Curated OER
Exploring California's Regions
Students participate in small groups to create a California's Region map. They research and identify the climate, geographic features, and one or two special features of their assigned region.
Curated OER
Those Particular Plants in Particular Regions
Fourth graders, acting as a botanist, analyze information on different plants in different regions of California. They characterize each plant for each region and answer a variety of question for each plant while doing this study.
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
The Times and Life During the California Gold Rush
Fourth graders read about the era in their history books, write in their journals revolving around the Gold Rush, making crafts such as newspapers, and also play the part of the Forty-niners.
Curated OER
Exploring California
While incomplete, this lesson could be used as a starting point for an exploration of the geographic features of California. Learners describe the four regions of California and discuss population and economic development. Then, they use...
California Academy of Science
California's Climate
The United States is a large country with many different climates. Graph and analyze temperature and rainfall data for Sacramento and Washington DC as you teach your class about the characteristics of Mediterranean climates. Discuss the...
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
California Crops
Young scholars 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. Young scholars...
Curated OER
Regional Landforms and Native People
Third graders study the Native American tribes of Maidu and Miwok by studying Internet artifacts, culture, language, music, storytelling, architecture, food, clothing, crafts and geology.
Curated OER
California Native American Basket Weaving
Fourth graders consider the role that baskets play in the traditional lives of Native Americans in California. Students investigate types of baskets and their various uses and then weave their own baskets.
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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...
Global Oneness Project
Citizen Photojournalism
Matt Black's photo essay, "The Geography of Poverty" provides a shocking reminder of the poverty that exists in the United States. The resource not only focuses attention on poverty but also conditions that have given rise to situation...
Curated OER
Geography Journey
Fourth graders examine the geographic features that define places and regions and answer questions about the state of California. They discuss the components of a map legend and answer worksheet questions using a map of California as a...
Curated OER
Klondike Fever
Students consider the geographical aspects of the gold rush. In this gold lesson, students research just what gold is and where it has been found. Students create maps that highlight the regions of the world where gold has been...
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Indian Trust Lands
An important aspect of studying Native American history is understanding the nature of trust lands. Budding historians will learn that as Native Americans were removed from their home lands, trust lands were provided in the form of...
Curated OER
VAcations in Northern California
Students explore the natural resources and National Parks of Northern California that are commonly visited by people traveling in the United States. They use maps to locate various sites, plan a highway travel route and use the internet...
NASA
Mystery Planet
What can one learn about a planet based on a small surface sample? Learners will explore artifacts from a mystery planet and see what they can determine about the planet based on the evidence in front of them.
Curated OER
Trailblazers - Now and Then
Students, working in pairs, use maps to determine the most efficient routes between two cities. They research which route would have been used by early trailblazers. They present a first person account of one of the trailblazers place in...
Curated OER
Postcards from California: A Unit on Geography, Social Studies, History and California's Resources
Fourth graders examine patterns that influence population density in the various regions of California. The unit's three lessons utilize graphic organizers for the interpretation and presentation of data.
Curated OER
California Biodiversity
Students examine several maps of California exhibiting features such as precipitation, topography, and vegetation. They look for patterns that might be the source of or influence biodiversity in different regions. They pay particular...
Curated OER
Locke and Walnut Grove: Havens for Early Asian Immigrants in California
Students use readings, maps and photos to examine the life of Japanese-American immigrants in Locke and Walnut Grove in the early 1900s. They discuss their research findings, role-play the lives of immigrants and write responses.
Curated OER
Trailblazers- Now and Then
Students examine and study the routes of trailblazers. In this American history lesson, students find a route on a map and compare that to the route of trailblazers. Students will then compare that map with a topographical map to...
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...
Curated OER
A Dollar Goes A Long Way
Investigate life along the Old Spanish Trail! They visit websites and identify the history and environment. They create journals, dramatic enactments, and maps to discover the role individuals played in society. They also explore the...