Archives and K-12 education: opportunities for collaboration

American archives are currently in a state of under-utilization and change must occur in order for them to survive the twenty-first century. The archives hold information that can be used for teaching research methods, honing critical thinking skills, and fostering a greater understanding of our past. Recent literature in the fields of education and archives suggest increased interest the integration of primary sources into K-12 curriculum, yet there are intellectual gaps left unfilled. Research indicates that both teachers and students are lacking sufficient knowledge pertaining to the proper use and understanding of primary sources. Archivists have an opportunity to promote archives and increase quality scholarship thorough the use of primary sources in K-12 education. This thesis provides resources for connecting current curriculum standards in the state of Washington, and resources from local, state, and national archives. The goal is to demonstrate the broad applicability of archives in the classroom and highlight the scholarly skills that can be developed though the use of primary sources.