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Time

Title

Build-Up or

Right Before the Event

Who are the main players?
What are they doing to get ready for the main events of your topic?
What events or ideas led up to the main event?
What was life like at this time?

Background or

Long Before the Event

What background information does your reader need to know about your topic?
What events, ideas, or people came before and influenced your topic?
What was going on in the world?

Long-Term Impact or

Long After the Event

So what?
Why is your topic important in history?
How has your topic changed history?
Why is the event still important today?

Short-Term Impact or

Right After the Event

What are some things that changed right away?
Think about positive and negative changes.
How did this event impact different groups of people?
What were the reactions to the event? Be sure to think about different points of view.

Heart of the Story or

During the Event

Look for the 5W’s and an H:

What happened?
How did it happen?
When did it happen?
Why did it happen?
Who was involved or affected?
Where did it happen?

THESIS

TITLE

No matter the shape or size of your Exhibit, you should think about dividing up the space in the Exhibit into sections. Sections will help to:

Organize your information. It will be easier for your viewer to follow along.
Help you talk about what happened before, during, and after the main events of your topic.

The front page of this handout is an example of how you might divide up the space on a tri-fold exhibit board. The back is a place for you to plan out your own project.

Sample Exhibit Board Layout

National History Day in Minnesota

National History Day in Minnesota, 2026 Teacher Framework

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