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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 lesson plan, 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 research and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Striking It Rich!

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore the California Gold Rush. They explore the lure of gold and the Wild West, how pioneers traveled to the West, and the hardships and people they encountered along the way. Activities be authentic, hands-on, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Heading West

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Young scholars 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. Young scholars...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Land Use and Lawmaking in California

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students investigate the laws of using land.  In this California Government lesson, students examine the many uses of land in California and find an environmental issue they care about.  Students write a letter to a politician based on...
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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. For 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

Baltimoreans in the California Gold Rush

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore the reasons for migration to California during the Gold Rush.  In this American History lesson, 11th graders read letters about the opportunities and obstacles people faced.  Students create a map of migration...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies/ Chapter 5, Lesson 2: Mexico Defeated (pp. 116-120)

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders study how the United States declared war on Mexico and succeeded in gaining control of California. Several activities are included in the lesson plan. The lesson plan outline is included as a link.
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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 instructional activity has a discussion portion that is culturally relevant for many types of students.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

California's First Constitution

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read excerpts from speeches made at the California Constitutional Convention. They predict what the state constitution say about slavery and other issues concerning race.
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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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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
Stanford University

The Gold Rush and San Francisco

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The California Gold Rush rewrote the history of the American West, but especially that of San Francisco. After analyzing images of the city and primary sources, such as a diary entry, scholars discuss these changes. Scaffolded questions...
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Lesson Plan
Channel Islands Film

The Legendary King

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
After viewing two documentaries about the history of the Channel islands, individuals craft an essay in which they compare the lives of Juana Maria, the Lone Woman San Nicolar Island, to Lester Holt and his family featured in the...
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Lesson Plan
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Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation

Immigration Case File Investigation

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Case files for Angel Island immigrants are kept at the regional archives in San Bruno, California. Groups study one such case file to understand the life histories and different experiences of the internees and then report out their...
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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
Curated OER

Narrative History - Hypertext Dialogues

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Pupils create scripts about California settlers. The document reflects the settlers' fears, expectations, and realizations.

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