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Gold Rush or Bust! 

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**Invitation**
What was the Gold Rush? How is it important to California History?

**Situations**
We will be studying the Gold Rush during class time. You will have 2 half hour periods of library time to research and check out a book about the Gold Rush. You will be given 30 minutes a day for two weeks in the computer lab to explore the websites provided and complete a PowerPoint presentation and Google Map.
 * The first 3 days are for research and planning your presentations.
 * The next 2 days are to work on your Google Map
 * The following 4r days are to work on your PowerPoint presentation
 * The last day is to add final touches to either project

**Tasks**

 * You will research the topics by visiting the websites provided and reading a book from the library.
 * Students will individually complete a PowerPoint Guide [[file:PowerPoint Guide.doc]]
 * In groups of four you will create and present a PowerPoint presentation that includes at least 7 slides. There will be at least one slide on the following topics:
 * What is the Gold Rush?
 * What is a tool used to find gold?
 * Who was an important person related to the Gold Rush?
 * What was a population that moved to California?
 * What is something that interests you about the Gold Rush? (each student will create a slide)
 * Using Google Maps you will create a map that illustrates the path someone may have taken to get to California. You will include:
 * 5 placemarks with descriptions
 * a line to illustrate the path taken
 * using the placemarks and journey line create a narration of events that may have happened and describe what life would be like on that journey
 * You will add a post to the discussion question: would have gone to California looking for gold? Why or why not?

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**Interactions**
You will work individually to complete your research and PowerPoint Guide (first three days) You will work in partners to complete complete the Google Maps project. (2 maps per group) You will work together in groups of 4 to complete a PowerPoint presentation. The teacher will provide instruction on the use of PowerPoint and Google Maps as wells as assist students with learning.

**Standards**
4.4 Students explain how California became an agricultural and industrial power, tracing the transformation of the California economy and its political and cultural development since the 1850s. 2. Explain how the Gold Rush transformed the economy of California, including the types of products produced and consumed, changes in towns (e.g., Sacramento, San Francisco), and economic conflicts between diverse groups of people. 3. Discuss immigration and migration to California between 1850 and 1900, including the diverse composition of those who came; the countries of origin and their relative locations; and conflicts and accords among the diverse groups (e.g., the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act).

**Tools**
[|PBS Kids Way Back] [|Huntington Library] [|The California Gold Rush (video)] [|Sac Bee: Cal Gold Rush] [|Strike it Rich! (game)]

**Sample Work**
[|Google Maps Project]