Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nevada Mines 1850-1880

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students explore the Nevada mining of 1850-1880. For this history lesson, students investigate the Comstock Lode and examine the mining tools that were used to search for silver and gold.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History of the American West

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders research early mining in California. They study the "placer method" for mining gold, which is surface mining that does not involve tunneling. They examine what it was like for the early miners to pan for gold with...
Primary
Calisphere: University of California Libraries

University of California: Calisphere: Gold Rush Era: Environmental Impact

For Students 9th - 10th
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.