VELS requirements, especially at Levels 4 and 6 – so that teachers do not have to do additional work.

Some reasons why your students should take part in the NHC:

• It gives them an opportunity to learn about an area of Australian history which interests them
• It gives them an opportunity to practise research skills, including bibliographic skills and developing an argument
• It gives them an opportunity to work together as members of a group
• It gives winners at school level an opportunity to present their work at Regional and State judging – an experience which many students say they found extremely valuable
• All students who participate will receive recognition in the form of an Official Certificate of Participation in the Challenge
• Your better students will have the opportunity to win cash prizes, medallions, and trips to Canberra
  It’s FREE (and what other national competition is?)

Â