What Your Child Is Learning in Unit 4, "Growth and Development"

In the next few weeks, your child will learn about the changes that took place in California in the years following the gold rush. He or she will discover the energy and ingenuity of remarkable individuals responsible for building railroads and promoting agriculture. Your child will also learn about the thousands of immigrants who made California their new home in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Activities You Can Do at Home to Support Your Child's Learning

Chapter 7 The Transcontinental Railroad

• Discuss with your child why railroads may have declined in importance in this nation since the 1800s. Talk about the alternatives available today for travelers or people who are shipping goods.

• Encourage your child to read books related to the building of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads.

Chapter 8 Agriculture Advances

• Look at book with pictures of a modern California farm with your child. Take turns pointing out some of the advances in technology over the past one hundred years, such as motorized tractors and harvesting equipment. Help your child understand that many of the machines were not available in the 1800s and early 1900s. Discuss how these advances have promoted growth in farming.

Chapter 9 A Mix of Cultures

• Share memories of a time in your life when you had to adjust to new surroundings. Explain ways in which the change presented new opportunities and challenges for you. Which people helped you adjust and how? Discuss how your child might make the adjustment easier for newcomers to your community.