(Map courtesy of Washington State Library)

Several of our divisions and programs have much to offer teachers and students. A recent addition to the State Archives webpage features items from throughout the OSOS website that focus on history so they can be used in classrooms.

Included are links to online exhibits, Legacy Project oral histories, classic Washington history books and historic newspapers from the State Library, and photos, maps and other documents from the State Archives.

The Teachers and Students educational resources button is one of several projects that the State Archives is working on to support the “Common Core State Standards for Literacy and Social Studies” that are being used by schools in Washington and throughout the nation.

These standards include reading different types of texts (including primary source documents), writing (including persuasive and informational), speaking and listening skills.  The emphasis on research, understanding, analyzing and interpreting sources is generating a demand for classroom materials that the Office of Secretary of State is well-suited to supply.

National History Day, which the State Archives has supported for more than 30 years, also builds skills mandated in the Common Core Standards.

State Archives staffers have conducted workshops on research resources and skills for K-12 teachers this school year, including sessions in Ellensburg, Olympia, Bellevue, Cheney and Vancouver. They are also offering a session at Othello High School on May 2. Archives staff is also working with the Edmonds School District and the Association of Washington School Principals’ Cispus Education Center to develop content and promote Archives resources for K-12.