Curated OER
Pre-AP Strategies for Spanish Literature
Take a break from vocabulary development and have your Spanish scholars immerse themselves in Spanish culture. What are common Spanish proverbs? In short sessions over the course of a few weeks, the class will learn about different...
University of California
Impact of the California Missions on Native Americans
While the Spanish claimed to bring civilization to California indigenous peoples, in reality, they also brought violence and forced assimilation to European values. Primary sources, such as the reports of Catholic priests and Europeans...
Curated OER
Las Misiones de California
Fourth graders work in partners to complete a series of activities. After reading the introduction, Students select a role of either a "Padre" or "Indigena." As partners, they need time on the computer for research as well as time to...
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...
Curated OER
Actividades de Repaso de Términos Literarios
Are the advanced placement tests just around the corner for your Spanish classes? Read this article to collect short literary analysis activities to use before the week of the AP exam. Written in Spanish, this article showcases five...
Channel Islands Film
Who Owns the Bones
A study of the history of the Channel Islands, located off the coast of southern California, continues as class members conduct a mock trial to determine which group of stakeholders should have the right to claim the remains of Juan...
Curated OER
Pequeno Estudio Geografico
There is rich symbolism behind a country's flag. Have your Spanish speakers research a country's flag and inquire about its symbolism. Then, to prepare for their presentation, each learner could find a way to visually represent their...
California Academy of Science
A Day in the Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Before Google, before Sillicon Valley, before the Gold Rush, the San Francisco landscape was a biome filled with grizzly bears, mule deer, tule elk, coyotes, gray fox, gophers, and moles. To explore the early days of yesteryear, kids...
Curated OER
Savvy in Sacramento
Students take a field trip to the state capital, Sacramento. Using the Internet, they explain the physical and human geographic features of the area and discuss interactions between the people of California between the time of explorers...
Curated OER
Office Secretary
Students explore school secretaries. In this ELL vocabulary and language development lesson, students look at pictures of school secretaries performing various jobs and give oral descriptions of what they see. Students visit the school...
Curated OER
Coming to California
Fourth graders read excerpts from Juan Bautista de Anza's diaries. They analyze the impact of primary sources. They write journal entries for characters in stories they have read during the year.
McGraw Hill
Study Guide for Island of the Blue Dolphins
Dive your class into a reading of Island of the Blue Dolphins with this in-depth study guide. Breaking the novel into three parts, the resource begins each section with a focus activity that identifies a specific theme or question to be...
Curated OER
History Detectives
Fifth graders investigate the significant events in America's history. Students listen to a variety of books based on significant historical events in America. Students divide into 6 groups, each of which is responsible for researching...
Channel Islands Film
Once Upon a Time (Sa Hi Pa Ca): Lesson Plan 3
What was the most significant tool used by the Chumash? How did the environment make the tool possible? What group behaviors allowed the Chumash be be successful for thousands of years? After watching West of the West's documentary Once...
Channel Islands Film
First Contact: Lesson Plan 4 - Grades 5-6
After watching Treasure in the Sea, a documentary about Channel Islands National Park and the video First Contact, about the voyage of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo to the Channel islands, groups research and then compare the experiences of...
Curated OER
A Close Look at Mexico
Students study the diverse population of Mexico and compare it to that of the United States. They sing traditional songs of Mexico including the national anthem and memorize simple Spanish vocabulary and express greetings, age, likes,...
Curated OER
Island of the Blue Dolphins Jigsaw
Fourth graders research three topics from the book, either Village Life, Sea Life, or San Nicholas Island. They research independently and meet in a jigsaw format to share what they learned. As group they create a poster for class...
Curated OER
Esperanza Rising: Lesson 9
Sixth graders explore culture by reading a book with classmates. In this Hispanic history instructional activity, 6th graders read the story First Day in Grapes, and discuss the tough lives of migrant workers. Students answer study...
Curated OER
Aztec Culture
Students research the Aztec culture in Mexico. They focus on their religious practices. They write a goal to personally sacrifice something. They also write about the costs and benefits of a sacrifice.
Orange County Department of Education
Pepita Talks Twice
Third graders read Pepita Talks Twice and define the character traits of respect and responsibility. They write their examples of the characters traits on a character trait doll. Students recognize the character traits of respect and...
Curated OER
What Was It Like?
Young scholars use the Internet to gather historical facts about the county in which they live. Using the information, they discover how to check it for accuracy and present their findings to the class. They write an essay about the...
Curated OER
A Story of Giving
Learners read a fable and identify their traits and values. They discuss how their family gives to others. They also predict the results of a lifetime of philanthropic giving.
Curated OER
Literature: Esperanza Rising
Students read and discuss the book, Esperanza Rising. After analyzing and identifying the novel's structural elements, they examine working conditions for migrant workers in the 1930s. As part of the lesson, students in groups choose...
Curated OER
America's Future Culture
Seventh graders research the past and present policies in the United States regarding immigration. As a class, they read "Immigration Timeline" to examine the various groups who came to America for a better life. To end the lesson,...