Curated OER
California Regions
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.
Curated OER
Movement and Migration: the Gold Nugget that launched the Gold Rush
Students learn what it was like to be a gold miner. In 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...
Curated OER
The Gold Rush Experience: Create Your Own Exhibit
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...
Curated OER
Striking It Rich!
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...
Curated OER
Sacred Places: California Missions from Different Perspectives
Students 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.
Curated OER
California Crops
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...
Curated OER
Heading West
Students study the concept of the westward expansion. In this exploration of the western U.S. instructional activity, students participate in different activities that explain economic hardships, jobs, and land opportunities. Students...
Curated OER
Land Use and Lawmaking in California
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...
Curated OER
Your Mission: The Last Mission
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.
Curated OER
History in the Making: The Tortilla
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...
Curated OER
Houghton Mifflin Social Studies/Chapter 8, Lesson 1: Farming Takes Hold (pp. 184-187)
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...
Curated OER
Boom Town/Gold Rush
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...
Curated OER
Houghton Mifflin Social Studies/Chapter 13, Lesson 1 The Past Shapes the Future (pp. 292-295)
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.
Curated OER
Traveling to the Gold Rush
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...
Curated OER
Baltimoreans in the California Gold Rush
Eleventh graders explore the reasons for migration to California during the Gold Rush. For this American History lesson, 11th graders read letters about the opportunities and obstacles people faced. Students create a map of migration...
Curated OER
Houghton Mifflin Social Studies/ Chapter 5, Lesson 2: Mexico Defeated (pp. 116-120)
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. The lesson outline is included as a link.
Curated OER
From Missions to Ranchos
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...
Curated OER
Growth in Southern California
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...
Curated OER
Houghton Mifflin Social Studies/Chapter 11, Lesson 1: California in Wartime (pp. 250-253)
Fourth graders explore the crisis of Japanese Americans during World War II. The benefits of the California economy are explored. The lesson has a discussion portion that is culturally relevant for many types of students.
Curated OER
California's First Constitution
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.
Curated OER
Pioneers in California
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.
Channel Islands Film
Sa Hi Pa Ca (Once Upon a Time): Lesson Plan 2
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...
Stanford University
The Gold Rush and San Francisco
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...
Channel Islands Film
The Legendary King
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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