The Boston Tea Party

Who Was Benjamin Franklin?

Time for Kids:  Benjamin Franklin

The Mexican Revolution (1910 - 1920)

We will learn a little bit about the Mexican Revolution as background knowledge before we read the novel Esperanza Rising.

Read more about the Mexican Revolution at this link.

The California Gold Rush

 

Research Resources: American Explorers of California

 John Fremont

• https://socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/johncfremont.htm
• https://kids.kiddle.co/John_C._Fr%C3%A9mont
• https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/John-Charles-Fr%C3%A9mont/399469

John Bidwell

• Use this one first:  https://factcards.califa.org/exp/bidwell.html
• https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/John-Bidwell/632112
• https://kids.kiddle.co/John_Bidwell

Christopher "Kit" Carson

• https://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/kitcarson.htm
• https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Kit-Carson/399958
• https://kids.kiddle.co/Kit_Carson

Jedediah Smith

• https://socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/jedediahsmith.htm
• https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Jedediah-Smith/632111
• https://kids.kiddle.co/Jedediah_Smith

George Donner & The Donner Party

• https://academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Donner_Party
• https://www.nps.gov/cali/learn/historyculture/donner-reed-party.htm
• https://spartacus-educational.com/WWdonner.htm

James Beckwourth

• https://kids.kiddle.co/James_Beckwourth#:~:text=James%20Pierson%20Beckwourth%20(born%20Beckwith,born%20into%20slavery%20in%20Virginia.
• https://academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/James_Beckwourth
• https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Jim-Beckwourth/310127

How to make a timeline for school

 You can read more about creating a timeline on WikiHow.

The Bear Flag Revolt

The Bear Flag Revolt -- CA History

Read about the Bear Flag Revolt:

1. http://socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/bearflagrevolt.htm#:~:text=The%20Bear%20Flag%20Revolt&text=The%20Bear%20Flag%20Revolt%20was,the%20Department%20of%20Alta%20California.
2. https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Bear-Flag-Revolt/317173
3. http://www.american-historama.org/1841-1850-westward-expansion/california-republic.htm

Black History Month | PBS KIDS & Nat Geo Kids

Now read about Black History Month on Nat Geo Kids.

Read about African American heroes on Nat Geo Kids.

Read about African American pioneers of science on Nat Geo Kids.

How did the Spanish change how California Native Americans lived?

Read about how missions changed the lives of Native Americans who lived in California.

Primary vs. Secondary Sources

Indigenous People's Day

Many people now celebrate Indigenous People's Day instead of Columbus Day.  Can you figure out why?

1. NewsELA -- Most Schools Don't Give Students the Whole Truth about American History
2. Columbus Day or Indigenous People's Day? You Decide!
3. Columbus Day or Indigenous People's Day? The Debate Rages On.
4. Read a short summary of Columbus Day, so that you know what it was.
5. NewsELA -- We Learn about Columbus, but not the Taino People.

What reasons do people have for celebrating Indigenous People's Day instead of Columbus Day?  Do you agree with these reasons?

Learn About History This Summer

See what you can learn about history (& more) from the Smithsonian.
Smithsonian Museums
Smithsonian Kids and Teens
History Explorer
Learning Lab

The Bear Flag Revolt (4th Grade CA History)

The 13 Colonies Head Towards Revolution (5th Grade History)

5th Grade Research -- Seeds of the Revolution

Reread weeks 19 and 20 of Studies Weekly to review the build up towards the American Revolution.

Use the following links for more information:

• https://www.ducksters.com/history/american_revolution/the_stamp_act.php
• https://kids.kiddle.co/Boston_Massacre
• https://kids.kiddle.co/Boston_Tea_Party
• https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Intolerable-Acts/601072
• https://www.ducksters.com/history/battle_of_lexington_and_concord.php 

4th Grade Research -- The Bear Flag Revolt

Reread Weeks 19 and 20 of Studies Weekly to review the Bear Flag Revolt in California.

Use the following links for more information:

• https://www.britannica.com/event/Bear-Flag-Revolt
• https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Bear-Flag-Revolt/317173
• http://socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/bearflagrevolt.htm

Cesar Chavez - American Civil Rights Activist | Mini Bio | BIO

Now read about him:

• Scholastic Biography Cesar Chavez
• History for Kids, Cesar Chavez

St. Patrick's Day: Bet You Didn't Know | History

Here are two things you should read:

1. St. Patrick's Day -- Nat Geo Kids
2. Ireland Country Profile -- Nat Geo Kids

Here is a recipe for Irish Soda Bread if you want to make something to celebrate.

I Have a Dream -- MLK Day

You can read the entire speech and listen to it.

The History Channel has a short video about what happened.

You can learn more about Martin Luther King Jr. from his biography.