Project Categories
You may present your research using one of the seven category types shown below. Learn about each one and check out the rules and resources we have to get you started. As you look through these, think about your topic and interests to determine which one you think will work best to present your research.
Divisions
California History Day students compete in one of three divisions:
- Elementary (4th–5th grade)
- Junior (6th–8th grade)
- Senior (9th–12th grade)
Note: The links for rules below are only the category rules. For the complete rule book click here.
Group or Individual
Students can choose one of the following ways to build their project:
- Individual Project
- Group Project (2–5 students)
Research Papers are great for students who like to work alone and prefer to use words to tell a story. Papers have a longer word limit, so you usually have more space for your argument than some of the other categories. A paper is the traditional form of presenting historical research. Various types of creative writing (for example, fictional diaries, poems, etc.) are permitted, but must conform to all general and category rules. Your paper should be grammatically correct and well written.
The Historical Paper category is for individual project only. No groups.
Note:
Historical Papers advance directly to the state level for preliminary judging and are not entered into county competitions.
Click here to learn more about the NHD-CA Historical Paper Contest.
Sacramento County Office of Education
NHD-CA
P.O. Box 269003
Sacramento, CA 95826
Contact Us
