Create an Annotated Map: Exploring the California Gold Rush Project-Based Learning Unit

OVERVIEW:

This project-based learning lesson is designed to support and reinforce the concepts taught as part of a social studies lesson or unit on westward expansion and the California Gold Rush. It is built around 5 inquiry-based milestones that incorporate cross-curricular hands-on projects, formative and summative assessments, independent and group activities, and extensions.

STUDENT/GROUP OUTPUT:

In the course of this project-based learning unit, students will:

• Build background knowledge about westward expansion by planning a trip to California to join the Gold Rush;
• Use mapping skills and historical documents to research and map the famous "boomtowns" of California;
• Research and understand the hardships of traveling West by mapping specific routes over land and by sea;
• Use primary source documents from the Digital Public Library of America to research the history of the Gold Rush and westward expansion;
• "Show what they know" by using their research, mapping, and descriptive writing skills to produce an annotated "storytelling" map of a personal journey West to the Gold Rush.

SUGGESTED SUBJECT PREREQUISITES:

Students will acquire necessary background knowledge of westward expansion and the California Gold Rush as part of this project, and instructional materials for providing that background are included in the Teacher Pack. Students should be familiar with basic map reading skills and performing research.

SEQUENCE AND PACING

This project-based unit is divided into 5 milestones. The minimum suggested duration for completing this project-based unit is 5 class periods. However, the unit is completely flexible can be lengthened or shortened as necessary or desired, based on available class time and interest level.

TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES (suggested):

• Internet access
• Audio/visual equipment for listening to the song "Ho! For California"

STANDARDS ALIGNMENT
These activities support the following 3C Framework for Social Studies State Standards:

D1.5.3-5. Determine the kinds of sources that will be helpful in answering compelling and supporting questions, taking into consideration the different opinions people have about how to answer the questions.
D2.Eco.1.3-5. Compare the benefits and costs of individual choices.
D2.Eco.1.3-5. Identify positive and negative incentives that influence the decisions people make.
D2.Geo.1.3-5. Construct maps and other graphic representations of both familiar and unfamiliar places.
D2.Geo.2.3-5. Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between the locations of places and regions and their environmental characteristics.
D2.Geo.8.3-5. Explain how human settlements and movements relate to the locations and use of various natural resources.
D2.His.2.3-5. Compare life in specific historical time periods to life today.
D2.His.3.3-5. Generate questions about individuals and groups who have shaped significant historical changes and continuities.
D2.His.6.3-5. Describe how people’s perspectives shaped the historical sources they created.
D2.His.10.3-5. Compare information provided by different historical sources about the past
D2.His.13.3-5. Use information about a historical source, including the maker, date, place of origin, intended audience, and purpose to judge the extent to which the source is useful for studying a particular topic.
D3.1.3-5. Gather relevant information from multiple sources while using the origin, structure, and context to guide the selection.
D3.3.3-5. Identify evidence that draws information from multiple sources in response to compelling questions.
D3.4.3-5. Use evidence to develop claims in response to compelling questions.
D4.6.3-5. Draw on disciplinary concepts to explain the challenges people have faced and opportunities they have created, in addressing local, regional, and global problems at various times and places.