WSHM Arch Washington State History Museum on Tacoma's Pacific Avenue color block Children enjoying the History Lab Time Connector The History Museum and the Museum of Glass color block Washington State History Museum
History Lab Kids

History Lab Pre-Visit Materials

The History Lab is fun, but it’s really a blast when your students are prepared. Use these simple steps to get your students ready to search for clues, investigate evidence, and solve the mysteries of history.

Review our vocabulary words with your students to introduce the tools of the trade used by historians when investigating history. The "tools," artifacts, images, ephemera, etc., provide information and clues about past events, people, and places.


Vocabulary

Essential for all history detectives, this vocabulary list is a must do for all Lab groups. Your students will need to know these tools in order to be successful in their history mystery.

Tools of the History Trade

The Tools of the History Trade are sources of historical evidence. Each artifact, image, map, book or periodical, personal account, recording and ephemeral item is a piece of the puzzle that is the past. To unlock the puzzle, visit our Tools page.

Concepts of Historical Inquiry

Time, place, and viewpoint are three of the concepts of historical inquiry. Find the other four here and share them with your students.

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1911 Pacific Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98402
(253) 272-3500
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