The History Fair Teachers Advisory Committee provides this handy list to help novice HF teachers get started:

Gearing Up for the History Fair

1. Set deadlines for the year
2. Create or update guide for students
3. Preparation of students
4. Field trips to build interest
5. Placing effort in the context of other classroom work
6. Recruiting participation of administration, other teachers, etc.

Classroom Preparation

1. Distribution of category choices, rules and guidelines
2. Handout of theme and topic ideas
3. Classroom presentation of History Fair by staff or use of online powerpoints and samples
4. Timeline handout of assignments and deadlines for topic, notecards, theme, bibliography, outline or storyboard, finished project

Getting Started

1. Assist with approved topic choices
2. Discussion of sources and resources: primary, secondary, tetiriary
3. Discussion of resources:  librarians and other institutions for research, online research parameters
4. Review evaluation
5. Discussion summary statement form, bibliography and annotations
6. Thesis
7. Argument, claims and evidence

Monitoring Student Progress

1. Assist with topic changes, research
2. Development of thesis, notecards, bibliography
3. Student workshops by History Fair
4. Project checklist of deadlines, first draft completed
5. Organize school fair, recruit judges, set judging process
6. Select projects going to regional competitions

After School Fair

1. Recognition of participating students, and the winners
2. Project registration to CMHEC
3. Student Authorization Forms to winners
4. Prepare students to attend regional competition: revise projects, give Event FAQ
5. Receive advances/announce, evaluations, certificates
6. Revise and update projects advancing to finals (high school only)
7. Revise and update projects advancing to state compeitions
8. Prep students to attend state (bus money, permissions, medical forms)
9. Congratulate students that receive special awards
10. Evaluate program and prepare for next year
11. Teacher recognition