Do you live near Lake Washington? Do your students travel across SR 520 and see construction on the lake? If you answered yes to either of these questions, the SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program has a free curriculum resource for you that can be used in 3rd, 4th, 7th and 8th grade social studies classrooms.
In 2013, WSDOT and HistoryLink developed 520History.org, a comprehensive website that includes a free curriculum for local teachers showcasing the integral role the Lake Washington area has played in Washington State history from 13,000 years ago to the present day. This curriculum not only adheres to state standards, including the Education Assessment Learning Requirements (EALR), Curriculum Based Assessments (CBAs) and current Common CORE standards, but also serves as an easily accessible tool for educators throughout the Puget Sound region to supplement their instruction of Washington State history.
On the website, teachers will find a comprehensive collection of teaching tools that are visual and engaging, including primary documents, oral histories, maps, photos, links, essay topics, worksheets and PowerPoint presentations.
The purpose of this curriculum is to provide a fresh lens to view Washington State history in a way that is localized and tangible. In highlighting the construction of the world’s longest floating bridge (a major transportation project), the curriculum establishes a central focal point to help students understand patterns in growth, social organization and development.
Questions?
Contact Ethan Bancroft and Kathryn Murdock
Communications Staff, SR 520 Program
Learning about the 520 bridge will lead students to investigate 13,000 years of local history.
