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.

Using a variety of online resources, learners study life and society in California during the gold rush. They use a map to identify area where gold was located, explore pre-selected websites, describe mining practices, and create an...

An ambitious and engaging lesson on the Westward Movement for your students to enjoy! Groups of learners rotate between learning tasks such as learning about the Chislom Trail, Lewis and Clark, and the Gold Rush. A WebQuest is also...

Learners identify the routes involved in the Gold Rush on a map. In this map skills lesson, students use a United States map to locate the routes used to travel to California during the Gold Rush. Learners demonstrate how to use the map...

Fourth graders research the experiences the people who traveled to California during the Gold Rush by land and sea. They create a map showing the various routes that individuals took to get to California. Students explain the...

Presenting ... the gold standard for a instructional activity. Learners first investigate a task maximizing the area of a plot for gold prospecting. They then examine a set of sample student responses to evaluate their strengths and...

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...

Students continue their examination of the Gold Rush in California. In groups, they use a map to examine the original sites of the towns and what happened to them. They work together to create a brochure for one of the towns and...

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...

Students discover the history of California by researching the Gold Rush.  For this economics history lesson, students participate in a class discussion about the book Boom Town, and the value of gold in California.  Students...

Middle schoolers consider the geographical aspects of the gold rush. In this gold instructional activity, students research just what gold is and where it has been found. Middle schoolers create maps that highlight the regions...

Pupils examine routes to gold. In this California gold rush lesson, students map land and water routes to California. Pupils use maps to copy the routes that they want to market to gold diggers.

Students determine how Spanish-speaking blacks and English speaking blacks were treated differently. In this emancipation lesson, students compare the Mexican and American rules regarding slavery.     

Students demonstrate appreciation of contributions of Aboriginal peoples, the French, and the British to the development of Canada and explain how supply and demand are affected by population and the availability of resources. They then...

Students examine ethnicity and the Gold Rush. In this lesson on the Gold Rush, students research the different ethnic groups present at the Gold Rush. Students will work in groups to answer questions concerning ethnicity and fill out an...

Fourth graders participate in a series of activities designed to simulate mining for gold. They pan for "gold" and create a safe tunnel.

Students study the concept of the westward expansion. In this exploration of the western U.S. lesson, students participate in different activities that explain economic hardships, jobs, and land opportunities. Students describe...

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...

Students determine the difference between immigration and emigration. They read and listen to books about emigration westward during the Gold Rush years. They examine life in Gold Rush towns while determining why gold is so valuable....

Students investigate why San Francisco grew so quickly during the Gold Rush. They

Students examine reasons why people migrated west. They describe how the geography of the U.S. changed in the 19 th century and design a PowerPoint presentation to convey factors for westward expansion.

Students investigate gold. In this gold panning lesson, students demonstrate the process of mining through an experiment using two boxes of sand. Students design a safe way to mine gold.

Young scholars read The Call of the Wild, noting its theme of survival. They investigate the book's concepts with word webs, spider maps, or graphic organizers. They conduct a panel discussion on dogs and wolves. They write a letter to...

Middle schoolers view and discuss a demonstration of how gold is mined and panned. They design and create a tunnel that has reinforcements to withstand collapse.