The California State Parks present an excellent unit to local geology of Borrego Badlands to Salton Trough. Through lessons plans, power point presentations, and a videoconference students will take a closer look into fossils and the...

A collection of primary source materials and informational text that looks at law and order in the "wild west" of California, identifying changing ethnicity in a growing population seeking gold and other resources.

Students can use this page as a jumping off page to do research on Spanish missions in California. There are numerous links to Scholastic articles and to other websites on subtopics such as missionaries, Franciscans and places in...

A collection of primary source photos from 19th-century California which portray what everyday life was like during the California Gold Rush.

When fourth graders are required to learn their state history, this California teacher takes it across the curriculum implementing a project-based learning unit highlighting the Spanish Mission Era of California in the 18th and 19th...

Primary source photos depicting what life was like out west and in California in the late 19th century.

This San Diego Zoo resources gives the reader facts about the California Condor. Characteristics like diet, habitat and genetic makeup are shared.

The Library of Congress makes available these eyewitness accounts of California's history from 1849 to 1900.

Explore original images depicting scenes of ethnic diversity in California during the Gold Rush years.

A collection of primary source materials that highlight the risks of natural disasters associated with the California Gold Rush as people rushed in to seek their fortunes.

Original photographs depicting scenes from California during the Gold Rush. Illustrations of mines, miners at work, and the tools they used as well as the effect of the mining industry on California's landscape.

A very scholarly article on the Miwok from the Handbook of Indians of California, written in 1919. Learn about the geography of where they lived, their culture, arts, religion, and social practices.

Primary source images that highlight Chinese immigrants to California, the perceptions held about them and the sentiment leading to the Chinese Exclusion Act.

Primary source images highlighting the diverse immigrants who came to California in the early 20th century and some of the challenges they faced.

Original photos and informational text provide a look at what it was like to work in the Richmond, California shipyards during World War II.

Lesson on immigration, conflict and nativism in which students examine primary source documents to evaluate public policy and attitudes towards Chinese immigrants in California, 1878-1879.

Discover how connecting Santa Cruz, California to the national railroad network in the late 1800s helped the town prosper and change.

This first-person account by John Bidwell and his dealings with John Fremont in California.

Primary source photographs portray the issues and history surrounding the Watts Riots of California, and how the community came together.

This reference material explores the largest flying bird in California, the condor. Learn about its habitat, diet, physical characteristics, and much more!

Use this comprehensive animal guide to learn the scientific name and discover the habitat, diet, reproduction, physical, and unique characteristics of the California Sea Lion. Watch them live on the webcam.

Illustrated reference tool provides an overview of the California sea lion with details on physical characteristics, behavior, range, habitat, diet, and conservation status.

Compare data about indoor and outdoor residential water use in northern and southern sites in this infographic from KQED and the California Single Family Water Use Efficiency Study. The accompanying classroom activity helps students find...

Use the table of contents to explore this site which recounts the plight of the Native Americans who lived in California before the Gold Rush and the impact of the gold rush on their lives.