Students will be immersed in the life of a miner and hopefully strike it rich!  Each student will randomly be given a role of a person that made their way to the American River in California to search for gold.  Along the way, students will learn about the routes miners took to California, the different groups of people that came searching for fortunes, life in a mining camp, and the effects of the Gold Rush.  Students will explore San Francisco as it grew into a city from a town of only 800 before the Gold Rush.  Students will also learn about groups that were negatively affected by the Gold Rush including Chinese immigrants and Native Americans living in California.  This class will give multiple viewpoints of the Gold Rush and its effects.

Course Outline:

Day One:  We're Going to Be Rich!  Learners will explore how the Gold Rush began and the geography of the area where gold was found.  Learners will also learn about the groups of Native Americans that depended on the American River for food and water.

Day Two:  We've Got the Fever...Gold Fever!  Learners will explore the different routes that Americans and people around the world took to get to California.  There will trials and tribulations along the way!

Day Three:   I'll Grubstake You!  On this day, learners will explore San Francisco during the Gold Rush and learn about the businesses that tried to drain every last penny from the miners. 

Day Four:  Stake a Claim!  Learners will explore life at a mining camp and at the river.  On this day, learners will hear about how different groups of miners were treated poorly due to racial discrimination.

Day Five:  Hittin' Pay Dirt!  Did the miners strike it rich?  What people were living large after the Gold Rush ended and what happened to the miners that were broke?  Also, we will discuss the effects of the Gold Rush on the native people that were living in California.

Each day, students will be given a short optional homework assignment that will enhance the learning experience in class.