Grade 4 Lesson at a Glance: Chapter 5, Lesson 3

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
Oh, California

Lesson at a Glance
Chapter 5, Lesson 3: The Rush for Gold (pp. 121-124)

The Big Idea
Framework Concept: Change People from around the world rushed to California to find gold.

Have students use a world map to trace several of the routes the forty-niners took from different places around the world. Discuss with students why people left their homes and traveled thousands of often perilous miles for the gold rush. Then debate the question: Was it worth it? You might want to record responses that students can return to after reading the next lesson (Lesson 4) that details some of the experiences of the gold rush.

Lesson Outline
Use the Lesson Outline to preview the content of the lesson. You may wish to print it for your students as a guide during reading.

Check for Understanding

Have students reread the song on page 124 that describes a sea voyage to California. Have students write their own verse telling about a land or sea trip made by a forty-niner.
Have students refer to the travel poster on page 124. Invite them to make their own travel poster that includes illustrated or written persuasive details about the trip, the route, and the destination.

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