Curated OER
Dust Bowl Exodus: How Drought and the Depression Took Their Toll
Students examine the migration of refugees. In this California history lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of how the Dust Bowl and Great Depression led to a California population...
Stanford University
Native Californians and the Portola Expedition
What was California like before the Spanish came? Class members discover the answer to the question using images of Native Americans and diaries of the early Spanish explorers. Scaffolded activities allow instructors to adapt the...
Channel Islands Film
Island Rotation: Lesson Plan 1
How do scientists provide evidence to support the theories they put forth? What clues do they put together to create these theories? After watching West of the West's documentary Island Rotation class members engage in a series of...
Channel Islands Film
Magic Isle: Lesson Plan 1
What are the factors that limit growth and expansion? As part of their study of Catalina Island, class members view the West of the West's documentary Magic Isle and research William Wrigley and the Santa Catalina Island Company. After...
Curated OER
California Missions Project-Using Publisher
Students create a California Missions magazine that includes a Table of Contents, pictures, and websites. In this culture and history lesson, students research missions and write and create a magazine article about it.
Curated OER
Preparing for the AP European History Exam
Only have a few weeks until the AP exam? Don't panic. Prepare your AP students for the European History exam using these detailed strategies. This instructional lesson plan summarizes ideas to prepare your scholars for the big test,...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
History of Immigration From the 1850s to the Present
The Statue of Liberty may embrace the huddled masses of the world, but has American society always joined in? After young historians read a passage about the history of American immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on...
Curated OER
California: Land and People
Fourth graders research information about some of California indigenous tribes to find out as much as possible about the first people found in the four regions of California. They research the history of a selected tribe and their...
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
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
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
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
The California Recall Election
High schoolers identify facts about the structure of the California recall election. They research the history of recall elections throughout the United States. They analyze the positives and negatives of a governor recall election.
Curated OER
Land Use and Lawmaking in California
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...
Curated OER
Esperanza Rising: Lesson 9
Sixth graders explore culture by reading a book with classmates. In this Hispanic history lesson, 6th graders read the story First Day in Grapes, and discuss the tough lives of migrant workers. Students answer study questions after the...
Global Oneness Project
Cultural Heritage: Recording a Native Language Dictionary
How do you rebuild a language that has been banned for years? A short video introduces high schoolers to Marie Wilcox, A Wukchumni Native American from Central California who, for over 20 years, worked on comprising a dictionary of the...
Curated OER
California Geography
Fourth graders explore geography of four distinct regions of California: mountains, coast, central valley, and desert. They locate California on map, identify state's boundaries and borders, and explore agriculture, a major economic...
Curated OER
Baltimoreans in the California Gold Rush
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...
Curated OER
Google Earth Geology Field Trip
Learners take a virtual field trip around California using Google Earth. In this geology field trip lesson, students explore landforms and a variety of rocks located in California. Learners compare environments where rocks are formed....
Museum of Tolerance
Family Tree Activity
Discover the family histories that make the classroom with a family tree activity. Scholars locate information about their family, construct a family tree, and work together to tally where family members are born.
Stanford University
Evaluating Historical Sources on Juana Briones
Most have never heard of Juana Briones, the incredible woman who came to own property and divorce her husband in 1850s California. Yet, her relatively unknown life reflects the historical dynamics of the American West, particularly those...
Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation
Moving to the Poems of Angel Island
A poem carved on Angel Island's walls is the guiding text of a instructional activity that challenges scholars to put movement into a written piece of art. After warm up-activities, learners play a game of "Pass the Clap" and "Pass the...
Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation
How Do Pictures Tell the Story of Angel Island?
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...
Channel Islands Film
Arlington Springs Man: Lesson Plan 4
West of the West's documentary Arlington Springs Man introduces viewers to the remarkable finds on Santa Rosa Island. Archaeologist have discovered on this small island that is part of the Channel island chain, human and pygmy mammoth...