Rumors of riches brought people to California from near and far. Water was so scarce on the journey west however, that some folks sold it to desperate gold diggers for as much as $100 a glass.  Adventurers became creative with modes of transportation, food, and living the American dream. The "Strange but True" stories of these men and women seeking fame and fortune paint a colorful history of California and the everlasting quest for gold.


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Your group are the experts on the "Strange but True" facts of the Gold Rush. Your job is to research, learn, and share this expertise with your fellow prospectors.

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Digging for Gold...

• Think about what you know
• Research on the Internet
• Analyze new resources
• Write a journal entry
• Create a Gold Rush newspaper

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Think . . .

Use the logbook to record your thoughts about your expert topic.   THINK about...  ï What you know at the start of your journey  ï What you want to know  ï What you have learned by the conclusion of the project

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Research . . .

Click the links below to explore fun facts about this rush for gold in California. Concentrate while navigating the Internet and use the BACK button on the toolbar to return to your expert page. Fun Facts

Analyze . . .
 

Explore the concepts you discover while browsing the Internet resources on your expert topic. Think critically as you analyze the information and record your answers to the following relevant questions in the logbook.  1. How did "supply and demand" change prices of goods? 2. What was the wagon-train traffic jam? 3. Describe some weird means of transportation out west. 4. How was everyday life on the open road different from today? (hint: stinky) 5. What has changed to make our lives easier than in 1849?

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Write . . .
 

Imagine you were living back in the times of Gold Rush Fever. Compose a diary entry from a day in the life of pioneer traveler. Be creative and record your thoughts in the logbook.   Some ideas to consider:   ï What time did you rise in the morning?  ï What was for breakfast (lunch or dinner) and who cooked it?  ï How did you dress? (probably depends on where you worked)  ï Who did you meet during the day?  ï What is your occupation?  ï Why did you come out west?  ï Who was in your family  ï Where did you live?  ï What are your feelings about living during the Gold Rush?

 
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Create . . .

As pioneering journalists your group will design and create your own newspaper which illustrates your area of expertise. Each group member should write at least one article and draw one picture for the paper.
 

Newspaper Elements:  Title  Date/place/cost Lead story (headline) Supporting articles Interesting pictures Table of contents  Weather Obituaries Advertisements Classified (help wanted, or something to buy or sell)

Materials for Design:  Large paper Markers Rulers Crayons Scissors

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