High School Level

Three to five days

In small groups students explore one of the four sections of the Bellingham Centennial online curriculum - Towns, Industries, People, Schools - either through packets prepared in advance by the teacher, or through materials compiled by their own navigation and printing of their online curriculum section.
Each group engages in additional research to find further information/materials on their section topic through exploration of resources at places such as the Public Library, the Whatcom Museum, or the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies.
Groups can be encouraged to look for commonly available primary-source materials, e.g.: Bellingham Herald articles contemporary to the period; Lottie Roeder Roth's History of Whatcom County; or contemporary images relevant to their section topic.
Each group creates a visual-verbal presentation of their findings (possibly involving: handouts, a poster, or a Power Point presentation).
For more engaging presentations, encourage each group to develop one or two discussion questions for the class audience. (Examples: 1. Does it make sense that towns dreaming about becoming metropolises were at times wary about consolidating into one big city? - 2. How should the early industries be ranked in order of importance? - 3. Were the people who helped shape Bellingham working to achieve a common shape? - 4. What seemed to make for a good education in early Bellingham?)
Groups share their expanded understanding of section topics through presenting class audience with their research findings, and involve class members by posing one or two discussion questions.

One to two days

Watch the 30-minute documentary, Creek Story.
While watching, students take note of details, phrases, and/or quotes that they find particularly compelling or provoking.
After viewing, students share with each other what they noted as important in Creek Story, and identify themes in what emerges as important.
Class can go further with the discussion by exploring: What is (are) the story (stories) Whatcom Creek has told us? What is (are) the story (stories) we have told Whatcom Creek?
Provide an additional basis for the discussion by presenting students with the following 1905 quotation from prominent journalist, William E. Curtis:"There is no town in the country and no country in the United States that I know anything about - and I've been all the way 'round - which have so much in them that can be useful and profitable as Bellingham and Whatcom County. But it would seem that very few of the resources are being developed, and that people are standing in their own light by neglecting them.
Class can discuss: What does Curtis mean by "useful"?... by "standing in their own light"? - How does Creek Story help to explain the Curtis quotation?

One to three days

As a class, explore the ideas of continuity and change in relation to Bellingham's past and present. Discuss: Is it true in the case of Bellingham that "the more things change, the more they stay the same"?
Develop the discussion by focusing on key themes, such as: natural ecosystems and resources; ethnic/cultural relations; gender relations; class relations; population growth; economic strength.
Small groups or class as a whole might create a banner that visually captures this discussion. The banner could serve as a panoramic view of Bellingham as it was 100 years ago; as it is now; and as it might be in 100 years.