History documentaries transform research into powerful films that bring the past to life and help make sense of complex topics. To coincide with the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, join National History Day and PBS member station KQED, and PBS LearningMedia to explore how student-created history documentaries can help your students share their voice, knowledge, skills, and creativity.
What you’ll do:
- Explore ready-to-use curriculum using National History Day’s 2026 theme of Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History and the Revolutionary Era as a case study
- Practice video pre-production strategies
- Start a sample mini-documentary you can use as a model with students
What you’ll get:
- National History Day’s documentary projects
- Modifiable curriculum and resources in English and Spanish for PBS LearningMedia’s The American Revolution Youth Media Challenge (hosted by KQED)
- No-cost access to web-based video tools
- A copy of the presentation deck to modify and use with students
- A PDF letter of attendance–verifying 2 hours of attendance–to submit to your district or administration for approval towards professional development credit. (Requirements for professional development credits vary, so check with your district and/or state.)
- Ongoing facilitator support for technical and classroom implementation questions, as needed
Designed by educators for educators, KQED’s well-paced workshops provide ready-to-use resources, instructional strategies, and genuine interaction with experienced and dynamic facilitators.