The Tennessee Historical Society
The Tennessee Historical Society aims to tell the stories of all Tennesseans. In addition to publishing the Tennessee Historical Quarterly and hosting the webinar series Tennessee 101, the Historical Society organizes Tennessee History Day, a statewide curriculum and contest and an affiliate of National History Day. History Day reaches some 350 educators and 7,500 students every year, as well as a wide public audience for student exhibits, documentaries, performances, websites, and papers. Through the contests, students interact with professionals in the humanities, who add to their knowledge and build skills in writing and historical thinking.
The framework is a valuable tool for educators looking to reinforce literacy in their classrooms through creative means. All students who participate in National History Day do not become historians, but all participants gain lifelong skills. Students are empowered to analyze different types of media content, make informed judgments, and communicate clearly and creatively. Some students explore community history, learning about their home through a new lens. The results are reflected in the significant number of returning educators to the program and in improved student test scores.
Tennessee History Day involves educators in the preparation of curriculum materials that support teaching strategies, and since 2009 has offered workshops, reaching professionals new to the program and reinforcing skills for those who already participate. Educators have come to depend upon these workshops and the History Day curriculum to support their classroom learning strategies, thus the workshops fulfill a concrete need for Tennessee teachers. During the coming year, the Tennessee Historical Society will use the Creativity Foundation grant to fund three day-long workshops around the state.
This project was nominated by Emma Grace Thompson Creativity Foundation Legacy winner and Tennessee Historical Society staff.
