Teacher’s Page

The Issaquah Historical Society provides a number of educational resources to teachers and students in the Issaquah School District. If you have questions about our programs or resources, or would like to request something, please contact us at 425/392-3500 or

Resources for Teachers

Tours of the Gilman Town Hall Museum and the Issaquah Depot Museum are available by appointment. Tours of each facility last from 45 minutes to an hour. We are happy to tailor our tours to the needs of the classroom. Topics generally covered at the Gilman Town Hall include pioneer life, the nature of the community, and the general history of our town. Topics covered at the Issaquah Depot include the industrial revolution, travel and communication, and the early economic development of Issaquah. Tours are FREE for Issaquah School District groups (other groups pay $1 a child).

You can also check here for information about other history field trips you and your class might be interested in taking.

Discovery Tours of the Depot

Discovery Tours let classes explore the museum on their own. You can bring your class during museum open hours, or make an appointment for another time. Consider using the Family Activities Guide to the Depot to guide the discovery experience. You can purchase guides in bulk for 50 cents each (non-ISD teacher rate is $1 each), or you can download a copy here.
 

•  Download the Family Activities Guide to the Depot.
  (This document is set up to print as a booklet. Once printed, you'll need to cut the pages in half and put them in order. The booklet is also available at the Depot for a small donation).

Thanks to a grant from the King County Landmarks & Heritage Commission, the History Kits have been reorganized and revised. The updated kits are available for use as of November 2002. Designed with the elementary classroom in mind, the kits comply with the current curriculum requirements and State Standards. More than 30 lesson-plan ideas, games, photographs, and hands-on items make bringing history into your classroom both fun and memorable. What a great way to help kids get their hands on history!

There is no fee to borrow the kits. To reserve a kit for classroom use, call the Instructional Media Center at  425/837-5056. or 837-5057.

For more information, follow these links:

• Introduction to kits
• How does the kit meet current EALRs?
• What items are included in each kit?
• What activities are included in the guide?

Resources for Students

Issaquah History On-Line, the Issaquah Historical Society web site, is frequently updated and fully searchable. It’s a great place to start when researching the history of Issaquah, or trying to find an answer to that burning historical question! The site also includes a number of photographs.

Cost: Free. Access to Issaquah History Online is also available from our research center.

The David J. Horrocks Research Center is available for use during Gilman Town Hall open hours, and by appointment. The research center serves as a great supplement to the Issaquah Library and to the information presented here on our web site.

Cost: Research assistance provided free for the first half hour, $15 an hour afterwards. Independent use of the center is free.

Volunteer opportunities are available for high school students who need a project to fulfill their senior volunteer requirement. Students can work as museum guides, do research, or work with our collections. Contact Museum Director Erica Maniez  or at 425/392-3500 for more information on volunteer opportunities.