WebQuest

The California Gold Rush (1848-1855)

Teacher Page

Target Learners: Grades 4 & 5

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: It might be helpful to visit:

http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/teacher.html

The cite provides a teacher’s guide for teaching about the Gold Rush, background information, timeline, vocabulary, test questions, and activity ideas.

STANDARDS

HISTORY:

1) Historical Thinking: Students will develop historical thinking skills, including

chronological thinking and recognizing change over time; contextualizing, comprehending and analyzing historical literature; researching historical sources; understanding the concept of historical causation; understanding competing narratives and interpretation; and constructing narratives and interpretation.

2) Local, United States and World History: Students will use historical thinking skills to develop an understanding of the major historical periods, issues

and trends in United States history, world history, and Connecticut and local history.

3) Historical Themes: Students will apply their understanding of historical periods, issues and trends to examine such historical themes as ideals, beliefs and institutions; conflict and conflict resolution; human movement and interaction; and science and technology in order to understand how the world came to be the way it is.

GEOGRAPHY

9) Places and Regions: Students will use spatial perspective to identify and analyze the significance of physical and cultural characteristics of places and world regions.

11) Human Systems: Students will interpret spatial patterns of human migration, economic activities and political units in Connecticut,the nation and the world.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Standard 1: Reading and Responding
Overarching Idea: Students read, comprehend and respond in individual, literal, critical and evaluative ways to literary, informational and persuasive texts in multimedia formats.

Guiding Question: How do we understand what we read?

Component Statements:
1.1 Students use appropriate strategies before, during and after reading in order to construct meaning.
1.2 Students interpret, analyze and evaluate text in order to extend understanding and appreciation.
1.3 Students select and apply strategies to facilitate word recognition and develop vocabulary in order to comprehend text.
1.4 Students communicate with others to create interpretations of written, oral and visual texts.

Standard 3: Communicating with Others
Overarching Idea: Students produce written, oral and visual texts to express, develop and substantiate ideas and experiences.
Guiding Question: How do we write, speak and present effectively?
Component Statements:
3.1 Students use descriptive, narrative, expository, persuasive and poetic modes.
3.2 Students prepare, publish and/or present work appropriate to audience, purpose and task.

research information from multiple sources for a specific purpose.

Standard 4: Applying English Language Conventions
Overarching Idea: Students apply the conventions of standard English in oral, written and visual communication.
Guiding Question: How do we use the English language appropriately to speak and write?
Component Statements:
4.1   Students use knowledge of their language and culture to improve competency in English.
4.2   Students speak and write using standard language structures and diction appropriate to audience and task.
4.3   Students use standard English for composing and revising written text.

Connecticut Standards Taken from:

http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2618&q=321696

WORKS CITED

Websites Cited in Part 1

“Gold Rush: Fever” Boettecher/ Trinklein Inc., 2002.

http://cwis.isu.edu/~trinmich/fever.html

“Gold Fever” PBS Kids

http://pbskids.org/wayback/goldrush/goldfever.html

“Gold Fever:The Lure of Gold” Oakland Museum of California, 1998.

http://www.museumca.org/goldrush/fever02.html

“Gold Rush: Gold County” Boettecher/ Trinklein Inc., 2002.

http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/goldcountry.html