Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Day of the Dead

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore Day of the Dead, also called "Dia de los Muertos," which is a holiday (or festival) celebrated in Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala, and other areas in Central and South America populated with the Latino ethnic background.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Uniform Blues

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore what the U.S. Constitution is and why it is important, the purpose of the state constitution, and its relationship to the U.S. Constitution and the similarities and differences among federal, state and local...
Lesson Plan
Huntington Library

Huntington Library: Coming to California [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th
In this lesson, 4th graders examine entries from Juan Bautista de Anza's diary and other documents to understand the experiences and obstacles he and his companions faced as they traveled from Arizona to California in 1774. Student...
Handout
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Gilder Lehrman Institute: History Now: Immigration: Framing Soo Hoo Lem Kong

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This resource presents a primary lesson plan that looks at primary sources to learn about Chinese immigration to California.
Website
Books in the Classroom

Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Site: In Plain Sight

For Students 3rd - 5th
Carol Hurst uses one of her own books, "In Plain Sight," as a basis for this lesson plan on the California gold rush. In addition to discussion questions about the book, Hurst provides ten activities designed to help students explore...
Handout
University of California

Cal Heritage Collection: Using Primary Sources

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
This resource covers what primary sources are, where we can find them, and how we can assess them in the classroom.