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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

In Search of California Indians

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research information about some of California indigenous tribes to find out as much as possible about the first people found in the west. They research about the history of a selected tribe and their contributions to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

California-Becoming an Agricultural and Insustrial Power

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explain how California became an agricultural and industrial power. They trace the transformation of the California economy in its political and cultural development since the 1850's.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

California Regions

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore and compare and contrast the four main regions of California: mountains, coast, central valley, and desert. students use pictures and research to describe how regions vary in land use, vegetation, wildlife and climate.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Movement and Migration: the Gold Nugget that launched the Gold Rush

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students learn what it was like to be a gold miner. For this California gold rush lesson, students watch a movie about the California gold rush and discuss what they learned. Students use the Internet to examine the gold nugget that...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Gold Rush Experience: Create Your Own Exhibit

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students create a virtual exhibit. In this gold rush instructional activity, students watch a movie about the California gold rush, view a virtual image of the gold nugget that started the gold rush and examine the sources. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sacred Places: California Missions from Different Perspectives

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars create a project poster displaying photos, drawings, and journal writings that incorporate the major themes of California's missions, and use perspective and point of view both visually and in writing.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

California Crops

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore agriculture by researching the native food crops of California. Students define a list of agriculture vocabulary terms and analyze maps of California which explain which foods come from which area. Students write a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Heading West

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students study the concept of the westward expansion. In this exploration of the western U.S. lesson, students participate in different activities that explain economic hardships, jobs, and land opportunities. Students describe...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Land Use and Lawmaking in California

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Learners investigate the laws of using land.  In this California Government instructional activity, students examine the many uses of land in California and find an environmental issue they care about.  Learners write a letter to a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Your Mission: The Last Mission

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders develop a research report to determine the best location for the final California mission. They conduct Internet research, create charts and diagrams, and develop a presentation.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History in the Making: The Tortilla

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine the history of the tortilla and extend the study across the curriculum. In this history of the tortilla lesson, 4th graders research the background of the tortilla, determine the ingredients, and work with the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies/Chapter 8, Lesson 1: Farming Takes Hold (pp. 184-187)

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders discuss that the movement toward farming during the 1850's to the 1870's meant for California. The economy of California is studied in relationship to the effects of farming. There are several focus questions to help...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Boom Town/Gold Rush

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students discover the history of California by researching the Gold Rush.  In this economics history lesson, students participate in a class discussion about the book Boom Town, and the value of gold in California.  Students participate...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies/Chapter 13, Lesson 1 The Past Shapes the Future (pp. 292-295)

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders reflect upon the events of the past in order to make cognitive connections to present or future history. Students use Blooms Taxonomy to attain higher levels of thinking.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Traveling to the Gold Rush

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research the experiences the people who traveled to California during the Gold Rush by land and sea. They create a map showing the various routes that individuals took to get to California. Students explain the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

From Missions to Ranchos

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine the conversion of the California missions into ranchos. They develop a pros and cons chart, write a first person narrative describing the changing life from the missions to the ranchos, and create a poster of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Growth in Southern California

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine the impact of orange crops and the railroad industry on the growth in southern California. They develop a fact list about the history of oranges in California, and create a family tree demonstrating the impact of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies/Chapter 11, Lesson 1: California in Wartime (pp. 250-253)

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the crisis of Japanese Americans during World War II. The benefits of the California economy are explored. The activity has a discussion portion that is culturally relevant for many types of students.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pioneers in California

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine the changes the pioneers brought to California in the 1800's. They develop a timeline that includes captions, symbols, and pictures, and write a paragraph describing the experiences of the early California pioneers.
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Lesson Plan
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1
Channel Islands Film

Sa Hi Pa Ca (Once Upon a Time): Lesson Plan 2

For Teachers 4th Standards
What tools do archaeologists and anthropologist use to learned about what life was like in the past. After watching West of The West's documentary Once Upon a Time that details how scientists use artifacts to establish a history of the...
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Lesson Plan
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Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation

How Do Pictures Tell the Story of Angel Island?

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
Young historians learn more about the history of Angel Island Immigration Station through their analysis of primary source images. Guided by a list of inferential questions, scholars learn how to make and record observations on a...
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Lesson Plan
Channel Islands Film

Telling Your Own Story

For Students 4th - 6th Standards
After watching and discussing a video on the Voyage of Cabrillo, individuals craft their own origin story and design and build an artifact they feel best represents their history.
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Lesson Plan
Dawn N . Ericson

California Kelp Forest Restoration

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
This unit is so cool, you won't be able to "kelp" yourself! Intended for all grades, this science and activity guide for teachers offers a unique opportunity to understand kelp's role as a valuable ecological resource. Teachers and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eureka! You've Struck

For Teachers 4th
While incomplete, this lesson could provide ideas for a lesson on the California gold rush. Learners look at a chart to analyze population growth in San Francisco after the discovery of gold, analyze political changes that occurred, and...

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