Elementary School Level

Class discusses the idea of the “Bellingham Centennial”. Teacher introduces key concepts: Bellingham became a city 100 years ago; “centennial” means 100 years ago; when we learn about the Bellingham Centennial, we learn about how Bellingham was when it was a new city 100 years ago.
Take it further by talking about: How is learning about history like going back in a time machine?
Students can draw pictures of themselves in the “Bellingham Centennial” time machine

and/or

Watch the 30-minute documentary, Creek Story. (Available through Bellingham Public Library, Whatcom County Library, Village Books, Bellingham Public Schools and the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies.)
After viewing, talk about: What has Whatcom Creek given toBellingham? What is the “story” of Whatcom Creek?
Have students draw their version of the Creek Story.

In small groups students look at one of the four sections of the Bellingham Centennial online curriculum - Towns, Industries, People, Schools - through packets prepared in advance by the teacher, and/or through materials compiled by their own exploration and printing of their Bellingham Centennial online curriculum section.
Each group chooses some pictures from their printed materials. In their groups, students write down for each of their pictures (teacher can make a handout with the following two questions, leaving room for pasting image): What/who is in this picture? When is this picture from? Students can cut out pictures and paste on appropriate caption. (To take it further, have students give pictures the old-fashioned “photograph-tinting” look through coloring pictures with water colors, colored pencils or crayons.)
Students in each group can share what they learned by showing their pictures to their classmates, and reading their captions out loud to their classmates.
Class might post their Bellingham Centennial pictures on a bulletin board (e.g.: large, simplified map of Bellingham Bay area) made by the teacher.